Things have been pretty busy since we were last in touch, and we’ve enjoyed every second of seeing our favourite restaurants, bars and pubs come back to life. We sincerely hope that you’ve been able to get back to eating and drinking at the places you love too... It feels so good to be supporting hospitality in person after so long, and this is just the beginning. With a raft of exciting new openings, collaborations and menus on the horizon, things are only going to get better this month and beyond. Here’s our pick of what to look out for in May…
Wilding
Keen for a change of scene? Head to Oxford for an idyllic wine-focused meal at Wilding, a brand-new restaurant, wine bar and shop opening in late May. This lovely spot has one of the best wine lists we’ve ever seen, with ten wines on tap and a further 50 by the glass (our pick is the Bride Valley’s English Crèmant), and serves fresh, seasonal and often locally foraged dishes too. Book a spot inside or go for a table on the terrace, where you’ll dine against a backdrop of beautiful English vines. Dreamy. Find out more here.
Burnt Orange
Is it just us yearning for a jaunt to the seaside this summer? If you are too, use the opening of Burnt Orange in Brighton as the perfect excuse. From the talented teams behind The Salt Room and The Coal Shed, this new cocktail-fuelled restaurant and bar will serve up small plates and good times when it opens in June. Perfect for long lounging sessions, and with music coming from local legend Norman Cook, it’s set to become our favourite party town’s coolest new spot. Check it out here.
Cin Cin
Soon to be nestled in one of our most-loved London neighbourhoods, Cin Cin Italian Bar & Kitchen opens in Fitzrovia this month. With two critically acclaimed restaurants in Brighton and Hove under their belts already, the Cin Cin team are bringing their exquisite small plates (trust us, order the crab arancino with basil emulsion) and snappy Italian wine list to a sunny spot - complete with terrace - on Foley Street, and we cannot wait to settle in when they open on 18th May. Sign up for soft opening news here.
Dreamy picnics, bbqs and take-aways
Provenance Village Butcher
Calling all Londoners who immediately invite their mates round the minute they wake up to even a glimmer of sunshine - Provenance Village Butcher is now offering same-day delivery of its BBQ boxes to most of the capital’s postcodes. Not only do these bumper boxes contain an array of incredible meat - Galician beef burgers, T-bone steaks with bone marrow butter, and marinated lamb neck skewers - they also include sides (hellooo truffle mac and cheese), ready-to-drink cocktails, AND A PORTABLE BBQ TOO (farewell, panic-dash to the petrol station for charcoal). But that’s not all - to top it off, the box is loaded up with sausages, bacon, Estate Dairy products and Caravan coffee for the morning after as well. We’re speechless. And hungry. Check the website to find out more.
Arabica launches new Picnic Kits
Arabica Picnic Kits have quickly become our go-to for park/canal-side/ balcony dining. We won’t bore you with just how much we love their dips (reader, it’s an intense romance), but what we will say is that these kits are pretty special... Designed for two or three to share, they include a seasonal selection of crudités, crunchy pickles, silky hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, borani dip, feta salad, green wheat freekeh salad, pita crisps and baklava. Larger - or greedier - groups can upgrade to a Deluxe Picnic Kit (priced £75), designed to easily feed four, which includes a bake-at-home boregi (a traditional feta and spinach -filled filo pastry) too. Oh, and did we mention nationwide delivery? Minimum effort required here.
Wild Radish
Wild Radish vegan kits launch today, devised by award-winning chef-owner of Tredwells and All’s Well, Chantelle Nicholson, and plant-based chef and co-founder of Plates London, Kirk Haworth. These boxes include everything required to create a sumptuous three-course, plant-based menu of: Cashew cream with linseed crackers; Roasted and pickled cauliflower, caramelised cauliflower purée, baked lemon, emmer wheat and zhoug, and Woodruff panna cotta with almond crumble and poached rhubarb. A perfect starting point to explore the art of progressive vegan and plant-forward cooking. Available throughout May priced £91 with wine, £76 without.
For further details on any of the above, or to arrange an in-person meet-up, please do get in touch - we’d love to hear from you.
Until next month,
Frances and the Tonic team X
