London restaurateur Jeremy King shows no signs of slowing down having recently brought The Park and Arlington to the capital; his much-anticipated overhaul of longstanding Simpson’s in the Strand is now complete too, with doors open to diners. Meanwhile, roughly a mile away, a new restaurant taking inspiration from North Africa is officially the hottest ticket in town.
Looking further afield, there’s an Italian trattoria in Sheffield, while on the international stage, a modern Thai has opened in New York’s West Village and Los Angeles welcomes a fine-dining restaurant from a Swedish chef with impressive pedigree.
Read on to discover the most exciting new restaurants to visit this April.
The best new restaurants to visit in April 2026
Simpson’s in the Strand
London, UK
Simpson’s, founded in 1828 and considered an institution on the London restaurant scene, has had new life breathed into it by legendary restaurateur Jeremy King. The main dining room, called the Grand Divan, is a theatrical Edwardian space of dark wood panelling, leather banquettes and chandeliers where traditional English dishes are served alongside classic cocktails and wines predominantly from France and Germany. Naturally, the star of the show is the roast rib of beef carved table-side on a silver trolley and served with all the trimmings, but there is also a pie of the day, grilled bacon chop, roast chicken and grilled dover sole from a generous a la carte offering. Six of the cocktails, including the three Martinis on offer, can be ordered as minis for £8. There’s an extensive list of wines available by the glass and 500ml carafe, including the 2015 vintage of Pol Roger Winston Churchill – a fitting selection for such a historical venue.
Open now, simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk
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Lielle
Los Angeles, US
Lielle belongs to Swedish chef Marcus Jernmark who previously worked at Aquavit and Per Se in New York, as well as three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm. The concept is relaxed fine-dining using Californian produce with Nordic techniques and influences, delivered via a four-course set menu served for $150 a head. To complement the food are wines from a list running to 40 pages, one that includes many of the biggest producers from California and Europe with back vintages to explore. Vintage lighting, leather seating and cherry wood tables without tablecloths ensure the dining room doesn’t look formal or stuffy.
Open now, lielle.la
Impala
London, UK
Impala is currently the most hyped restaurant in London and it’s from a group with previous in that regard, as the backers also opened Brat and Mountain. The chef and co-owner is Meedu Saad, who was head chef at Kiln, and he has created a menu that is loosely North African in theme but incorporates plenty of influences from elsewhere too. One constant is the use of a large wood-fired oven and charcoal grill, heat sources that cook dishes like monkfish wrapped in grape leaves; short rib of beef with rosemary; squid; sweetbreads with salted onions and pickled green chillies; and duck roasted in molasses served with fig sauce. Flavours from fire and smoke are complemented by small plates of raw brill, beef tartare, vegetables, pickles and the like. A solitary dessert of date and pistachio tart is destined to become one of the dishes of 2026.
Open now, impalasoho.com
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Trattoria Maria
Sheffield, UK
Trattoria Maria, inspired by Italian and southern European cooking, is brought to you from the team behind the already very successful restaurant Bench in Sheffield. Located in the city centre, the new venture serves a menu traditionally split into antipasti followed by small pasta dishes and then mains, with dishes including sea bream crudo with blood orange and rosemary; wild garlic tagliatelle with egg yolk; and pork cotoletto with slow cooked fennel, capers and brown butter. The team here has pedigree when it comes to drinks and the Italian cocktail list includes three Negroni variants. Guests can also expect a selection of wine that mixes low-intervention and classic styles.
Open now, mariarestaurants.co.uk
The Latimer
London, UK
Melanie Arnold, who opened Rochelle Canteen with Margot Henderson, and her partner Jon Spiteri, best known as a co-founder of St. John, are overseeing the transformation of a bar into a gastropub in Notting Hill. Their children, Fin, Lorcan and Molly, will lead the kitchen and front of house. The main menu will feature dishes such as black pudding confit potato; oxtail with mashed potato and horseradish; and brown crab tagliolini but there will be a bar menu of smaller plates too for those popping in for a drink with snacks. Recent openings in London such as The Hawthorn, The Hart and The Hero show there is plenty of appetite for casual but considered dining in the capital and the collective experience the family has in hospitality all but guarantees The Latimer’s success.
Open 21 April, thelatimer.co.uk
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Dahla
New York, US
New for Manhattan’s West Village, Dahla is a restaurant serving Thai food through a ‘modern, luxurious lens’. The a la carte menu includes scallop crudo; potato terrine with caviar and Thai basil aioli; and short rib with a sticky rice foam, and there are plans to introduce a six-course tasting menu soon. Away from the food, cocktails are a big focus; there are 10 signature serves, all incorporating culinary influences or flavours: the Flame of the Forest is made up of Tequila, Espelette pepper, tamarind acid, toasted rice, coriander, smoked lava salt and carbon dioxide, while the Marigold contains bourbon, mugi shochu, shiitake mushroom, soba cha, pear cordial, chamomile with a parmesan crisp.
Open now, dahlanewyork.com
MRBL
London, UK
New for Leadenhall Market in the City, MRBL is a steakhouse serving a range of cuts from British native breeds that have been cooked over charcoal. A short selection of starters includes the signature croquettes, full of unctuous braised beef, and grilled prawns with fermented chilli, while the steak offering itself consists of a sirloin, ribeye, fillet tail and skirt, plus three sharing steaks sold by weight, as well as a steak sandwich. Seven signature serves plus a ‘Happy Meal’ of a vodka Martini with fries for £14 feature on the cocktail menu and there is a concise selection of wines by the glass. This part of the capital is full of sandwich shops and fast food outlets to serve local offices, so MRBL should make a welcome addition for those in the area with an appetite for a proper meal.
Open now, mrbl.co.uk
