Market Place
Market Place has moved quickly to establish itself as a serious player in the capital’s booming food hall scene. Following launches in St Paul’s, Vauxhall, Harrow and Peckham, the operator doubled down at the end of last year with the acquisition of the five-storey Leicester Square site formerly home to Marco Pierre White’s ill-fated Mr White’s. Positioned as the group’s flagship, Market Place Leicester Square is described by managing director Blake Henderson as one of the largest and most ambitious food halls in the country. The venue brings together 16 food vendors, including established London names such as Club Mexicana, Bread Ahead and Butchies. Beyond food, the site leans heavily into entertainment. A dedicated events space with a large screen is designed to host major live sport and cultural moments, while private dining rooms are available for hire. A weekly programme spans comedy, live music and DJ sets, underlining the group’s focus on driving footfall beyond core trading hours. Next year, Market Place is set to make its regional debut with a site in the historic Rylands Building, the former Debenhams store in Manchester city centre. At nearly 15,000sq ft, the venue will follow a similar format, combining food, drink and a strong entertainment offer including live music and comedy. Further London growth is also in the pipeline, with a site planned for Baker Street in Marylebone. It marks a rapid rise for a business that only launched in 2023.
Forbici
Individual Restaurants launched its Neapolitan pizza brand Forbici in Manchester just over a year ago and it has since expanded into Sheffield as well as doubled up in Manchester. Meaning ‘scissors’ in Italian, Forbici serves pizzas that are cut with scissors in four ways, an element that has captured the imagination of diners looking for something different in the crowded pizza space. Further expansion is already on the cards, with two London sites expected to open in the coming months and plans to expand the brand to 20 sites or more.
Chop House & Tavern
As the former boss of Gaucho, it is perhaps no surprise that Martin Williams has turned to steak to drive growth at Evolv Collection. Launched last year, Chop House & Tavern is a new division designed to bring together the group’s disparate grill concepts under a single, coherent brand. Williams, who has now been CEO at Evolv for just over a year, began the rollout in London, converting existing sites including New Street Grill, Butlers Wharf Chop House and Paternoster Chop House. The concept has since gained momentum, with further expansion planned at an existing Evolv site in Birmingham and an upcoming opening in Hudson Yards, New York. Williams is once again working with Mike Reid, former culinary director at Rare Restaurants, the owner of Gaucho. All l meat is supplied by The Ethical Butcher, focusing on regenerative farming, while fish and seafood come from Wright Brothers. A seasonal approach to menu development underpins the concept, helping to reduce waste while protecting margins. As Williams puts it: “It’s a modern reinterpretation of a chop house. It needs to be innovative. If it was serving traditional pub food or positioned as a steakhouse, it wouldn’t have worked. It’s the type of menu where you want to come back and try repeatedly.”
PICK.YOUR.OWN.
Grab-and-go concept PICK.YOUR.OWN. (P.Y.O.) is moving quickly to scale in the City following early traction at its debut site near Fenchurch Street. Founded by Christian West, the brand is built around a simple proposition: fully customisable, made-to-order bowls using relatively high quality ingredients including regeneratively farmed meats and seasonal British-grown veg. The business secured backing from Frontive Group and Cervus Investments less than a year after launch, with plans to open multiple sites across London within a tight six-to-nine-month window. That rollout is now underway, with a second site set to open in Broadgate this spring. While salads remain at the core, the new location marks an evolution of the offer, introducing a build-your-own breakfast range alongside signature bowls and grab-and-go options such as porridge, chia puddings and baked goods. Positioned at the premium end of the food-to-go market, P.Y.O. is targeting growing demand for healthier, higher-quality lunch options in central London and has already launched a subscription offer.
