- London pasta restaurant group Bancone will expand into Paris in 2027, opening two company-owned restaurants in quick succession. The first will launch in the French capital’s Le Marais neighbourhood next summer, with a second site, at an undisclosed location, expected to follow towards the end of the year. Co-founder David Ramsey told Restaurant that leases for both sites have been signed and said his familiarity with Paris made it a more attractive prospect than expanding into the UK regions at present. He previously worked in the French capital for up to three days a week while in the luxury goods sector, commuting from London by Eurostar.
- Italian restaurateur Roberto Costa has relaunched his original Macellaio RC restaurant in South Kensington as Casa Macellaio, an osteria-inspired concept drawing on his family’s restaurant near Genoa. Billed as a more relaxed, ‘Mediterranean-spirited’ kitchen, the restaurant will focus on simple, affordable Italian cooking, with a menu from executive chef Edoardo Ferrera featuring dishes including beef and bone marrow steak tartare; tagliatelle with white ragu, cream and truffle; and charcoal-grilled cod with lemon, garlic and rosemary. Desserts will include tiramisu and basil-infused panna cotta, while the wine list will remain exclusively Italian, in keeping with Costa’s other restaurant concepts.
- Chef Ian McAndrew, recognised as the youngest Englishman to win a Michelin star, has died after a career spanning more than five decades. He began his career working with Anton Mosimann at The Dorchester before holding roles at the Capital Hotel and London’s Waldorf Hotel. McAndrew became head chef at Eastwell Manor in Kent, where the restaurant earned a Michelin star in 1982, before opening Restaurant Seventy Four in Canterbury with his wife Jane in 1985, which also received a star. He later ran Restaurant One Sixteen in Knightsbridge and co-owned Blackaddie House Hotel in Dumfries & Galloway. The Master Chefs of Great Britain paid tribute to McAndrew, describing him as “a dear friend and an inspiration to many young chefs” and praising his knowledge, passion and commitment to the industry.
- Wagamama has ended its walk-ins-only policy for the first time since launching in 1992, introducing same-day and advance table bookings across its estate. The restaurant chain will allow reservations for tables of any size, following a trial period and customer demand for greater flexibility when dining. Bookings are available via OpenTable, the Wagamama website and its Soul Club app, while groups of 20 or more will be able to book directly with their chosen restaurant. The move comes ahead of the festive trading period, with bookings now open for its seasonal set menu, featuring the return of the cranberry katsu alongside new limited-time dishes and core menu favourites.
- Chef Tom Booton will open his first solo restaurant, Ralphie’s, on The Pimlico Road in Belgravia in late November. Named after his Maltipoo, the British-focused restaurant will serve modern comfort food inspired by Booton’s upbringing in Colchester, with dishes including crispy cod cheeks scampi; beef tartare with potato chips; and pork and mushroom pie with charcuterie sauce. The 40-cover restaurant will also feature a small outdoor terrace and The Den, a 14-cover basement private dining room overlooking the kitchen.