Casual Dining

Karen’s Diner ceases trading as owner ‘forced into liquidation’

17-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

The UK arm of Karen’s Diner, the Australia-founded restaurant group known for its rude service and staff with attitude, has gone into liquidation amid ‘mounting financial pressure’.

Administrators ‘on standby’ as Hostmore scrambles to sell UK restaurants

17-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

TGI Fridays’ future in the UK is in doubt as Hostmore, the UK franchise owner, scrambles to sell its 87-strong estate after abandoning plans to acquire its US counterpart.

How Café François is bringing the spirit of a classic French canteen to Borough Yards

13-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Maison François founders François O’Neill and Ed Wyand have opened a second London restaurant that combines their vision for a modern-day French canteen with their love of merch.

Nick and Julia Nairn close Bridge of Allan restaurant a year after relaunch

13-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

High-profile Scottish chef Nick Nairn has closed his eponymous Nairn’s restaurant in the Bridge of Allan little more than a year after he relaunched the site following a devastating fire.

Turnover drops at Salt Bae’s London outpost

12-Sep-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

Salt Bae’s London restaurant Nusr-Et Steakhouse has recorded a drop in turnover of over £4m from £13.6m in 2022 to £9.3m in 2023.

Burger chain Fat Hippo rolls out breakfast menu

11-Sep-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Burger brand Fat Hippo is hoping to take a bite out of the breakfast market with a new menu that’s focused on breakfast burgers and pancake stacks.

Felix Shore and Anna Roseblade-Shore open Cheshire bistro 209

09-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Husband and wife Felix Shore and Anna Roseblade have opened their new bistro in Farndon, Cheshire.

Shortlist revealed for R200 Awards 2024

09-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Restaurant groups including Burgerism, Kricket, Fat Hippo, Hawksmoor, JKS Restaurants, LSL Capital and Dishoom have been shortlisted in this year's R200 Awards.

Hostmore abandons acquisition of TGI Fridays’ US business

09-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Hostmore has abandoned its all-share acquisition of TGI Fridays in the US with the brand’s UK operations set to continue under new ownership.

Luke Johnson joins Revolution Bars Group board

09-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Luke Johnson has been appointed non-executive chairman of Revolution Bars Group following the retirement of Keith Edelman.

Richard Caring ‘on the brink’ of signing £1bn Ivy deal

06-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Richard Caring is ‘on the brink’ of signing a deal that’ll see him sell close to all of his stake in The Ivy and its sister restaurants.

Sales rise and losses narrow for TRG following ‘transformational year’

06-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

The Restaurant Group (TRG) says it ‘remains confident’ in the potential for growing its estate following a ‘genuinely transformational year’ for the business.

Pizza Pilgrims to hit Chelsea's King’s Road

06-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Pizza Pilgrims has signed for its latest site on Chelsea's King’s Road.

David Thompson’s Long Chim finally set for London debut with Soho residency

05-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

High-profile Australian chef David Thompson is finally set to bring his Thai casual dining concept Long Chim to London next month with the launch a new residency in Soho.

Lina Stores to expand into Manchester next year

05-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Lina Stores is the latest London-based restaurant group to announce that it is heading to Manchester.

Abuelo Marylebone to open as an evening wine bar from this month

05-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

The mother and daughter team behind Abuelo in Covent Garden is opening a second site for the cafe that will double as a wine bar in the evenings.

Pecking order: the UK’s fried chicken market explained

05-Sep-2024 By Joe Lutrario

While KFC continues to dominate, competition in the fried chicken space is at an all-time high as three other US imports duke it out for second place.

Inception Group to open Cahoots: Postal Office in Borough Yards

04-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Inception Group is continuing its quirky expansion across London with a second site under its Cahoots brand.

Chuku’s launches fundraise for second London restaurant

04-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Nigerian restaurant Chuku’s is launching a fundraise to help raise money for a second site in the capital.

Saiphin Moore to launch Thai fried chicken concept

03-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Saiphin Moore is to launch a new Thai fried chicken concept, which will take up residence below her Slurp Noodles restaurant in London’s Spitalfields.

Baton Berisha steps away from The Wolseley Hospitality Group

03-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Baton Berisha has left his role as chief executive of The Wolseley Hospitality Group (TWHG) after two years with the business.

Business Confidence Survey records third consecutive quarter-on-quarter drop

03-Sep-2024 By James McAllister

Business confidence among Britain’s hospitality leaders has fallen for the third consecutive quarter, new figures from CGA by NIQ reveal.

Big Mamma to open first UK regional site in Birmingham

02-Sep-2024 By Restaurant

Big Mamma will open its first UK restaurant outside of the capital in Birmingham later this year having taken on the former Vinoteca site.

