It's that time again! These will be the hottest tables in town this April.
Andi's
The new Great British Menu judge is opening a restaurant in Stoke Newington, with a focus on brunch during the day, followed by an evening dinner service. Brunch dishes will include baked Burford brown eggs, a French toast bacon sandwich and a Reuben, piled high with salt beef, sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese (there will also be a vegan version, although we don't know the details just yet). In the evening, it will transform into a brasserie. Andi and her business partner Kelly have had many successful pop-ups, which have attracted the likes of Beyonce and Jay-Z. Andi said of the opening, "our food will uplift the spirit and calm the heart."
Andi's, 176 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0JL. Open: 1 April
Little Jose
Jose Pizarro is opening a third restaurant (the other two are called Jose, and Pizarro). He's a fantastic Spanish chef and we have actual dreams about his croquetas, all wobbly and rich inside their crisp golden shells. The new place will be part of the Street Feast opening at Canary Wharf and will provide an alternative to the 'boring things in a bun' lunchtime options. He'll be doing what he does best with a menu of daily changing tortillas, exciting sandwiches and tapas.
Little Jose, Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf, E14 5AR. Open: 6 April
Machiya
The people behind the Kanada-Ya ramen restaurants will open Machiya, a restaurant serving home-style Japanese food. Fans of chicken katsu will most likely enjoy gyukatsu, which is a wagyu steak coated in panko breadcrumbs; it comes partly cooked, for you to finish cooking over your own grill at the table. There will also be plenty of donburi, or rice dishes, and some small sharing plates (yes, they are everywhere). They'll tick another trend box with their spin on avocado toast, which will use Japanese milk bread and come topped with furikake seasoning. Cocktails, sake and whisky will also be available.
Machiya, 5 Panton Street, SW1Y 4DL. Open: 10 April
Monty's Deli
This is the one we've really been waiting for. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, Monty's have closed their deli at Maltby Street Market and will open a new restaurant in Hackney. Although we're disappointed they won't be at the market any longer, the expanded menu at their new joint will make up for it, and it looks incredible. The home-cured salt beef sandwiches will remain, of course, but there will also be a range of bagels and pastries for breakfast, beautiful babka (a sweet, chocolate swirled cake), chopped liver, chicken soup - it's basically going to be a brilliant Jewish deli. We can't wait.
Monty's Deli, 225 - 227 Hoxton Street, N1. Open: 18 April
Yolk
It seems like Londoners just can't get enough brunch, so you'll be pleased to hear that yet another restaurant with a focus on eggs and sandwiches is opening in Islington this month. Former pop up Yolk will serve their signature eggs benedict with shredded ham hock and cayenne to go, and there will be some pretty fine looking sandwiches, with fillings like steak and duck. It's sure to appeal to the time-pressed city crowd. The steak bearnaise sandwich, in particular, sounds amazing, with steak, brown butter bearnaise, caramelised onions and rocket on ciabatta.
Yolk, 4 Finsbury Avenue Square, EC2M 2QS. Open: late April, date TBC
Kimchee Pancras Square
There are few things in life more satisfying than being in charge of a BBQ. That's the name of the game downstairs at Kimchee, where you choose from a menu of raw bulgoli and sirloin beef, scallops, veggies and the like, then sizzle up your own Korean masterpiece. Sticky seafood bibimbap — plus fluffy pajeon studded with octopus — make for scrummy sides. Go for the green tea mousse with almond ice cream for a palate-cleansing afters. A bigger space upstairs offers a cockle-warming range of udon, soups and hotpots. Many featuring the eponymous kimchee.
Kimchee, 2 Pancras Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4AG. Open: 1 April
