As well as new openings from some of London’s most popular chains (Dishoom and Bubala), October brings with it a brand new flagship from one of the most famous sushi masters in the world: Endo Kazutoshi.
Endo’s new joint might already be fully booked until the end of the month (despite the £305-a-head price tag), but the wise among you will be heading for a lowkey breakfast at Clementine, a new cafe in Islington from one of the city’s finest pastry chefs.
Here are the other foodie openings to look out for in October.
The best new London restaurants opening in October 2026
1. The sushi sensation
With his legendary Endo at the Rotunda restaurant in White City following a fire, Endo Kazutoshi is opening up a brand-new sushi joint. At this tiny, 10-seater omakase there will be no menu, with guests dining at the whim of Endo, who will whip up whatever sushi takes his fancy on the night as they perch at a 200-year-old hinoki counter all the way from Kyoto. Above Endo will be a listening bar called Moga. At first it’ll only be open to guests dining at Endo, but any old randos can get a cocktail there from December onwards.
8-9 Blacklands Terrace, Chelsea, SW3 2SP
2. The Italian cocktail and snacks spot
Spring Street Pizza Bar, Borough
One of south London’s top pizza restaurants is opening a 2,500 sq ft cocktail bar. Spring Street Pizza Bar will open in the railway arch next to their popular pizza parlour, with a menu of Italian bar snacks such as crudo, fritti, meatballs and mortadella sliders, as well as a dedicated martini menu. An olive oil martini with Spring Street Pizza brine or a buffalo cheese martini anyone? Want pizza? You’ll have to go back next door for that.
Arch 32-33, Southwark Quarter, Southwark Street, Borough, SE1 1TE
3. The cute cafe
Quince is one of London’s most in-demand bakeries, and now you’ll have double the chance to scoff pastry chef Anna Higham’s flakey wares. Twenty-cover cafe Clementine will be home to sit-down breakfasts of tattie scones with scrambled eggs, Scotch pancakes with poached fruit and Staffordshire oatcakes with bacon. Lunch is just as quaint, with Westcombe Dairy cheddar toasties, chicken and tarragon pies and a proper ploughman’s. Of course, there will be cake.
190 New North Road, Islington, N1 7AA
4. The lesbian and sapphic pub
We love a new pub, and Dorothy’s looks set to become an instant classic. The crowdfunded lesbian pub promises to be a warm, welcoming, joyful space built around community, culture and genuinely inclusive hospitality’, with booze from queer brands and kitchen takeovers from queer chefs, as well as regular parties, a pool room and the all-round good vibes that a community boozer can bring.
14 Coleman Rd, Camberwell, SE5 7TG
5. The returning London legend
The famous Simpson’s Tavern – an 18th-century institution – is set to re-open thanks to the team behind nearby restaurant and wine bar Cloth. Alas, they can’t use the Simpson’s Tavern name, but the Grade-II* listed building will retain its historic features and serve food inspired by the old-school chophouse, including smoked haddock, potato and leek gratin, as well as venison, bacon and bone marrow pie.
38 ½ Cornhill, City of London, EC3V 9DR
6. The steak powerhouse
Solis Soho has been a long time coming. Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng formed the roaming Tātā Eatery over a decade ago after working for Nuno Mendes, and in 2023 launched their South American-inspired chicken and steak grill Solis at Arcade in Battersea. Now the brand has its first stand-alone spot, which will offer torta pascoalina, caramelised onion and mushroom and cheese croquetas, Uruguayan prawn cocktail and elote grilled corn alongside their signature meal grills.
26 Kingly Street, Soho, W1B 5QD
7. The New Haven pizza parlour
Lenny’s was one of our favourite places in London to get pizza until it ended its Finsbury Park pop-up last year, so we’re chuffed to hear about this permanent spot for their charred and chewy New Haven-style pizza. Expect classic tomato pie and signature The Lenny, which splits a 14-inch pie perfectly down the middle: one half topped with tomato, garlic and pecorino, the other a classic mozzarella pie.
24 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8ND
8. Another Dishoom!
With the queues still snaking around London’s various branches of this ever-popular Indian chain, you can’t really argue with the concept of another Dishoom, can you? This one is opening up in a Grade II-listed building from 1867. Their eighth London restaurant, Dishoom Borough’s soft launch from October 12-20 will offer 50 percent off food, including the Borough branch’s exclusive dish: Keralan pepper chicken – a spicy, slow-roasted chicken with a pepper and curry-leaf sauce, paratha and crisp onion salad.
The Hop Exchange, 11–13 Park Street, Borough, SE1 9AB
9. Another Bubala!
Think of this as a turbo-charged branch of the Middle Eastern-inspired veggie restaurant, with three dining areas (a 60-cover ground floor space with an additional downstairs dining room for 32 guests, and 30 alfresco seats overlooking Floral Street). The menu will feature Bubala’s tried-and-tested classics: halloumi with chamomile and fennel honey and crispy confit latkes with toum. The signature ‘Bubala Knows Best’ set menu will also be on offer for £39 a head.
14 Garrick Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9BJ
10. The Quirky east London Italian
The ‘Pino’ in question is Giuseppe ‘Pino’ Pepe, who was previously head chef at east London’s Michelin-starred Casa Fofo. At Da Pino he’ll be whipping up experimental takes on Italian classics, including grilled rice with mussels and potatoes, tomato ravioli with basil, and raw scallops with peanut milk and green tomatoes.
175 Stoke Newington Road, N16 8BP
11. The swanky Persian place
The east London space once home to The Waterhouse Project is injecting a bit of drama thanks to new resident restaurant, Pardeh. Opened by former theatre designer Sahar Gilabadi and with Tehran-born chef Yma Apa (formerly of The Drunken Butler in Clerkenwell) in the kitchen, a fresh take on Iranian cuisine is promised.
Unit 1, 45 The Oval, Cambridge Heath, E2 9DT
12. The must-go residency
Firangi at Top Cuvée, Finsbury Park
Pop-up pros Ruhi Parmar Amin and Simar Deo are bringing their Firangi concept to Top Cuvée for the rest of the year. Inspired by their Punjabi and Gujarati heritage and named after the Hindi word for ‘foreigner’ dishes include jowar and lamb tartare with betel leaf, coorg pandi pork belly with green beans, glazed shallot and quince fudge, and a mega main of bavette steak with chamba chukh peppercorn sauce, green pepper and plum.
177B Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, N5 2LL
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