Casual Dining

Ellen Chew to launch permanent Singapulah site on Shaftesbury Avenue

14-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

London-based restaurateur Ellen Chew will launch the first permanent site under her Singaporean-focused Singapulah concept early next year on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Megan’s to return to Parsons Green

14-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

All-day dining brand Megan’s is returning to West London’s Parsons Green having taken on the former Le Pain Quotidien site on Parsons Green Lane.

Comment

Will investors have an appetite for hospitality in 2024? I think they will

14-Dec-2023 By Stefan Chomka

As another year’s gap is put between the Covid lockdowns and the present there are signs that optimism is returning to investors in hospitality.

RIO heads to Edinburgh for first Scottish site

14-Dec-2023 By Restaurant

Brazilian Steakhouse brand RIO is venturing north of the border for the first time with a venue in Scotland.

Marcel Khan appointed CEO of The Fulham Shore

14-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Franco Manca and The Real Greek owner and operator The Fulham Shore has appointed Marcel Khan as its new chief executive officer.

Larger restaurant groups benefit from rebound in festive bookings

13-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Larger restaurant groups including Hawksmoor and Rare Restaurants are reporting a rebound in festive bookings.

Restaurant groups see 'solid' November sales

13-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved year-on-year sales growth of 4.0% in November, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

Latest opening: Sune

12-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Honey Spencer and Charlie Sims have opened a relaxed-yet-highly-accomplished neighbourhood restaurant in Hackney’s Broadway Market.

Laylow to swap Notting Hill for the West End

12-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Notting Hill's Laylow will close later this month ahead of moving to an as-yet-unrevealed location in the West End.

Liverpool's Buyers Club joins Maray Restaurants as part of QVO Hospitality

12-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The North West-based QVO Hospitality, parent company of Maray Restaurants, have entered into an operating partnership with Jonathan and Miles Falkingham to take over the management of Liverpool restaurant Buyers Club.

Details revealed for relaunch of Knightsbridge stalwart Sale e Pepe

12-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

More details have been released for the relaunch of Sale e Pepe as the Knightsbridge restaurant gears up to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Boom Bap Burger opens third site

08-Dec-2023 By Restaurant

Burger mini chain Boom Bap Burger has opened its third London restaurant, in London's Leadenhall Market.

Nando’s tees up new openings as it reports ‘steady recovery’

08-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Nando’s is in the process of opening 14 new UK restaurants having reported a ‘steady recovery’ to pre-pandemic sales and a return to operating profit in its latest accounts.

Generation Next

Smoke + Ash: “We think the whole concept of pizza can be pushed”

08-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

The founders of Birmingham-based pizzeria Smoke + Ash have learnt a lot in their first year as restaurateurs, and now they’re looking to parlay that knowledge into long-term success.

Azzurri Group looks to test bidders’ appetite with auction sale

08-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Azzurri Group owner Towerbrook Capital Partners is lining up bankers to launch an auction next year of the Ask, Zizzi and Coco di Mama restaurant chains.

Comptoir Libanais to open at London's Southbank Centre

07-Dec-2023 By Restaurant

Comptoir Group will open its 23rd Comptoir Libanais next year as it continues to grow its UK estate following a recent return to the expansion trail.

Banana Tree doubles estate in a year

06-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Fast casual pan-Asian chain Banana Tree has doubled its estate in a year following its acquisition by The Big Table Group.

Train strikes knock profits at Drake & Morgan as sales rise

06-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Ongoing industrial action on the railways has been blamed for dip in profits at Drake & Morgan, with the group reporting a rise in sales in its latest financial results.

Alsace-inspired restaurant and wine bar to launch in Fitzrovia next year

06-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Food writer Solynka Dumas and Julian Oschmann will launch an Alsatian-inspired restaurant and wine bar on Fitzrovia’s Charlotte Street early next year.

Latest opening: The Tamil Crown

05-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

The Tamil Prince team have launched a second London site, which places greater emphasis on its pub setting while retaining a robust food offering.

Various Eateries looks to raise £12m

05-Dec-2023 By Finn Scott-Delany

Various Eateries has confirmed it is in advanced stages of conducting a potential fundraising of up to £12m.

Latest opening: Fenix

04-Dec-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The duo behind Tattu have launched their most ambitious (and expensive) project yet - a huge Greek restaurant in Manchester.

Aqua man: how David Yeo built an international restaurant group

04-Dec-2023 By Stefan Chomka

Twenty-three years on from opening his first restaurant, the Aqua Restaurant Group founder is showing no signs of slowing down, with new London restaurants Luci and Azzurra and more to come.

How I Got Here: Ranjit Mathrani

04-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

The chairman of Indian restaurant group MW-Eat, who was recognised at this year's R200 Awards, on what makes a good leader and how to deal with unpredictability in business.

