Almost all restaurants dream of a spot in the coveted Michelin Guide. Updated every month, based on the assessments of Michelin’s army of anonymous inspectors, a place in the guide puts restaurants in the running to get an even more coveted Michelin star.
To get into the guide, eateries must prove that they have quality ingredients, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques and consistency. Inspectors are also on the lookout for places where the personality of the chef shines through in their dishes.
May’s roster of new additions is much shorter than previous months. In March, 10 London restaurants made the cut and in April, eight were added. Last month, however, just eight UK restaurants joined the guide, three of which are in London. Here’s everything you should know about them.
Khao Bird
Khao Bird’s permanent bricks-and-mortar restaurant launched in Soho late last year after a year-long residency near Borough Market. Its new home was once the last adult cinema in Soho and, according to Time Out’s food and drinks editor, is a ‘chaotic’, ‘unhinged’ space. But Khao Bird happily leans into that vibe. Hero dishes at the northern Thai BBQ spot include raw beef larb, mutton fries and onglet steak with white curry. What’s more, it’s a relatively affordable place to eat for this part of London. The spenniest item on the menu right now is the sam-rod whole sea bass, which will set you back £25.90.
Cometa
The next of Michelin’s latest additions hails from Fitzrovia. Cometa is a fish-focussed Mexican restaurant that opened on Charlotte Street back in February, inside the former wine bar space at Carousel. In her four-star review of the joint, Leonie called Cometa a ‘chilled out, grown-up spot’ offering a ‘more delicate kind of cuisine’. Expect dishes such as crab rice decorated with smoked eel cream, oysters with fermented petróleo, prawn, burnt mandarin and ginger ceviche, and sea bass with mole verde and chile de árbol.
Rucola
You’ll find Rucola on the rooftop of The Conduit private members club. But there’s no need to splash out on a membership to eat there, the restaurant is open to all. The menu focuses on northern Italian fare and is, according to Michelin, a ‘straightforward yet mightily appealing read’. Choose from small pizzas topped with nduja and hot honey or wild mushrooms and tallegio, fresh pasta dishes like shrimp linguine or spicy vodka paccheri or grilled fish and meats like iberico pork chop or whole dover sole.
Every London restaurant added to the Michelin Guide in May 2026
- Khao Bird, Soho
- Cometa, Fitzrovia
- Rucola, Covent Garden
Have a look at Time Out’s favourite new restaurants of 2026 so far.
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Plus: The 10 best new London restaurants opening in June 2026.
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