Casual Dining

Carluccio’s to trial ‘formal’ evening service and ‘experimental’ menu

14-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Carluccio’s is to use its restaurant in London’s Richmond as a test-bed for its £10m Fresca refurbishment programme following the conclusion of its Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) in December.

How I Got Here: Tom Barton

14-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Tom Barton is the co-founder of better burger pioneer Honest Burgers. Later this month he will open his first restaurant in Brighton, which is something of a homecoming as the now nationwide group started life as a street food player in and around the...

The Lowdown: DNA dining

14-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

YO! Sushi has launched genetic dining experience YO! Dinner, YO! Way, which uses DNA testing to personalise its customers’ meals.

By Chloe and Hai Di Lao are heading to The O2

14-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

A wave of new restaurants will soon open at London’s The O2 including US-founded plant-based brand By Chloe and Chinese hotpot specialist Hai Di Lao.

Patisserie Valerie 'bought out of administration' (updated)

14-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Trouble-hit bakery chain Patisserie Valerie has been bought out of administration by Irish private equity firm Causeway Capital Partners, according to media reports.

The Restaurant Group CEO announces departure

14-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Andy McCue, the chief executive of The Restaurant Group (TRG), has announced his decision to leave the company.

Mission Mars takes on Liverpool's Hub Alehouse & Kitchen

13-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Expanding restaurant, bar and pub group Mission Mars has taken on Liverpool’s Hub Alehouse & Kitchen in the centre of the city.

Government delays changes to restaurant tipping laws

13-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

A government plan to ban restaurants from deducting a percentage from staff tips will not be enforced until at least later this year.

Latest opening: W12 Studios

12-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

A new food and music venue has opened in London's White City.

The Coconut Tree - the Sri Lankan brand that's laying down roots

12-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Sri Lankan casual-dining restaurant group The Coconut Tree is putting roots down in the south-west and hopes to eventually go national

Farmer J receives £1.9m investment to grow in the capital

12-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Farmer J, the London-based healthy fast casual brand, has secured £1.9m of investment capital to support its expansion.

Paul and Emma Ainsworth replace Nathan Outlaw at The Mariners in Rock

11-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Paul and Emma Ainsworth have taken on The Mariners pub in Cornwall, replacing their friend and fellow chef Nathan Outlaw.

Ray de Fazio to open in Wimbledon Village

11-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Restaurateur Ray de Fazio is to launch a modern Italian restaurant in Wimbledon Village on the former site of Cau.

Flash-grilled: James Knappett

08-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

James Knappett is the chef patron of the now two Michelin star Kitchen Table and gourmet hotdog and grower Champagne concept Bubbledogs. He runs both venues alongside his sommelier wife Sandia Chang.

Friday Five: the week's top news

08-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

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

John Devitt: "I’d love to do a Koya outside London - that would be a good experiment"

08-Feb-2019 By Finn Scott-Delany

The co-founder of the udon noodle restaurant brand on moving into Market Halls, attracting more vegetarians and a desire to go outside the capital.

Edinburgh Council backs controversial 'tourist tax'

08-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Edinburgh has moved closer to becoming the first city in the UK to introduce a controversial ‘tourist tax’ on hotel stays.

Food to go continues to out-perform total eating out market

08-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The food to go sector is set to account for almost a quarter of total eating out spending within the next three years with a further £2bn growth forecasted.

Pret to open homeless hostel in London

08-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Pret A Manger’s charitable foundation is to open a London homeless hostel, offering people accommodation and paid work.

'End of an era' as team at The Palmerston announce their last day

07-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The team behind The Palmerston are to leave the renowned East Dulwich pub after being unable to renew their lease.

Bao confirms all-singing new restaurant in London's Borough

07-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Taiwanese mini group Bao has confirmed it will open the third permanent site of its bun-based restaurant brand in London’s Borough this spring.

Small plates Indian Talli Joe closes its doors

07-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Soho Indian Talli Joe has closed its doors and looks unlikely to re-open.

The Lowdown: O’Naturel

07-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

The Paris restaurant for nude dinners is closing its doors for good later this month

How I Got Here: Tom Brooke

07-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

Tom Brooke opened the first Red Dog Saloon on Hoxton Square back in 2010. The six-strong group is now a national player with sites as far flung as Liverpool and Southampton.

More women in senior hospitality board positions

07-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

The percentage of women in board level positions at FTSE 100 hospitality, travel and leisure companies has risen by 3% over the last year, new figures show.

Latest opening: Slim Chickens Soho

06-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The US-hatched chicken concept is spreading its wings with the launch of a new restaurant in Soho.

Martin Burge to open two restaurants at Dormy House

06-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Martin Burge is to oversee the opening of two restaurants at Dormy House hotel on the Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds this month.

Hotel booking sites to end "misleading" sales tactics

06-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Six major hotel booking sites have agreed to stop using “misleading” sales tactics such as pressure selling following a probe by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Victor Garvey heads east with Barullo

05-Feb-2019 By Joe Lutrario

The chef behind highly-rated Catalan spot Rambla is to launch a restaurant in the City of London that will serve food from all over Spain.

Taiwanese chicken brand makes European debut in the capital

05-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Taiwanese chicken brand Monga Fried Chicken has opened its first European restaurant, in London’s Chinatown.

Is cash’s number up? The pros and cons of going cashless

05-Feb-2019 By Tony Naylor

Restaurants across the country are going card only in a bid to speed up service, reduce bank payments and increase security. But with some calling the move classist and elitist, should you cash in on the trend for cashless?

Le Manoir's Karen Gruet named 2019 Gold Service Scholarship winner

05-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Karen Gruet from Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire has been named the winner of the 2019 Gold Service Scholarship.

Second coming: MEATliquor to relocate flagship to Match Bar site

05-Feb-2019 By Stefan Chomka

Restaurant group MEATailer has secured a new location for its flagship MEATliquor restaurant, just yards away from its Marylebone debut.

Galvin brothers help design hospitality training scheme

04-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Galvin Restaurants has become the first company in the world to adopt a new City & