A Hot Dinners exclusive

What: Trawler Trash

In a nutshell: A new fish restaurant for Islington

Summing it all up: Expect a sustainable, weekly changing seafood menu. And there's a cocktail bar at the back too. 

A Hot Dinners Exclusive

What: Dandy 

In a nutshell: Modern cooking from two Aussies in Newington Green

Summing it all up: Dan Wilson and Andrew Leitch are making the leap from a shipping container in London Fields to a new spot in Newington Green, taking with them their much-praised food, natural wine and of course, loads of speciality coffee.

What: Mercer & Co

In a nutshell: Salt beef bagels, oreo cheesecake and five cocktails in Islington

Summing it all up: Chapel Market, just around the corner from Angel Tube, has a new salt beef and cocktail bar. They'll be serving bagels, mac & cheese, and milkshakes for those indulging, and quinoa bowls, vegan salads and smoothies

Fresh from his travels in Japan, YBF Chef of the Year Adam Rawson is now bringing a taste of East Asia to Essex Road.

He’ll be using his recently acquired knowledge to transform the snazzy glass-fronted Borough Wines & Beers into a pop up izakaya - a sort of informal Japanese gastropub. Inside, Rawson will be dishing up a 12 course menu of highly typical Japanese dishes, served up in floral-laden

What: Boustead & Bidois

In a nutshell: Chris Boustead teams up with Tim Bidois to bring classic British fare to Highbury Corner.

Summing it all up: Former Opera Tavern chef will bring his considerable experience to a new collaboration with Tim Bidois, a chef from New Zealand. The pop-up will see dishes like potted rabbit and pig, or rolled spring lamb appearing in Islington’s Nanna's.

Last night, the competition to REALLY test the judges taking part was unleashed as Scotch Egg Challenge 2017 took place. Those judging had to wade through 15 different scotch eggs in order to crown this year's winner - with beef, prawn, veggie, haggis and more scotch eggs being thrown into the mix.

But of the 15 - only three went away with prizes and those were....

• 1st place - The Drapers

A Hot Dinners Exclusive - updated 22/3/17 with booking details

What: Radici

In a nutshell: Southern Italian cooking in Islington

Summing it all up: A new Italian trattoria with a terrace and wine room is arriving on Almedia Street, bringing with it lots of traditional south Italian dishes, as well as more laid back meals like pizzas, charcuterie and cheeses.

What: Westerns Laundry

In a nutshell: Seafood and more comes to Highbury from team behind Primeur

Summing it all up: The people behind the very successful Primeur are opening a second restaurant. British flavours and Devonshire seafood will be at the heart of this retreat just around the corner from Holloway Road.

Updated 19/1/17 with shortlist

After six years, the Scotch Egg Challenge is now one of the key dates in the London food calendar. This year's event will take place at The Canonbury in Islington on 8 February.

Confirmed judges for the event itself include Fay Maschler from the Evening Standard, Ben Chapman of Smoking Goat and Kiln and Bob Granleese of the Guardian, while the evening will be compered by Joe

Big changes are afoot in the Garage in Islington. It was recently bought, along with the Borderline, by DHP Family. A big refurb is planned to the venue in general, including a new sound system and more. 

But it's the addition of the General Store all-day bar that has us interested. As passers-by will know, you can't actually see into The Garage from the outside, but that's going to change. You'll now be able to see into

After 15 years serving modern British cuisine in Islington, Almeida will close its doors for the last time on 1 January, with a new Italian set to rise up in its place.

Details are scant, but what we do know is that the new Italian restaurant is planned to open a few months later, there’ll be a considerable interior design overhaul (though we trust they’ll keep the floor-to-ceiling

With its cobbled streets, quaint houses and antique markets, Camden Passage is a veritable haven from the busyness of Upper Street. Now you’ll be able to further unwind with a soothing cup of traditional Japanese tea thanks to the arrival of Katsute 100.

There’s a huge drinks menu, including tea served by the pot and flavoured tea by the cup, plus non-leaf teas and takeaway options too. The most familiar tea on the menu is Sencha, which also comes available in

Bad tidings to report today as Islington Rotisserie spot LeCoq is closing its doors just before Christmas. As it's one of Hot Dinners' local restaurants, it's particularly bad news, but the team are looking towards new ventures in the new year. In the meantime, you have until 23 December to get down there and try some of the best rotisserie chicken in town, not to mention more rotisseried beasts (like the mutton above) and the amazing roast potatoes. And to find out more

We return to Islington's LeCoq to check out their brand new menu with a lot more than chicken in the rotisserie. 

Good news for fans of LeCoq’s rotisserie roasted chicken - the Islington brasserie is reinventing itself as a full-time rotisserie restaurant.

Hibernation season is still quite a ways off yet, but for fans of LeCoq it might be time to embrace the elasticated waistband already. Previously only available on Sundays, their golden (spit) roast dinners, including their Sutton Hoo chickens, will soon be available to