UK restaurant market to experience only marginal growth this year
The UK restaurant market is expected to grow marginally by just 0.9% in 2025, lagging behind the total eating out market’s growth of 2.6%.
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Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
Pip Lacey and Calum Franklin’s restaurants at London’s new Guinness Open Gate brewery, and a spat over spud names were among this week’s most read stories.
Square founder Jack Dorsey and former Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti on AI, design and disruption
From hot dog carts to billion-dollar platforms, the two leaders share hard-won lessons on entrepreneurship, innovation and using technology to give customers, and teams, time back.
Book review: Vietnam: The Cookbook
Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen’s new book is a comprehensive and fascinating delve into one of Asia’s great cuisines.
The Evolv Collection acquires Vinoteca as it plans Sartoria brand integration
The Evolv Collection has bought wine bar group Vinoteca’s two London venues with plans to bring them under its Italian Sartoria brand.
Noble Inns to open Bistro Sablé on its former The Smokehouse site
Noble Inns is transforming the site of its The Smokehouse restaurant into a new French bistro.
Daniel Rogan to reopen his fine dining restaurant in Southampton in new digs
Daniel Rogan will reopen his eponymous fine dining restaurant in a new site in Southampton next month.
Latest opening: Taro Brighton
The Soho-founded Japanese casual dining group has headed to the seaside for its first restaurant opening outside the capital.
Urban Pubs & Bars buys bar and restaurant group Albion & East
Urban Pubs & Bars has acquired neighbourhood-style bar and restaurant group Albion & East for an undisclosed sum.
Ardy Ferguson wins S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition
Chef Ardy Ferguson has been crowned the winner of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2024-25.
Out on good flavour: Natty Can Cook’s journey from inmate to restaurateur
After serving time in prison for drug offences, South London-born chef and Instagram star Nathaniel Mortley wants Caribbean food to get the respect it deserves.
Pastures new: Dan Cox leaves Cornwall’s Crocadon Farm
Dan Cox has closed his Michelin-starred farm-to-table restaurant Crocadon and is leaving Crocadon Farm in Cornwall after eight years.
Uncorked: Craig Lewington
The general manager at north London’s Cinder on Petrus, the Mantonegro grape and Bordeaux’s Maison Advinam.
“Times are too hard to make ends meet”: Hackney’s Sesta to close
Drew Snaith and Hannah Kowalski are to close their Hackney restaurant Sesta just over a year after it opened.
Thierry Laborde to lead the kitchen at new Mayfair seafood restaurant Mazarine
Another high-end seafood restaurant is coming to Mayfair, this time headed up by renowned French chef Thierry Laborde.
Bloomsbury responds to trademark infringement claims over its use of ‘Sabzi’ in cookbook title
Bloomsbury has responded to claims from a deli chain owner that its use of the word ‘Sabzi’ in a recently published cookbook written by Yasmin Khan infringes her intellectual property rights.
Adam Byatt partners with BM Caterers to take his sandwich concept Outside permanent
Trinity chef Adam Byatt is teaming up with contract caterer BM Caterers to make his sandwich concept Outside a permanent fixture.
Flash-grilled: Rohit Sandal
The head chef of London’s Sabine Rooftop Bar on Clare Smyth, gold leaf and wanting to be a food hygiene inspector.
Liquid assets: November 2025
A revamped cyder range, a duo of Jim Beam whiskies, and a new range of African cane sugar spirits are among this month’s key drinks launches.
Sandwich Sandwich to open its first grab-and-go format
Sandwich Sandwich will open its first site in London dedicated to pre-made grab and go products before the end of the year.
StreetSmart returns for 27th year
StreetSmart, the UK-based charity which tackles homelessness, is back for its 27th year this November and December.
Pip Lacey and Calum Franklin to oversee restaurants at the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery London
Chefs Pip Lacey and Calum Franklin will lead the kitchens at three restaurants within the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden.
Three-storey modern Turkish restaurant Chargal to open in Mayfair
The restaurateur behind renowned Turkish fine dining restaurant The Mantl in Knightsbridge is opening an ambitious three-storey venture in Mayfair.
Deli owner takes legal action over Bloomsbury’s use of Sabzi trademark
The chef-owner of a Cornwall deli chain is taking legal action against publisher Bloomsbury over its use of the word ‘Sabzi’ in the title of a recently published cookbook.
Spud wars: jacket potato brands get into a dispute over naming rights
Viral jacket potato brand SpudBros has been accused of ‘throwing its weight around’ after it threatened a rival potato player with legal action over its name.
Som Saa sets reopening date following kitchen fire
Andy Oliver and Mark Dobbie’s highly-rated East London Thai restaurant Som Saa will reopen next month following a kitchen fire earlier this year.