Leeds to welcome 'first truly authentic' Filipino restaurant

30-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

A restaurant which is said to be the first to offer true Filipino food in Leeds is opening soon in the city centre.

A&M Hospitality Group to open Terra Mare in Cardiff

30-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

The group behind Silures restaurant in Cardiff is set to unveil a new dining experience in the Welsh capital this autumn.

Be Inclusive Hospitality's Elevate Mentorship Scheme to return

30-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Be Inclusive Hospitality has announced its fifth Elevate Mentorship Scheme, a six-month mentorship programme for hospitality professionals from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority backgrounds, which will run from January to June next year.

Restaurant delivery sales remain strong as consumers value convenience

30-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s leading managed restaurant groups have seen a year-on-year (YOY) increase of 9.4% for delivery sales, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Bill’s plans ‘multiple new locations’ as it returns to expansion trail

29-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

All-day restaurant group Bill's is returning to the expansion trail with two new sites set to launch in the coming months and further openings planned in the new year.

Mimosa closes after just five months

29-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Moma Group’s Mimosa restaurant at central London hotel The Langham has closed its doors after less than six months.

Pizza Express sees profits turn to loss despite strong like-for-like sales

27-Aug-2024 By Georgi Gyton

Pizza Express saw revenue climb to £454.6m in 2023, up from £422.1m in 2022, driven by strong like-for-like sales of 8.3% in its UK & Ireland business.

Prezzo announces overhaul of its estate and mulls a breakfast offer

27-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Prezzo is to refurbish its restaurant estate over the next couple of years as well as introduce a breakfast menu and a new retail range.

BrewDog to make Northern Ireland debut in Belfast

23-Aug-2024 By Shwetali Sapte

BrewDog is to open its first bar in Northern Ireland at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.

Pizza Hut Restaurants back in the black but ‘uncertainty’ over group’s future remains

23-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Pizza Hut Restaurants has turned around a £3m loss in 2022 to report a £1.75m operating profit in its latest results, but auditors say ‘uncertainty’ over the group’s future remains.

Latest opening: Kolamba East

23-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Eroshan and Aushi Meewella have launched a ‘more grown up’ and marginally more premium follow up to their highly-rated Soho restaurant Kolamba.

Bébé Bob shakes things up with Mr Lyan collaboration

22-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Leonid Shutov is mixing things up at his Bébé Bob restaurant in Soho with a collaboration with acclaimed bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana and a redesigned a la carte menu.

Pasta Evangelists heads to Manchester for first airport site

22-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Pasta Evangelists will open its first site within a transport hub next month at Manchester Airport.

Jeremy Clarkson to open Cotswold pub this week

21-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed that his new Cotswold pub will be called The Farmer’s Dog and will officially open this Friday (23 August).

Pastan shutters its Brighton restaurant after less than a year

21-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Vegan pasta brand Pastan has closed its Brighton restaurant after less than a year.

Euros puts a dampener on restaurant sales

21-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Restaurants saw a steep decline in sales last month as consumers shifted their spend towards pubs during the 2024 Euros tournament.

Latest opening: Marceline

20-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

London’s Canary Wharf is now home to a huge new floating brasserie that features classical takes on rustic French dishes.

Menu price increases remain ahead of inflation as operators use premium ingredients to drive spend

20-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Chain restaurants are using more premium main dishes to drive average transaction value and attract a more aspirational consumer, according to Lumina’s latest quarterly Menu Tracker.

Nando’s launches school leaver apprenticeship programme for second year

20-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Nando’s has opened applications for the second intake to its ‘Hospitality Heroes’ Apprenticeship Programme.

Rick Stein’s restaurant group seeks central London site as it returns to profit

19-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

The bulk of Rick Stein’s restaurant group returned to profit last year following a challenging 2022 in which it reported a loss before tax of £347,000.

The Prince Arthur and The Plough team launch third East London venture

19-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

The team behind food-centric pubs The Prince Arthur in London Fields and The Plough in Homerton has launched a third East London site.

“Sri Lankan food is still miles behind Indian food in terms of people’s understanding”

16-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

The pair behind Sri Lankan restaurant Kolamba Soho on their larger, more grown-up east London venue, being picky with sites, and challenging perceptions.

Menu prices rise 4.5% year-on-year

16-Aug-2024 By MCA Insight

Food menu prices have increased 4.5% year-on-year, according to Lumina Intelligence’s latest Menu Tracker quarterly update.

Gail's faces backlash over rumours it plans to open in Walthamstow Village

14-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Nearly 500 people have signed a petition trying to prevent the opening of a Gail’s in Walthamstow Village.

How I Got Here: Rupert Davidson

14-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

The founder Neapolitan pizza restaurant group Fatto a Mano on nurturing talent from within your business, learning from mistakes, and what makes a good leader.