Honest Burgers ‘back growing business’ after clash with HMRC

04-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

Honest Burgers is ‘back growing its business’ after a clash with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) briefly saw it slapped with a winding-up petition.

JKS targets US market after latest funding round

04-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

JKS is eyeing expansion into the US market as well as further growth in the Middle East following the completion of its latest funding round.

Debt pile grows for top restaurant groups leaving some 'in a precarious position'

04-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

The collective debt burden of the UK’s top restaurant groups has broken through the £3bn mark for the first time, new research by UHY Hacker Young shows.

Turkish burger brand ZULA to debut in London next year

01-Dec-2023 By Restaurant

Turkish burger restaurant brand ZULA will make its UK debut next year with a site in London.

The Lowdown: Bistro Greggs

01-Dec-2023 By James McAllister

The high street bakery chain is looking to stake (bake) a claim on the dinner market with a month-long, pop-up restaurant featuring a Gallic-inspired menu.

Mitchells & Butlers posts 'record outperformance' against the market

30-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has reported like-for-like (LFL) sales growth of 9.1% in its latest financial results covering the year ended 30 September 2023.

Gary Usher warns tough trading could force him to close Burnt Truffle

30-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

Gary Usher has warned he may be forced to close his Burnt Truffle restaurant in Heswall unless trade picks up.

‘Challenging’ recruitment landscape forces Ottolenghi to cut opening hours as group sees turnover rise

30-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

The Ottolenghi group has had cut operating hours across some of its sites as a result of challenges to recruitment caused by Brexit and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pizza Punks reveals plans for four more restaurants

29-Nov-2023 By Restaurant

Wood-fired pizza restaurant group Pizza Punks has plans to open new sites in Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff and Birmingham as part of its plans to grow into a UK-wide business.

The Naked Chef: “I’d love to open quietly and chip away but that doesn’t happen with Jamie Oliver”

29-Nov-2023 By Restaurant

Jamie Oliver has finally opened the doors at his new Covent Garden restaurant, marking the return of the Naked Chef.

Kricket tees up fourth London site as it secures further funding

29-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

Rik Campbell and Will Bowlby will launch a fourth restaurant under their modern-Indian brand Kricket next year in London’s Canary Wharf, alongside a second iteration of their SOMA bar concept.

Latest opening: Rind

28-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

Turophile Mathew Carver has swapped central London for the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales for his latest restaurant venture.

Loungers CFO to step down as group toasts 'strong financial and operational growth'

28-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

Loungers chief financial officer Gregor Grant has told the company he plans to step down next July after six years in the role.

The Restaurant Group shareholders approve sale to Apollo

28-Nov-2023 By Restaurant

Shareholders of The Restaurant Group (TRG) have formally approved its sale to private equity company Apollo Global Management for £506m.

Berenjak launches international outpost in Dubai

27-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

London-based Persian restaurant brand Berenjak has launched its first international location in Dubai’s Dar Wasl district.

Pho continues expansion amid sales growth

27-Nov-2023 By Shwetali Sapte

Pho Restaurants has reported financial results for the year ended 19 February 2023, with turnover of £58.3m.

Restaurateur Russell Norman has died

24-Nov-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Russell Norman, multi-award winning restaurateur and author, died yesterday at the age of 57.

‘Pub with wines’ to open in Spitalfields

24-Nov-2023 By Joe Lutrario

Alfi, an all-day ‘wine pub’ and restaurant is set to open its doors in the heart of Spitalfields next month, offering small plates and an extensive selection of wines on tap from across Europe.

Shrimp Shack to launch in Streatham next month

24-Nov-2023 By Joe Lutrario

The co-founder of dessert concept Creams will launch a shrimp-focused casual dining brand in Streatham, South London, next month.

Competitive socialising venues growing at ‘unparalleled levels’

23-Nov-2023 By Hannah Currie

The competitive socialising sector has grown extensively in recent years, with a 38% uptick in venues since 2018.

Victor Lugger: “There was way less interest in the business than I expected”

22-Nov-2023 By Stefan Chomka

Interest in Italian restaurant group Big Mamma fell short of expectations despite the company having a successful 10-year track record that has seen it open 23 restaurants in four countries, its co-founder has revealed.

Lessons from Wagamama: the power of design and the power of brand

22-Nov-2023 By Jon Blakeney

With its purchase of The Restaurant Group, US private equity giant Apollo has bought one of the UK's most inspirational casual dining brands.

Confidence in hospitality sector climbs again despite cost challenges and rates threat

22-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

The optimism of Britain’s hospitality leaders has risen for the fourth quarter in a row, but they remain concerned about inflation in key inputs, and the challenge of business rates.