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Transforming Côte is going to require a little je ne sais quoi
Karali Group has built a solid footing in the QSR and fast casual space, but taking on high street brassiere brand Côte is a whole new challenge
Chefs from Chicago, Denmark, Belgium and Dubai among Obsession 2026 line-up
Twenty chefs including Angelo Sato, Kim Ratcharoen, John Chantarasak, Sujan Sarkar, John Williams, and Adam Byatt have been confirmed as cooking at next year’s Northcote Obsession.
Korean BBQ restaurant Soom opens in Covent Garden
The team behind Canary Wharf-based Korean restaurant 3KOBROS have opened a second, central London restaurant.
OMNOM chooses Birmingham for second restaurant and wellness location
OMNOM, the Islington-based vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant and wellness charity, has chosen Birmingham for its second location.
Michelin: “the Green Star still exists”
Michelin has insisted its green stars remain part of its recognition of restaurants following a story that it might be dropping them.
Emma Woods to step down as Tortilla chair
Emma Woods is to step down from her role as non-executive chair of Tortilla at the end of the year.
Chef Tom Simmons confirms plans for his biggest project yet
Cardiff-based chef Tom Simmons has revealed more details about his upcoming project at Park House.
Nathaniel Mortley to explore his Caribbean heritage with 2210 by NattyCanCook
Social media star and former City Social chef Nathaniel Mortley AKA NattyCanCook will open his debut London restaurant early next month.
Friday five: the week’s top hospitality stories
The closure of 68 Pizza Hut restaurants and The Devonshire team’s plans for a Covent Garden venue are among this week’s most read stories.
New York restaurant royalty: the ex-River Café cook behind one of the city’s top places to eat
Launched in 2016 in SoHo, Jess Shadbolt’s Italy and France inspired King restaurant remains one of the hottest tickets in Manhattan.
Peach Pubs and Revolution Bars operator launches sales process
The operator of Revolution Bars, Revolucion de Cuba and Peach Pubs, is launching a strategic review of options, including a formal sales process.
Pubs continue to outpace restaurants for sales growth
Britain’s top managed restaurant, pub and bar groups saw a marginal increase in like-for-like sales growth, according to the latest data.
Supernova opens third London site in Mayfair
BVC Hospitality has launched a third site of its Supernova burger brand in London.
Are Pizza Hut UK’s restaurants stuffed or can the brand rise again?
Pizza Hut UK’s inability to capitalise on the UK’s burgeoning pizza sector was a missed opportunity. What hope do its remaining restaurants have?
Indo-Chinese restaurant Tangra to launch on Soho’s Frith Street
Former Mildreds and Mallow chef Nikesh Sawant will open a vegetarian Indo-Chinese restaurant in London’s Soho next month.
Pasta Cosa to open second Liverpool site
Sisters Kayleigh and Talia Baccino will open a second site of their Italian restaurant Pasta Cosa this week.
Zuma and Roka operator receives investment to drive global expansion
The group behind restaurants Zuma and Roka has entered into a partnership with Abu Dhabi–based luxury hospitality investment company DIAFA.
Uncorked: Lola Chisholm-White
The head of wine at Edinburgh’s Margot and Leftfield on ‘borrowing’ wine from her parents, Austria’s Kamptal Kollectiv and top Italian producer Foradori.
The Double Red Duke to open second site at Bicester Village
Hotel and restaurant group Country Creatures is opening a second venue of its The Double Red Duke gastropub and boutique hotel brand.
Itinerant Brighton restaurant The Set launches crowdfund for permanent digs
Chefs Dan Kenny and Marcin Miasik have launched a crowdfund to secure a permanent home for their longstanding Brighton tasting menu concept The Set.
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Will Velvet Taco’s move into the UK be a smooth one?
The US brand, known for its vast range of globally-inspired tacos, is landing soon on these shores. But its success is far from a given.
Michelin reveals launch date for Great Britain & Ireland 2026 edition
Michelin has announced that it will launch its Guide for Great Britain & Ireland 2026 edition on 9 February.
Taiwanese restaurant group 6 of 1 to open a Cantonese wonton noodle soup shop
The team behind the Mr Bao, Daddy Bao, and Master Bao restaurants are moving beyond Taiwanese cuisine for the first time to bring Cantonese comfort food to London Fields.
Ross Shonhan: “This is far and away the hardest thing I’ve ever done”
The former Nobu executive chef and creator of Bone Daddies has gone all out with one of London’s most striking restaurant launches in years that pays homage to the childhood home of the late Queen Elizabeth II.