Casual Dining

How I Got Here: Sam Lee

11-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Sam Lee is the managing director of restaurant group Temper, which currently operates three London sites in Covent Garden, Soho and the City.

Southern comfort: how Hickory's expansion tactics are paying dividends

11-Sep-2019 By Georgi Gyton

American barbecue brand Hickory’s has opened 10 restaurants in as many years. But it’s now looking to fire up its rate of openings.

L'Enclume returns to top of Good Food Guide's rankings

10-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Simon Rogan’s two-Michelin-starred L'Enclume restaurant has once again topped The Good Food Guide 2020’s (GFG) Top 50 list, which is set to be published by Waitrose & Partners this Thursday (12 September).

Tom Kerridge’s The Bull & Bear to open in Manchester on 15 November

10-Sep-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Tom Kerridge’s Manchester restaurant will be called The Bull & Bear when it opens in the city’s Stock Exchange Hotel on 15 November.

Picture to close its doors next month

09-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Neighbourhood-style restaurant group Picture will close its two London sites next month due to difficulties in keeping the business viable.

Byron facing questions over allergen death

09-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

An inquest in to the death of a teenager who died after eating at a Byron burger restaurant is to resume this week.

Padella to open second restaurant

09-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Padella has confirmed it is to open a second restaurant early next year site on Phipp Street in London’s Shoreditch.

Sponsored by lightspeed

Having their cake and eating it

06-Sep-2019 By Lightspeed

How leading EPoS company Lightspeed is helping upmarket cakes concept Peggy Porschen speed up service and stay ahead of the competition.

Friday Five: the week's top news

06-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

We round-up some of the top hospitality stories you might have missed this week

Firebrand Pizza to open second site with new concept

06-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

London’s Firebrand Pizza is to open a second restaurant and launch a café bar concept, named Diggs, in Clerkenwell this autumn.

'Natasha's Law' on stricter food allergen labelling comes into force

05-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

Legislation tightening rules around food allergen labelling has been laid before parliament today (5 September).

The Lowdown: BrewDog's Boris beer

05-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

BrewDog has decided to protest the actions of Prime Minster Boris Johnson with the launch of a new beer named Hello My Name Is (Unelected) Boris.

Tart London founders to open first restaurant

05-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison, the duo behind catering company Tart London, are to launch their first restaurant next month at Eccleston Yards in London’s Belgravia.

Patisserie Holdings to be handed over to liquidators

05-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

Patisserie Holdings, the former parent company of the Patisserie Valerie bakery chain, is expected to be handed over to liquidators this month.

Alex Hely-Hutchinson to open all-day restaurant

04-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Alex Hely-Hutchinson, founder of popular Covent Garden breakfast spot 26 Grains, is to launch a new all-day restaurant concept in Borough Market next month.

International ramen chain Ippudo eyes further UK expansion

04-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

Japan’s Ippudo ramen chain has its eye on further UK expansion after securing its fourth London site.

Dodo Pub Co to open fifth pub restaurant

04-Sep-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Oxford-based Dodo Pub Co will open its fifth venue in the south of England, in Reading, in October.

National Waiters’ Day race to once again celebrate front-of-house staff

03-Sep-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The annual National Waiters’ Day race, an event designed to promote the front-line workers in the UK’s hospitality sector, will take place this Sunday (8 September) at the London Hospitality Festival in Chiswick.

Former The Samling chef Ian Swainson opens Amarillo in Brighton

03-Sep-2019 By Finn Scott-Delany

Former The Pass and The Samling chef Ian Swainson has launched a new venture in Brighton.

The Restaurant Group earmarks 42 further sites for potential closure

03-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Restaurant Group (TRG) says it has identified a further 42 “structurally unattractive” restaurants in its Leisure division which it may look to close in future.

Fred Sirieix grapples with government’s EU Settlement Scheme

03-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

Fred Sirieix is the latest industry figure to have grappled with the Home Office after applying under the government’s EU Settlement Scheme.

No-deal Brexit: claim there will be no food shortages 'categorically untrue'

02-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

A Government minister’s claim that there will be no shortage of fresh food following a no-deal Brexit has been called ‘categorically untrue’ by a major trade body.

Mama Shelter opens in London

02-Sep-2019 By James McAllister

French hotel group Mama Shelter makes its long-awaited UK debut in London today (2 September), with the launch of Mama London in Shoreditch.

Restaurant radar: September 2019

02-Sep-2019 By Restaurant

From Jason Atherton's latest restaurant to the launch of street food collective KERB's first permanent site and Lewis Hamilton's new plant-based burger chain, here are September's key openings.

