Monday Bulletin: Oula & Oranj

Catch up on the latest industry news stories of the week from the CODE Bulletin

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100 BEST LOCAL RESTAURANTS 2025

Last week, CODE’s sister publication, The Good Food Guide, revealed its 100 Best Local Restaurants of 2025 in partnership with Square. Lucky Lychee, a neighbourhood Malaysian restaurant in Winchester, was crowned overall winner; while regional winners from across the UK included Fino in Cromer, Counter Culture in Newquay, and Ida in London. In what’s shaping up to be yet another annus horribilis for hospitality, The Good Food Guide’s list—now in its 15th year—feels more vital than ever: a tribute to the under-the-radar independents delivering the affordability, creativity and big-hearted hospitality that diners want. Explore the full list here.

OULA

Influential chef and culinary curator Boutheina Ben Salem is opening her own place. Oula, a Tunisian café and pantry, will launch in October within Ibraaz, a new space for art, culture and ideas from the global majority, in Fitzrovia.

ORANJ

Change is afoot at Shoreditch restaurant and wine bar Oranj. It has a new home at Truman Brewery—where Hokkaido chef Yuto Fujimoto is in residence until 17 August—and will have its first permanent head chef and menu later this year.

VICTOR GARVEY

Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand, the opulent dining room at the St. Pancras Renaissance London, ceased trading last week after just five months. The fine-dining restaurant opened in February to glowing reviews from The Times and FT.

• Joyeta Ng will be showcasing her Cantonese-inspired cooking at Brilliant Corners’ sister restaurant “mu” in Dalston every Monday and Tuesday until 26 August.
   
• Gelupo in Soho is 15. To celebrate: free scoops of Neapolitan for kids until 1 August.
   
• Miris y Maíz starts a six-week residency at Paradise in Soho on 24 July, ‘dissolving traditional culinary borders’ with British ingredients, Sri Lankan and Mexican flavours.
  
  
• Matt Abé’s debut solo restaurant on the former Gavroche site has a name: Bonheur [meaning ‘happiness’] by Matt Abé. It opens this autumn.
  
  
• Lisa Goodwin-Allen, of Northcote fame, is to lead Rosi, a modern British restaurant at The Beaumont Mayfair in September.
  
  
• Big Mamma Group has designs on Dublin. It will open a 180-cover osteria Gloria in late 2025.
  
  
• Dara Klein of Tiella is cooking at Hector’s in Hackney on 27 July. Walk-in only.
  
  
• Aulis London is running a raffle for seats at its ’20/20/20′ dinner on 14 September, when 20 top chefs will cook 20 courses. Raffle tickets, £20, in aid of Hospitality Action.
  
  

WHAT WE’RE READING

What to order at Britain’s Best Local Restaurant, Lucky Lychee: The Good Food Guide

The rise of early eating: restaurants adapt as diners shun late nights: Financial Times

Restaurants are still printing postcards? It has nothing to do with mail: Taste

What was Singburi?: Vittles

THE DUMBWAITER

Charli XCX and The 1975’s George Daniel tied the knot on Saturday. The pair had their wedding breakfast at Dalla in Hackney and went on to Ellie’s in Dalston afterwards.

The Devonshire’s staff had a big week last week, serving a full 4,350 covers across the week. Here’s hoping they all got a well deserved post-shift Guinness, sorry, Landlord.

The Indian test squad had dinner at swish Chinese restaurant 3 Gorges in Fitzrovia last week. Talk about out for a duck.

Absolute scenes in Manchester’s posh restaurants last weekend, when Oasis clashed with graduation season. Cue students bolting down lunch with mum and dad, swapping mortarboards for bucket hats, and racing off to Heaton Park.

Emma Thompson dining two nights on the spin at The Suffolk in Aldeburgh. It must be love, actually. Spotted in South London: Will Poulter at Norbert’s drinking—what else?—a piña colada