P.F. Chang's to enter ‘a new chapter’ as it reopens London restaurant

P.F. Chang's Leicester Square restaurant reopened this week having closed last month for an ‘extensive refurbishment’.

The new look, designed by Zebra Projects and costing £450,000, features vibrant red and gold murals; decorative patterns; and nods to the brand’s golden horse statues, which often stand guard over the entrance of its restaurants in the US.

Alongside the refurbishment, the menu has been updated to feature a new selection of handcrafted sushi dishes including a California roll inspired by P.F. Chang's signature Dynamite Shrimp dish featuring tempura-battered shrimp tossed in sriracha aioli and umami sauce.

The overhaul of P.F. Chang's London restaurant comes after it was acquired by Pizza Hut franchise group Zaf Holdings last year​​, with the deal also including the US brand's master franchise rights in the UK.

P.F. Chang's launched it’s first and currently only UK restaurant on 10-11 Great Newport Street in 2017​​ under the name P.F. Chang’s Asian Table​​.

The restaurant was previously operated in the UK by Shake Shack UK operator Diverse Dining, which is owned by the Kuwait-based Alshaya Group.

“We’re excited to be entering a new chapter for P.F. Chang’s London as we unveil our new look,” says Arif Jivraj, CEO of Zaf Holdings Group.

“We’re delighted that our central London venue will now more closely represent the incredible design and visual attention to detail that is central to the global P.F. Chang’s brand.”

Speaking to MCA​​​, sister publication to Restaurant​, Jivraj recently revealed that Zaf Holdings has plans to open up to 20 restaurants under the P.F. Chang’s brand across the UK over the next decade.

It forms part of a wider ambition to open 100 sites in the UK over the long term.

As well as London, the group is eyeing locations in other major cities including Manchester and Birmingham, and is also exploring the potential for different formats such as smaller neighbourhood sites and airport outlets.

“We want to build confidence in the brand first,” Jivraj told MCA​.

“Then we’ll ramp it up next year. We want sustainable growth with a viable, compelling proposition.”

Based globally in Arizona, P.F. Chang's was originally founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming and currently operates more than 300 restaurants across some 23 countries, including the US.

“The United Kingdom is a very important market for us,” says Rafik Farouk, senior director of global brands at P.F. Chang’s.

“This remodel is a key part of our strategy to offer guests memorable experiences through our passion for hospitality and culinary arts.

“It has been fantastic to work alongside the Zaf Holdings team as we embark on a new era for P.F. Chang’s London, and we look forward to showing diners our brand new look.”