In London this year, there are planned expansions and new moves from some of the city’s most established and celebrated operators, a number of notable debuts, some fascinating international imports, and even some international imports which have already plotted early expansion. Given it’s the restaurant business, many of these dates might slide, but in order of when they are expected to open, here is Eater London’s edit of the most anticipated openings in London, so far known, this year.

Local favourites open new sites

Peg

Address: 120 Morning Lane, E9 6LH
Key people: Phil Bracey, Will Gleave, Byron Fini, and Liam Kelleher
What to expect: Site number three for P. Franco and Bright’s natural wine maestros, returning to the all bar seats model on the former site of Legs in Hackney. Bracey said the team will use the best produce, cooked simply — in many cases on the grill on skewers. “In a way, the bar is loosely inspired by Thai street food (mu ping) and Japanese izakayas, which serve yakitori as drinking food,” he added.
Projected opening: February 2019

Team P. Franco and Bright — the trio behind new wine bar, Peg in Hackney

Orasay

Address: 31 Kensington Park Road, W11 2EU
Key people: Andrew Clarke, Jackson Boxer
What to expect: A neighbourhood restaurant inspired by the Outer Hebrides, focussed on the region’s seafood, particularly shellfish. Boxer describes it as “aquanautical” — concerning water, and the sea. Indeed.
Projected opening: Early 2019

Bao

Address: 13 Stoney Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AD
Key people: Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung, Wai Ting Chung, JKS Restaurants
What to expect: Bao’s third restaurant will of course offer its signature pillowy steamed buns but, in the way that the Fitzrovia location evolved the original Soho site, Borough will be more “garish,” “messy,” and designed to cater to commuters under the arches in this iconic food market location.
Projected opening: 2019

Bao’s Borough Market restaurant gets a positive review from Jimi Famurewa in the Evening Standard — Bao’s owners will open their fourth restaurant in Borough Market

Flor

Address: 1 Bedale Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AL
Key people: James Lowe, John Ogier, JKS Restaurants
What to expect: A wine bar and bakery inspired by the buvettes of Paris and pintxos bars in San Sebastian, with bread being an integral part of the offering — “baked goods in the morning, sandwiches at lunch and flatbreads at dinner. All bread and viennoiserie is made in-house, from British wheat which is milled at Lyle’s,” according to chef James Lowe.
Projected opening: Spring/summer 2019

Big name international imports

HaiDiLao

Address: 13 Coventry Street, W1D 7DH
Key people: The team behind global hot pot chain HaiDiLao
What to expect: With over 300 sites around the world and a reputation for generous customer service, HaiDiLao will bring Sichuan hot pot to London on a massive scale.
Projected opening: No timeline as yet

Halal Guys

Address: Leicester Square
Key people: Mohammed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed
What to expect: The wildly popular street-food-stall-turned international American chain to open the first of many European sites in London this year. Fast-casual form of Middle Eastern grilled lamb, chicken, and fried falafel, or gyro beef, which is served over either rice or in a wrap. Assembled dishes are served with chilli and/or its famous ‘white’ garlicky herb sauce.
Projected opening: March 2019

Eggslut

Address: TBD
Key people: Eggslut
What to expect: Queued-for egg sandwiches, pots, and more from the hyped Los Angeles chain.
Projected opening: 2019

London Debuts

Yeni

Address: 53-55 Beak Street, W1F 9SH
Key people: Civan Er
What to expect: Contemporary Anatolian cuisine using ingredients from the British Isles as well as further afield — early indications suggest affinity with Selin Kiazim’s Oklava and Kyseri.
Projected opening: 21 January 2019

Gloria

Address: 54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR and a second location in Fitzrovia
Key people: Restaurateurs Victor Lugger, Tigrane Seydoux, and the team behind Big Mamma group’s La Felicitá, Pink Mamma, and six other businesses in Paris
What to expect: Italian trattoria — 160 covers over two floors — with a design inspired by the aesthetic of Capri in the 1970s. The owners plan to use the finest ingredients, serve fresh pasta, bitter espresso, and cocktails at affordable prices to a high turnover clientele.
Projected opening: February and mid-2019

Big Mamma Paris restaurant group will open in Fitzrovia, London at Rathbone Square — Tigrane Seydoux and Victor Lugger, the duo behind the Big Mamma group which will open Gloria in Shoreditch next month

Kol

Address: TBD, central London
Key people: Santiago Lastra of Noma Mexico and Mugaritz
What to expect: Mexican ingredients and inflections, guided by British produce — perhaps in the vein of Ben Chapman’s approach to Kiln
Projected opening: 2019

Noma Mexico chef Santiago Lastra worked with Rene Redzepi, and will open Kol in London 2019 — Noma Mexico chef Santiago Lastra, right

Big name international imports-turned-local-favourites expand

Din Tai Fung

Location: Centre Point
Key people: Taiwanese dim sum specialists Din Tai Fung
What to expect: The second London location for Din Tai Fung, whose signature xiao long bao (steamed soup pork dumplings) have been a massive hit in London since it opened in Covent Garden in December. Its opening at the newly redeveloped Centre Point building on Tottenham Court Road in the first quarter of this year is the headline opening at the multi-use location.
Projected opening: Early 2019

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The Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings in 2019

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Local favourites open new sites

Big name international imports

London Debuts

Big name international imports-turned-local-favourites expand

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