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 December here on the blog.
In no particular order, six highlights from the comprehensive foodwatching and drinkswatching new opening reports are:
Hōchō Eathouse, Westmere Auckland
Hōchō Eathouse is situated in Westmere and is said to be a small Japanese eatery. Headed up by Chef Kenta Kawano who is also a knife specialist and sharpener.
Kawano says he has opened a restaurant that is 'homely, approachable and affordable', a place where customers can enjoy genuine and good Japanese food. With the chef's background he aims to make simple ingredients shine, with little salt used.
Dishes include a Clear Chicken-broth Ramen or Matcha Daifuku Ice Cream that is infused with salted Sakura blossoms.
Soma Tea & Mocktail, Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong
Soma Tea & Mocktail is an award-winning Taiwanese milk tea brand that has now opened a permanent site in Hong Kong (they have held a pop-up there in the past).
Soma focuses on the best possible milk tea, and customers can currently try three categories of drinks. The Milk Tea has a base of a blend of three black teas. They also have High Mountain Teas from Taiwan, and the Premium Essentia Drinks are seasonal choices and include hand-whisked matcha and hojicha lattes.
There will be an exclusive tea for Hong Kong, the Black Truffle Milk tea.
Firestarter, London
Rob Star is behind Electric Star pubs, and he has opened Firestarter right next-door to his pub The Star.
Chef consultant Ricky Evans from the Ingredientist Kitchen and Secret Slider Club has helped to create the menus that are cooked by Head Chef Leon Seraphim.
Menu items include Crab Doughnuts with Cowboy Butter and Smoked Sriracha Sugar, or Espresso-Tamarind Pork Ribs and Yorkshire Wagyu Beef Tartare with Tomato Ponzu Cured Egg Yolk and Togarashi Kewpie. They are also serving grilled sharing dishes like a 1kg Galician Rib and a 450-gram Iberico Pork Chop. They are also catering for vegetarians with dishes such as a Fire-Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Black Garlic and Red Miso Glaze.
Bar Allora, Sydney
Bar Allora is from the Maybe Group, who opened Maybe Sammy, and Dean & Nancy on 22.
The venue gives a nod to Milan in the 1980s but modernised for today's crowds. Cocktails are a big focus, just like at their other venues, including after-dinner pours such as a Grasshopper made with pistachio cream and brandy and Whisky Shakeratos. Wines are mainly Italian, served by the bottle and the glass. The bar serves all-day food starting with espresso and cornetti and breakfast dishes, going through to lunch and dinner.
Maru Korean Steakhouse, Cape Town, South Africa
Maru Korean Steakhouse, part of PAN Collection Hospitality Group has opened in Bree Street in Cape Town.
Maru uses local ingredients and cooks and serves them in a Seoul Korean style. Chef Rikku O'Donnchu is the lead consultant chef; he first became familiar with Korean food in the USA and then travelled to Korea for further inspiration. The menu has Korean Fried Chicken and an upscale K-BBQ experience, that uses high quality local meats.
Seed Library, New York City
Seed Library is by Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan and will be his first permanent New York bar.
The bar will be situated in Hotel Park Ave in Nomad and will have its own entrance. The bar will focus on sustainability and flavour with curated drinks, some that are reimagined, others will be original. There will also be low-intervention wines, artisanal spirits, craft beers and sake. The food will have the same philosophy as the drinks.
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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 December 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.