Covent Garden

Greek boutique hotel brand Ergon House heads to Covent Garden

08-Apr-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Boutique hotel brand Ergon House has chosen London’s Covent Garden for its first property outside of Greece.

Latest opening: Paro

17-Nov-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Hitherto Brick Lane-based chef Niaz Caan has struck out on his own with an Indian restaurant in Covent Garden.

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.

Michael Yates appointed executive chef of NoMad London

12-Apr-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Michael Yates has been appointed executive chef at high-profile Covent Garden hotel NoMad London.

Flash-grilled: Gary Lee

10-Mar-2023 By James McAllister

The former Ivy executive chef, who now leads the kitchen at Sycamore Vino Cucina within London's Middle Eight hotel in Covent Garden, on his first job and his worst review.

Biershenke heads to Covent Garden

07-Feb-2023 By James McAllister

Munich-style beer hall brand Bierschenke has acquired the former Belgo Centraal site in Covent Garden for its next London location with a view to opening in the spring.

Fair Shot Café heads to Covent Garden

17-Jan-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Social enterprise Fair Shot Café will move to a new site within Covent Garden’s The Yards development next month.

Gary Lee appointed executive chef of Sycamore Vino Cucina

11-Jan-2023 By James McAllister

Gary Lee has been appointed executive chef of Covent Garden restaurant Sycamore Vino Cucina within London's Middle Eight hotel.

Gura Gura launches in Covent Garden

04-Jan-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Indian restaurateur Gobind Chona has made his UK debut with Gura Gura, an ‘Asian bar and the kitchen concept’ in Covent Garden’s Slingsby Place.

Experimental Group to launch Stereo in late 2022

26-Sep-2022 By Joe Lutrario

Experimental Group's late night drinking, dining and live music venue on the former Roadhouse site in Covent Garden will launch later this year.

Frog Harrogate changes name following challenge from Adam Handling Restaurant Group

06-Sep-2022 By James McAllister

An independent bar and restaurant in Harrogate, Yorkshire, has been required to change its name from Frog to Lilypad following a legal challenge from the Adam Handling Restaurant Group.

Royal Opera House restaurant to open to the public

01-Sep-2022 By Restaurant

The Piazza restaurant at Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House will open to the general public as well as ticket holders for the first time later this month following a relaunch.

Chefs for Covent Garden’s 3 Henrietta Street revealed

20-Jul-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Upcoming Covent Garden venue 3 Henrietta Street will be home to no less than three restaurants each run by a different chef as well as a flagship site for roastery and coffee house The Gentlemen Baristas.

Holding court: Inside NoMad London

20-May-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Set inside the Covent Garden building that was once home to Bow Street Magistrates Court, NoMad London looks to have been worth the wait.

Seven Dials Market to reopen with four new traders

13-May-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Covent Garden food hall Seven Dials Market will reopen on 17 May with four new traders that started out in London streets and markets.

Lahpet chooses Covent Garden for second site

04-May-2021 By Joe Lutrario

Dan Anton and Zaw Mahesh have chosen Covent Garden's The Yards for their second Lahpet restaurant.

Covent Garden operators offer October discounts to entice customers

08-Oct-2020 By James McAllister

A number of restaurants and pubs in London's Covent Garden are offering customers 20% off final bills during October in a bid to entice diners to book an early dinner.

Big Mamma confirms Covent Garden opening

27-Aug-2020 By James McAllister

Restaurant group Big Mamma is to go ahead with its plans to open a third London restaurant, in Covent Garden, despite the current challenging trading environment.

28°-50° takes Cantina Laredo site

07-Oct-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Upmarket wine-focused restaurant brand 28°-50° has taken the former Cantina Laredo site in Covent garden, bringing its total number of London restaurants to two.

Latest opening: Nutshell

16-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

A former Palomar chef serves up his take on Iranian cuisine in London's tourist hub.

Wahlburgers plans to open 15 sites across the UK

04-Jun-2019 By James McAllister & Finn Scott-Delany

Casual dining burger and bar brand Wahlburgers is hoping to rapidly expand operations in the UK, BigHospitality’s sister website MCA has learnt.

Latest opening: Wahlburgers

29-May-2019 By James McAllister

Wahlburgers, the US burger chain owned by actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers Paul and Donnie, has finally opened its first European location in London’s Covent Garden.

Flash-grilled: Alex Povall

15-Mar-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Alex Povall is head chef at Covent Garden restaurant Oystermen, which was recently expanded due to popular demand.

Restaurant Eats Out: Covent Garden

15-Mar-2019 By Joe Lutrario

From Parisian bistro chic to creative Indian food, Covent Garden and its immediate surrounds has no shortage of interesting places to eat.

KERB to launch its first bricks and mortar market

14-Nov-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Street food collective KERB and major London landlord Shaftesbury are teaming up to open a food hall concept in a former warehouse building in Covent Garden.

Joe's Southern Table is closing in April as Maxwell's Bar moves in to the Covent Garden site

06-Mar-2018 By Georgia Bronte

American diner Maxwell’s Bar and Grill is closing its restaurant in Covent Garden’s James Street next month to relocate to the site currently occupied by Joe’s Southern Table and Bar.

Union members to hold Valentine's Day protest at three TGI Friday's restaurants

14-Feb-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Members of the Unite’s Restaurant Workers Union will hold a Valentine’s Day protest this evening, informing customers about plans for TGI Friday’s workers’ tip distribution, which they claim are unfair.

