Casual Dining

Life after CVA: Carluccio's extends Fresca transformation plan

24-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

Carluccio’s is to roll out its £10m Fresca refurbishment programme to at least five further restaurants following a trial in London.

Generation Next: Sow

23-May-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The bowl food concept launches in Soho next month but already has eyes on expansion, according to its founder Peter Farrell.

Jamie Oliver closes 22 restaurants with 1,000 jobs lost

21-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

Jamie Oliver has closed 22 of his UK restaurants as the business enters administration, with only his three Gatwick Airport sites remaining open.

Jamie Oliver's restaurant group calls in administrators

21-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

Jamie Oliver’s UK restaurant group is to enter administration, less than two years after it narrowly avoided collapse.

Restaurant 'gold rush' is over with more than 750 closures last year

21-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

The restaurant industry ‘boom period’ is over with more than 750 sites closing in the last 12 months, according to the latest Market Growth Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners.

The Lowdown: Nando’s in-flight meals

16-May-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Budget airline Jet2.com will soon be serving Nando’s branded food to its passengers. But there’s a catch…

How I Got Here: Charlie Carroll

16-May-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Charlie Carroll has turned the traditional steakhouse model on its head with his affordable steak restaurant group Flat Iron.

Coqfighter to open first full service restaurant in Soho

15-May-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Fried chicken restaurant Coqfighter will open its first table-service restaurant, in Soho, at the end of this month.

Chiktopia to hatch first location at intu Lakeside

15-May-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Chiktopia has confirmed that it will launch its debut location within the upcoming extension of Essex shopping destination intu Lakeside in July.

Rosa’s Thai founders to open noodle shop concept

14-May-2019 By Georgi Gyton

Rosa’s Thai founders Alex and Saiphin Moore are to launch Chinese-inspired noodle shop concept Hoh Sek next month.

Plant-based dishes help drive Leon's sales growth

10-May-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Leon has reported like-for-like sales growth of 15% in 2018, up from 0.9% in 2017, with sales of vegetarian dishes driving that growth.

Market Halls to open fourth London site

09-May-2019 By James McAllister

Market Halls has confirmed its fourth site will open within Canary Wharf’s Cargo redevelopment, with an aim to launch in 2021.

Cote discontinues Jackson & Rye and Limeyard brands

09-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

Cote has confirmed it discontinued the Jackson & Rye and Limeyard restaurant brands in 2018, two years after it bought them from Richard Caring.

Little Creatures opens first UK site

08-May-2019 By James McAllister

Australian brewery Little Creatures has opened its first UK taproom and restaurant in London this month.

Red's True Barbecue opens Leicester restaurant

08-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

Red’s True Barbecue has opened its first Leicester restaurant, inside a BrewDog bar.

Regional Aqua group closes three restaurants

03-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

The regional Aqua restaurant group closed three of its sites this week.

The Ivy Collection sees turnover double amid expansion drive

03-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Ivy Collection saw turnover double to £98.4m last year as it continued its expansion outside London.

Ping Pong to dispose of remaining shopping centre restaurants

02-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

Dim sum chain Ping Pong is looking to close its two remaining restaurants in London shopping centres as it says they are not 'suited' to the brand.

Restaurant radar: May 2019

01-May-2019 By Restaurant

From Robin Gill's new opening at the Embassy Gardens development to the first permanent location for Monsieur Le Duck, here are May's key restaurant openings.

PizzaExpress suffers £55m loss amid casual dining crunch

01-May-2019 By Sophie Witts

PizzaExpress saw pre-tax losses almost double to reach £55m in 2018 which it blamed on tough trading in the UK and overseas.

Civerinos launches third pizza bar in Edinburgh

25-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Italian street food company Civerinos has launched its third pizza bar in Edinburgh.

The Lowdown: YO! Sushi's conveyor belt-less restaurant

25-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

In an apparent bid to broaden the brand’s appeal, YO! Sushi is set to open its first restaurant this summer without a ‘kaiten’ conveyor belt.

Latest opening: The Flint House

24-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The Gingerman Restaurants Group has opened a stylish restaurant and bar in a newly created street within Brighton's The Lanes.

Simon Anderson: "We look for young, independent chef-driven businesses"

24-Apr-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The Market Halls co-founder on the reinvention of the food halls concept, how it works and what the future looks like for the business.

How I Got Here: Philip Inzani

18-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The London-born restaurateur founded London’s Polo Bar, which stays open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

UK's largest food hall to open this summer

18-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Market Hall’s flagship West End venue is to open in the summer, and according to the group it will be the largest food hall in the country.

Time for a chain reaction?

