Vietnam, Wine Bars And A Debut Novel – Writer Lucas Oakeley Shares His 2025 Plans

As we ease into 2025, we’re setting our sights on the tastemakers shaping the worlds of travel, culture and cuisine. Where will they go, what will they discover, and which destinations are poised to make their mark in the months ahead?

Lucas Oakeley is a food journalist whose bylines span Vogue, National Geographic, GQ and many more. Known for his discerning palate and sharp observations, his Instagram recommendations regularly have followers hot-footing it across London – and beyond – to sample the city’s ever-evolving flavours. And Oakeley’s talents don’t end there. His debut novel, Nearly Departed, will hit shelves later this year, blending romance, humour and a touch of the supernatural. And on TikTok, his “Books for Boys” series has become a witty antidote to the pitfalls of modern masculinity, encouraging readers to swap Reddit rabbit holes and fantasy football-fretting for fiction.

A cultural barometer with a taste for storytelling, Lucas sat down with us to discuss his plans for 2025. From Vietnamese street-food pilgrimages to French escapes, he shares his thoughts on the year’s hottest hospitality trends – and the destinations to have on your radar.

Lucas Oakeley, left, wants to visit Hanoi, Vietnam, right, in 2025 | Credit: Sophie Davidson

Where are you travelling in 2025?

I’ve wanted to visit Vietnam for years and I’ve got my heart set on exploring it in 2025. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hue are all cities I’d love to dive into. Do I want to eat at Bún Chả Hương Liên because that’s where Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama had a meal? Yes. But I’ve also heard that the bún chả there is some of the best you’ll find in Hanoi, and if that makes me a bad traveller, then sue me.

I’ll also be travelling to the south of France during the summer. We’ll be staying in a sleepy commune called Baignes-Sainte-Radegonde. There’s not a lot going on there (by which I meant there’s literally nothing going on there), but I’m looking forward to being in a gîte with all my closest friends and drinking a lot of wine. It’s a great opportunity to unplug from the world for a few weeks.

Let’s talk about your hometown, London. Where should we be looking for the next big thing?

With every passing year, Leyton is somewhere that more people are flocking to. Singburi is a Thai restaurant that for years has not only kept locals filled with superb moo krob and a range of other dishes, but that has become a destination restaurant in its own right. Other recent openings like the Caribbean Ochi, Swirl E10 wine bar and Burnt Smokehouse have only helped to bolster the neighbourhood’s culinary offering. With Hackney becoming increasingly expensive and congested, I can see people heading further east for their hit of food and culture. A jaunt down Francis Road at the weekend might just end up becoming the new traipse down Broadway Market for the buggies-and-little-beanies set.

Which newly opened restaurants have caught your eye?

Tollingtons in Finsbury Park has been open for a little while now but I can’t recommend it enough – they’ve perfectly combined the feel of a Spanish fish bar with something that’s undoubtedly London. Standing at the front with a couple of snacks and an ice-cold beer has already become a rite of passage in the area.

I’m also really into The Dreamery, a wine bar and ice-cream shop that’s just opened in De Beauvoir. The interiors are stunning and, yes, it’s a London riff on Folderol – which, for those of you who don't know, is a hugely popular wine bar and ice-cream shop in Paris – but tell me that’s not a license to print money. It’s a perfect date-night spot.

Any restaurants in the pipeline that you’re excited about?

The Knave of Clubs in Shoreditch, which first opened as a pub back in 1880, is being revived by James Dye (co-owner of The Camberwell Arms and Frank’s Café) and Benjy Leibowitz (formerly of The NoMad in NYC). That pedigree, combined with Patrick Powell as the culinary director and head chef Atilla Gellen, is a serious recipe for success. I can see it being an instant success.

Which London-based chefs should we be excited about this year?

Anna Søgaard (who previously worked at Erst and Bistro Freddie) is running a Nordic-ish pop-up at Dina Wines in Stratford. She doesn’t miss when it comes to killer concepts and I can see this being the beginning of a new Scandi wave of cooking in the city.

Dina Wines, Stratford | Credit: Simon Taylor

What dining trends do you think will define 2025?

Well, 2024 was the year of the flatbread and I can see 2025 being equally flatbread-heavy, to be honest. There’s a reason so many restaurants have got them on the menu and I can’t see the tide turning on that any time soon.

Other trends I’d expect would be pubs doing fewer small plates and more laid-back menus – think toasties and sandwiches rather than croquettes and oysters. People are getting a little exhausted by the niceties and I can see a return to simple food being on the cards.

That said, 2000s nostalgia is at an all-time high, so maybe we’ll see some food trends pulled straight from the thick of the millennium: I’m talking deconstructed desserts, steak and mashed potato stacked on each other in a ring mould, unnecessary foams, molten chocolate cakes... Out of all of those, I’m hoping it’s the molten chocolate cakes and sizzling brownies that end up happening.

Your debut novel is out this year – congratulations! Tell us about it.

I’d love to! It’s called Nearly Departed and it’s a novel about love and death and… ghosts? It covers a lot of ground. The main character, Joel Foster, is a hapless twentysomething who loses his girlfriend, Beth, in a tragic accident. Years after the tragedy, Joel is still grieving, but it’s time for him to re-enter the world of dating. Which is terrible at first, then less so when he thinks he might be falling for someone. Then, when he’s out for the all-important first date, he sees Beth across the room. Spooky! That’s the basic set-up. In terms of vibe, I’d say it’s kind of like a mix between David Nicholls and Nora Ephron, with a sprinkling of Richard Curtis goodness on top. At least, I hope it is.

A street vendor in Hanoi, Vietnam, left, and Lucas Oakeley at home in London | Credit: Sophie Davidson

Where’s the ideal spot to read it?

It’s coming out in August, so I’d probably say on holiday. Preferably on the beach. Because everything’s better when you’re on a beach, isn’t it? I think if you’ve got the sun on your face, a frozen piña colada in one hand and my novel in the other, you’ll be in for a good time. In saying that, reading it on the plane on your way to a beach would also be a pretty appropriate spot.

Could you share a travel-book recommendation?

Dirt: Adventures in French Cooking by Bill Buford. Buford is a phenomenal writer and this book, which details how he moved with his wife and twin toddlers to Lyon to pursue his dream of becoming a chef, gives you an incredible insight into a city I don’t think a lot of people know a huge amount about. It’s a lot about food, yes, but it’s also about the people and places that make Lyon tick. You’ll wolf it down.

If 2025 had a theme for you, what would it be?

I think the theme for me would be: peace. I’m not someone who can relax very easily and I’m guilty of running myself into the ground, so I’m hoping to slow down a little this year and be kinder to myself in the process. Even when it comes to travel, I’m the type of guy to make an itinerary for every waking second. I aim to be more at peace with taking life as it comes in 2025.


Main photo credit: Sophie Davidson