Last year saw a host of exciting new restaurant and bar openings in London, from Alan Yau’s Bangkok-style café Naamyaa to Guy Pelly’s Mexican bar Tonteria. 2013 looks set to be just as eventful, starting with the two new openings below.

Cucina Asellina

Newly opened at the ME London hotel on The Strand, Cucina Asellina serves simple, affordable Italian cuisine including pizzas and flatbreads from a wood-burning stove and a range of homemade pasta. The new eatery is inspired by the popular Asellina restaurant in New York, as well as the original Asellina Taverna in Pompeii.

Just Falafel

Just Falafel, a successful fast food chain in the Middle East, has opened its first UK branch in Monmouth Street, Seven Dials. There’s a huge variety of falafel sandwiches on offer: choose from falafels with Indian sauce and cucumber pickles; Italian-style falafels with mozzarella and ciabatta; or a Japanese combo with avocado, ginger and sauce.

Look out for more restaurant news soon.