The October Hit List: Trattoria Brutto, Bibi, Decatur at Quality Wines, and More

The return of the influential restaurateur Russell Norman (Polpo, Spuntino) is a cause for celebration, and this new Tuscan-inspired all-day establishment by Smithfield is a fitting homecoming. A candlelit dining room punctuated with chequered tablecloths, vintage furnishings and typically on-point service sets the scene for magnificent feasts courtesy of head chef Oli Diver; homely fare like wild boar sausage and lentils or a traditional Tuscan beef stew play crostini, pasta alla vodka, or coffee-drenched ice cream with lashings of brandy. The bistecca alla Fiorentina – an imposing T-bone aged to perfection – is surely destined to become a signature.

The interplay between chef and front of house at this cosy Farringdon wine bar (from the same owners of the legendary Quality Chop House) creates an intimacy not unlike dining in a friend’s kitchen. For October – while resident chef Nick Bramham is away – Tom Zahir Browne of Decatur will be slinging New Orleans-style fare across the marble counter, with a daily-changing chalkboard offering jewels like toothsome shrimp and grits, chargrilled oysters with garlic Pecorino butter, crispy pig ears and a dish of rabbit and dumplings that’s worth the trip alone. Pass the hot sauce.

Few can stir excitement quite like the restaurant group JKS (Bao, Gymkhana), making this sleek new Indian restaurant hot property. Here, chef Chet Sharma (ex-Mugaritz, Moor Hall, L’Enclume) delves into regional Indian cooking styles, delivered in a contemporary setting – this is Mayfair, after all – with Rajasthani architectural accents embedded in the décor. Cooking is both soulful and considered, with snacks and chaat like raw beef pepper fry and dosa preceding grills like Achari lamb saddle, or truffle and king oyster khichdi. Vegetarians are well-looked after, and sourcing is impeccable – one of the very best Indian restaurants in London right now.

Billed as a ‘wine drinker’s clubhouse’, there’s plenty to love at this anticipated wine bar and neo-bistro whether you’re a serious wine enthusiast or a casual drinker. Housed within a Haggerston railway arch, Seb Myers’ cooking has always been among the most creative around and makes for a perfect pairing with natural wine; early dishes include delicate tartine of red mullet; a duck offal choux farcis; and grilled leeks with Tunworth cheese. For the dedicated, there’s a private members club with state-of-the-art wine storage, wine events, and a lounge to take it all in.

Omar Shah and Florence Mae Maginloc’s culinary ingenuity is matched only by their ability to predict what Londoners will want to eat next. The original Ramo Ramen was a triumph of expressing their Filipino heritage through beloved ramen styles, and this, their first central London restaurant, raises the bar again. To wit – a bowl of comforting chicken sopas with Tokyo noodles, award-winning oxtail kare-kare ramen, and a showstopping bowl of noodles in a crab coconut broth with an entire grilled lobster to top it off. Classic cocktails add boast inventive embellishments, while a coolly plush dining room and central Soho location seal the deal.

After teasing a few of their dishes in the months leading up to their opening proper, the Rita’s gang have finally opened their dining room for indoor dining. Their return to Soho blends chef Gabriel Pryce’s love of Americana with natural wine and Missy Flynn’s charming presence in the dining room. Cosy up in the dining room with dishes like jalapeno popper gildas, cheddar beignets dusted with Old Bay, elegant salads, and affogatos drizzled with Oaxacan rum.

Months after opening, the struggle to get a primetime reservation here is still very real. Part of it is chef Florence Knight’s gorgeous cooking, with a chocolate tart and potato and smoked eel dish to die for; another component is the heartstoppingly beautiful dining room hidden within Old Sessions House. With endless hidden corners (including a roof terrace, secret staircases and one of the most photogenic bathrooms anywhere) and a charming front of house, it’s one of the most memorable meals we’ve experienced in ages.

Ikoyi’s evolution into a restaurant tour de force has allowed it to make its mark not just amongst locals, but as a destination for the culinary jetset. Its latest accolades – recognised by World’s 50 Best as ‘One to Watch’ and number 87 on the 2021 list – are merely reminders of something its fans have always known. Using West African flavours as a departure point, its tasting menus are permeated with chef Jeremy Chan’s obsessive attention to detail; there’s a more relaxed lunch tasting available on Thursdays and Fridays for those seeking a more concise experience.

Perhaps best known as London’s only Michelin-starred gastropub, this Fulham gem has continued to flourish after the departure of its star chef. How so? Partly, an interior spruce up with a serene new dining area, but much of it is down to the arrival of Jake Leach who, among other positions, served as head chef at the two-starred Ledbury before its closure last year. It’s at its autumnal peak right now – strong bets are the Berkswell cheese tart with corn, anything with muntjac (co-owner Brett Graham has his own estate) and a honey tart you’ll talk about for months. And yes, the Sunday roast is still incredible.

With a mural of the chef’s grandmother on the wall and a menu littered with references to his friends and family, it’s clear that Brian Danclair’s new restaurant is an intensely personal affair. Chef-owner of legendary Brixton institution Fish, Wings and Tings, his buzzing new establishment in Granville Arcade allows him to flex his fine dining prowess while expressing a range of Caribbean cuisines, including the dishes of his native Trinidad. Homemade chicken empadas and crisp cod fritters with a ginger and lime aioli are a must; so too is the grilled fish with tomato concasse, and a few rounds of strong rum punch to wash it all down.

It’s been a long time coming, but the restaurant formerly known as Black Axe Mangal (or FKA BAM, if you missed it on Instagram) is finally back. The dining room’s been given a small makeover and there’s a set menu with all the classics – yes, the squid ink flatbread is still on there – but the music is still loud enough to have to kind-of shout over, and the drinks are as strong as ever. And in November, chef Lee Tiernan will be joining the Dirik brothers behind the stove at Dalston’s Mangal 2 as part of The Classics Remix series – grab tickets now, while you can.