Smoked by AI · London · people
Gavin Hanly
Journalist · Owner / operator — London restaurant openings, closures and news; venue records across the whole city rather than one borough.
Listed with the critics and writers in London.
Gavin Hanly is co-founder and producer of Hot Dinners, which he runs with his sister Catherine Hanly and which bills itself as London's biggest independent dining-out publication. His byline sits on both its venue records and its news reporting, and he is indexed on Muck Rack as a Hot Dinners journalist.
Their own reviews and picks.
Their own judgment, in their own words, by the piece it appeared in.
- Hot Dinners, 'Test Driving Kioku by Endo', the bar section of the piece ↗their review · 2024-06-18
- Kioku by Endo BarWestminster
“This bar on the ground floor of the OWO is easily one of the most beautifully designed bars we've ever come across in London.”
- Kioku by Endo BarWestminster
- Hot Dinners, 'Test Driving Lilienblum' (visit hosted by the restaurant, disclosed on the piece) ↗their review · 2023-06-01
- LilienblumOld Street
“The food is good, the room inviting and we can imagine that terrace getting a lot more business in the summer months.”
- LilienblumOld Street
- Hot Dinners, Test Drive ↗their review · 2023-04-04
- The Parakeet PubKentish Town
“The building is split into two very distinct sections, the pub for drinking and the dining room for... dining. This is pretty much how any proper gastropub should be, although it's not as common as we'd like.”
- The Parakeet PubKentish Town
- Hot Dinners, 'Bottle + Rye wine bar review' ↗their review · 2022-08-23
- Bottle + RyeBrixton
“Created from the tiniest of kitchens, the menu changes regularly and is a combination of snacks, small plates and a few larger dishes - and everything can be shared. There's definitely a French vibe to it too.”
- Bottle + RyeBrixton
- Hot Dinners, 'Test Driving Kol Mezcaleria' ↗their review · 2022-05-05
- KOL MezcaleriaMarylebone
“Out of all the drinks, the Martini gets the top marks, but generally speaking, these are at the high end of London's bars from a quality standpoint.”
- KOL MezcaleriaMarylebone
- Hot Dinners ↗their review · 2017-12-19
- Smoking Goat ShoreditchShoreditch
“Like the original, and like its follow up Kiln, Smoking Goat in Shoreditch mixes smoking and barbecuing techniques with Thai cooking, offering something pretty unique. As the menu says, it's inspired by the late-night drinking and dining dens of Bangkok.”
- Smoking Goat ShoreditchShoreditch
Pieces they wrote about these places.
Reporting, openings and roundups. Kept for the trail, and not read as their endorsement — a writer relaying someone else's award is not recommending it.
- Hot Dinners ↗opening coverage · 2025-04-07
- Pollen Street SocialMayfair
“Around this time last year, Jason Atherton announced the closure of his (then) flagship restaurant Pollen Street Social. A few months later, in August, that restaurant was given a light do-over and replaced by grill restaurant Mary's.”
- Pollen Street SocialMayfair
- Hot Dinners, 'The Hill & Szrok restaurant is closing (but the butcher stays)' ↗opening coverage · 2025-01-23
- Hill & SzrokHackney
“the retail side of things will remain open as before, so you'll still be able to shop in one of Hackney's best butchers.”
- Hill & SzrokHackney
- Hot Dinners ↗opening coverage · 2024-03-25
- Pollen Street SocialMayfair
“Another high-profile restaurant closure has been announced, with Jason Atherton's Mayfair restaurant Pollen Street Social due to shut its doors at the end of July.”
- Pollen Street SocialMayfair
- Hot Dinners, 'These Days Aperitivo Bar launches its kitchen with an ex Culpeper chef in charge' ↗opening coverage · 2024-02-13
- These Days Aperitivo BarBermondsey
“the menu is going to be quite different from your standard Italian chichetti, taking in a mix of European and Asian influences.”
- These Days Aperitivo BarBermondsey
- Hot Dinners, 'Pockets are opening a permanent pitta shop in London Fields' ↗opening coverage · 2023-12-08
- PocketsLondon Fields
“On Mentmore Terrace, the new place brings together their bakery and kitchen so those pittas are going to be even fresher than ever before.”
- PocketsLondon Fields
- Hot Dinners ↗opening coverage · 2018-01-09
- FarangHighbury
“The original pizza oven will finally be leaving and they'll also be getting in a big new wok burner (the same one they used to have at Hawker House).”
- FarangHighbury
- Hot Dinners ↗opening coverage · 2016-03-10
- Black RockShoreditch
“Obviously there will be MUCH whisky to try outside of the cocktail list with 250+ bottles on view, all available by a simple three-tier price point for a dram.”
- Black RockShoreditch