Our latest monthly recap of the hottest new food and beverage openings from around the world on trendhub is live, spotlighting six highlight openings from March here on the blog.
In no particular order, six highlights from the comprehensive foodwatching and drinkswatching new opening reports are:
Crunch, London
Crunch have run pop-ups and a popular stall in Spitalfields Market, and now they are opening a sandwich shop in Soho.
Owners Sacha Yonan, Michael Medovnikov and Joni Francisco bake their own brioche inspired bread, fresh each morning; their bread is less sweet than a traditional brioche. Sandwiches include a truffle beef patty melt, southern-fried chicken cutlet with homemade dill aioli and fried oyster mushrooms with miso marinated vegetables to name a few. There will be deep fried sides of thousand-layer potatoes, pepperoni lasagna bites and pesto lasagna bites. The edges of the loaves will be used to make deep-fried French toast, to help food waste. There will be some seating and takeout, with cocktails and beer on sale too.
Find out more here.
Bar Kabawa, New York
David Chang and CEO Marguerite of Momofuku are set to open Bar Kabawa in the East Village.
Bar Kabawa is an homage to Caribbean cuisines with a casual feel and an a la carte menu. Drinks will be accented with rum, focusing on daiquiris; food will include raw bar picks, including oysters, Haitian tinged octopus pikliz, pickled okra salt cod and 'Dads' sardines with avocado hot sauce. They are also serving Caribbean patties that display elements of both laminated Haitian style and Jamaican ones; some are baked, and others fried.
Click here to find out more.
Lala, Hong Kong
Launched by Chef Frackelie Laloum and hospitality figure Michael Larkin, Lala is a French eatery in the heart of Central, Hong Kong.
Lala serves lighter French food, made without loads of butter and cream. They serve parsley-garlic frogs' legs, duck and poultry paté en croute and charcoal grilled turbot with hollandaise sauce.
Find out more here.
Maritime Cocktail Bar, Palihotel, San Francisco
Maritime is a cocktail bar, restaurant and events space. It draws inspiration from the sea with its cocktails and menu offerings.
While the venue is gaining a following for its martinis and raw bar, other dishes like mussels in white wine and miso butter or steak and frites are also available.
Maritime is being touted as a post-work party space, with a fun environment and excellent ice-cold martinis.
Click here to find out more.
Sana, Sydney
Sana is designed to make healthy food easy, using local produce and classic Mediterranean flavours. Owners Chef Joel Bennetts and Daniel Sorridimi are serving fast, fresh and flavour packed bowls, protein plates and rolls. You can also build your own plates and bowls too with a blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.
The menu will include a fusion of foods such as Lebanese spiced lamb, Korean style carrots, and lemon and herb Basmati rice. They offer seven signature bowls, four rolls and a Build Your Own, all topped with house pickles and ferments. Drinks include house-made sodas that are prebiotic, sugar-free and low calorie in Blackcurrant, Strawberry-Vanilla and Mango-Passionfruit.
Click here to find out more.
The Knave of Clubs, London
A powerhouse of food service people are involved with the Knave of Clubs, including Chef Patrick Powell (ex Midland Grand and Allegra), as Culinary Director, and Atilla Gellen will be Head Chef, and owners James Dye (The Camberwell Arms and more) and Benjy Leibowitz (JKS and the NoMad NYC).
They have partnered with Allsopp's Brewery and the new venue will be the first pub in East London to stock revitalised Double Diamond on tap. They will also serve Guinness, classic cocktails, pre-batched Negronis and a short wine list. Food will be proper pub grub focusing on their rotisserie grill, served with chicken fat potatoes cooked in the bottom of the grill. You can also get bar snacks of updated classics, like venison sausage rolls, prawn scotch eggs with chilli jam, The Knave grilled cheese sandwich and roasts on a Sunday.
Find out more here.
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Every month we compile more comprehensive lists of the most noteworthy openings across both food and drink from around the world over on the tfp trendhub. Subscribers can see these lists for March 2025 in full over on our foodwatching and drinkswatching reports. If you're not yet subscribed but are interested in receiving our regular reporting service, please get in touch.
Image credit - Sana, Sydney