Casual dining - Hospitality

Burger & Lobster to open in Singapore after return to profit

31-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

Burger & Lobster is ramping up its global expansion with plans to launch its first restaurant in Singapore this year.

Latest opening: Provisioners

25-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

A stylish new restaurant has opened in the The Dixon hotel in London’s Tower Bridge.

Born in Thailand, Saiphin Moore founded Rosa’s Thai as a street food stall with husband Alex in 2007. Later this month the pair will open their first northern site in Liverpool, taking the chain to 16 locations.

Flash-grilled: Fergus Jackson

18-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The baker behind Peckham Rye and East Dulwich's Brick House on Twiglets, Simon Hopkinson and toast.

Latest opening: Burger & Beyond

18-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

High profile street food outfit Burger & Beyond has launched its first restaurant.

My Million Pound Menu hopefuls to pop-up at Hush in Mayfair

17-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

Nepalese food concept XXVI, now renamed as KityCow, has secured investment from Hush restaurant owner Jamie Barber and Atul Kochhar despite failing to secure investment on TV show My Million Pound Menu.

How I Got Here: Jonathan Recanati

17-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Former Banker Jonathan Recanati founded healthy fast casual concept Farmer J in 2014 and now operates two locations in the City of London.

Korean restaurant Unimini to open in the City

17-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

A Korean concept from the team behind fried chicken brand CheeMC is launching in central London.

PizzaExpress to enter food to go sector

17-Jan-2019 By James Wallin

PizzaExpress is to launch spin-off brand, ZA, next month with an all-dining offer centred around pizza slices, BigHospitality's sister website MCA has learnt.

London tapas bar launches crowdfund for second restaurant

16-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

London wine and tapas bar L’Oculto has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support the opening of a restaurant and wine bar in Brockley.

Latest opening: Farzi Café

16-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

London's latest high-profile Indian restaurant launch offers a modern yet authentic take on subcontinental cuisine.

Franck Desains on Mariage Frères' London tea emporium and restaurant

15-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The deputy managing director of high-end French tea company Mariage Frères on the group's recently launched London flagship.

The Culpeper team to double up with the opening of The Buxton

15-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The team behind popular Shoreditch pub and restaurant with rooms The Culpeper is to open a second, similar, venture nearby in the capital.

Hampshire restaurant at centre of pink burger row closes

15-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The Southsea restaurant at the centre of a row over pink burgers has closed its doors after running out of cash to pay its legal bills.

The Lowdown: chromotherapy menus

10-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

Soho’s Chotto Matte has launched a chromotherapy food and cocktail menu in collaboration with Island Poké.

How I Got Here: Lee Streeton

10-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Lee Streeton’s cooking CV includes Caprice Holdings and Hix Mayfair. He is currently head chef of Art Yard Bar & Kitchen

Loungers set to open 25 new sites in 2019

09-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

All-day dining restaurant group Loungers will continue its ambitious expansion plans, with the opening of a further 25 sites this year.

Last year's My Million Pound Menu contestants - where are they now?

08-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

With the second series of My Million Pound Menu airing this evening, we take a look at what last year’s crop of contestants are up to now.

Bonnie Gull co-founder to launch Chelsea restaurant and fishmongers

08-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

Bonnie Gull co-founder Alex Hunter is to open a fishmongers cum seafood bar in Chelsea this April.

MEATliquor Brixton closes, but looks to relocate

08-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

MEATailer has closed its MEATliquor Brixton restaurant after five years at the Market Row site in south London.

'Craft' pasta restaurant to open second site

07-Jan-2019 By Helen Salter

Andrew Macleod’s pasta restaurant Emilia’s is to open a second site, in Aldgate, this February.

Carluccio’s to pay for ‘settled status’ for EU staff

07-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Carluccio’s is to pay for its 1,550 non-British EU employees to apply for ‘settled-status’ in the UK after Brexit.

D&D London experiences 'best ever' Christmas trading

04-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

D&D London has recorded its ‘best ever’ Christmas trading results, with overall revenue in December in double-digit growth.

Gizzi Erskine's F!lth pops up in Shoreditch

04-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Gizzi Erskine and Rosemary Ferguson have launched a three-month residency of their vegetarian burger concept F!lth, in London’s Shoreditch.

Wagamama serves up 12% sales growth

04-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Wagamama recorded double-digit sales growth in the months leading up to its purchase, according to its latest figures.

