Where To Eat in September: 64 Goodge Street, Oeno Maris, Forza Wine, and More

As far as new openings go, an entirely new restaurant from the Woodhead Group (Quality Chop House, Portland) is about good as it gets. This glorious, unabashedly French concept trades heavily in nostalgia, memory, and familiarity – and actually has the chops to pull it off. Head chef Stuart Andrew’s cooking is heartfelt but precise, with elegant takes on familiar dishes like salade Niçoise (here, with roasted rabbit), lobster vol-au-vent with a creamy sauce Americaine, or classic Lyonnaise cervelle de canut with crudites. Andrew’s taste is impeccable and his team’s execution flawless. Meanwhile, the room may be tiny, but it’s accommodating, plush, and very flatteringly lit, making for an excellent stop for a date or a private celebration (peep the cosy but well-appointed private room).

Learn more here. For reservations, call 0203 747 6364.

The original Peckham Cellars epitomised the modern neighbourhood wine bar and bottle shop – a buzzing wine and small plates haven from three friends who grew up locally – and the sequel has much to offer in terms of excitement. Little Cellars arrives on a Camberwell Church Street offering a distinct neighbourhood flavour, and a style-agnostic mix of wines by the glass that mixes old and new (as co-founder Luke West-Whylie describes them, ‘stone cold bangers’). Notably, on the pans is ex-Terroirs head chef Ollie Lawrence, who brings a simplicity and elegance to dishes like confit chicken with coco beans and girolles, or roasted courgettes with truffled polenta.

In the world of London restaurants, establishments arrive and depart each day; long-term residencies ossify into semi-permanence; and buzzy collaborations sink into the ether as quickly as they emerge. But few have the clout or origin story to make London’s jaded diners raise an eyebrow (or indeed, get people to travel across the city) quite like Rowley Leigh, one of the original founders of what’s today considered modern British cookery, who takes up residence at buzzy Notting Hill hotspot Laylow from September to December. For those old enough to remember, his last outing as a chef was in 2014, so his new project is a rare opportunity to experience Leigh’s cooking, albeit in an evolved form that draws as much from Italy as it does from France. The centre piece of an elegantly informal menu will be (of course) a roasted chicken, here bolstered by the flavours of anchovies, black olives and thyme.

For more information, click here.

Mountain has been open a few weeks and it’s still at the top of most people’s lists, if not for the scintillating Spanish-ish small plates, then for the scene and frenetic buzz surrounding one of the year’s big openings. The third site from Tomos Parry (Brat) and Super 8 group (Kiln, Smoking Goat), this wood grill/Basque-adjacent restaurant has made waves with standout dishes including house-baked bread topped with homemade Stracciatella and oven-kissed red prawns; a delicate omelette loaded with spider crab meat; grilled langoustines; and a Menorcan lobster caldareta to share. Sourcing maestro Kim Songsoo’s influence has been a driving force at Mountain, and her vision across the group is evident in astonishing plates like a salad of cucumber, peas and lemon bergamot. Upstairs is excellent for people watching and kitchen theatrics; the sleek basement dining room is a cosier affair. Don’t miss the torrija (French toast) with strawberries for dessert.

For reservations, email bookings@mountainbeakstreet.com. Learn more here.

Chef Rishim Sachdeva’s excellent vegetable-forward restaurant has carved out a niche as easily one of the city’s best establishments for vegetarian and vegan diners, but in truth, it’s also just one of the places to seek out interesting cooking regardless of genre. A recent refurb has instilled a new sense of warmth and plushness to the dining room, while a constantly evolving menu means that there’s always new things to experience (the chef, as with his peers, cooks with the seasons). A barely believable set menu for £35 is an excellent point of entry, making for a thrilling culinary journey with a couple of additions from the a la carte thrown in – the ‘Chinatown’ purple potatoes with tapioca crackers are essential, as is a remarkable vegan tiramisu at the end that deserves to be mentioned with the city’s finest.