Spuntino owners are bringing their Soho dive bar concept to UK airports this year

13-Feb-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Polpo founders Russell Norman and Richard Beatty are to launch their Spuntino brand in UK airports this year.

Le Bab founders to open “one of the best kebab houses in the world” in Covent Garden

06-Feb-2018 By Stefan Chomka

The founders of kebab restaurant Le Bab in Soho’s kingly Court have confirmed they are opening a follow up restaurant in Covent Garden, which they are aiming to become “one of the best kebab houses in the world”.

Victor Garvey closes Encant ahead of new Soho opening

18-Jan-2018 By Sophie Witts

Chef Victor Garvey has closed his London restaurant Encant ahead of launching a new Soho site later this year.

US restaurant brand Buns & Buns confirms it will open in Covent Garden in March

12-Jan-2018 By Finn Scott-Delany

Buns & Buns, the US-based restaurant that debuted in the UK at a delivery-only kitchen in Canary Wharf, has confirmed it is launching a bricks and mortar site in Covent Garden.

A second Flesh & Buns is coming to Fitzrovia next year

22-Dec-2017 By Stefan Chomka

Ramen restaurant group Bone Daddies is in talks to open a follow up to its steamed buns and Japanese drinking food restaurant Flesh & Buns.

Friday five: The week's top news

15-Dec-2017 By Georgia Bronte

We round up some of the top stories in the restaurant world you might have missed this week.

Doubling up: Brett Redman is opening a second Jidori restaurant

05-Dec-2017 By Georgia Bronte

Just weeks after announcing the closure of The Richmond and the opening of a new restaurant in Bloomsbury, The Neptune, Brett Redman has announced the addition of yet another restaurant to his portfolio.

"The next project is always bigger than the one before it": The owners of Sophie's on their upcoming Soho site

27-Nov-2017 By Georgia Bronte

It’s been 15 years since Sophie Bathgate and Rupert Power launched Chelsea steakhouse Sophie’s, inspired by the steakhouses of New York. Having closed their Covent Garden restaurant in June 2017 after nine years of service, the pair are “taking the steakhouse...

Italian Lessons: The CEO of the Jamie Oliver Group on Brexit, PR, and pizza

23-Oct-2017 By Joe Lutrario

With the demise of its Union Jacks brand and the furore over its comments about Brexit, Jamie’s Italian is taking some strong learnings into the coming years. We spoke to Simon Blagden, CEO

The Lowdown: By Chloe

10-Aug-2017 By Stefan Chomka

The US vegan chain is landing in Covent Garden this autumn, with rumours of a second site planned for London Bridge.

Ollie Dabbous to close Barnyard

22-Mar-2017 By Sophie Witts

Ollie Dabbous has closed his London restaurant Barnyard after three years of trading.

End of the road for Jamie's Union Jacks

02-Mar-2017 By Joe Lutrario

Jamie Oliver is to close his sole remaining Union Jacks pizza restaurant, in London's Covent Garden Piazza.

Adam Handling’s new The Frog restaurant and bar to open in Covent Garden

25-Jan-2017 By Hannah Thompson

The chef is to open a second The Frog restaurant and bar in central London, this summer, following the opening of the first Frog E1 in Shoreditch last year. 

Vivek Singh to launch Cinnamon Bazaar in Covent Garden

07-Oct-2016 By Sophie Witts

The Cinnamon Collection, the Indian restaurant group headed up by chef Vivek Singh, is to launch a new concept Cinnamon Bazaar in Covent Garden next month.

Maxwell's to open Covent Garden bar in £1m investment

25-Aug-2016 By Sophie Witts

Maxwell’s Restaurants Group has revealed plans to open a new Covent Garden venue as part of a wider £1m investment across its late-night estate.

Robert De Niro gets green-light for Covent Garden hotel

19-Aug-2016 By Sophie Witts

Actor Robert De Niro has been granted planning permission to build an 83-room luxury boutique hotel in Covent Garden.

Four ways Pokemon Go can boost restaurant sales

19-Jul-2016 By Sophie Witts

Pokemon Go has taken the UK by storm, and savvy bars and restaurants are already using the game to boost sales.

Second Bunga Bunga to open in Covent Garden

06-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

Inception Group is to open a second outpost of Royal haunt Bunga Bunga in Covent Garden this Autumn.

Second London Sushisamba to open in Covent Garden

01-Feb-2016 By Emma Eversham

Samba Brands Management, the owner of Sushisamba and Duck & Waffle, has announced plans to open a second London Sushisamba restaurant - in Covent Garden. 

DINING TRENDS

Rise in tech-led restaurants to cater to digital-savvy diners

14-Jan-2016 By Sophie Witts

The UK could see a rise in high-tech restaurants over the next few years to cater to increasingly digital-savvy diners, Inamo co-founder Noel Hunwick has predicted.

Wahaca Covent Garden to host Mexico's top chefs

25-Nov-2014 By Carina Perkins

Wahaca has announced plans to host a series of one night culinary showcases with some of Mexico’s top chefs at its Covent Garden restaurant next year. 

Details released for Caring’s Ivy Market Grill

17-Nov-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Details have been released for Richard Caring’s new restaurant The Ivy Market Grill, which opens in London’s Covent Garden next week.

Business profile: Five Guys

10-Nov-2014 By Mark Wingett

A year or so on from landing on British soil, US burger phenomenon Five Guys is on the cusp of becoming a national player. UK managing director John Eckbert and director of operations Marcel Khan discuss the past 12 months and the group’s future.