We’re trying to keep up. Honestly, we are. London is abound with new restaurant openings this month, so we’ve picked out our favourites for any mood. Get ’em while they’re hot:

May Openings: For Himalayan cooking

1. Madame D’s

The Lowdown: This month, Harneet and Devina Baweja, the powerhouse duo behind the insanely brilliant Gunpowder, will open their new restaurant Madame D’s in Spitalfields on the second floor of No.76, overlooking Commercial Street. Following the success of Gunpowder, their home style Indian kitchen, Harneet, Devina and Head Chef Nirmal Save will bring their love of the darker, oriental flavours of the Himalayas to London. We say, it’s one opening you simply cannot miss this month.

Eat and Drink: Taking the oriental bedrock of Himalayan cooking, Madame D’s will draw on the flavours of Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan and Chinese cooking, using local ingredients for a short menu of sharing dishes including; gold coin dumplings; pan-fried Tibetan duck momo; garlic coriander steamed chicken; and prawn on toast, a take on the Chinese classic.

Gimme More: The 25-cover dining den will be illuminated by smokey candlelight dancing off the distressed walls and high ceilings. Makeshift industrial trestle tables and long wooden benches will line the room for communal feasting.

Where: Second Floor, 76 Commercial Street, London E1 6LY

May Openings: For American Grub

2. Red Rooster

The Lowdown: Now this is a big deal for the capital – acclaimed chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson brings his much celebrated and admired restaurant, Red Rooster to The Curtain, a new hotel, restaurant and members club opening in Shoreditch on 26th May. Bringing American comfort food from his original Harlem NYC digs to East London, Red Rooster will also feature an all-day taqueria and bar on Curtain Road called ‘Rooster Taqueria’.

Eat and Drink: It’s all about the comfort food classics, with many signature dishes from the Harlem original, while new dishes will be created especially for Shoreditch. Alongside Harlem’s now famous cornbread with honey butter and deviled eggs with sea urchin mayo and candied bacon, new dishes also include: Harlem fried chicken with pickles and hot Bourbon maple syrup; pork and shrimp hot rice with garlic and caramelised pineapple; and Helga’s meatballs with bone marrow dumplings and pickled jus.

Gimme More: Adjacent to the restaurant will be the roadside Rooster Taqueria, open all day for hotel guests and members of the public to relax in, sip margaritas and share a few tacos made by Marcus’ expert team.

Where: Red Rooster Shoreditch, The Curtain, 45 Curtain Road, London EC2A 4PJ

May Openings: For Relaxed Dining

3. Neo Bistro

The Lowdown: Alex Harper, former Head Chef of The Harwood Arms, is returning to the kitchen on 20th May to open Neo Bistro, guided by his former colleague and Chef-Patron of Anglo, Mark Jarvis. Neo Bistro has taken inspiration from the new style bistros of Paris, where classically trained chefs are moving away from the constraints of fine dining in favour of this more relaxed approach.

Eat and Drink: A concise but constantly evolving offering will be accompanied by daily specials chalked up on the dining room’s blackboard, with dishes including; cured Tamworth pork; venison chorizo; and fresh cheese with smoked potato, grilled leeks and walnut pesto. More substantial plates will comprise roast sea bass with mousserons, English asparagus and thyme, and desserts will include a chocolate tart with malt ice cream and salted caramel, and Gariguette strawberries with lemon verbena.

Gimme More: As with the restaurant menu, a regularly changing list of cocktails will be accompanied by a small selection of house drinks – all classics made with a Neo Bistro twist. A selection of local Craft bottled beers will also rotate weekly.

Where: Neo Bistro, 11 Woodstock Street, London W1C

May Openings: For Peruvian Small Plates

4. Señor Ceviche 

The Lowdown: Well this is great news, mainly because we can’t get enough of Señor Ceviche’s pork belly and sweet potato fries. The restaurant is set to launch a second site on Fitzrovia’s Charlotte Street this May, introducing several new dishes, an exclusive brunch offering, and an underground pisco bar.

Eat and Drink: The menu will offer distinctive national dishes such as ceviche, whilst also exploring the Japanese and Chinese influences on Peruvian cuisine, with a selection of Nikkei and Chifa specialities. Favourites from the Carnaby menu that will also be seen at Charlotte Street include the Chifa Chicharrones; Señor Ceviche; and Pachamanca pork ribs. Meanwhile everyone will also be able to enjoy new dishes such as barbecued scallops with aji amarillo and pisco butter; yellowfin tuna with yuzu tigers milk, wasabi and miso; and slow-cooked short rib with aji panca and pickled garlic anticucho sauce.

