Casual Dining

Chinese operators count the cost of Coronavirus

18-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Chef Andrew Wong and the Baozilnn group are among the Chinese operators to have seen a recent downturn in sales as the fallout from the Coronavirus outbreak continues.

Can Busaba bounce back?

18-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

Once the darling of the Thai restaurant scene, Busaba has had a tough few years, with falling profits and site closures. Now with a simplified offer and a fresh focus on the capital, it’s looking to bounce back.

Paul Williamson to open second Good Neighbour, in Tooting

17-Feb-2020 By Restaurant

Paul Williamson is opening a second neighbourhood restaurant Good Neighbour later this month, in London’s Tooting Broadway.

Camino to launch 'sustainability focused' pop-up wine and tapas bar

17-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Spanish restaurant group Camino is to open a third site in London’s Kings Cross next month.

The AA announces new three and four rosette restaurants

17-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

The AA has named 13 new restaurants in the UK and Ireland which have been awarded its higher-level three and four rosette rating.

UKHospitality calls on Chancellor to support industry or risk 'tens of thousands' of jobs

17-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

UKHospitality has called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to provide targeted support for the hospitality sector in his upcoming Budget.

Latest opening: Padella Shoreditch

14-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Four years after opening in Borough Market, Padella has finally launched its second London site on Phipp Street in Shoreditch.

Erpingham House to open Brighton restaurant next month

14-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Vegan restaurant Erpingham House is to open its second UK outpost on the former Canna Kitchen site on Brighton’s Duke Street next month.

Friday Five: the week's top news

14-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

We round-up some of the top hospitality stories you might have missed this week.

Canna Kitchen owner charged with supplying cannabis

14-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

The owner of what was the UK’s first restaurant to be themed around cannabis ingredient CBD has been charged with dealing cannabis.

Camden Town Brewery to launch first restaurant venture

13-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Camden Town Brewery is to open a ‘food and drink destination’ on the site of its original North London home in Kentish Town.

The Lowdown: No PDA Zones

13-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Italian American chain Frankie & Benny’s is to introduce ‘No PDA’ zones at a number of its restaurants this Valentine’s Day.

Market Halls co-founder Simon Anderson to leave the business

13-Feb-2020 By Stefan Chomka

Simon Anderson is to leave his role as chief creative officer of Market Halls after helping found the business back in 2018.

YO! launches grab and go range with Sainsbury's

13-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

YO! has partnered with Sainsbury’s to introduce grab and go products in to fridges in over 300 stores across the UK.

Strathearn Restaurant's Elizabeth Forkuoh named 2020 Gold Service Scholarship winner

13-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Elizabeth Forkuoh from the Strathearn Restaurant at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland has been named the winner of the 2020 Gold Service Scholarship.

Latest opening: Bar Douro City

12-Feb-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Max Graham’s Southwark-based Portuguese restaurant and wine bar Bar Douro now has a younger sibling in the City.

Dinner, dinner Batman: DC-inspired Park Row to open in Soho

12-Feb-2020 By Stefan Chomka

A huge multi-faceted restaurant inspired by the DC Universe will open in Soho later this year in the art deco building that was once home to Marco Pierre White’s Titanic restaurant.

Jamie Oliver Group to open new Dublin restaurant

12-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

The Jamie Oliver Group is to open a new restaurant in Dublin as the chef continues to expand his international business.

UKHospitality calls for ‘sector-specific guidance’ after revamp of name and shame scheme

12-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Trade body UKHospitality has called for ‘sector-specific guidance’ after the government announced is to resume naming and shaming businesses failing to pay staff the National Minimum Wage (NMW).

How I Got Here: Georgie Pearman

12-Feb-2020 By Restaurant

Georgie Pearman founded The Lucky Onion hospitality group with her husband Sam in 2006. However, they left the business in 2017 to setup hotel and restaurant group Country Creatures, which operates three sites across The Cotswolds and Yorkshire.

Smoke & Salt to open permanent site in Tooting

11-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Smoke & Salt is hoping to open its first bricks and mortar restaurant in London’s Tooting next month.

Urban Leisure takes Soho House’s Kentish Town site

11-Feb-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Urban Leisure is set to launch a bar and restaurant on the large north London site formerly occupied by Soho House’s Pizza East, Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop.

Cape crusaders: the Kudu pair on building a mini-empire in Peckham

11-Feb-2020 By Stefan Chomka

In 2018, Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams opened South African-inspired Kudu, in south London, to critical acclaim. Two years on and with a second venue just launched and another on its way, they discuss their newly formed Kudu Collective.

We read it for you: a look at some of the latest cookbooks to hit the shelves

10-Feb-2020 By Restaurant magazine

Restaurant's bookish rundown of the latest publications that should be gracing your shelves includes Jordi Roca's Casa Cacao and a tome from The Quality Chop House team.

Five Guys considers vegan option

10-Feb-2020 By Georgia Cronin

Five Guys is “actively looking at” including a vegan option in its offering, CEO John Eckbert has said.