Hampshire-based Josie's to open fourth restaurant

02-Sep-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Hampshire-based all-day restaurant group Josie’s will open a fourth site later this year, in Romsey in Hampshire.

Breddos and Belzan teams collaborate on Liverpool restaurant

02-Sep-2019 By Sophie Witts

The founders of London’s Breddos Tacos and the team behind Liverpool restaurants Belzan and Volpi are to launch a collaborative project.

Bristol chef Larkin Cen to explore Cantonese roast meats

02-Sep-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Bristol-based chef Larkin Cen is to re-open his Woky Ko: Kauto restaurant on Queens Road as Cantonese roast meat restaurant Woky Ko: Jing Xu early this month.

Ozone to open second London site

30-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Kiwi coffee specialist Ozone is to open its second London location in Bethnal Green in early October, seven years after launching in the capital.

Vivi closes at Centre Point after six months blaming 'low footfall'

30-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

Vivi, the flagship restaurant at London’s Centre Point development, has closed after six months of trading.

Latest opening: Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly

30-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

As its 50th birthday approaches, Hard Rock is looking to shake things up by opening a new London restaurant that’s designed to showcase a fresh ‘modern vision’ for the brand.

Friday Five: the week's top news

30-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

We round-up some of the top hospitality stories you might have missed this week

The Lowdown: Labour's lobster law

29-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Labour has revealed plans to ban boiling lobsters alive if they get into power, as part of its new animal welfare manifesto.

Lewis Hamilton to launch plant-based burger brand

29-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton is to launch a plant-based burger chain in London next month that’s already set for global expansion.

PizzaExpress to roll out redesign to 15 further restaurants

29-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

PizzaExpress says it has scaled back expansion and is focusing on upgrading its existing UK restaurants in the face of “intense competition” in the casual dining market.

Latest opening: Wun's Tea Room & Bar

28-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Husband and wife team Alex Peffly and Z He have converted their original Bun House site in London’s Soho into a Hong Kong-style concept partly inspired by He’s upbringing.

Vegan takeaway orders quadruple over past two years

28-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

The rising demand for plant-based meals has seen orders of takeaway vegan food more than quadruple over the last two years.

Robin Rowland to leave YO! after 20 years

28-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

Robin Rowland is to step down from the board at Japanese food group YO! after a 20-year tenure.

The hearth of least resistance

28-Aug-2019 By Restaurant magazine

What to consider when choosing a pizza oven, including extraction, capacity and fuel types.

Angela Hartnett to open a third Café Murano restaurant

27-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Chef Angela Hartnett is to open a third Café Murano restaurant in London later this year, on the site once occupied by Sam Harris’ Zucca on Bermondsey Street.

Pi Pizza sold out of pre-pack administration

27-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Pi Pizza restaurant group has been bought out of pre-pack administration, saving its two sites.

Harry Ramsden's acquired by Deep Blue Restaurants

27-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

Deep Blue Restaurants has acquired rival fish and chip chain Harry Ramsden's from Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG).

Rolling stock: Mathew Carver on his conveyor belt cheese restaurant

23-Aug-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The Cheese Truck and The Cheese Bar founder will open Pick & Cheese at KERB’s Seven Dials Market early next month.

Friday Five: the week's top news

23-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

We round-up some of the top hospitality stories you might have missed this week

Busaba Eathai earnings rise after closing regional sites

23-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

Thai restaurant group Busaba Eathai’s earnings are back in the black after the closure of all its sites outside London.

Prue Leith to advise on hospital food review

23-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Great British Bake Off judge and restaurateur Prue Leith is to advise on a review announced by the government today (23 August) into hospital food.

Bird sells majority stake to Crown Partnership in pre-pack deal

23-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Fried chicken and waffle chain Bird has been sold to the hospitality and catering business Crown Partnership.

Latest opening: Bloomsbury Street Kitchen

23-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Edwardian Hotels has opened a fifth site under its The Kitchens restaurant brand, at the Radisson Blu Edwardian on Bloomsbury Street in the West End.

Seven things we learned from Jamie Oliver's documentary

22-Aug-2019 By Sophie Witts

Jamie Oliver has opened up about the demise of his restaurant group and his rocky relationship with Marco Pierre White in a new programme.

Tonkotsu set to add two more London sites to portfolio

22-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Ramen restaurant chain Tonkotsu is set to open its 10th London site in Peckham next month, with plans to open an 11th in Shoreditch in October.

How I Got Here: Matt Thomas

21-Aug-2019 By James McAllister

Matt Thomas is managing director of Searcys, whose restaurant and catering portfolio includes the Champagne bar at London’s St Pancras station and Helix on the 39th floor of the Gherkin.