Florence Knight, B. Penhale and Berryman’s: Three new London openings worth knowing about
London’s restaurant scene has another busy month ahead, with a new wave of openings bringing together some familiar names and interesting new ideas. Among the most notable are Florence Knight’s return with rooftop restaurant Lunette, a British and Irish-inspired restaurant from the team behind Borough Market favourite Camille, and a new oyster and martini bar from the brothers behind Three Sheets.
Each has a different proposition, but all three have something that makes them worth keeping an eye on.
Florence Knight returns with Lunette at St Clement
One of London’s most recognisable chefs is back in the kitchen with the opening of Lunette, her first solo restaurant, on the 11th floor of the new St Clement hotel in Temple.
Knight is perhaps best known for her work at Polpetto in Soho and, more recently, as head chef at Sessions Arts Club in Clerkenwell, where her distinctive approach to seasonal British cooking helped establish the restaurant as one of London’s most talked-about dining rooms.
Lunette, which opened on 3 November, gives her a new opportunity to develop that style. The restaurant takes its name from the French word for ‘little moon’ and serves seasonal set menus inspired by art, nature and painting.
The offering currently includes a four-course lunch menu priced at £70 and a six-course dinner menu at £110. Early dishes have included pomme soufflé with smoked eel and roe, golden crab rice with peppered egg yolk and lemon and vanilla tart.
The restaurant is also an interesting addition to St Clement, the hotel opened by Soho House founder Nick Jones. With its position on the 11th floor, Lunette combines Knight’s cooking with panoramic views across London.
B. Penhale brings British and Irish cooking to Smithfield
Opening on 16 November, B. Penhale is the latest project from the team behind Camille, the popular French-inspired restaurant in Borough Market.
This time, the focus moves closer to home, with chef-patron Elliot Hashtroudi exploring the regional cooking traditions of Britain and Ireland.
Hashtroudi has developed a following for his nose-to-tail approach at Camille, making use of the whole animal rather than concentrating solely on premium cuts. That philosophy will continue at B. Penhale, although the menu will draw more heavily on traditional British recipes and Victorian-era dining.
There are some interesting dishes planned, including stout-battered oysters with bone marrow and horseradish, pigeon pie, smoked jellied eel and Cumberland sausage. Larger plates will include saddleback pork chop with black pudding and trotter, alongside turbot with shrimp sauce and laverbread.
The restaurant takes its name from Hashtroudi’s grandmother, Betty Penhale. There is also a family connection to the neighbourhood: one of his great-grandmothers worked as a butcher near Smithfield Market.
The restaurant will occupy the former Club Gascon site at 57 West Smithfield, with a 66-seat dining room and a smaller six-seat bar. The wine list will be overseen by Camille’s head of wine, Max Hancock, with an emphasis on British winemakers and wines connected to the country’s historical drinking traditions.
It is an interesting next step for the Camille team, particularly for anyone interested in seeing how traditional British food can be interpreted through a more ambitious restaurant menu.
Berryman’s brings oysters and martinis to Dalston
Meanwhile, in east London, brothers Max and Noel Venning are preparing to open Berryman’s, a new martini, wine and oyster bar just a couple of doors down from their established Dalston cocktail bar, Three Sheets.
Opening on 13 November, the new venture marks another addition to the brothers’ growing hospitality portfolio, which also includes Little Mercies in Crouch End and a second Three Sheets in Soho.
Berryman’s takes its name from the brothers’ mother’s maiden name, with the concept drawing inspiration from her Cornish heritage and the coastal drinking establishments of Europe.
Cornish oysters will take centre stage on the food menu, served with a selection of garnishes including strawberry mignonette, gherkin granita and clementine ponzu. There will also be a rotating selection of martinis, including a Vesper and a white Cosmopolitan with gooseberry.
The food offering has been developed by head chef Ethan Pack, whose previous experience includes working in the kitchen at Claridge’s. Alongside the oysters, expect Spanish and Italian-inspired bar snacks, including coppa di Parma, Comté with quince, giardiniera pickles and a toasted bikini sandwich filled with jamón, ‘nduja, Manchego and Gouda.
One detail worth knowing before visiting is that Berryman’s is deliberately small. The bar will accommodate just 20 people, with standing room only and no reservations, operating on a walk-in basis.
For the Three Sheets team, it is a slightly different direction from their established cocktail bars, putting the emphasis on simple drinks, good wine and food designed for sharing.
Three different additions to London’s restaurant scene
These three openings demonstrate the variety of London’s current restaurant offering, from Florence Knight’s intimate rooftop dining room to Hashtroudi’s exploration of British food history and the more informal drinking culture being brought to Dalston by the Venning brothers.
For diners looking for something new this November, each offers a different reason to make a booking – or, in Berryman’s case, simply turn up and see if there’s room at the bar.
At a glance
Lunette
Cuisine: Seasonal contemporary cooking
Location: Temple, London
Style: Intimate rooftop restaurant
Price: £70 lunch / £110 dinner
Best for: Special occasions and tasting menus
Michelin status: No Michelin star confirmed
Foodoholism verdict: An interesting return from Florence Knight.
B. Penhale
Cuisine: British and Irish
Location: Smithfield, London
Style: Contemporary nose-to-tail dining
Price: Not confirmed
Best for: Adventurous British cooking and traditional dishes with a modern approach
Michelin status: No Michelin star confirmed
Foodoholism verdict: One to watch for its exploration of British food traditions.
Berryman’s
Cuisine: European-inspired bar snacks and seafood
Location: Dalston, London
Style: Standing-only oyster and martini bar
Price: Not confirmed
Best for: Oysters, martinis and informal drinks
Michelin status: Not applicable
Foodoholism verdict: An appealing new addition to Dalston’s drinking scene.