18-Apr-2019 By Tony Naylor

CVAs offer a lifeline for struggling chains. But, long term, can the very notion of a ‘quality chain’ survive this current casual dining crisis?

Latest opening: Lucknow 49

17-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

DUM Biryani founder Dhruv Mittal has arrived in Mayfair with Lucknow 49, a restaurant inspired by the northern Indian city that’s close to the Taj Mahal.

Patty & Bun to launch two spin-off brands

16-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Patty & Bun founder Joe Grossman has created two spin-off brands: a chicken concept called Jefferies and a stripped back burger concept called Smash Patty.

Bill's refurb to reach a quarter of its sites by this summer

16-Apr-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Bill’s restaurant group is planning to roll out its refurbishment plan to reach a quarter of its estate by this summer.

Vinoteca to open its first regional site

15-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Wine bar and restaurant group Vinoteca is to open its first regional site in Birmingham City Centre’s Paradise development.

Bone Daddies founder launches first international restaurant

11-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Bone Daddies and Flesh & Buns founder Ross Shonhan has launched his first international restaurant, in Dubai.

How I Got Here: Matt Brown

11-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Hawksmoor's executive chef has a premier league CV that includes spells in some of London's most iconic kitchens, including The Ritz, La Tante Claire and The Capital.

London Shell Co. to open floating restaurant on Regent’s Canal

09-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

The London Shell Co. is to launch its second permanent, floating restaurant on the Regent’s Canal in June.

The Restaurant Group puts further 22 sites on the market

09-Apr-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has confirmed it has put a further 22 sites on the market.

MasterChef semi-finalist Nisha Parmar consults on Masala and Coal menu

08-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

MasterChef 2018 semi-finalist Nisha Parmar has consulted on the menu of a fusion Indian bar and restaurant that is to open in Ruislip on 13 April.

Former Pidgin head chef to open first restaurant

08-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Ex-Pidgin head chef Adolfo De Cecco is to open his first solo restaurant in Clapton this week (10 April).

Mamma's boys: the founders of Big Mamma on their London plans

08-Apr-2019 By Stefan Chomka

French restaurant group Big Mamma has burst onto the London restaurant scene with the bright and bold Gloria. With a second restaurant on the cards, its two founders have big plans for the capital.

Russian-based tech-focused pizzeria brand Dodo to come alive in Coventry

05-Apr-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Russian-based tech-focused pizzeria brand Dodo Pizza will open a second restaurant in the UK later this month.

Bistro with beds to open in the Lake District

05-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

A ‘bistro with beds’ is to open on the family-run Broadrayne Farm in Grasmere, in the Lake District, this summer.

Flash Grilled: Nacho Manzano

05-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The chef-patron at Casa Marcial, a two Michelin starred restaurant tucked in the mountains of Asturias, is also part of the Ibérica restaurant group, which operates eight restaurants across the UK.

Gaucho and M combo will create 'stronger steakhouse group'

05-Apr-2019 By James Wallin

The combining of steakhouses Gaucho and M Restaurants will create a “three-pronged approach to expansion across the UK”, according to chief executive Martin Williams.

The Soak restaurant to open in London's Victoria with a focus on fermenting and brining

05-Apr-2019 By Stefan Chomka

A restaurant that focuses on using soaking, fermenting, steeping and brining techniques will open in London Victoria later this month.

How I Got Here: Miles Kirby

05-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The New Zealand born co-founder of restaurant and coffee-roaster Caravan oversees a growing five-strong group in London.

Jackson + Rye closes fourth restaurant in just over a year

02-Apr-2019 By Sophie Witts

Cote has closed the original Jackson + Rye restaurant in Soho after five years of trading.

Former River Café chef to head up Portobello Road restaurant

02-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

A modern European restaurant and late-night bar is to open on the site of London’s Portobello Gold public house, which closed back in 2017.

Generation Next: Cin Cin

02-Apr-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The Italian small plates specialist started life in a converted Fiat 850. Owner David Toscano describes its growth to two venues in East Sussex

Restaurant radar: April 2019

01-Apr-2019 By Restaurant

From Mark Greenaway's return to the Scottish capital to a second bun in the oven in Chinatown, here's the hot new restaurant openings for April.

Loungers set to float on stock market

01-Apr-2019 By James McAllister

Loungers intends to float on the London Stock Exchange as it looks to further fuel expansion plans.

Pascal Aussignac to relaunch Chip + Fish as Catch Me

29-Mar-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Club Gascon chef Pascal Aussignac is relaunching his Westfield London fish concept Chip + Fish as the more upmarket Catch Me in May.