Forget the tinsel for a minute, people. Before the Christmas lights go on, London has a whole month of new restaurants to get stuck into. November brings a bumper crop of new restaurants, from British cooking in Farringdon to Syrian feasts in Shoreditch, and North African flavours in Hampstead.ย Dig in:

1. For British and Irish Cooking: B. Penhale

What: B. Penhale, a 66-cover Farringdon restaurant from the team behind Camille, celebrates the regional cooking of Britain and Ireland. Opening 16th November.

Eat: Elliot Hashtroudi is chef patron, and the menu uses the best of British produce and a whole-carcass approach to cooking. Start with stout-battered oysters with bone marrow and horseradish, smoked jellied eel or a take on eggs and soldiers, then move on to Cumberland sausage, pigeon pie or skuets and bread sauce. Larger plates for sharing include saddleback pork chop with black pudding and trotter, turbot with shrimp sauce and laverbread, and Angus x Shorthorn steak with Scottish whisky and girolles. Desserts rotate: dandelion and burdock jelly, Yorkshire parkin and Ecclefechan tart.

Don’t Miss: The tea and biscuits course, served in antique teapots and cups.

Where: B. Penhale, 57 W Smithfield, London EC1A 9DS

2. For XL Focaccia: Edmondo

What: Big Mamma is expanding once again, and heading to the city. Edmondo is a 200-cover restaurant channelling the golden age of Milan, and is set to open on 6th November atย No.6 Lombard Street.

Eat: The menu will be Big Mamma’s most classically Italian to date, with plenty of the group’s signature twists. Created by Head Chef Alfonso, highlights include XL focaccia, creamy gnocchi al gorgonzola and Big Mamma’s largest selection of Italian grilled steaks from Phillip Warren. Pastry Chef Angelina has designed a suitably indulgent dessert menu, including Italian chocolate cake with a melting centre and an elevated affogato.

Don’t Miss: The three private dining rooms, a first for Big Mamma, each seating between 10 and 24 guests.

Where: 6 Lombard St, London EC3V 9LJ

3. For Syrian Home Cooking: Imad’s Syrian Kitchen

What: Syrian chef Imad Alarnab is opening a second outpost of his hugely beloved Imadโ€™s Syrian Kitchen, and this time heโ€™s going east. Find it on Blossom Street, Shoreditch, from 18th November.

Eat: The menu ethos remains unchanged: Syrian home cooking rooted in traditional ingredients, techniques and flavours, with a London twist. Alongside favourites from Kingly Court, the Shoreditch menu introduces new dishes created exclusively for this site, including braised beef shank with spiced butter bean stew, and capers and sumac grilled octopus with zesty bean purรฉe. To finish, ma’amoul apple crumble comes topped with caramelised banana, vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce.

Don’t Miss: A couple of Kingly Court favourites have made their way onto the menu. Be sure to order the Jawaneh โ€“ crispy chicken wings in a glossy, pomegranate glaze.

Where: Blossom St, London E1 6PL

4. For Smรถrgรฅsbord-Style Dining: willows

What: Clapham neighbourhood restaurant willows is heading to SW4, launching its second site in Chelsea in late November. Expectย its signature smรถrgรฅsbord-style dining, seasonal menus and warm, welcoming hospitality

Eat: Breakfast brings the greatest hits from willows, such as banana bread with clementine mascarpone, compote and white chocolate crumb, alongside newcomers including scrambled tofu with seasonal kimchi and creamed greens. Lunch keeps the same spirit, with salads and lighter plates: seasonal leaves with citrus, capers and cherry molasses, say, or miso squash with tamarind tahini, zaโ€™atar and pumpkin seeds. Come evening, the menu moves to small, medium and larger dishes, all built for sharing and for drinking alongside willowsโ€™ wine list.

Don’t Miss: An intimate wine bar and private hire space will be introduced in early 2027.

Where: Duke of York Square, 80 King’s Rd, London SW3 4LY

5. For a Breakfast Favourite: Jones’ Crumpets

What: On November 12th, Jonesโ€™ Crumpets is opening a new permanent home on Golborne Road, Notting Hill, bringing its artisan crumpets to a dedicated cafรฉ for the first time.

Eat: A star breakfast dish, two savoury plates designed to work from morning to afternoon, and something sweet, each served on your choice of crumpet: classic; double cheese, with melting parmesan and strong cheddar; and cheese and chive.

