At the heart of the relaunch is a menu inspired by founder Giovanni Quaglino’s journey, from his upbringing in Italy’s Piedmont region to his early career as maître d’hôtel at the grand Hôtel Martinez in Cannes and his time at The Savoy in London. The menu brings together Italian provenance, French classical technique and British dining traditions.
Group culinary consultant Miller Prada, formerly of Michelin-starred Humo, has collaborated on the menu, creating a collection of dishes inspired by Quaglino’s heritage, including vitello tonato skewers, pissaladière, turbot Mountbatten and lamb cutlet Milanese.
The restaurant’s Q Bar will return with a new cocktail programme inspired by Quaglino’s journey, including reimagined Savoy classics. Three additional bars will introduce new experiences: The Champagne Bar will have 24 different champagnes available by the glass and bottle; a Fruits de Mer seafood counter will serve molluscs and crustacea alongside ceviche and tiradito small plates; and a dessert bar inspired by a Cannes tabac will offer smoke-filled edible helium balloons, cannoli cigars and chocolate ashtrays.
The reopening will also introduce a daytime offering of ‘Ten Pound Plates’, reflecting the philosophy of Sir Terence Conran, who revived the restaurant in 1993 following its closure in the ‘70s, and his philosophy of the ‘democratisation of dining’.
A new stage situated in the centre of the room will feature cabaret and live music, with ‘theatrical’ raised booths positioned around the perimeter.
The restoration of Quaglino’s preserves its Art Deco character and signature staircase while introducing new artwork and a ‘reimagined day-to-night experience’.
“Quaglino’s isn’t simply a restaurant; it’s a part of London’s story,” says Martin Williams, chief executive at owner The Evolv Collection.
“Our job was never to reinvent it but to return it restored, alive, and every bit as glamorous as the room Giovanni Quaglino opened in 1929.
“When Sir Terence Conran brought Quaglino’s back in 1993, he understood that real glamour should be open to everyone.
“Few rooms in London carry the history that Quaglino’s does, the royalty, the music, the feeling that anything might happen after midnight.
“We haven’t changed what Quaglino’s is; we’ve simply reminded London why it fell for it in the first place.”
First opened in 1929 by Giovanni Quaglino, the restaurant has since welcomed various writers, film stars and royalty. In 1956, Queen Elizabeth II famously dined at Quaglino’s, becoming the first reigning monarch to eat in a public restaurant.