The 9 best new London restaurant openings in June

There is much deliciousness in the capital this coming month. Even more so than usual, we would wager. New restaurant openings across the capital in June include a place to casually scoff Spanish seafood as if you were perched on stool somewhere in Barcelona (rather than the slightly less sea-facing Stroud Green), another new restaurant from Jackson Boxer aka one of London’s most accomplished chefs, and a cosy bricks-and-mortar home for a Palestinian-inspired bakery that’s been popping-up at food markets since the days of lockdown. 

1. The one that’ll make you think you’re in Paris 

Henri, Covent Garden

Time Out favourite and bonafide Hot Chef Jackson Boxer of Brunswick House et al is bringing his superlative skills to a brand new Parisian-style bistro inside The Henrietta Hotel. Following the same culinary blueprint as his restaurant in Cheltenham’s Cowley Manor Experimental hotel, Jackson will lean into French technique. Excitingly, Henri also promises to open later than your average central London restaurant. Midnight steaks ‘round Henri it is, then. Henri opens June 17.

14-15 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8QH

2. The Palestinian bun shop

Bunhead Bakery, Herne Hill

Bunhead Bakery soft-launched in May, but as of June this labour of love (four years in the making) is fully in business after a successful bout of crowdfunding. A sourdough bun bakery celebrating the flavours of Palestine, this sweet spot is where to come for rose, cardamom, cinnamon and tahini-tasting treats. It’s only open four days a week, starting bright and early at 8am on Thursdays and Fridays and 10am on Saturdays and Sundays. They’ll be selling coffee and cake until they sell out – which they will sooner than you’d think. Get down there. For more Palestinian restaurants in London, read our expert guide by Akub chef Fadi Kattan. 

145 Dulwich Road, SE24 0NG

3. The easy, breezy Spanish fish bar 

Tollington’s, Stroud Green 

Four Legs = two restaurants. The duo behind phenomenally popular Finsbury Park gastro-boozer The Plimsoll are opening up an Iberian-style seafood bar in the bones of an old north London chippy at the end of June. They’ll be keeping the tiling, formica and fryers (thank goodness) but bringing a new, short menu filled with cured, fresh and fried fish, as well as changing cuts of meat and Spanish beers, wine, port and cider. The plan is for it to be a casual joint, where you can pop in for a glass of txakoli and a bowl of boquerones before, presumably, heading off to Rowan’s to sing karaoke while gently reeking of sardines. 

172 Tollington Park, N4 3AJ 

4. The east’s new roast spot

Jones & Sons E18, South Woodford

You’ve seen the original restaurant in the stress-fest that is Boiling Point, now visit the newest outpost of Dalston’s Jones & Sons. In the sunny climes of South Woodford, the two floor restaurant and cocktail bar will dish up seasonal specials made with hearty British produce courtesy of head chef Kieran Hope from June 14 (with 50 per cent off food until June 20). The launch menu spans tuna ceviche with strawberry ponzu, caesar salad with smoky bacon and honey miso cod with apple dashi. Like the Hackney original, expect massive roasts to be a big draw, with Herefordshire rib eye or slow roast Hampshire pork belly served every Sunday.

Elmhurst, 98–106 High Road, E18 2QH 

5. The rotating cast of legends 

You Call The Shots at The Plough, Homerton 

Ramping up excitement for the September launch of their pop-up friendly Hackney wine bar, You Call The Shots is showcasing just what they’ll be up to when it opens, with a summer-long, ever-changing cast of ace chefs at The Plough pub. Cooking up a one-night-only feast on June 8 is Mystic Burek’s Spasia Dinkovski who’ll be devising a menu of trad Balkan cuisine. Then it’s The Prince Arthur’s Joe Couldridge on June 13-15, and Paris Rosina with a pierogi weekender on June 21-22. Marie Mitchell and Ginn Khao will be popping up in July and August, so keep an eye out for more massive kitchen talents. 

23-25 Homerton High St, E9 6JP 

6. The one-stop wonton shop

Poon’s London, Bermondsey

Is it a restaurant? Not really. Is it a shop? Kinda! Pitching up at the Spa Terminus collective of artisan food folk is London food royalty, Amy Poon. She’ll be using the spot as a base for her range of Chinese sauces and dressings as well as wontons, wind-dried pork sausage and Chinese bacon. It’ll be open to the public every Friday and Saturday, and there are plans for tastings and masterclasses later in the year. 

Arch 18 Discovery Estate, Spa Terminus, St James’s Road, SE16 4RA

7. The ‘secret’ vegetarian feast

Gozney Presents Proof Supper Club, Mystery Location

On June 13, Michelin-starred chef Brad Carter will leave his Birmingham resto Carter’s behind for a night of live fire veggie cooking at a secret London location. Hosted by pizza oven maestros Gozney, the vegetarian tasting menu will be inspired by local edible herbs, flowers and produce. So here’s hoping the secret location is nearer to Hampstead Heath than it is the nearest Thames Water overflow pipe. It should also work as a nice little preview for Undercroft, Carter’s new restaurant which officially opens July 2 in the crypt of Mayfair’s St George’s Church. Check here to see if there are any tickets left. 

8. The very fancy Thai restaurant

Koyn Thai, Mayfair 

Restaurateur Samyukta Nair is behind a host of extremely plush Mayfair restaurants; Jamavar, Bombay Bustle, MiMi Mei Fair and sushi and robata spot Koyn. On June 16 she’ll be opening Koyn Thai just below its Japanese forebear, with chef Rose Chalalai Singh cooking up dishes inspired by her childhood in Bangkok and her Parisian café, Rose Kitchen. Think; toasted coconut pomelo salad; wild garlic, green chilli and thai basil escargots; a Chiang Mai platter with spicy pork sausage, capsicum nam prik, sticky rice and crackling pork skin; river prawn choo chee; and crab curry with wild betel leaf bush.  

38 Grosvenor Street, W1K 4AQ

9. The 20th anniversary food fest

Taste of London, Regent’s Park

Foodie Glastonbury takes place June 12-16 and is celebrating 20 years of al fresco gluttony with live demos from the likes of chef Rahel Stephanie of Eat With Spoons, BBQ expert Genevieve Taylor, recipe writer Lara Luck, Helen Graham formerly of Bubula, Chantelle Nicholson of Apricity and vegan chef Bettina Campolucci Bordi. Japanese robatayaki restaurant Roka, South American fusion spot YOPO and Big Mamma’s quintet of maximalist Italian joints (that’s Gloria, Circolo Popolare, Ave Mario, Jacuzzi and Carlotta) are among the line-up of restaurants also peddling plates.

Regent’s Park, NW1 4LL

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