Just opened
Heard, London
Just opened
Two-Michelin-starred chef Jordan Bailey’s burger concept, Heard, has opened its second site, just off Carnaby Street in central London. Known for its smash burgers made with aged British beef and signature roast potato buns, the Soho outpost will debut the Soho Burger – a 155g beef patty with Gruyère, caramelised onion, watercress, mustard mayo and a pink peppercorn sauce. The 38-cover-restaurant features an open kitchen upstairs and a cocktail bar downstairs. Drinks include wines curated by sommelier Majken Bech-Bailey, alongside a range of craft beers and signature cocktails.
Vinette & Vivien, Edinburgh
Opening 8 October 2025
Edinburgh chef Stuart Ralston, in collaboration with Jade Johnston, is launching Vinette, a Parisian-style bar à vin, and Vivien, a subterranean cocktail bar, in the former site of Fhior on Broughton Street. Under the direction of Ralston’s brother Calum as head chef, Vinette will serve seasonal sharing plates and bistro-style dishes, with highlights including braised duck hearts on toast, Iberico pork chops, and pig’s head croquettes. The wine list, curated by head sommelier Stuart Skea, will focus on Old World bottles but includes special global imports. Below, Vivien will be an intimate, late-night cocktail lounge inspired by poet Renée Vivien, offering original drinks, plus snacks such as potato mille-feuille and Ortiz anchovies.
Opening soon
Bar Shrimp, Manchester
Opening 22 October 2025
Opening in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Bar Shrimp is a seafood and listening bar from the team behind the award-winning restaurant Higher Ground and wine bar Flawd. The venue will specialise in shellfish – from oysters and razor clams to Exmoor caviar – paired with a curated wine list and natural wines. Expect plates such as Cornish crab cocktail or British bluefin tuna crudo. The bar lounge will be dark-lit and atmospheric, with plush red banquettes, floor-to-ceiling drapes and full table service.
The Black Eal, London
Opening 24 October 2025
Opening in late October, The Black Eel will transform a grade II-listed site in Dalston into a 250-cover bar and social hub. Once home to the F. Cooke pie and mash shop for more than 130 years prior to its closure in the 1990s, Exale Brewing is set to give the building a new lease of life. Expect multiple rooms with karaoke, shuffleboard and darts, plus a 150-seat beer garden complete with pétanque court. In the kitchen, Riley’s, led by chef Billy Fisher, will serve seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired dishes including fried new potatoes, pork ribs and Sunday roasts. Drinks will feature Exale Brewing’s craft beers, natural wines and cocktails.
Barnacle, Liverpool
Opening soon
Barnacle, set to open in Liverpool’s historic Georgian Quarter, will be a modern brasserie housed in the Grade II-listed former School for the Blind on Hardman Street. Helmed by Paul and Harry Askew, the restaurant promises to celebrate Liverpool’s maritime heritage with a seasonal, sustainable menu created by Head Chef Kieran Gill. Drawing inspiration from ‘Captain Barnacle Bill’, the concept will integrate global flavours brought back to the city from locations around the world.
Root, Bath
Opening autumn 2025
Root, the acclaimed vegetable-led restaurant from The Pony Group, is set to open its third location this autumn. Joining sites in Bristol and Well, Root Bath will occupy a two-floor space in Shires Yard, a heritage quarter just off Milsom Street. It will feature a rooftop terrace, a ground-floor bar and kitchen, and an upstairs dining room with views over the city. The restaurant will offer sharing plates and larger plates crafted from locally sourced produce, including dishes like celeriac pastrami, Homewood Ewe’s Curd Dumplings, and Chargrilled Ox Heart Skewers.
Solaya, London
Opening autumn 2025
Solaya, set to open in autumn 2025, will be Michelin-starred chef Kenny Atkinson’s first solo restaurant in London. Located on the 25th floor of art’otel London Hoxton, diners can enjoy panoramic skyline views, while enjoying French-Mediterranean fine dining. With 70 covers in the main dining room and seating for up to 110 in the bar and lounge, expect seasonal sharing plates inspired by the Côte d’Azur, alongside a wine and cocktail menu curated by Group Bar Manager Alessandro Mannello. Signature dishes include bouillabaisse, Josper côte de boeuf, and a BBQ mussel skewer with ’nduja cream and chives.
Freyja, Heddon-on-the-Wall
Opening winter 2025
The duo behind Michelin-starred restaurant Hjem are set to launch Freyja, a new restaurant-with-rooms in Northumberland, opening in late 2025. Chef Alex Nietosvuori and his wife, Ally, are restoring the walled garden of the Close House estate to supply the kitchen, creating a garden-to-fork dining experience. Designed by Elliott Architects, the Scandi-inspired restaurant will feature natural materials and garden views, alongside 12 bedrooms with a wildflower roof. Expect nordic influences and seasonal menus offering high-quality local produce.
