New Kids on the Block

Boxcar Fire & Wine

Much-loved by the Marylebone set, Boxcar Bar & Grill is due to reopen on 3 June 2025 with a fresh identity: Boxcar Fire & Wine. This transformation introduces a fire-led culinary concept, placing open-flame cooking at the heart of its menu, in addition to a complete revamp of the restaurant's wine offering. Complementing Boxcar's selection of flame-grilled delicacies will be an expertly curated list that emphasises “small-scale, sustainable producers”, including an own-label rosé, Tinted Glasses, developed in partnership with Château Saint-Maur in Provence. Gastronomic duties, meanwhile, are being handled by Greek chef Zisis Gkalmpenis, whose impressive résumé includes stints at Michelin-starred Pied à Terre, Cord by Le Cordon Bleu, and The Greyhound in Beaconsfield. He is sure to inject a southern European sensibility into the menu,  focusing on top British ingredients prepared with simplicity and respect. Seasonality be thy name.

Boxcar Fire & Wine will open on 3 June.

23 New Quebec Street, W1H 7SD

https://boxcar.co.uk/

Margaret's

Restaurateurs Sam Carter and Alex Olivier are expanding their culinary footprint with the opening of  Margaret's, a hip bistro on Cambridge's Chesterton Road. A sister venue to the Michelin-starred Restaurant 22, Margaret's will cater to a more relaxed crowd, delivering a casual dining experience while maintaining a sharp focus on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. Expect a strong emphasis on small plates dining, seasonality and an inventive wine list that will keep both traditionalists and hipsters satisfied. Buoyed by the owners' natural talent for delivering on-trend, concept-led dining, Margaret's is poised to become a noteworthy addition to Cambridge's expanding food scene.

Margaret's will open on 9 June.

18 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX

https://margaretscambridge.co.uk/

Berenjak Mayfair

Persian restaurant group Berenjak is poised to unveil its third London site in upmarket Mayfair later this year. Led by chef Kian Samyani, Berenjak has garnered praise for its authentic and innovative interpretations of classical Persian cuisine, having opened its first venue in Soho in 2018.  The newest incarnation, on Duke Street, promises more of the same, bringing the warmth and vibrancy of Persian home cooking to one of London's most exclusive addresses. Mazeh (small sharing plates) will lead from the centre, incorporating regional delicacies such as mast o khiar (yoghurt with cucumber and mint) and kashk e bademjan (smoked aubergine with whey and crispy onions). The charcoal grill, meanwhile, is bound to be a major highlight, as flame-grilled kebabs and jujeh kabab (free-range chicken marinated in saffron, lemon and yoghurt) tantalise the tastebuds. Wash it all down with some expertly curated cocktails, or a bottle of voluptuous South African Shiraz.

Berenjak Mayfair's opening date is TBC

80 Duke St, London W1K 6JG

https://berenjaklondon.com/