Gimme More: Exclusive to Charlotte Street, the new weekend brunch offering will include dishes such as sweet potato waffle with crispy lamb shoulder and huacatay salsa, and Peruvian sausage with root vegetable hash, corn bread and onsen egg, whilst bottomless Pisco Punch will also be available.

Where: 18 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2LY

May Openings: For a Local Pub

5. Prince of Peckham 

The Lowdown: Peckham is set to receive a boozy, meaty upgrade thanks to the arrival of new boozer, Prince of Peckham. Opening May 18th, Prince of Peckham is a 300 capacity pub set over two floors, located on Clayton Road, Peckham. Putting the people first and doing it for the culture, Prince of Peckham is a proper pub operated by South Londoners for South Londoners. With the local community at the forefront, The Prince of Peckham will host regular events and workshops that celebrate the roots and culture of the area alongside an ongoing line-up of food, drink and music.

Eat and Drink: And the good news just keeps on coming, as Street Feast regulars White Men Can’t Jerk man the kitchen, with a weekly offering inspired by their love of all things Caribbean. Saturdays host a bottomless brunch, Sundays offer a jerk-inspired roast, while Hot Mess Mondays will serve up bottomless wings to cure any early week blues.

Gimme More: Eager to champion local creatives, Prince Of Peckham will provide a space for local artists to showcase work, providing an insight into the myriad of talent in the area. Free community-based events are planned in the coming weeks and will take advantage of the space upstairs.

Where: 1 Clayton Road, London SE15 5JA

May Openings: For a Contemporary Pub

6. The Clifton

The Lowdown: St John’s Wood is firmly on the up, and it’s about to get a hell of a lot tastier. North Londoners Ben and Ed delved into the world of pub dining when they started running The Horseshoe in Hampstead in 2007, the first pub that they ever drank in. After the success of their schnitzel and prosecco bar, Boopshi’s in Fitzrovia, the brothers were drawn back to their first love. Ben and Ed are committed to breathing life back into The Clifton which had stood empty since its unexpected closure in 2013, and will transform The Clifton into their vision for the contemporary pub.

Eat and Drink: The menu will be split into two sections: ‘Drinking House’ and ‘Eating House’. While the former will feature smaller plates, perfect with a drink, the latter is a full all-day menu; both sections are designed to be enjoyed simultaneously, by all kinds of diners throughout the open plan room. Highlights from the menu include: haggis sausage roll and Famous Grouse ketchup; mutton rendang croquettes served alongside banana raita, lime pickle and curry leaves; roast cod, arrocina beans, fennel, sea vegetables, saffron and aioli; and for brunch – sweet corn jalapeno fritters, chipotle onion jam, avocado and rocket.

Gimme More: The beer menu will feature a diverse array of local and craft beers on tap, and Ben and Ed plan to brew their own Clifton beer. This will be accompanied by a strong wine list which is a collaboration between the boys and Raul Diaz (wine sommelier and expert on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch).

Where: The Clifton, 96 Clifton Hill, London NW8 0JT

May Openings: For Al Fresco Dining

7.  Pergola Paddington Central

The Lowdown: For anyone living on the Bakerloo Line, your summer is now sorted. Opening on 24th May, Paddington will become home to Pergola Paddington Central, the sister site to White City’s much-loved Pergola on the Roof. Set in the urban surrounds of Paddington Basin, Pergola Paddington Central will be West London’s largest alfresco drinking and dining destination.

Eat and Drink: As well as Patty & Bun, whose burgers have become a legendary London fixture (go for the bacon cheeseburger), Pergola Paddington Central will host west-London debuts of four restaurants: Mamalan, serving authentic, handmade dumplings, noodle soups and street snacks from the heart of Bejing; DF/Mexico, an East Coast-style diner with an experimental menu of American and Mexican fast food; Decatur, specialists in the distinct Louisiana-style; and Raw Press who offer a selection of healthy vegan, gluten-free salads and juices.

Gimme More: Set over two floors, the new Pergola Paddington Central will take inspiration from the canal-side, Central London location – fusing contemporary urban-design with lush green landscaping. Regular and guest DJs, as well as live music will add to the relaxed festival feel, against a backdrop of the capital’s unmistakable skyline.

Where: 5 Kingdom Street, Paddington Central, LondonW2 6PY

May Openings: For Pizza and Nintendo

8. Pizza Pilgrims

The Lowdown: Pizza Pilgrims are on a roll. A pizza roll. They only opened their Shoreditch site last month, and they’re flinging open the doors to their latest gaff in West India Quay on Monday (1st May). The new restaurant is  their largest and most exciting site to date, with their first ever ‘Pizza Playground’. Pizza Pilgrims will be one of the first places in the UK that fans can play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with their friends on the Nintendo Switch. There will be a private space with comfy sofas, an enormous 65” screen TV, surround sound and the latest Nintendo gaming system.

