This week's launch of Brasserie Zedel is just the first in a string of big new restaurants to look forward to in that corner of town. Late this year, and in the same development as Zedel, MASH will be opening the first Modern American Steak House outside of their Denmark base in a not very modern site which was once home to Marco Pierre White's Titanic restaurant and has now been restored to its original 1930s splendour. Much sooner, Bill's Produce Store will open a little further down Brewer Street in the old Zilli restaurants in mid July.

More restoration has been taking place behind Zedel on Regent Street at the Café Royal (right) which reopens as a hotel in October after 5 years of construction. The 159 luxury rooms are accompanied by a number of restaurants and bars, such as the Akasha Organic bar, Italian Café and the famous Grill Room which has been carefully renovated after a fire on the building site and will be "presided over by one of London’s leading chefs".

There's more grill on the opposite side of Regent Street at the fourth Hawksmoor (left) in the former home of Senkai, which wasn't a great spot for fancy Japanese restaurants but the entrance does look like it was always meant to hold a grand Hawksmoor front door that should open in October. Grilled seafood will be as prominent on the menu as the usual steaks.

Finally, and just across Piccadilly from Hawksmoor, is the rather smart looking Cicchetti (top) from the Manchester based San Carlos group of Italian restaurants who will be serving Venetian style small plate dishes, better known as cicchetti. Should be ready in time for the Olympics.