Where To Eat in August: Miznon, Zephyr, Barrafina Borough Yards and More

One of the year’s most anticipated restaurants has arrived, bringing with it slick pan-African cooking, an infectiously upbeat dining room, and a side of conscious dining. Owner Akwasi Brenya-Mensa has Ghanaian roots, but here he showcases the food of the African diaspora and its influence on global Black food traditions, in dishes like ackee croquettes, chichinga buttermilk chicken wings, and a comforting groundnut soup with omo tuo (mashed rice dumpling). A location in the Africa Centre’s sparkling new headquarters near Bankside makes its arrival feel all the more special.

Chinatown’s bakeries and restaurants have always attracted queues, but the line of Balenciaga-clad twentysomethings outside this Hong Kong cafe hint that its offerings are a little special. Inside, find slick modern décor and a menu loaded with cha chaan teng (HK caff) dishes and drinks like a juicy pork chop sandwiched in a pineapple bun, curry fish balls and Hong Kong milk tea, as well as excellent lunch plates like claypot rice with wind-dried sausage, roast meats, and more. Drop in for lunch or explore the menu with a few friends.

For reservations, call 020 3332 2313.

The menu at this casual new pita and small plates restaurant in Soho reads like a Dario Argento homage, but the food more than stands up to scrutiny. Israeli chef Eyal Shani opened the acclaimed HaSalon in Tel Aviv and NYC, and this London edition of Miznon is one of several, each known for their outstanding Sephardic fare. Madcap local London ‘influences’ abound – spag bol, cottage pie and smashburgers all get the pita treatment – but simple falafel pita and slow-cooked cauliflower dish are sublime, and vegetable dishes are among the best you’ll eat anywhere.

London’s newest Barrafina, at the buzzing new Borough Yards complex, is the largest yet, but has lost none of the soul or glamour of the original restaurant. As well as gleaming interiors, chic clientele, and the spellbinding counterside theatre of watching a perfectly drilled kitchen team cook your dinner in front of you, there’s a stunning new private dining space for groups, and the same immaculate vegetable, meat and seafood dishes regulars know and love. Dishes like perfect fritto misto and a Menorcan stew of lobster, monkfish and clams are about as memorable as it gets.

The tradition of serving South Asian cooking in old boozers has been around for years, but this Islington newcomer offers its own twist with a menu for the craft ale-and-Roti King crowd. It’s just as well, as chef Prince Durairaj cooked at the latter for years before striking out on his own. As well as a rotating lineup of beers and cocktails by a Bar Termini alum, Durairaj’s skill shines in plates like a tumble of crisp okra fries, chicken ‘lollipops’ and pristine, flaky roti. It’s already packed with appreciative locals, and worth seeking out for excellent channa batura and grilled tiger prawns with garlic masala.

Tucked away in Newington Green, this tiny new wine bar and bistro from wine importers Beattie and Roberts has quickly attracted the local East London hospitality crowd for its irresistible combination of friendly service, unfussy French fare, and a short but superb list of wines by the glass. Fresh from a residency at P. Franco, ex-St John chef Jamie Smart is on the pans and writes his short menu on the blackboard each day; fine pâté en croûte, chilled cucumber soup, or a delicate tartine of duck hearts and cherry is everything we want to eat. Clear your evening for a visit and soak up the London summer.

Walk-ins only.

A lighter, brighter space on Lambs Conduit Street is the only change of affairs at the newly relocated Honey and Co, from which the husband-and-wife duo of Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich welcome guests and share what’s some of the most joyful Middle Eastern-inspired cooking in town. For summer, the peach salad and za’atar potatoes are unmissable; and a honey blossom old-fashioned should be compulsory to start or end an evening here. For the indecisive, there’s a sharing menu, plus an excellent breakfast served until 11:30 – perfect for weekend brunching.

To make a reservation call 020 7388 6175.

The original Bubala in Spitalfields was an unreserved hit, and the follow up in Soho – on the old Vasco & Piero site – delivers the excellence of the original, and more. Helen Graham’s Middle Eastern cooking balances playfulness and comfort, with favourites like confit potato latkes, burnt butter hummus, and braised hispi returning, along with new dishes like refreshing grapefruit ezme and a lineup of skewers, fresh from the grill (the charred oyster mushrooms remain irresistible). The menu, as ever, remains entirely vegetarian.

From the team behind Pachamama and Chicama comes this breezy modern Greek bar and restaurant in Notting Hill, which offers luxurious twists on Grecian culture courtesy of executive chef John Skotidas (Mazi, Suzi Tros). Think whole grilled whole fish, perfect Greek salad, otoro toast, and crispy confit potatoes slathered in Metsovone cream and topped with truffles. There’s a slinky late night drinking den for continued excess, with a potent list of cocktails for sipping into the wee hours.

To make a reservation, call +44 (0)20 4599 1177.

This tiny kiosk in Lower Clapton sells excellent coffee during the day, but the ace up its sleeve is the fact that chef Rodrigo Cervantes (ex-Smoking Goat, Rita’s) is behind the food. Here, there’s a focus on serious Mexican breakfast and lunch dishes like hearty gorditas, breakfast tacos, chilaquiles and a showstopping breakfast burrito, with freshly made salsas. Occasionally, Cervantes will also offer specials like barbacoa and pan de elote (cornbread).

Walk-ins only.