Eat and Drink: Pizza Pilgrims are renowned for their simple, high-quality and traditional Neapolitan pizzas. Their ovens constantly run at over 460 degrees C to ensure their traditionally high crusted Neapolitan pizzas such as the portobello mushroom and truffle, smoked Napoli, and of course their iconic, signature N’duja pizza are cooked to perfection. Their “Friggitoria” will also be on the menu, including the deep fried artichoke hearts, calzone fritta, arancini and Italian mac n’cheese, which have been served exclusively at Kingly Street up until now.

Gimme More: The Pizza Playground will also be equipped with a super long fussball table, which can hold up to 22 players, and an outdoor ‘Bocce Ball’ court (also known as bowls for us London folk).

Where: 12 Hertsmere Rd, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AE

May Openings: For Drinks and Day Time Parties

9. Last Days of Shoreditch

The Lowdown: Save your pennies, sack off your Ryanair ticket to France, and just head down to Last Days of Shoreditch Riviera instead. Not quite the Mediterranean coastline, but there’s sand, street food and sensational cocktails. The Shoreditch Riviera will have its own urban beach overlooked by palm trees and decking, alongside an Escape Room experience, karaoke room powered by Lucky Voice, and private spaces available to hire making it the ideal spot for summer hedonism.

Eat and Drink: Food for the summer season comes courtesy of Nanny Bills serving up a delectable range of burgers, not to mention their signature croquettes with popular favourites including pea and feta and mac n’ cheese. Joining them are Belli Freschi, a brand new venture from the team behind Shoreditch’s local hidden pearl Bottega Prelibato. With the restaurant serving up authentic Italian dishes, Belli Freschi seeks to take that one step further with a bespoke avocado bar and freshly baked pasta, with a strong focus on vegan and vegetarian options.

Gimme More: Endless events are planned for Last Days of Shoreditch Riviera every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a massive selection of global talent. Some of the many highlights include Artwork’s Art’s House pre-party, which will see the party starter take to the decks four times over the summer run of events, Maribou State will host an exclusive pre-party seeing the electronic duo turn up the heat while Stuart Patterson, Phil Mison and The Dr Orders will also be joining the summer pop-up amongst many more.

Where: Last Days Of Shoreditch, 288-299 Old Street, London EC1V 9DP

May Openings: For Cider

10. MAMIE’S Cidrothèque

The Lowdown: Officially launching this month, MAMIE’S Cidrothèque will offer the perfect accompaniment to a crêpe – a  bowl of cider. Since this is the case, it was only right that MAMIE’S should focus on ensuring the very best cider is available for their visitors to enjoy while they dine.

Eat and Drink: In addition to French ciders (from both Brittany and Normandy), you can also find distinguished British ciders as well as tasty numbers from Ireland, Sweden, Belgium and even as far afield as New Zealand. Best enjoyed in the relaxing, bar-like basement of La Cidrothèque itself, where you will also find light, tart and refreshing cider cocktails.

Gimme More: Feeling peckish? Try one of their many crepes on offer – the buckwheat crêpe is neither sweet nor salty, and boasts a uniquely nutty and flavour, and is totally gluten-free.

Where: 19 Catherine St, London WC2B 5JS

May Openings: For Brunch and Buns

11. The Vincent

The Lowdown: Charles Ross, Richard Temple and Jamie Hempseed are the trio behind The Vincent, a new all day restaurant in Hackney. After transforming the Sebright Arms on Hackney Road from a boarded-up pub awaiting demolition to an East End institution, the team have now set their sights on Hackney Downs.

Eat and Drink: The Vincent’s all-day menu, led by Head Chef Rob McMillan, will use carefully sourced, local ingredients. Fresh, homemade salads packed with rice and grains, such as the signature smoked hoisin crispy duck with peach and pomegranate, can be picked up for a takeaway lunch or enjoyed in the restaurant. Elsewhere on the menu will be buns, inspired by the team’s much loved Bunsmith’s menu, including the fried chicken with aioli and their classic cheeseburger.

Gimme More: On weekday mornings, fresh pastries and coffees will be available to go whilst weekends will be all about brunch, with a menu filled with home-smoked meats and fish, baked eggs and waffles, with low and slow cooked ribs taking centre stage for Sunday lunch. We’ve got so much time for new brunch spots.

Where: The Vincent, 2 Atkins Square, Dalston Lane, London E8 1FA

May Openings: For Taiwanese Cuisine

12. XU

The Lowdown: The team behind the unstoppable BAO have set their sights on something that isn’t pillowy soft buns: Taiwanese munch. Shing Tat Chung, Wai Ting Chung and Erchen Chang will open new Taiwanese restaurant XU on Tuesday (23rd May) on Rupert Street, Soho. XU is set across two floors and offers a cocktail bar, Taiwanese tea bar and private dining space, as well as the sophisticated 76-cover restaurant.

