As diners flock to the terraces for the first rays of spring sunshine, a handful of eye-catching new restaurants are opening their doors for the first time. Tinwood wine estate in Sussex will launch its own restaurant this month, a stone’s throw from its scenic vineyards, and a couple of new venues in London – one at the centre and one on the edge – will pique local interest. Further afield, the Six Senses hotel in Rome is opening a kitchen, courtyard and rooftop bar in a 15th-century palazzo, and in Melbourne the Ritz-Carlton is launching a fine-dining restaurant with panoramic views of the coast. Read on to discover the best restaurant openings to visit in April 2023.
New restaurants to visit around the world in April 2023
Olga
Paris, France
From the founders of La Buvette comes Olga, a wine bar in a tiny former chocolate shop opposite the Gare de Lyon. Olga serves mainly French cheese with wine, as well as sandwiches at lunch and picnic supplies throughout the day. It’s a cosy affair with just six covers – although a dozen can stand in the terrace – but like its wine list, cheese selection and vintage tableware, its limited capacity makes it a hot destination for Parisians and visitors alike.
Open now, www.labuvette.paris/en
Bivium
Rome, Italy
At the Six Senses Hotel – formerly the 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini – Sicilian chef Nadia Frisina launches a majority-plant-based menu at Bivium. Seasonal Roman produce and the best of the rest of Italy’s ingredients are prepped in an open kitchen and delivered to communal tables indoors or the courtyard garden outdoors. Afterwards, guests can head to the marble bar for cocktails, or up to the rooftop bar with its impressive views of San Marcella al Corso church, Palazzo Montecitorio, and the seven hills.
Open now, sixsenses.com/en/hotels/rome/dining/bivium-restaurant-cafe-bar
Brasserie 1930, Sydney
Sydney, Australia
Expect a French take on Australian produce at the Capella Sydney’s chic ground-floor restaurant: dishes like rare breed pork with prune sauce, Murray cod with chive butter and burrata with bush tomato oil. The wine list is as star-studded as you might expect from the team behind Bentley Restaurant and Bar and Monopole. Afterwards, diners can head up to McRae Bar, overlooking Loftus Street, for cocktails and people-watching.
Open 31 March, capellahotels.com/en/capella-sydney/dining
Ploussard
London, UK
A bijou neighbourhood restaurant has emerged on Battersea Rise this spring, pairing the best of British dining with a wine list that leans towards low intervention. At this cosy 34-seater spot south of the river, diners can nestle in dark wood booths for a menu that features umami-rich lamb and anchovy crumpets, Tunworth croquettes and barbecued scallops. (Look out for the custard tart for dessert). Like any good neighbourhood spot, there’s a bar and window perch up front for those just passing through for a quick drink. And with wines supplied by Les Caves De Pyrene – the merchant behind Brawn – it would be rude not to.
Open 1 April, ploussardlondon.co.uk
Atria
Melbourne, Australia
Eighty floors above Melbourne, the new Ritz-Carlton’s restaurant offers a killer view of the Victorian coastline. Its executive chef, Michael Greenlaw, comes from London’s Bibendum and Melbourne’s Vue de Monde, and works alongside culinary advisor Mark Best, formerly of Sydney’s Marque restaurant. Expect local ingredients to stand out, particularly Port Phillip Bay fish such as flounder and morwong, and remarkable desserts from pastry chef Kay-Lene Tan, formerly of Melbourne’s Tonka.
Open now, ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/australia/melbourne/dining/atria
Elodie at Birch Selsdon
London, UK
From the founders of Birch in Hertfordshire come two restaurants at a 19th-century country retreat on the edge of south London that plans to serve a range of site-grown produce. Elodie offers seasonal fine dining and a five-course tasting menu; Lee Westcott, formerly of Michelin-starred the Typing Room, is at the helm. Elodie is scheduled to launch a couple of weeks after the hotel’s soft launch. In the meantime, guests and members can turn to the hotel’s brasserie, Vervain (also run by Westcott), for more informal dining.
Open 27 April, birchcommunity.com/selsdon/eat
Tinwood Vineyard Kitchen
Chichester, UK
A beloved Sussex vineyard opens its first restaurant this spring with a pairings-focused menu that puts English wine at the heart of the meal. Santo Busciglio brings over 40 years of experience to his role at the Vineyard Kitchen and kicks off his arrival with a spring dinner series: chalk stream trout, crab crumpet and tea-smoked duck star on the menu for the first instalment. The chef will focus on seasonal British ingredients, prioritising local producers, at a bespoke new site overlooking the vineyards.
Open 13 April, tinwoodestate.com/events/spring-dinner-series
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Hanazen
Singapore
After earning two Michelin stars for his Osakan restaurant, La Cime, Yusuke Takada has moved his talents to Victoria Street for a French take on omakase: think Wagyu tartlets and skewers with porcini sauce or garlic butter. Look out for the feature dish: the Singa Dog – a chicken and chicken floss ball with a charcoal-black batter coat. Tasting menus of 16 courses start at $250.
Open now, instagram.com/hanazensingapore
