Boom in restaurant start-ups across London Restaurant openings in London outstrip closures by three to one with a "noticeable shift" towards Asian food Written by Henry Williams Published on 6 November 2015 Our experts We are a team of writers, experimenters and researchers providing you with the best advice with zero bias or partiality. Written and reviewed by: Henry Williams Direct to your inbox Sign up to the Startups Weekly Newsletter Stay informed on the top business stories with Startups.co.uk’s weekly email newsletter SUBSCRIBE The number of new restaurant openings in London has hit a record level of 179 over the last year, according to new figures from the London Restaurant Guide.The figure passes the pre-recession peak of 158 and outstrips the number of restaurant closures by three to one, with twice as many openings in East London as West London.The research also indicated a “noticeable shift” in restaurants specialising in Asian cuisine; 10% of restaurant start-ups now serve Japanese food including the guide’s top opening of the year The Araki, from three Michelin-starred sushi chef Mitsuhiro Araki.The increased rate of openings is a sign that London can still compete on the global dining scene after a post=recession slump, despite some of its most high profile restaurants falling in the ranking.Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s London Restaurant Guide, commented:“The growth of London’s restaurant scene is jaw-dropping in comparison to its recent past, never mind the ‘Dark Ages’ in which we founded our guide 25 years ago. It is wonderful to be celebrating the guide’s silver anniversary in what is a golden age for restaurant goers.”For more information on starting your own restaurant business, take a look at our step-by-step guide. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Written by: Henry Williams