Eat and Drink: Split into sections, the menu starts with Xiao Tsai or ‘bar snacks’ such as oyster and taro congee and young squab with loquat. Moving then to larger dishes, such as crab with chilli egg drop sauce, and grilled fish of the day – Cornish day boat fish marinated in fermented bean curd chilli with grilled bone vinegar sauce, alongside Mangalitza rib rice – diced Mangalitza pork ribs mixed with a blend of rice and spices, steamed on a bed of sweet potato and topped with foie gras. Taiwanese street food has also inspired some of the dishes, from pan-fried soup dumplings or ‘Shengjian Bao’ to pancakes filled with 40-day aged beef shortrib, roast marrow and pickles.

Gimme More: Alongside the food menu, Taiwanese tea – inspired by Erchen’s grandfather’s love of the elegant loose leaf teas commonly drunk in his native Taiwan – will take centre stage at the new restaurant. Situated on the ground floor will be a dedicated ‘tea bar’, housing teas from across Taiwan, giving Londoners a rare glimpse into the art of traditional Taiwanese tea ceremonies.

Where: XU, 30 Rupert St, Soho, London W1D 1DL

May Openings: For Seasonal British Dishes

13. Westerns Laundry

The Lowdown: Following the success of Primeur, Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell are to open their second restaurant in Lower Holloway, Westerns Laundry on Tuesday (9th May). The menu will focus on seafood and dishes made with the best possible produce, sourced from the British Isles.

Eat and Drink: David will work with day boats from Devon and Cornwall to source his seafood, which will be at the forefront of Westerns Laundry’s menu. Dishes from sea bass and seaweed tartare, to raw scallop with Le Coste olive oil will reflect the best of the English Riviera. Whilst British produce will be at Westerns Laundry’s heart, influences have also been drawn from the Catalan region and parts of Asia, with sardines, salted in-house and chargrilled mackerel served with miso and chilli. Working with a small collective of farms in North Yorkshire, plates from the land will include pork loin, chopped greens, basil and capers, and beef rump with roast garlic butter and croutons.

Gimme More: An exposed cellar, housing Westerns Laundry’s wine offering will sit within the restaurant, containing a vast wine selection of over 200 bottles, with a focus on low intervention, small scale international producers who farm their parcels with care and hand harvest their grapes.

Where: Westerns Laundry, 34 Drayton Park, London N5 1PB

May Openings: For Italian Craft Beer and Cocktails

14. The Italian Job

The Lowdown: First they conquered the leafy lined avenues of Chiswick. Then they took their Italian craft beer down to uber cool, Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant & Castle (where you’ll also find London’s windiest roundabout). And now the team are opening their next venture, The Italian Job in Notting Hill this month. The Italian Job is a craft beer pub dishing up a delectable selection of cocktails, seasonal food menu and Italian craft beers.

Eat and Drink: What sets The Italian Job Notting Hill apart from its siblings, The Italian Job Chiswick and their craft beer shack at Mercato Metropolitano, is the inclusion of an eclectic cocktail bar Salotto ‘900, tucked away on the second floor. Having enlisted the services of star mixologist Luca Corradini of Oriole and The Savoy’s American Bar fame to create a dazzling menu of the finest Italian cocktails. And there’s plenty of munch to satisfy post-cocktail hunger – think Italian street food and regional specialities.

Gimme More: Not forgetting their roots, The Italian Job Notting Hill prides itself on their craft beer selection, which comes from a selction of the best microbreweries in Italy, especially from Birrificio del Ducato, The Italian Job’s house brewery.

Where: 45 All Saints Road, Notting Hill, London W11 1HE

May Openings: For European Small Plates

15. Arthur Hooper’s 

The Lowdown: Opening on 3rd May, Arthur Hooper’s restaurant will serve European small plates, partnered with a curated wine list.  Overlooking London’s historic Borough Market, the 51-seater restaurant offers guests a modern European menu, designed by Chef Lale Oztek. 

Eat and Drink: Lale’s selection of small plates are inspired by fresh nutritious ingredients and flavours, sourced from local market suppliers including Neal’s Yard, Cannon & Cannon and Bread Ahead. Dishes include mussels with nduja and turnip tops; burrata, samphire and almond salad; and pork and fennel ragu fettuccine. Guests will also enjoy daily seasonal specials, created through using the best available produce.

Gimme More: Accompanying Chef Lale’s menu, their pals at Liberty Wines have helped to curate a signature wine list featuring over 50 wines including vintage specials.

Where: 8 Stoney Street, London, SE1 9AA