Casual Dining

UK’s top 100 restaurant groups see profits increase twelvefold

07-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

The UK’s top restaurant businesses have recorded a twelvefold increase in their profits, new research by UHY Hacker Young shows.

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta heads to Marylebone

07-Aug-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta will launch in Marylebone later this year bringing its total number of sites in the capital to to four.

Adam Jones: “Fenix is the most complicated and expensive thing we have ever done”

04-Aug-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The brothers behind upmarket Chinese restaurant Tattu will launch Fenix, a Greek restaurant in Manchester’s St. John’s development later this year. And they’re not stopping there.

Latest opening: Arcade Battersea

04-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

There’s no sense of second-album syndrome to the much-touted follow up to Arcade’s original food hall at Centre Point, which has just launched within Battersea Power Station.

Joe Grossmann to relaunch Barnes pub The Watermans Arms

04-Aug-2023 By Restaurant

Patty & Bun founder Joe Grossmann is taking his first steps into the pub sector with the relaunch of Barnes pub The Watermans Arms this autumn.

New York restaurant Llama Inn to open London outpost

03-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

New York-based Peruvian restaurant Llama Inn is to launch its first London outpost next month on the rooftop of The Hoxton hotel in London’s Shoreditch.

Georgian-inspired restaurant Kinkally to launch in Fitzrovia

03-Aug-2023 By Joe Lutrario

A Georgian-inspired restaurant that specialises in ‘twisted’ khinkali dumplings will launch on Fitzrovia’s Charlotte Street this October.

Grays & Feather to open two London venues this year

02-Aug-2023 By Restaurant

The team behind Covent Garden venue Plume is to open more London venues this year.

Mark Sargeant to reopen his Folkestone restaurant

02-Aug-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Mark Sargeant has confirmed the return of his Folkestone restaurant previously known as Brasserie MS.

Creams signs nationwide franchise agreement to open within Tesco Cafés

01-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

Fast casual dessert brand Creams Cafe has signed a nationwide franchise agreement with Tesco Family Dining Limited.

Yummy Pubs tees up new seafood restaurant concept

01-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

Yummy Pubs is to launch a new British seafood restaurant concept after acquiring the former Villagio site in London’s Hammersmith.

Dishoom plans ‘all-new offering’ for Brighton site

01-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

Dishoom’s forthcoming Brighton site will feature an ‘all-new offering’ from the group and open under a new name taken from the bars found in every one of its restaurants.

Chickpea Group adds Salisbury venue to its portfolio

01-Aug-2023 By Restaurant

The team behind the Wiltshire-based Chickpea Group have acquired a sixth pub that will reopen this summer.

Delivery and takeaway sales return to growth after 18 month decline

01-Aug-2023 By James McAllister

Delivery and takeaway sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant groups in June were 4% ahead of the same month in 2022, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker shows.

Thomas Straker acknowledges lack of diversity in his kitchen and pledges to do more

31-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

Thomas Straker has said he’s ‘committed to ensuring diversity’ in his restaurant following criticism online over the lack of both female employees and people of colour in his kitchen.

Kenny Tutt closes his Worthing flagship Pitch

31-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Chef restaurateur Kenny Tutt has closed his Worthing flagship Pitch citing rapidly rising costs.

Roberto Costa: “Brexit and the pandemic changed everything for us”

28-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The maverick restaurateur behind Italian steak brand Macellaio RC has turned his attention to British fish and game with a new restaurant in Canary Wharf.

Lane7 to bowl into London

28-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Bowling concept Lane7 will make its London debut later this year with a large site in Victoria.

Forza Wine to open at the National Theatre

27-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

South London-based rooftop wine bar and restaurant Forza Wine will launch a third, much larger, restaurant at the National Theatre next month.

Megan’s to relaunch Parsons Green site as Ollie’s House

27-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

Neighbourhood-style restaurant group Megan’s has closed its site in London's Parsons Green ahead of plans to relaunch it next month under its ‘little brother’ pan-Asian brand Ollie’s House.

Miro Mayfair closes for the summer

27-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Cream Group’s ‘clubstaurant’ Miro Mayfair has 'closed for the summer'.