As if the arrival of one destination restaurant wasn’t enough, the arrival of Forza Wine at the National Theatre on the South Bank solidifies the cultural establishment’s status as a dining hotspot. The original Forza Wine (and its big sibling, Forza Win) built a cult following in Peckham on the strength of its superb Italian small plates, approachable list of natural wines, and friendly hospitality. As with the Peckham original, there’s a glorious roof deck with a view across the Thames (an aperitivo at sunset is glorious), and the same menu of laid-back, rustic plates, like crisp cauliflower fritti served with punchy aioli, clams with deep-fried potatoes and chilli, or slow-cooked pork with peppers.

Learn more here.

Formerly head chef at Fulham’s acclaimed Fenn, this tasting menu-only counter from chef Joe Laker is a serious new entrant for the title of the summer’s finest new openings. Laker’s M.O. is to champion progressive producers and farmers from across the British Isles, who supply him and the team within the restaurant’s spacious open kitchen with formidable raw materials, from which he whips up an impressive 15-course procession of dishes for 16 guests each night. Respect for provenance is paramount, of course, but so too is flavour, and Laker’s food tastes as good as it appears – dishes on the opening menu include the likes of a miniature English muffin with egg and truffle, or smoked eel with caviar and wasabi. A shimmering marble countertop is a fitting backdrop for each of Laker’s creations, while a wine list of New World-leaning bottles is on hand for pairings.

Read our full preview of Counter 71 here.

The premise of this Newington Green fishmongers is a simple one – peak quality fish from ethical suppliers – but frequently tricky to pull off. Where Oeno Maris distinguishes itself is in its master fishmonger Dan Murphy, who grew up in the trade and has worked in neighbourhood fishmongers from Brixton to Broadway Market. On a warm day, Murphy opens up his terrace for sit-down dining, offering a simple menu of sparklingly fresh sashimi – whatever’s best that day – alongside oysters, and a few natural wines chosen by Murphy’s partner Sarah Miller. Murphy’s passion is unparalleled, and also happens to be the only master fishmonger working in retail in the city. It’s an idyllic place to sit and watch Newington Green go by, with some of the best seafood in the city.

Walk-ins only. Learn more here.

Yannick Alleno is revered in his native France, and beloved by Michelin inspectors – so much so that they’ve bequeathed the French chef’s restaurants a total of fifteen stars across his sixteen-strong empire. His new restaurant in the Four Seasons Park Lane is one of a few Pavyllons the chef has opened globally, but peer past the gorgeously appointed dining room and striking long bar, and there’s some Very Serious Cooking taking place, with prices to match. Tasting menus here are comparatively good value (though not to reach the heights of standouts like a sweet langoustine tart with Oscietra caviar) and a lunch menu provides good value, with the option of adding on a sublime crepes suzette soufflé on as an extra dessert. Corkage is serious, but as a splurge, it deserves consideration.

More info here.

Tucked away inside the sleek new 1Hotel London in Mayfair, Tom Sellers’ second expansion (after his original Michelin starred flagship, Story, and the upscale rotisserie Story Cellar) sees the chef go into luxury hotel mode, with a capacious room perfect for all day dining, and a menu focused on reimagined classics. While Sellers is the name on the door, kudos also goes to the impressive talent assembled to lead the kitchen – Tom Anglesea (Laughing Heart) and Chase Lovecky (Two Lights, Clove Club) are exec and head chef respectively, and their team turns out perfect renditions of brasserie-style dishes like Dover sole Veronique, a terrine of Guinea fowl and lardo, or braised cuttlefish alla Romana. There’s also a selection of hefty steaks, plus a pretty hidden terrace and a self-serve trolley dedicated to the classic Knickerbocker glory.

The first event that Brunswick House ran as part of its Bar Sessions producer-led series sold out handily, and with a foolproof format, it’s an understandably popular destination when it’s on. The premise: luxuriate with friends in the splendour of one of London’s most beautiful restaurants while tasting dishes and drinking wine from chef Jackson Boxer’s favourite suppliers. It’s easy to love, without factoring in the fact that the ticket cost is redeemable against dinner at the restaurant afterwards (!). On Weds 13^th September, the focus turns to luxe tinned fish and fine cider, with the popular PYSCIS putting on a spread of gourmet fish conserves and snacks, with rare British ciders from the Fine Cider Company. Bring a friend, or three – we’ll see you there.

Tickets here.