The Christmas decorations are coming down, the window of unchecked indulgence is closed and everyone is heading back to work. Yes, the unloved month of January is upon us, so it’s worth making a reservation somewhere exciting to create some cheer and put an enjoyable evening in the calendar. The quiet of the new year can be a time of boom to bust for many hospitality businesses, so there’s no better time to give restaurants old and new your support as many other people stay away to undertake a month of post-Christmas penance.
For diners in London, the return of Restaurant Story is a positive start to the year, while the arrival of Brico in Melbourne looks extremely promising for those residents into laidback bistro food and quality wine. Meanwhile in Hong Kong, Mauro Colagreco’s new restaurant, Plaisance, comes hot on the heels of his much-talked about opening at The OWO London last year.
New restaurants to visit around the world in January 2024
Restaurant Story
London, UK
Tom Sellers’ two-Michelin-Star restaurant reopens in London this month after a long hiatus. Closed last February, the venue now features a second floor with a balcony and a lounge for drinks before and after dinner. There’s also a new 14-seater table upstairs in front of an open kitchen – a first for Story. For fans of the original, or anyone who discovered the group at Story Cellar or Dovetale last year, it’s a great time to find an occasion to book while London is relatively quiet and it’s possible to get a table.
Opens 12 January, restaurantstory.co.uk
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Plaisance by Mauro Colagreco
Hong Kong, China
Italian-Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco had barely opened restaurants at The Old War Office in London in October and Cycle in Tokyo in November before launching this latest venture in Hong Kong. Plaisance is spread across three floors, with a members’ club as well as a dining room, and focuses on seafood: monkfish, abalone and scallops headline the menu. There’s also a cocktail bar at street level – stop in to sample the sake (and the atmosphere).
Open now, plaisancehk.com
Cecily
New York, US
Chef Zach Frieling serves up veg-led dishes at Cecily with the best of NYC’s markets: petite oysters and trout roe, sourdough with cultured butter from Vermont, and fresh raw ‘fluke’ flounder. The wine list sparkles – almost all Old World with trendy pet nats, sekt and Patran amphora wines bumping shoulder with reliable Chardonnay and Riesling. The cocktail list is innovative too: Cap Corse, local vermouths and an orgeat made from pumpkin seed. Perfect for a lazy Saturday lunch.
Open now, cecilybk.com
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Stella
Los Angeles, US
Stella is a new Italian restaurant opening in West Hollywood that sees restaurateur Janet Zuccarini and chef Rob Gentile team up to deliver ‘modern twists on age-old Italian culinary traditions’ to the neighbourhood’s well-heeled residents. Amongst the dishes on offer will be su filindeu, officially the rarest style of pasta in Italy, served in a broth with pulled lamb neck and finished with truffle. Other dishes include burrata with caviar and wagyu steak with salsa piccata and pine mushrooms. Italian wines and amari inhabit the cellar. An ideal place to wait for winter sun.
Opens soon, stellawesthollywood.com
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Brico
Melbourne, Australia
The team behind Brico in Melbourne first met almost 10 years ago in London and is composed of alumni from Brawn, The Quality Chop House and P. Franco. This new restaurant and wine bar has a classic bistro aesthetic and there’s an outdoor courtyard to take advantage of what is currently summer Down Under. Given the CVs of those involved, expect modern, occasionally rustic, brasserie-style food that focuses on quality, well-sourced ingredients.
Opens 4 January, bricomelbourne.com
