London is famous for its vast range of diverse and exciting eateries. There are few places in the world where you can enjoy such a varied selection of excellent restaurants – for every type of foodie preference and every kind of budget.
The capital is also renowned for how fast things change, with new restaurants, diners, pubs and cafes opening at an ever-increasing rate. With so much choice and such a fast-paced industry, how can you keep up with the latest happenings in the London restaurant scene?
If you want to be the person who always knows the latest buzz for cool new London restaurants, here are five ways you can stay in the loop for the latest newcomers.
#1 Ask The Experts
Talk about a Dream Job – some people are paid to roam the city and experience the best food and drink that London has to offer. If you want to stay up to date on what’s happening in the foodie scene in your corner of the capital, or you want to be the first to know when an exciting new venue is due to open, it pays to take advantage of these expert guides.
Time Out is the OG when it comes to discovering London news, but there are a number of alternative guides or niche specialists. These industry experts will bring you the latest scoop on new bars, restaurants, and cafes, as well as food markets and pop-events.
#2 Industry Insiders
One great tip for really getting ahead of the mainstream buzz is to go behind the scenes. Many of the top venues will hire a London restaurant marketing agency to make sure that the capital’s food lovers hear about any new openings. By keeping an eye on the restaurant marketing industry, you’ll get access to the inside track on many new developments.
There are a number of ways to follow marketing industry news, from the big marketing news publications, to print magazines in your local bookshop. If you’re serious about being the first to know of any exciting new London restaurant news, this tactic is a fantastic way to get ahead of the curve.
#3 Get Social
Social media is an obvious choice for finding great restaurants, especially in a city like London. But when it comes to new venues and businesses, it can take a while for them to build up a strong social presence. So, here’s another tip for staying up to the minute with the latest restaurant news: hashtags.
By following the right hashtags, you can get the very latest posts on any topic. So, following a hashtag like #newlondonrestaurant or #restaurantopening will give you instant access to the most recent social posts relating to cool new eateries in the capital.
#4 Where It’s App
This being the 21st century, keeping up with the latest restaurant news is not limited to magazines and websites – of course, there’s also an app for that. Or rather, there are many apps, and with such a range to choose from, you can tailor your profile to show your favourite updates, such as trending venues, latest news and new restaurant openings. You can also tailor your alert settings so that you’ll never miss the updates that help you stay ahead of the pack.
Perhaps the most famous app of choice for food lovers is TripAdvisor, and it’s popular for many good reasons. Although it’s a key player in the industry for more established venues, it can also be a way to discover new places in your area or across the larger city region.
#5 Foodie Friends
It always helps to have friends in the right places and if you know people in the restaurant business, they can be a wealth of information about cool new openings on the horizon. However, if you don’t have ready access to London’s foodie experts, you can still tap into this elite crowd by joining online groups or forums. Whether you opt for a niche membership group or a simple WhatsApp channel, there are plenty of ways to connect with like-minded Londoners who are happy to pool their local insights and spread the word about up-&-coming new restaurants.
London’s Latest
You could dine out in London every day of the year and still not discover every restaurant this amazing city has to offer. With new venues opening all the time, the capital’s reputation as a hub of foodie excellence and a thriving restaurant scene is stronger than ever. And now that you know how to get the inside scoop on the latest London buzz, some of the coolest new restaurants in the world are waiting to delight you.