5 Exciting Places to Eat This Week in London
London’s dining scene never stands still. From refined Japanese lunches in the West End to boundary-pushing chef’s tables in Fitzrovia, this week’s edit brings together new openings, cult favourites and neighbourhood restaurants quietly doing some of the best cooking in the city. Whether you are after a smart-value weekday lunch or a produce-led tasting menu worth lingering over, these are five exciting places to have firmly on your radar right now.
For a Smart Japanese Lunch: ROKA
What:
ROKA is introducing a new Donburi lunch across its Charlotte Street, Mayfair, Aldwych and Canary Wharf restaurants. Available Monday to Friday from 12pm to 3pm, this £19.50 offering makes one of London’s most established Japanese names feel refreshingly accessible.
The Food:
The set begins with starters such as goma fuumi no horenso salada, spinach dressed in sesame, and ebi furai to avocado maki, a crisp prawn roll with sweet soy. Guests then choose a robata main to complete their donburi rice bowl. Options include sake teriyaki with salmon fillet and sansho salt, honadori no miso yaki cedar roast baby chicken with chilli and lemon, or gyuniku to padron yaki, spicy beef skewers with padron peppers. It is structured, generous and ideal for a weekday reset that still feels polished.
Where:
Charlotte Street, Mayfair, Aldwych & Canary Wharf
Weekdays 12pm–3pm
Book here.
For Elevated Italian Craft: Renaissance Pizzeria
What:
Founded by award-winning pizzaiolo Marco Fuso, Renaissance Pizzeria represents a refined take on contemporary Italian gastronomy. Born in Lecce and trained across Europe, South America and the Middle East, Fuso brings decades of technical mastery to the capital.
The Food:
This is not simply another neighbourhood pizza spot. Fuso’s philosophy blends artisanal tradition with technological precision. Collaborations with Italian brands such as Mutti and Moretti Forni inform a dough that is carefully developed and expertly handled. The result is pizza that feels both authentic and elevated, crisp yet airy, rooted in tradition yet sharpened by innovation. For anyone who appreciates the craft behind the crust, this is one to seek out.
Where:
1 Battersea Rise
SW11 1HG
Book here.
For Counter Dining With Energy: Bob Bob Ricard, Soho
What:
Bob Bob Ricard has long been synonymous with glamour, Champagne buttons and theatrical flair. Now, its counter dining seating offers a more intimate way to experience the restaurant’s lively atmosphere.
The Food:
Seated at high stools overlooking service, diners are placed at the heart of the action. It is immersive without feeling rushed. Expect the restaurant’s signature indulgence, from rich comfort classics to precise European plates, all delivered with that unmistakable Soho buzz. The counter works particularly well for smaller groups or spontaneous evenings where you want proximity to the theatre of hospitality.
Where:
Soho, London
Book here.
For Michelin-Recommended Korean Cooking: Calong, Stoke Newington
What:
Calong is quietly becoming one of London’s most exciting Korean restaurants. Owned by husband-and-wife team Joo and Sujin, it has already earned Michelin recommendation and was named one of the Financial Times’ Best New London Restaurants of 2025 within its first year.
The Food:
The menu changes daily and reflects Korean roots interpreted through European technique. Signature snacks include kimchi fritters with chilli mayonnaise and pork rillettes ssam with pickles. Starters such as chalk stream trout with sesame and plum soy balance delicacy with depth. Joo’s fried chicken, crisp and lacquered in sweet chilli and peanut, has become a house favourite. Mains range from grilled pork jeyuk with apple kimchi to Cornish pollock with moli jorim. Desserts should not be overlooked, particularly the Baked Alaska layered with salted caramel, berries and caramelised hazelnuts. The wine list focuses on low-intervention producers, with an additional cellar selection for serious oenophiles.
Where:
35 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16
Book here.
For Produce-Led Fine Dining: Aces Foodcraft, Fitzrovia
What:
Eight years in the making, Aces Foodcraft is the debut solo restaurant from chef Alex Craciun, formerly Executive Chef at Sosharu and with experience at Tokyo’s three-Michelin-star RyuGin. Alongside his wife Aleksandra Jazevica, he has created an intimate produce-led restaurant centred around seasonality and precision.
The Food:
Daytime service offers a tight, tapas-style menu. Evenings focus on an evolving tasting menu that showcases exceptional British produce through Japanese technique. Expect dishes that feel inventive yet grounded, such as prawn dumplings paired with French green mussel sauce or a reimagined chicken liver parfait with parmesan and beetroot. Vegetable-forward plates emerge naturally from Craciun’s philosophy rather than obligation. The nine-seat chef’s table provides an immersive experience, while the wine list, curated by award-winning experts, spans European growers and Romanian bottles alongside premium sake and signature cocktails.
Where:
8 Pearson Square, Fitzrovia, W1T
Book here.
London rewards curiosity. Whether you are dipping into a £19.50 donburi lunch, discovering Korean cooking in Stoke Newington or settling into a chef’s table in Fitzrovia, this week proves there is always something new worth booking.
For more restaurant recommendations, visit TONE Magazine LDN and our Eats page.