How I Got Here: Lisa Richards

26-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

The founder of Margate's recently-relaunched GB-PIZZA-CO on how she came to work in restaurants, her issue with WhatsApp groups, and challenging banter culture in the kitchen

Pub growth comes ‘at the expense of restaurants’ as sunshine warms up managed groups' sales

26-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

Britain’s managed restaurant, pub and bar groups recorded a ninth successive month of year-on-year sales growth in June 2023, the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.

Flat Iron fights for Covid business insurance payout

26-Jul-2023 By Hannah Currie

London-based steakhouse chain Flat Iron has accused its insurer QIC Europe of failing to pay for losses associated with disruption suffered during Covid 19 lockdowns.

Manchester’s New Wave Ramen to launch first permanent site

26-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

New Wave Ramen will build on its success at Manchester’s Mackie Mayor food hall with the launch of its debut permanent site later this year.

‘Reimagined’ steakhouse to launch in Warrington

25-Jul-2023 By Restaurant

Hospitality consultant Laura Anne Harvey and local businessman Steven Prendergast have teamed up to open a ‘reimagined’ steakhouse in the Cheshire town of Warrington.

Activist investor weighs bid for TRG divisions

24-Jul-2023 By Shwetali Sapte

Activist investor TMR Capital is plotting to break up The Restaurant Group (TRG), weighing a bid for two of its four divisions.

Kill The Cat team launches Spitalfields bar and kitchen

21-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

The team behind craft beer bar and bottle shop Kill The Cat on London's Brick Lane has launched a new bar and kitchen concept within Spitalfields Market.

The Lowdown: Strike Steak

21-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

Hawksmoor has launched a steak meal deal to encourage diners out during the forthcoming rail strikes. And it’s not the only restaurant making moves to mitigate the fall in covers.

Heavenly Desserts reaches 50th site milestone

21-Jul-2023 By Restaurant

Dessert franchise Heavenly Desserts will open its 50th restaurant in the UK this month with a further five in the works.

Incipio to open neighbourhood NYC-inspired bar

20-Jul-2023 By Restaurant

The group behind London venues including The Prince, Pergola and Lost in Brixton, has announced plans to open bar The 411 in Angel this autumn.

Wagamama’s noodle lab returns to Soho

20-Jul-2023 By Restaurant

Wagamama’s noodle lab has returned to Soho, taking up residence at the group’s restaurant on Great Marlborough Street.

Chef Niaz Caan to make solo restaurant debut with Paro

20-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

23-year-old chef Niaz Caan has chosen Covent Garden for his debut solo Indian restaurant project.

Tattu rebrands as Permanently Unique with new Greek/Med concept in the offing

19-Jul-2023 By Restaurant

Independent restaurant group Tattu has rebranded as Permanently Unique as part of plans to launch a new concept and grow the brand internationally.

Italian restaurant DAROCO to launch in Soho

19-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Paris-born Italian restaurant concept DAROCO will launch in London’s Soho this September.

Wagamama continues to trade ‘strongly’ as TRG toasts ‘very encouraging’ year-to-date performance - updated

19-Jul-2023 By Restaurant

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has announced a strong like-for-like (LFL) trading performance for the first half of the year with rising sales across its Wagamama, concessions and pubs divisions.

Business confidence remains ‘well below’ pre-Covid levels as soaring prices pile pressure on hospitality

19-Jul-2023 By James McAllister

Hospitality’s post-Covid recovery continues to be threatened by rising prices in multiple key areas, leaders have warned in the latest Business Confidence Survey from CGA by NIQ and Fourth.

Turtle Bay toasts 'record year'

18-Jul-2023 By Shwetali Sapte

Turtle Bay has reported record sales of £90.1m for the year ended 2 April 2023, up 5.5% on the prior year.

Bianchis Group closes its original Bristol site

18-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Bristol’s Bianchis Group has closed its Pasta Loco site in Cotham citing rising costs and a pedestrianisation scheme that will see operators in the area obliged to remove external structures and seating this summer.

Bench duo to launch The Pearl at Park Hill in Grade II-listed Sheffield housing estate

17-Jul-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The pair behind top Sheffield restaurant and bar Bench have taken a space within the city’s famous Park Hill development for their second site.

Eating out market remains stagnant

17-Jul-2023 By Shwetali Sapte

The eating out market remains stagnant year-on-year, with weekly eating out frequency and penetration remaining unchanged due to the cost of living crisis, according to Lumina Intelligence.

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