Northcote's existing restaurant will become a brasserie under plans for a second hotel dining offer

Last week plans to build a new, high-end restaurant at the luxury hotel were approved​​. Located within the hotel grounds, the new 48-cover restaurant would become Northcote’s signature restaurant, with the current dining space becoming a more informal offer.

Both restaurants will be overseen by Northcote’s executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen, who will be responsible for designing all the menus, but each will have its own identity, with the new signature restaurant designed to help Goodwin-Allen ‘reach her full potential’.

Speaking about the developments, Northcote managing director Craig Bancroft describes the new restaurant as the beginning of a new chapter for Northcote.

“The plan is for the traditional Northcote dining room to become a brasserie, still featuring a very high level experience and sourcing quality ingredients, but in a more simplistic and affordable way, which will suit our residents and local clientele alike," he says.

“Whereas the new development within the grounds will be a bespoke signature restaurant to help Lisa Goodwin-Allen to reach her full potential. The signature restaurant will be a modern, diverse space that will give a fabulous dining experience in line with the Northcote ethos, and present a highly focused, bespoke operation.

Northcote was first awarded a Michelin star in 1996 and has held on to it ever since. It is also currently ranked number 68 on the list of the UK's Top 100 Restaurants. The existing restaurant has also won numerous plaudits over the years and the new restaurant could see Goodwin-Allen push for a second Michelin star.

An application for the new restaurant was first lodged by the hotel in June 2022. Proposals include charred timber vertical cladding, aluminium anodised capping, bronze-coloured cladding and membrane, steel columns and dark grey backlit illuminated signage for the restaurant, which would have a drop-off and pick up service from the main entrance building, managed via a valet service.

Bancroft says that the hotel will need to recommence the process of planning the final interior design of the restaurant in light of a landscape that has “changed in terms of the economic environment and the general outlook”.

“We are delighted to be one step further towards our plan to build a signature restaurant at Northcote. It is something that we’ve always wanted to do, as it will allow us to offer two exceptional dining room experiences and encourage more guests to extend their visit to a two-night gourmet experience," he adds.

“It is our intention to give each restaurant a focus and its own identity, and to provide a platform of pure excellence that will be revered by many."