Don’t Miss: The dark chocolate crumpet, with its molten single-origin centre.

Where: 44 Golborne Road, London, W10 5PR

6. For Comforting Classics: Ralphieโ€™s

What: Tom Booton is opening his first solo restaurant, Ralphieโ€™s, on Pimlico Road in Belgravia in late November. Named after his Maltipoo, itโ€™s open daily and promises the warm British hospitality his cooking is known for.

Eat: The ร  la carte menu at Ralphieโ€™s breathes new life into comforting classics with a nod to Tomโ€™s upbringing in Colchester. Starters include crispy cod cheeks scampi with warm tartare sauce and beef tartare served with potato chips and topped with dried beef heart shavings. Mains range from pork and mushroom pie with charcuterie sauce, to moules mariniรจre with a selection of daily specials featuring on the blackboard. Puddings continue the same nostalgic spirit, with crowd-pleasers including a vanilla soft-serve sandwich, served with warm hazelnut and fudge sauce poured tableside.

Don’t Miss: The Sunday roasts. We want to dive headfirst intoย the Hereford beef withย horseradish and watercress with a side of cauliflower cheese.

Where: 87 The Pimlico Road, London, SW1W 8PH

7. For a New Deli: Oren Delicatessen

What: Oded Oren, the man behind Bib Gourmand-winning Oren in Dalston and Oren Delicatessen on Broadway Market, is taking his deli north. The new Oren Delicatessen opens on Heath Street, Hampstead, on 1st November, with North African and Mediterranean flavours and a New York deli at its heart.

Eat: To take away, there’s freshly made challah buns. Generously stuffed, fillings include Orenโ€™s renowned schmaltz herring, butter and spring onion; New York deli whitefish salad with cucumber, made with smoked mackerel dressed in capers; Tunisian tuna salad with celery, preserved lemon and tomato; and the Jewish classic: chopped liver salad with pickled cucumber. Fresh baked goods to go will include the likes of Rugalach, traditional Jewish small croissant-like pastries, made with dough rather than pastry and rolled with sweet fillings; challah bread and butter pudding; and chocolate and hazelnut babka.

Don’t Miss: The Slow Range. A collection of hearty dishes made for sharing and feasting, ideal for grabbing and taking home for a Friday night supper on the sofa.

Where: 12 Heath Street, Unit 2, Hampstead, London, NW3 6TE

8. For a Tuscan Dinner: Osteria Panzano

What: Arjun Waney, the restaurateur behind Zuma, Coya, La Petite Maison and the Arts Club, finally goes Italian. Osteria Panzano, his first, brings the food, wine and big-hearted hospitality of Tuscany to William Street in Belgravia, a few steps from Hyde Park Corner, on Friday 27th November.

Eat: Head Chef Paolo Parlanti, himself Tuscan, leads the kitchen with a menu of regional dishes that changes through the year with the produce available. Highlights include ribollita in the colder months, cacio e pepe finished with black truffle, yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado and crispy shallots and roast turbot fillet with braised herb potatoes, alongside whole fish and aged steaks cooked over open coals.

Don’t Miss: The cheese and charcuterie shop selling Tuscan salumi and regional cheeses to eat in the restaurant or take home.

Where: 10-12 William Street, Belgravia, London SW1X 9HL

9. For Handcrafted Sourdough and Cakes: Blackbird Bakery

What: South London favourite Blackbird Bakery is adding to its portfolio, opening its 11th site on Clapham High Street on Friday 20th November.

Eat: The new shop offers the same all-day menu found across Blackbird’s other branches: freshly baked sourdough, croissants and pastries each morning, sandwiches and toasties made to order through the day, savoury bakes and a rotating selection of cakes and treats, all made fresh daily.

Don’t Miss: The festive menu. It’s never too early to grab a Christmas turkey sandwich filled with homemade stuffing.

Where: 149 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UQ

10. For Cookies: Puffy

What: Cookies are big business in the capital, and Puffy are expanding with an outpost in Covent Garden. Bring on the mega thicc bakes.

Eat: Puffy Covent Garden brings the Parisian cookie brandโ€™s signature range of freshly baked cookies to the neighbourhood. Known for its generous, indulgent creations, the menu includes favourites such as Chocolate Duo & Peanut Butter and White Chocolate & Matcha, alongside a wider selection of signature flavours.

Don’t Miss: A month later, Junk Covent Garden will follow next door.

Where: Covent Garden, London