It has been a joyous month at AKA spent reacquainting ourselves with all our favourite restaurants, menus and cocktails since London life blossomed with alfresco dining started once again in April. Terrace highlights have ranged from Sussex in Soho, with its wonderful Noilly Prat terrace and cocktail menu, to incredible sushi at Sake No Hana in St James’s, authentic Portuguese dishes at Bar Douro London Bridge and beautiful brunches at Rail House Cafe in Fitzrovia.
We are looking ahead to finally shedding our overcoats and heading into a whole host of new openings, including Dani Garcia’s BiBo at The Mondrian Shoreditch, Taiji Maruyama’s MARU in Mayfair, and modern public house Publiq, as well as so many restaurants and bars reopening for the first time this year.
Wishing you a wonderful week back in the restaurants and bars we all love.
Katrina, Antony and Team AKA x
ONE FOR THE BOOKSHELF
We’re delighted to announce that Edson Diaz-Fuentes, of London Bridge’s much loved Santo Remedio, will be releasing his very first cookbook this summer. A love letter to his hometown, Ciudad de México is a gastronomic guide to the flavours of Mexico City. The result of years of meticulous research into its many rich regional cuisines, Ciudad de México teaches the art of Mexican flavours, soul, and hospitality. Complete with tips from Edson throughout, this book has everything you need to recreate the flavours of Mexico at home. Landing on the 24th June, pre-order your copy here now.
NEW OPENINGS...
This summer world-renowned chef Dani García will launch his first culinary concept in the UK, BiBo, at the new Mondrian Shoreditch. A lively, urban space for casual lunches and spirited dinners, BiBo will be three Michelin-Starred Chef Dani García’s fifth restaurant for the concept and brings his world-class dining to Londoners for the very first time. Combining García’s rich Andalusian heritage with the techniques and ingredients of each location - BIBO aims to democratise fine dining in the form of a brasserie and a tapas bar, with each dish showcasing technique, flavour and impeccable attention to detail.
Third generation sushi chef, Taiji Maruyama will open MARU in Mayfair in June. The second restaurant from the team behind Taka, MARU will present diners with a unique, immersive experience, serving a 20-course farm-to-table tasting menu, presented omakase style, to guests seated around an intimate counter accommodating 10 guests per night. Over in Turkey, Hakkasan will open in Bodrum this summer, and Istanbul in the autumn, bringing their traditional Cantonese cuisine and bringing contemporary flair to the emerging Turkish dining scene.
In other exciting news, Six by Nico have announced their second London site to open in the financial hub of Canary Wharf in late summer 2021. This new addition will seat up to 100 indoors and 30 for al fresco dining - a perfect option for the warmer months - as well as a dedicated bar area. Independent Wine Specialists 28°-50° are thrilled to be opening two new locations in West London this summer, with 28°-50° on the Kings Road in Chelsea launching in May, and 28°-50° South Kensington due to launch in June. And finally, Italian plant-based burger concept Flower Burger, who’ve been delivery only since February, are thrilled to welcome guests inside to try their colourful, 100% natural, vegan burgers at the first UK restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia from 17th May whereas WatchHouse St Mary Axe, which opened for the first time in April, will see customers able to sit indoors to enjoy sustainably sourced coffee and carefully curated brunch dishes within the beautifully designed space.