Several of this month’s new restaurants reflect the northern hemisphere’s move into spring and the warmer temperatures that are on their way; look no further than the Parisian restaurant Mimosa that has arrived at the Langham, serving Riviera-inspired shared plates, and Oma in Borough, bringing in a Greek taste of the Mediterranean.
In the Horsforth area of Leeds, a new bistro is all about sophisticated French dishes, while over in New York, a dedication to fine fried chicken and Champagne is causing a stir in the Flat Iron district.
Read on for the best new restaurants for April.
The best new restaurants to visit in April 2024
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Rombe
Melbourne, Australia
Rombe is a restaurant set within the rooftop garden on Burwood Brickworks shopping centre. With views of the Dandenong Ranges and downtown Melbourne, depending on which way you look, the setting is intended as a calm oasis away from the shops and streets beneath. The food is elevated above the usual food-court fare in every sense of the word, with head chef Jerry Yi overseeing a seasonal, ‘modern-Australian’ menu that features tuna ceviche and wagyu beef. Rombe is now open all day for breakfast and lunch but a dinner service is set to begin mid-April.
Open now, rombe.com.au
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Bavette
Leeds, UK
A new bistro is adding some French sparkle to Horsforth in Leeds. The menu includes pork rillettes, shellfish bisque, steaks, chops and Paris-Brest, all with French levels of butter. There’s the odd British flourish too, such as pâté en croûte served with Earl Grey jelly. Bavette is co-run by a husband-and-husband team that met while working in hospitality in London; Sandy Jarvis draws on experience from the Culpeper group while Clément Cousin also brings experience from his winemaking family to the drinks list. Expect plenty of inventive pairings from this duo.
Open now, bavettebistro.com
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Carmel
London, UK
Josh Katz of Berber & Q fame has opened an all-day dining venue in Fitzrovia. The second branch of Carmel (following the original in Queen’s Park) has a menu, like Katz’s other ventures, driven by Middle Eastern influences and ingredients. Small plates cover everything from anchovy to za’tar, with careful attention paid to provenance.
Open now, carmelrestaurant.co.uk
Coqodaq
New York, US
Sometimes a simple solution is the best. New South Korean restaurant Coqodaq needs no reminders: fried chicken and Champagne is the order of the day, and it’s a combination that’s hard to argue with. The chicken is even available by the bucket, with a garlic soy or gochujang glaze, and the Champagne comes by glass or bottle. There are more than 400 bottles of fizz to choose from, making this the largest Champagne list in the US, and there are formats, producers and prices to suit all party sizes, tastes and budgets. For those who still have the cognitive capacity for further decision-making, there are short menus of classic and signature mixed drinks, as well as still wines by the glass. All of this takes place in a spectacular 190-seat dining room.
Open now, coqodaq.com
Mimosa at the Langham
London, UK
A London outpost for this Parisian favourite, Mimosa’s dishes celebrate the best of Mediterranean French and Italian ingredients and styles in a decadent dining room. Meals are served family-style, little and large, with meat and seafood dominating the menu: salt-baked sea bass, spitroast coquelet and octopus with hummus. Being the Langham, the wine list is superb – as are Mimosa’s signature cocktails. No need to join the jet set to experience the Riviera spirit after all.
Open now, langhamhotels.com
Oma
London, UK
Experience a mini-holiday to island Greece at this new opening above sister restaurant Agora in Borough. While Agora recreates Athenian dining, Oma takes a boat out into the Mediterranean and reels in plenty of fresh fish and seafood: think grilled harissa prawns and tzatziki. The kitchen is run by David Carter of Smokestak and Manteca, supported by chefs from Kiln and Sabor, so expect smooth sailing whatever the menu has in store. Plus, there’s a list of more than 450 wines ‘filled with the minerality and salinity of the sun-washed coastlines’.
Open now, oma.london
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Gu:um
Singapore
Chef Louis Han has already has success with Nae:um, a one-star Michelin restaurant in Singapore, and now comes his more casual offshoot that’s all about cooking with fire. As with Nae:um, the flavours and influences are Korean, but here a range of cuts from land and sea go over a charcoal grill with a selection of marinades made in house. Charred vegetables and femented foods are served to contrast the meat. Twists on traditional dishes, such as pancakes topped with beef tartare and a Korean patty served with a side of sauerkraut, plus the promise of precision cooking, means Gu:um should prove to be much more than just another steakhouse.
Open now, guum.sg
San Sabino
New York, US
Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, who already run Don Angie, have opened a restaurant focused on Italian-American seafood and pasta in the West Village. The ‘raw & chilled’ section of the menu includes oysters, scallop crudo and octopus carpaccio, there are langoustines and stuffed mussels among the starters, while mains are pasta dishes and bigger cuts of meat and fish. The couple were heavily involved in devising the eight-drink cocktail list, with creations showing off plenty of savoury flavours and ingredients from the kitchen, such as spicy brine, chilli and Thai basil. The restaurant occupies the space of an old Mexican restaurant but has been completely redesigned in collaboration with an architect, and is beautifully lit when the sun sets.
Open now, sansabinonyc.com
Crispin at Studio Voltaire
London, UK
For fans of Crispin’s modern European and family-style dining, there’s a new place to get a reservation: Clapham’s Studio Voltaire gallery is now hosting. With just 50 covers – and tables kept to six – it’s still a small and chic affair. As per the original venue, the wine list is one of the main draws: and with many wines by the glass, thanks to the on-tap system, there’s plenty of pairings to be tried.
Open now, crispinlondon.com
