Belgo opens fifth site as part of wider expansion plans

The new 3,500 sq ft 150-cover site is set across two floors and includes an open kitchen and two bars serving more than 60 Belgian beers. 

So far the Belgian bar-restaurant brand, which opened its first site on Chalk Farm Road in North London in 1992, has been slow to expand, but Belgo and Cafe Rouge managing director James Spragg said its Old Compton Street opening - the first in central London in 19 years - was part of new plans to expand the brand. 

"The Old Compton Street site is the opportunistic first addition for many years to the collection of Belgo restaurants which as a brand are performing strongly and we expect this one to be a big hit too," he said. "We are keeping a look out for more sites for a brand that after 20 years could not be more on trend with today’s customers.” 

Belgo, which more recently opened within the Intu shopping centre in Bromley, is best known for offering 10 flavours of mussels and frites, rotisserie chicken and Belgian beers.

It also has sites on Earlham Street in Covent Garden and Kingsway in Holborn.