Friday Five: the week's top news

07-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

We round-up some of the top hospitality stories you might have missed this week.

BrewDog to serve beer in cans upcycled from other brands

07-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

BrewDog is to start serving beer in cans upcycled from other brands as part of six-point plan to reduce its environmental impact.

D&D launches app to help ease booking process at its restaurants

07-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

High-end restaurant group D&D London has launched an app that offers guests an ‘easier way’ to book a table at one of its locations.

Dominique Ansel: "There’s nothing flattering about someone ripping off your product"

07-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Pastry chef Dominique Ansel is looking beyond Cronuts for his second London opening, Treehouse in Covent Garden, which is part boutique bakery, part bistro.

The Lowdown: The Food and Drink Awards

06-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

The first ‘annual’ Food and Drink Awards are to be broadcast on ITV this weekend, hosted by Stephen Fry.

Michelin to feature sustainability icon in all future guides

05-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

Michelin is to introduce a symbol to mark restaurants which promote ‘sustainable gastronomy’ in all future editions of its guidebooks.

The Flank duo on burgers, Market Halls and going permanent

04-Feb-2020 By Finn Scott-Delany

From pub pop-up origins, Flank has gone through various iterations since arriving in London. Directors Tom Griffiths and Ben Rowland discuss developing a more commercial edge at the business, while keeping in touch with their founding ethos.

D&D to open multifaceted dining space in Stratford

04-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

D&D London is to launch a multifaceted dining space within the Pavilion at International Quarter London (IQL) in Stratford.

Purezza aiming to triple in size in 2020

04-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Vegan pizza restaurant Purezza is looking to triple the size of its estate this year.

NO! Sushi: what YO! is doing next

04-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

YO! has dropped its sushi moniker, ditched its iconic conveyor belts in some restaurants and made a major play into retail both here and across the pond.

Vurger Co secures £1.4m investment to expand

03-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

Vegan burger brand The Vurger Co is to open its first restaurant outside London after securing a £1.4m investment.

AA begins charging standalone restaurants for its Rosette scheme [updated]

03-Feb-2020 By Sophie Witts

The AA is to start charging some restaurants a fee for them to be eligible for its Rosette award programme and to appear in its annual guidebook.

Gérard Basset Travel Bursary winner announced

03-Feb-2020 By Joe Lutrario

L’Enclume sommelier Lise Donier-Meroz has won the inaugural Gérard Basset Travel Bursary, a competition launched late last year to celebrate the memory of the highly respected sommelier and restaurateur.

M Restaurants launches pop-up to raise funds to help end slavery

03-Feb-2020 By Stefan Chomka

London-based steak restaurant group M is raising funds to help end human trafficking and modern day slavery across the world.

Restaurant Radar: February 2020

03-Feb-2020 By Stefan Chomka

The Barrie brothers' Liverpool launch, a double-headed Durham restaurant and the latest ventures from Alan Yau, Dominique Ansel and the Padella duo are some of the biggest restaurant openings to look out for this month.

Mayfair restaurant The Square forced to close after administrators seize property

03-Feb-2020 By James McAllister

Marlon Abela’s Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant The Square has been closed after administrators attended the property mid-service on Friday (31 January).

Flash-grilled: Simon Henbery

31-Jan-2020 By Joe Lutrario

Simon Henbery is Executive Chef Director at upmarket Italian dining group Chucs. His CV includes senior roles at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen London and Barbecoa.

Mambow to open in Shoreditch

31-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Abby Lee is to open her debut restaurant on Commercial Street in Shoreditch early next month.

Cosmo buffet chain targets expansion

31-Jan-2020 By Sophie Witts

All-you-can-eat buffet chain Cosmo has secured three new sites and is understood to be seeking a further five in the UK and Ireland this year.

Generation Next: how Halo hopes to conquer the plant-based burger market

31-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

Having launched Halo Burger in POP Brixton in 2018, Ross Forder has opened his first bricks and mortar site in Shoreditch. And now he plans to take the brand global.

Bonnie Gull to close Soho site - updated

30-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

Seafood ‘shack’ Bonnie Gull is to shut its London Soho site tomorrow (31 January) after three years of trading.

Fusion pizzeria to combine Indian and Italian flavours

30-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

A fusion pizzeria is to open on Fortess Road in London’s Kentish Town early next month.

The Lowdown: Hijingo

30-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

A new competitive socialising concept is set to launch in the capital in March, offering a multi-sensory take on the age-old game of bingo.

Latest opening: Paradise

29-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

Contemporary Sri Lankan restaurant Paradise has arrived in London’s Soho, taking over the former Spuntino site on Rupert Street.

UKHospitality: post-Brexit immigration system must work for entire economy

29-Jan-2020 By James McAllister

Trade body UKHospitality has called on the Government to ensure the UK’s post-Brexit immigration system is flexible enough to address ‘sector-specific shortages’.