Chelsea's new deluxe grocery spot

Currently writing this newsletter at Soho Works. My AirPods are dead so I have to raw dog this one out. I’m sandwiched in between a girl-boss-agency of middle aged women with water bottles that have those hourly timestamps of when to drink and ‘live laugh love’ typography all over their phone cases. Susan and Lucy are audibly dying at a TikTok stim that went viral in 2022. Send help.

Light, comforting & indulgent. Legado is regional Spanish food and Chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho is an artiste in full flight. Pressure might be on with her Michelin success, but there is no sign of fear nor playing it safe. When someone has this much culinary muscle to flex, you really wish you can take a peek inside their creative mind.

Soho House tightens the list
Soho House is cutting hundreds of members in the U.S. as it returns to private ownership under MCR. The move signals a push back to its creative-core roots, with refreshed Houses in New York, LA and Miami. London clubs aren’t affected yet, but the shift hints at a more selective future here too.

The Polo Bar moves into Vogue House
Ralph Lauren is bringing its iconic Polo Bar to London, taking over 1 Hanover Square (the old Vogue offices) with a launch earmarked for 2028. The menu will lean all-American: oysters, tuna tartare, corned-beef sandwich, grilled branzino, steak and burgers. Expect the signature Polo-Bar aesthetic: wood panels, leather banquettes, equestrian touches — a stylish counterpoint to the Mayfair canon.

Will this be a heritage classic or another tourist/influencer trap?

Arthur’s Market will debut on King’s Road this October as a deluxe deli, fishmonger and mini gastronomic hub. ASA Izakaya offers a sleek handroll counter (12 seats by day, expanding to 30 covers by night). Salvador brings wood-fired pintxos and small plates beside the butcher and wine bar. The market will also stock premium ingredients from caviar to grocery essentials. Together they form a single, produce-driven hub - a place to shop, snack and linger over dinner.

Chelsea | Opens 15 October

Casa Felicia is bringing a warm, ingredient-led take on Southern Italian cooking to one of London’s rising dining neighbourhoods. Chef Francesco Sarvonio (formerly of Manteca and Giacco’s) centres the menu on handmade semola-and-water pasta, raw and dry-aged fish, and generous Naples-rooted dishes like linguine alla Nerano, ziti alla genovese and a signature lasagna. Aperitivo culture runs deep here too, with natural Campanian wines and a Campari-led drinks list.

Queen’s Park | Opens 14 October

Hackney & Leytonstone fave Forno Café arrives at the Ragged School Museum, bringing some life to a lonely warehouse once defined by textiles, marshland and the Victorian era. The space, which originally served as an education centre for working class Victorian children (the first of its kind and scale), pairs high ceilings and raw brick with wood-fired loaves, thick-cut focaccia and a short menu of seasonal plates for breakfast and lunch. It’s a quiet, daylight-filled spot by the canal that rewrites the area’s industrial past in a more inviting register.

Mile End | Now Open

After a string of pop-ups around London, Duda Diner becomes permanent - taking over Goodcup café for Thursday-to-Saturday dinners. The menu channels Malaysian family-style cooking: think mee goreng, fish head curry, satay kambing and a “Duda burger” with Sarawak peppercorn sauce.

Nunhead | Now Open