Farmstand to open two new restaurants in the capital

03-Jan-2019 By Finn Scott-Delany

Sustainable and healthy fast-casual food concept Farmstand will triple its standalone restaurant presence in the capital in the coming months with the opening of two sites.

How I Got Here: Jonny Boud

03-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The co-founder of GLP Hospitality (The Rum Kitchen, Passo) on what motivates him, the importance of decent legals and accounts and why councils should relax planning laws.

'Casual dining crunch' cost over 10,000 restaurant jobs in 2018

02-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

The equivalent of 30 people a day lost their UK restaurant jobs in 2018 amid the so-called 'casual dining crunch' on the high street, a new study shows.

2018: a review of the year in hospitality

21-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

2018 was the year of the CVA, the KFC chicken shortage and the passing of two of the most influential French chefs of recent times.

Restaurant radar: the big openings of 2019 (updated)

21-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

From Adam Handling in Chelsea to Lee Westcott in Herefordshire, here's the biggest restaurant openings set for the first half of 2019

Wagamama staff to share £4m Christmas bonus pot

20-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Staff at noodle chain Wagamama are being given a Christmas bonus following the sale of the business to The Restaurant Group (TRG).

How I Got Here: Lee DeSanges

19-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Baked In Brick has had great success on street food circuit in Birmingham and further afield with its eclectic pizzas. Founder Lee DeSanges recently opened his first restaurant at The Custard Factory in Digbeth.

Latest opening: Din Tai Fung

19-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

The Chinese restaurant brand famous for its xiao long bao soup dumplings has opened its debut European restaurant, in London's Covent Garden

Delivery sector grew to over £8bn in 2018

18-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

The UK foodservice delivery market is worth £8.1bn, up 13.4% since 2017 according to new research from leading insight agency MCA.

Business confidence in eating out stays low despite sales growth in November

18-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Business confidence among leaders of Britain’s eating and drinking-out market remains strained, despite like-for-like sales growth in the UK pubs and restaurant sector, according to new research.

The Lowdown: The turkey shortage

13-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Feathers look likely to fly in restaurant kitchens as chefs struggle to secure birds for the festive period.

Flash-grilled: Mark Lloyd

13-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

The chef and TV presenter was recently appointed executive chef at Notting Hill restaurant and bar Pomona’s.

How I Got Here: Marcos Fernandez Pardo

13-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Marcos Fernandez Pardo launched Spanish restaurant Iberica in 2008. He now operates seven restaurants in London, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow and will soon help bring Quique Dacosta's InPaella to the capital.

Time Out Market to open in London Waterloo

13-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Time Out Group will open a Time Out Market in London’s Waterloo in 2021.

SpiceBox to go permanent in Walthamstow

13-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Vegan Indian street food vendor SpiceBox is to open its first permanent location, in London’s Walthamstow, next year.

World renowned bartenders to team up with TÁ TÁ Eatery for multi-faceted venue

12-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Globally recognised bartenders Alex Kratena and Monica Berg are teaming up with TÁ TÁ Eatery founders Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng to open multifaceted venue TAYĒR + ELEMENTARY in Shoreditch early next year.

Gino D’Acampo expands My Coffee & Deli Bar two months after launch

12-Dec-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Celebrity chef and restaurateur Gino D’Acampo has expanded his My Coffee & Deli Bar concept after eight weeks trading.

Franco Manca owner to ramp up expansion after strong half-year trading

12-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Franco Manca and The Real Greek operator Fulham Shore says it is looking at increasing the number of planned restaurant openings next year following strong growth in both brands.

Radio Alice: the pirates of pizza

12-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

London might not seem the most obvious place for Bologna-based restaurateurs to get inspiration for their pizzerias but in the case of Italian brothers Matteo and Salvatore Aloe the UK capital’s restaurant scene has proved invaluable.

Rooney Anand appointed non-executive chairman of Casual Dining Group

12-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Rooney Anand, the outgoing chief executive of Greene King, has been appointed non-executive chairman of the Casual Dining Group.

Opening of the month: Southside Scran

12-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

The fourth restaurant in Tom Kitchin’s Edinburgh-based restaurant group is a neighbourhood bistro that bridges the gap between his Michelin-starred flagship and his popular gastropub

Soho's The Duck and Rice is looking to expand in London and overseas

10-Dec-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Soho-based pub and Chinese restaurant The Duck and Rice, which was founded by restaurateur Alan Yau, is looking for partners to expand across the capital and globally under licence.