Set to launch in September, the as-yet-unnamed restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and serve a menu of ‘sophisticated yet simple’ dishes, showcasing the flavours and ingredient-led approach that have become hallmarks of Hartnett’s career.
“Opening at the Royal Opera House – such an iconic London institution – is a real privilege,” says Hartnett.
“We’re creating something entirely new for the space: relaxed, with food that celebrates exceptional produce and simplicity.
“Most of all we want the restaurant and bar to be for everyone, not just for those attending a performance.”
Open daily, the rooftop terrace bar will be set against panoramic views over Covent Garden and beyond, and take inspiration from the all-day bars of Turin.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with Angela Hartnett at the Royal Opera House on creating breath taking new spaces - where exceptional art and extraordinary food come together in perfect harmony,” says Sophie Wybrew-Bond, chief commercial officer at the Royal Ballet and Opera.
“Working with our longstanding partners, Company of Cooks, and set in the vibrant heart of Covent Garden, our new restaurant and terrace bar are poised to become one of London’s most exciting dining and drinking destinations.”
It is one of two openings planned by Hartnett this year.
Later in the summer the chef will open a fourth Italian restaurant under her Cafe Murano brand on Dorset Street in Marylebone.
The original Cafe Murano launched on St James Street in 2013 as the more casual sibling to Hartnett’s Michelin starred Mayfair restaurant Murano.
It was followed by the opening of a larger, two-story site on Tavistock Street in Covent Garden in 2015, with a third site opening on Bermondsey Street in 2019.
In 2023, Hartnett’s flagship Murano restaurant celebrated its 15th anniversary with a three-week refurbishment and the introduction of George Ormond as head chef, replacing Emily Brightman, who had been at the restaurant for almost seven years.