It's that time again, folks. Here's our pick of the best new openings to try this month.
Little fluffy sandwiches
We all know about bao by now — those puffy Taiwanese sandwiches that people queue down the street for. Unsurprisingly the kings and queens of their genre are opening another branch. Bao Fitzrovia arrives on Windmill Street on 15 June.
Bao Fitzrovia, 31 Windmill Street, W1T 2JN. Update 7 June: Bao will now open on 6 July
Beer and meatballs in Hackney
The founder of Hackney's Five Points Brewing Company and street food stall Capish? will open a bar together at Canalside in Hackney Wick. Mason & Company will have a constantly changing selection of over 20 draught taps and a range of bottled and canned brews. Capish? will serve their meatball hero sandwiches, pork and beef subs and Rachel's famous steak braciole — 45 day dry-aged steak slow-cooked for six hours in bone marrow and white wine, served in a buttermilk roll.
Mason & Company, 7 Canalside, Here East, Hackney Wick, E20 3BS. Opens: 17 June
Puglian food and wine in Highgate
Ostuni, London's first restaurant to (apparently) serve entirely Puglian food and wine, is opening a second branch. Regional dishes will include orecchiette - the 'little ears' pasta shape specific to the region, alongside t-bone steaks, devilled chickens (cooked on a wood-fired grill) and tiramisu.
Ostuni, 1 Hampstead Lane, N6 4RS. Soft launch 6 – 9 June, 50% off food
Hawaiian fish dish
The trend for poke continues, with Ahi Poke opening on Percy Street in Fitzrovia. Forget sushi; this year it’s all about this Hawaiian preparation of raw fish served on rice with pickles and garnishes.
Ahi Poke, 3 Percy Street, W1T 1DF. Soft launch 27-29 June — 50 free signature Ahi poke bowls between 1pm-2pm while stocks last
Barbary Coast cuisine
The team behind the hugely successful The Palomar will open another restaurant this June. Focused on grilling and baking, the restaurant will concentrate on cuisine from the Barbary Coast, which runs from North Africa to Jerusalem. It's no reservations, obviously, and will be teeny, with just 24 seats.
Barbary, 16 Neal's Yard, WC2H 9DP. Opens: mid-June tbc.
Chinese and Portuguese fusion
Chefs with Chinese and Portuguese roots are setting up the curiously named CURIO + TĀ TĀ on Kingsland Road. The menu will take influences from their mixed heritage to create a unique menu featuring lots of hot plates and cold snacks, designed to be eaten with rice. Think congee (Asian rice porridge) with dishes like charred and pickled mackerel and braised peanuts. The restaurant will seat 34 for dinner, Thursday through Saturday from 6pm. There will also be a 60 seater alfresco area for cocktails and snacks. Frankly, we’re just worried about how we're going to pronounce that name.
CURIO + TĀ TĀ, 258 Kingsland Road, E8 4DG. Opens: 16 June.
Gravy in Brixton
Dip and Flip are opening a new branch of their gravy soaked sandwich chain in Brixton. We love their gravy so much we included it in our round-up of the best in London, although their patty melt is a bit of alright too.
Dip n Flip. 64-68 Atlantic Road, SW9 8PY. Opens: June 17
Turkey isn’t just for Christmas...
…apparently. Ever find yourself craving turkey outside of the festive season? Us neither. Someone must do though because now there’s a whole restaurant dedicated to the gobbling bird. The cooking will be inspired by the Eastern Med and the birds will be marinated for 24 hours in the 'family spice and herb blend', then slow-cooked before garnishes added. The restaurant is keen to avoid unhealthy cooking methods, swapping deep frying for roasting, so don’t expect any Southern fried turkey anytime soon.
Strut & Cluck, 151-153 Commercial Street, E1 6BJ. Opens: 21 June
The Park Table summer guest chef series
The Magazine restaurant at Serpentine Sackler Gallery will launch a series of dinners called The Park Table. Taking place over nine Friday nights between June and August the dinners will see some of London’s hottest chefs do their thing, including Will Bowlby of Kricket in POP Brixton and Robin Gill of The Dairy in Clapham. Expect a four-course menu with a glass of champagne on arrival. All profits from the dinners will go to Crisis.
To book a seat, call 020 7339 3064 or email events@magazine-restaurant.co.uk
Street Food in Vauxhall
The street food garden will return to Vauxhall from 6 June. The somewhat depressing area near Vauxhall station will once again receive a much-needed injection of fun, as a bunch of street food traders set up from Monday to Friday, between 11.30am - 10pm. Burgers, BBQ, roti and Greek food feature in the lineup, with cocktails served in the evenings.
Vauxhall Street Food Garden, 6a South Lambeth Place, SW8 1SP (next to Starbucks). Opens: June 6