Ottolenghi plans further expansion outside central London as group falls to loss
The Ottolenghi group says it is continuing to explore expansion outside of Zone 1 and 2 in London, with a new site in Richmond set to open next year.
Casual Dining
Gail’s planning up to 40 new openings in 2025
Gail’s is aiming to open between 30 and 40 new sites in 2025, according to CEO Tom Molnar.
More shareholders voice opposition to Loungers sale
More shareholders have said they will vote against Fortress Investment Group’s acquisition of Loungers, with one saying they are ‘furious’ about the proposed deal.
Brindisa’s Monika Linton: “Brexit has added half a million to our costs”
As Brindisa celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first tapas restaurant, the group’s co-founder reflects on the business’s evolution, the impact of Brexit, and its future plans.
Latest opening: Piccolino Chichester
Individual restaurants has opened its latest Italian restaurant on the South Coast
Loungers sale faces shareholder resistance
Two of Loungers’s biggest shareholders are to vote against Fortress Investment Group’s acquisition of the all-day café and restaurant group.
Noodle & Beer to open second site
Chinese restaurant Noodle & Beer will open its second London restaurant in the new year.
Takeaways back in growth as restaurants’ at-home orders rise again
Britain’s leading restaurant groups extended a long run of inflation-beating growth in delivery and takeaway sales last month with a like-for-like increase of 4.8%, new research show.
Loungers to be acquired by US firm Fortress in £338m deal
Loungers is to be acquired by US-based investment firm Fortress in a deal that values the all-day café and restaurant group at approximately £338.3m.
Temper shutters half its estate as operating company enters administration - updated
Temper has closed its restaurants in Shoreditch and Paddington, as well as its smash burger offshoot in White City, with its operating company understood to have entered administration.
Cicchetti Knightsbridge rebrands to San Carlo
Italian restaurant group San Carlo has rebranded its Cicchetti site in Knightsbridge to its flagship San Carlo brand.
Latest opening: Delamina Townhouse
Husband-and-wife duo Amir and Limor Chen have chosen Covent Garden for their largest restaurant project to date.
Gail’s to launch £500m auction next year
The owners of Gail’s have hired bankers to handle a sale that could value the premium bakery chain by as much as £500m.
Loungers opens fourth Brightside
Loungers has opened the latest site under its roadside dining brand Brightside.
Pretty Decent Beer Co to launch new London taproom early next month
Pretty Decent Beer Co (PDBC) is expanding its presence in East London with a new taproom in a historic canal-side building by Victoria Park.
Maneki Ramen launches crowdfund for Birmingham restaurant
Japanese restaurant Maneki Ramen has launched a crowdfunding campaign ahead of the launch of its new opening in Birmingham next spring.
Homeslice opens first restaurant in six years
Homeslice has opened its first site since 2018 in London department store Harvey Nichols.
Life beyond bao: the founders of London’s Mr Bao on expanding outside of Taiwanese cuisine
Mr Bao, Daddy Bao and Master Bao founders Frank Yeung and Abhinav Malde have formalised their group under the name 6 of 1 ahead of plans to develop new concepts.
David Loewi to step down as D&D London CEO
D&D London has announced that co-founder David Loewi will step down from his role as CEO and board director at the end of the year.
Albert's Schloss London delivers record trading
Mission Mars has seen 18 record weeks of trading at its Albert’s Schloss venue in London, according to CEO Roy Ellis.
All Bar One opens first new site in two years
Mitchells & Butlers-owned bar-restaurant brand All Bar One has returned to the expansion trail with a site in Richmond, south-west London.
Hospitality operators face ‘make-or-break Christmas’ amid flatlining sales
Industry commentators have warned hospitality operators are facing a ‘make-or-break Christmas’ after figures show a flattening of sales in October 2024.
Mr Bao founders formalise business as 6 of 1 group
The founders of London restaurants Mr Bao, Daddy Bao and Master Bao have formalised their group under the name 6 of 1 ahead of plans to develop new concepts.
Pizza Hut Restaurants brings in advisers to find buyer or new investors
Pizza Hut’s biggest UK franchisee has brought in advisers from Interpath Advisory to find new investors or a buyer amid warnings about the impact of the Budget on the business.
Din Tai Fung to open in Canary Wharf
Din Tai Fung will open its fourth UK restaurant, in London’s Canary Wharf, next year.
