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It is the tradition at Eater to end the year with a survey of friends, contributors, rovers of the industry, and professional eaters. Even a year like this one. For 2021, the group were asked 13 questions, covering the best meals and the worst tweets alongside 2022 predictions and dining standbys. Their answers will appear throughout this week, with responses relayed in no particular order; cut and pasted below.
Following the best newcomers, restaurant standbys, and best meals, here are the restaurant openings (and reopenings) to watch in 2022.
Adam Coghlan, Editor, Eater London: Of the things we know about now, Arcade has the chance to be proper. Although the best things to happen next year are almost certainly those we do not yet know about.
James Hansen, Associate Editor, Eater London: Tatale; wherever Decatur goes next; Kapihan 2.0; Rosslyn 3.0; and Cedric Grolet — less for the substance, more to marvel at an as yet unseen level of trompe-l’œil influencer hype. I suspect Tiktok and le garçon de Clerkenwell are going to lose their shit.
Anna Sulan Masing, food writer and Eater London contributor: Tom / Decatur what’s he going to be doing? Something more permanent next year, surely? Can I will that into existence? Whatever Tom is going to do, I’m excited for! (I also know two things I can’t talk about, which I am excited for — I think good restaurant things will happen next year.)
Jonathan Nunn, food writer and Eater London contributor: None of them — there’s already too many.
Sejal Sukhadwala, food writer and Eater London contributor: I’m eagerly awaiting the opening of Vergine Maria, the vegan pizza joint from the people behind Santa Maria. Mostly because I don’t know of any other notable vegetarian or vegetable-centric openings that are in the pipeline.
Sean Wyer, writer, researcher and Eater London contributor: I’m looking forward to eating at Vergine Maria, Santa Maria’s upcoming plant-based pizzeria in their original Ealing location (the omnivorous restaurant has relocated down the road). Santa Maria’s menus have always had interesting and well-thought-out vegan options; I’m excited to see them take centre stage, in the kitchen where it all began.
George Reynolds, writer and Eater London contributor: Ombra 2.0, Arcade Food Hall 2.0, Lisboeta. I’m also ashamed to admit I haven’t yet made it to BiBi and Chishuru, and aim to rectify that ASAP in January.
Emma Hughes, writer and Eater London contributor: AngloThai’s bricks-and-mortar home and Thomas Straker’s place in Queens Park are top of the list.
Feroz Gajia, restaurateur and Eater London contributor: The unknown yet to be announced places and the rumoured hot QSR openings coming to our shores. As for known quantities, many restaurant chefs are opening concepts next year which I’m watching closely.
Chris Cotonou, writer and Eater London contributor: I’m a sucker for fusion food that utilises British cuisine. AngloThai is top of the list, after sampling their British-Thai delights at one of the supper clubs. To finally be able to devour the curried pig’s head terrine (or mussels in pork fat jungle curry) in a new bricks-and-mortar location is a real treat, and I predict it will be hugely popular.
Ed Cumming, writer and food critic: Lisboeta.
Daisy Meager, food writer and Eater London contributor: After another tumultuous year, it’s still exciting to see all new places open and be able to get excited by new things to eat! I can’t wait to eat at Tatale and Lisboeta, and try Ombra’s Roman pizza from their upcoming pastificio and forno. And might we possibly see The Ledbury’s new incarnation this year??
Lucas Oakley, food writer and Eater London contributor: Very interested to see what Akwasi Brenya-Mensa does with Tatale.
Angela Hui, food writer and Eater London contributor: Tatale! I’m really gutted I couldn’t make it down to chef Akwasi Brenya-Mensa’s supper clubs this year, but pumped to hopefully try his food and for his permanent space at the African Centre in Southwark.
David Jay Paw, food writer and Eater London contributor: I’m personally most looking forward to Tatale, Akwasi Brenya-Mensa’s supperclub-turned-restaurant in SE1’s Africa Centre. Elsewhere, JKS’s takeover at the former Arcade Food Hall space promises Infinity War-esque levels of spectacle.
Hester van Hensbergen, food writer and Eater London contributor: I’m most excited for Tatale. It’s not a restaurant, but I’m also looking forward to the Willy’s Pies shop opening in London Fields.
Shekha Vyas, food writer and Eater London contributor: Whatever Decatur does next. Otherwise, to be honest, I think it’s impossible to tell what will actually happen or materialise in 2022 so I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the unknown.
