Encouraging signs for London hospitality in Harden’s restaurant guide

London is experiencing a restaurant opening rate consistent with the start of a boom, according to the latest figures featured in the new edition of Harden’s London Restaurants 2026.

The popular guide challenges the “gloomsterism” that editor Peter Harden says currently “grips” the UK hospitality trade, revealing a healthy growth level in the number of restaurant openings in London in the past year.

Peter said: “Gloomsterism grips the hospitality trade. Over the last year there has been a relentless bombardment of statements from bodies within the sector describing the dire state of the hospitality industry but – from what we’re seeing in London at least – this just doesn’t fit the facts!

“In the last 12 months, the Harden’s London Restaurants guide has tracked 146 new openings.

“Except for the boom years of 2013-2017, this is a very perky growth level. As to the rate of closures: it was 65. There is no denying that some of these closures were fine establishments, sadly gone before their time, but we still must accept that this is the lowest rate of closures amongst quality restaurants in a decade.”

The guide notes that this year’s net growth rate of 81 is exceeded by only four other years in the last 35 over which the guide has tracked such stats – a result more consistent with the start of a boom than the end being nigh.

Peter added: “We accept that our guide focuses on quality establishments rather than all hospitality outlets and that the growth rate we’re seeing says nothing about the current profitability of hospitality businesses, but that does not invalidate the general picture that there are healthy, bright spots within the country and the suggestion from our figures that investors scent future gains in backing these new openings.”

The guide cites a number of potential reasons for the gap between its figures and the “devastating outlook widely reported elsewhere”.

One factor is the low confidence level amongst all UK business executives generally (as reported by the IOD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index at the end of July). Another possibility put forward is specific factors benefiting the capital. London’s population has grown 2% in the last 2 years and tourism has grown strongly in 2024 and 2025.

Peter said: “Our analysis is not to suggest that the restaurant trade is dreaming up the many big challenges facing it. National Insurance rises, post-Brexit visa issues, post-pandemic knock-ons, ever-greater employee protections and above-average food price inflation all make it harder than ever to balance the books. 

However, the number of quality restaurants that remain open in the capital is a positive sign that speaks to the tenacity and resourcefulness of those operating in the sector and clearly results in people still being prepared to invest in opening new ones.

“Operators are without doubt facing an array of adversities, but they are still keeping the show on the road somehow – the music has not yet stopped!”

London’s top eateries

In pure culinary terms, Harden’s London Restaurants 2026 reveals Jason Atherton’s ROW on 5 with chef Spencer Metzger as the most important opening of the year, immediately taking its place amongst the capital’s most impressive destinations. Other notable performances this year include Oma (straight in at number 14 in the guide’s Top 40 most mentioned list) and Cornus (entering the same Top 40 at number 31).

Jason said: "Beyond thrilled to be recognised by Harden’s, one of the world's most trusted and authoritative voices in the Business of restaurants. 

"ROW on 5 is the restaurant Irha and I always dreamed of creating, and Spencer and I have worked tirelessly to bring that dream to life. We took a bold risk, reimagined the formula, and stayed true to our vision so to see it embraced in this way is both humbling and deeply rewarding.

"Above all, we are profoundly grateful to our incredible ROW on 5 team, whose passion and dedication have made this journey possible.”

Core by Clare Smyth was again voted Londoner’s Top Gastronomic Experience and – for an impressive 20th year – Chez Bruce on Wandsworth Common was voted London’s Favourite Restaurant. 

London’s favourite cuisines

In terms of the capital’s favoured cuisines, Japanese, with 11 openings, came in third place to the two cuisines that practically always dominate: Modern British and Italian openings, which account for 25 and 15 launches respectively.

Mediterranean openings were a strong fourth, with nine debuts, with suggestions the ‘London Med’ trend is one to watch.