Mac & Wings
Mac & Wings might not have a bricks and mortar presence, but it certainly now has scale. Launched by Pizza Express six years ago, the virtual delivery brand has finally taken flight with over 300 locations nationwide and an exclusive deal with Deliveroo. As the name suggests, the focus is on mac ‘n’ cheese and chicken wings. The menu is tight, offering chicken wings served with a choice of dips including Spicy Tomato & Chilli, Sweet & Smoky BBQ, and Pizzanaise, as well as buttermilk chicken tenders and a surprising number of riffs on mac ‘n’ cheese. Supporting items include slaw, onion rings, crispy potato bites. Interestingly, the brand has its roots in the pandemic when it was tested across 13 London Pizza Express restaurants as part of the high street chain’s efforts to mitigate the losses caused by Covid. The nationwide launch comes during a boom for chicken concepts with Domino’s having also launched a virtual brand, CHICK ‘N’ DIP. “The launch of Mac & Wings, our first virtual delivery brand, has been months in the making and comes at a time when consumer demand for restaurant quality food at home is higher than ever,” says Tom Hatcher, head of delivery and franchise at Pizza Express at the time. “We’re constantly reviewing market trends and consumer insights to ensure we can stay connected with customers in new and innovative ways.”
IRO Sushi
IRO Sushi is one of the UK’s fast-growing sushi chains and has unveiled ambitious plans to reach 100 locations by 2030. The group has recently opened new sites in Maidenhead and Bristol, the latter being the company’s first restaurant in Southwest England. IRO Sushi has several additional sites in the works, including in Basingstoke, Ipswich, Salisbury and two South London locations. The company expects all new sites to open before the end of the summer, putting it on track to reach 40 sites nationwide, and has forecast that it will deliver between 10 and 15 openings during 2026. The company has also recently updated its concept, which inspired by traditional Japanese izakayas.
Houston Hot Chicken
Houston Hot Chicken (HHC) is the latest US fried chicken brand to head to these shores thanks to a partnership with Pizza Express. The Italian casual dining group intends to open three HHC restaurants this year as part of its diversification plans. Houston Hot Chicken serves tenders, waffles and nuggets alongside a range of sandwiches, including its Original Hot Chicken Sandwich, available in a range of spice levels, including its signature ‘Houston, We Have A Problem’ heat level, which the company says measures two million Scoville Heat Units and requires customers to sign a waiver before ordering - similar to that of recent US fried chicken import Dave’s Hot Chicken. HHC was founded in 2020 and has grown rapidly in the US, recently ranked at number 217 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies.
Pronto Pasta
This delivery-only virtual brand from Brava Hospitality is now being rolled out across the Prezzo Italian estate following a successful trial phase. Pitching itself up again pasta QSR brands such as Coco di Mama, Pronto Pasta is a QSR-style concept that was first mooted back in early 2024 and which is now available form 80 Prezzo Italian sites and growing. The brand is only available to order on Deliveroo and serves a menu that is split between a range of mains, sides, desserts and drinks. Pasta dishes include carbonara, bolognese, spicy sausage and ‘nduja, and king prawn and chilli. A range of garlic breads, as well as fries and salads, are available as sides, while the desserts are split between tiramisu and Nutella dough balls.
KIBOU
This Japanese Kitchen & Bar group will open a new site in Birmingham this autumn bringing its total number of sites to seven. The Birmingham opening represents the latest stage of KIBOU’s expansion strategy and follows the company’s strongest trading year on record, with significant year-on-year revenue growth driven by continued investment in team retention and guest experience. The brand has a good nationwide presence, with sites in London, Cheltenham, Solihull, Oxford, and Bristol and serve a mix of classic and contemporary Japanese sharing plates in a stylish setting.
Fluffy Fluffy
Japanese soufflé pancake specialist Fluffy Fluffy has been in the UK since 2022 and has gradually built a presence that has made it one of the key players in the dessert category. Its latest opening, at centre:mk in Milton Keynes is the group’s 19th UK site and is described as the UK’s largest pancake and dessert cafe. As the name suggests, Fluffy Fluffy serves airy soufflé pancakes made to order using Japanese techniques, alongside a menu of croffles, sandos and brunch dishes. Fluffy Fluffy was founded in Toronto in 2018 and has UK sites in locations including London, Brighton, Leeds, Newcastle and Oxford.