Back in rainy London and the 5pm darkness is real. Not sure whether to take a nap or not.
Leo
Borough Market bites back against influencers
After ejecting influencer Bite Twice mid-pudding review, Borough Market has reiterated its rule: film here without permission and you’ll be shown the exit.
£6M sober wellness retreat to open in 2026
Childhood friends Louis Blake and Harrison Hide are transforming Grade-II listed Dunford House into Long Lane — a 30-room, alcohol-free hotel and members’ club with forest cabins, a precision-nutrition restaurant, and a clinical wellness hub. The project has already surpassed £5m of its £6m funding target, fuelled in part by a growing online following documenting its build.
London’s most anticipated hotel openings announced for 2026
Cambridge House in Mayfair, Admiralty Arch’s long-delayed Waldorf Astoria, the St. Regis London, Six Senses at the Whiteley, and new openings from The Zetter, The Other House and Kinsfolk & Co mark the list of launches.
Chiltern Firehouse targets April 2027 reopening
Two years after the devastating fire, restoration work is ongoing on the Victorian building with insurance covering three years of lost earnings.
When two powerhouses come together
Crisp Pizza at The Marlborough | Mayfair | Now open
Crisp Pizza founder Carl McCluskey is coming to Mayfair, taking over the former Marlborough Head and bringing in The Devonshire team — Charlie Carroll, Ashley Palmer-Watts and Oisín Rogers — as backers. The format mirrors its Hammersmith spot: New York-style thin and crispy pies served downstairs in a speakeasy-style room, with a classic pub upstairs. Expect the Crisp W6 and nduja pies, four-cheese calzone, soft-serve and Nutella calzone, and Guinness poured to Devonshire standards.
Northern Thai's new spot
Khao-Sō-i | Fitzrovia | Open 11 November
Chiang Mai’s cult Khao-Sō-i restaurant arrives in Fitzrovia, taking over the former El&n site off Oxford Circus — a tricky address historically, but one buoyed by the brand’s sold-out London pop-up last year. The signature coconut-curry khao soi leads, joined by Northern Thai small plates: Chiang Mai sausage (sai ua), larb kua, and young jackfruit salad. Expect a tight, regional focus and a crowd curious for Thailand’s Northern comfort cooking done properly.
From Petersham Nurseries to Florence
Trogolo | Notting Hill | Open 11 November
The Petersham Nurseries lineage takes a new turn in Notting Hill. Trogolo lands on Westbourne Grove, a Florence-leaning trattoria from Lara Boglione and her husband Giovanni Mazzei. Expect sage fritti, truffle-tagliolini, and pollo al burro alongside a serious wine list shaped by Mazzei’s family estate. Think long tables, marble, and that Petersham eye for atmosphere.