The newbies - Summer 2018

Lahpet 

Relocating from their London Fields pop-up to a 76 seater restaurant where Brick Lane meets Shoreditch, Burmese run Lahpet is bringing otherwise underrated cuisine from Myanmar to the East London crowd. Head chef Zaw Mahesh has previously worked at places such as Daylesford Organic, which is no doubt influencing the menu – seasonal British ingredients when they’re available, but supported by monthly imports from his home country. Lahpet means ‘tea’ in Burmese, a reference to their signature pickled tea leaf salad, a staple ingredient that also makes its way onto the cocktail menu.
58 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6JW
lahpet.co.uk

Brat

Brat is the first solo venture from Tomos Parry, previously at award winning Kitty Fisher’s. Named after the colloquial term for turbot, the menu blends Parry’s Welsh roots with Basque cuisine, featuring meticulously sourced fish and beef. Found on well-known Redchurch Street in Shoreditch, the first floor dining room retains its original 1930s features and is flooded with natural light, making Brat attractive for both lunch and dinner. Expect seasonal ingredients and a solid wine & sherry list.
First floor, 4 Redchurch Street, E1 6JL
bratrestaurant.com

Leroy

Leroy is a buzzy bistro-style restaurant offering casual Parisian dining, in a less formal setting than its Michelin-starred predecessor Ellory.  It offers a selection of smaller plates paired with an excellent wine list from sommelier owners Ed Thaw and Jack Lewens, in a small space just off Great Eastern Street. Billed as ‘thoughtful but not showy,’ Leroy also has a reasonable set lunch menu during the week for the work crowd, and is just as suitable for a leisurely dinner as it is for sampling their own house vermouth with a snack.
18 Phipp St, London EC2A 4NU
leroyshoreditch.com

Mrs. Fogg’s (Opening September 2018)

One of a series of bars based on the Victorian globe trotter Mr. Fogg from Around the World in Eighty Days, this latest venue is named after the fictional explorer’s wife. With an innovative use of botanicals and other ingredients following the spirit of the Jules Vernes novel, Mrs Fogg’s will bring an unusual 19th century drinking experience to the City in Broadgate Circle. Existing incarnations feature eclectic interiors and a tipsy tea service, so expect a fantastical twist on after-work drinks.
Broadgate, EC2M 3WA
mr-foggs.com

St Leonard's 

Inspired by a ‘very boozy lunch’ at his mother’s Sussex home, Jackson Boxer and partner Andrew Clarke have just opened a ‘primal, simple and honest’ restaurant in Shoreditch, with Anglo-French cooking using seasonal ingredients. The space has been designed to facilitate the fresh menu, with an ice bar for raw fish and open hearth cooking for meat and vegetables, some sourced directly from Boxer’s family farm. St. Leonard’s aims to bring the atmosphere of alfresco summertime dining to the city, so be sure to pair the food with a strong drink from the cognac-focused cocktail list.
70 Leonard Street, EC2A 4QX
saintleonards.london

Fortnum & Mason (Opening October 2018)

London's iconic food store, Fortnum & Mason will be opening in two spots in The Royal Exchange in the City - with a food hall and a restaurant and bar space. The food hall will stock a range of its most popular teas, preserves and hampers alongside features such as a confectionary counter and a fresh produce offer. The retailer will also offer a dining and bar area with up to 90 covers.
The Royal Exchange, Bank, EC3V 3LR
fortnumandmason.com