Legare founders to launch new neighbourhood-style wine bar and restaurant
The team behind modern Italian restaurant Legare near London Bridge is to launch a new concept directly opposite it on Shad Thames in spring 2025.
Gavin Adair to step down as Rosa's Thai CEO
Rosa’s Thai CEO Gavin Adair is to leave the business at the end of year.
Blacklock sells minority stake to BGF
Business Growth Fund (BGF) has acquired a minority stake in London-based chophouse group Blacklock.
Rockfish to take on Hix's The Oyster and Fish House site
Seafood restaurant group Rockfish is taking on Mark Hix’s The Oyster and Fish House restaurant in Lyme Regis following the announcement of its closure this month.
Greek restaurant Hera to open in Stratford
A Greek restaurant named after an Olympian goddess will open later this month in east London.
Andy and Emma MacSween to open Zibibbo in Glasgow
The husband-and-wife team behind Glasgow restaurants and wine bars Ralph & Finns, Vroni’s Wine Bar, and Malo are opening their fourth site in the city.
Vagabond appoints Christobell Giles as managing director
Wine bar business Vagabond has promoted Christobell Giles from operations director to managing director.
Haché shutters four sites as it prepares to appoint administrators
London-based burger and brassiere brand Haché has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators having closed nearly all of its London sites.
Big Table considers cutting hours in response to Budget
The Big Table Group is considering plans to cut opening hours in response to the Chancellor’s decision to raise National Insurance contributions (NICs) for employers.
Dean Banks to launch Dulse on former ASKR site
Dean Banks is to open a second location of his Edinburgh seafood restaurant Dulse this week on the site in Leith that previously housed Dan Ashmore’s short-lived ASKR.
James Cochran returns to Islington with new pub venture
Chef James Cochran is to launch a new bistro-pub venture in London’s Islington next month, close to his flagship 12:51 restaurant, which closed earlier this year.
Berberè to open a pizzeria on Tottenham Court Road
Italian pizzeria brand Berberè will open its third London location next month.
Hospitality business leaders' confidence drops again amid severe pressure on margins
Optimism among Britain’s hospitality leaders is at its lowest point since October 2022, CGA by NIQ’s latest Business Confidence Survey shows, amid severe pressure on margins and consumers’ visits.
Singburi goes ‘on sabbatical’ as owner says ‘we need time to ruminate’
One of London’s most popular family-run restaurants has abruptly closed its doors until at least the end of the year to give its team ‘time to ruminate’.
Chickpea Group to open its first Dorset pub
Wiltshire-based Chickpea Group has acquired the King’s Arms in Shaftesbury, in what will be its first pub in the county of Dorset.
The Chilli Pickle launches crowdfund to help support its relocation
Highly-rated Brighton Indian restaurant The Chilli Pickle has launched a crowdfund to aid its upcoming relocation from Jubilee Square to a new site in The Lanes.
Maneki Ramen chooses Birmingham for second site
A ramen restaurant forced to change its name by Gordon Ramsay Group is to open a second site.
R200 2024 winners revealed
Northern-based restaurant group Mission Mars was the big winner at last night’s R200 Awards.
Dishoom seeks investment partner as it plots US expansion
Dishoom has appointed advisors as its seeks an investor to help fund a move into the US.
Restaurants grow at-home sales by further 6%
Britain’s leading restaurant groups achieved like-for-like sales growth of 6% in delivery and takeaway sales in September 2024, according to CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker.
Shelf service: Ikea launches first high street restaurant
Swedish furniture retailer Ikea has launched its first high street restaurant next door to its city store in London’s Hammersmith.
How I Got Here: Morten Ortwed
The London-based founding partner of Danish-based steakhouse brand KöD on the most important lessons he's learned in his career, and learning from his mistakes.
Burgover to open second West Sussex restaurant
Horsham-based burger restaurant Burgover is doubling up with a second site.
Honest Burgers aiming to ‘quadruple in size’ by 2030
Honest Burgers has set out an ambition to ‘quadruple the size of the business’ by 2030 as it prepares to launch its new smash burger offshoot in the coming weeks.
Mark Greenaway opens Cumbrian gastropub
Chef Mark Greenaway has taken over a former pub in Cumbria and reopened it as a gastropub.