Chez Léon to open flagship restaurant in London

Located at Cambridge Circus, theLéon de Bruxelles restaurant will open in the third week of January next year, boasting 220 covers, 12 bar covers and 39 seats on a terrace.

Chez Léon originally opened over 100 years ago and is famed for its moules frites and Flemish classics. Léon de Bruxelles’ head chef will be Jessica Lavender, joining from the Hilton Sydney. Restaurant manager will be Eric Kebbab, who previously worked at the Michelin-starred Umu and Marco Pierre White's Criterion in London.

On the menu:​

• Starters: Traditional fish soup with rouille, croutons and gruyère cheese, The Smelts, small fried fish with homemade tartar sauce and King prawns cooked with chilli and garlic butter.
• Mains: mussels range from the classic Marinière to Ardennaise, with white wine, crème fraiche, smoked bacon and mushrooms. Other mains include Au gratin with a trio of cheeses or Riviera, cooked in a tomato sauce with garlic, parsley and gruyère cheese.
• A selection of waffles as well as Tranche de gateaux aux chocolat, Dark and milk chocolate mousse or Lemon cheesecake with clotted cream.
• The drinks list will feature Léon De Bruxelles' own range of micro brewed beers and lager alongside world wines and cocktails, available from the bar.

The Léon De Bruxelles franchise​

Léon de Bruxelles’ interior will be contemporary, with dark wood chairs, marble table, white and black tiled walls and parquet wooden floors. Two art walls have also been commissioned by an urban artist.

The Léon De Bruxelles franchise has been brought to the UK by Duncan Shakeshaft, Chief executive of hospitality and hotels for the Triangle Group, an asset management and advisory firm.

Léon De Bruxelles currently has 67 French sites with a flagship restaurant on the Champs Elysee.