The top line: The chef behind Michelin-starred Newcastle restaurants House of Tides and Solstice has opened a 180-cover restaurant on the 25th floor of art’otel London Hoxton. Solaya ‘celebrates the vibrant flavours of Southern France and Mediterranean cuisine with a modern touch’. The restaurant spans a dining room, private dining rooms and a bar, in a space newly opened to the public (the hotel itself launched last year). Atkinson has overseen the concept and menu, with day-to-day kitchen operations led by former Sucre and Mere head chef Nicola Losquadro.
On the menu: Aiming to “embody sunshine on a plate all year round,” the menu features premium dining staples such as beef tartare, tuna carpaccio and burrata, alongside more adventurous plates including skewers of BBQ mussels with ’nduja butter cream, and spiced cauliflower served in ajo blanco with almond gremolata and grapes. A competitively priced business lunch menu (£35 per head) offers dishes such as mackerel with guindilla peppers, black olive crumb and lemon vinaigrette; confit duck leg with candied orange and green peppercorn sauce; and crème brûlée.
The vibe: Design features include floor-to-ceiling windows, copper-toned ceilings, plush blue seating, pendant lighting and floral accents.
And another thing: Solaya offers sweeping views across the London skyline, with particularly impressive vistas of The City to the south — rare for this part of town.
1–3 Rivington St, London EC2A 3DT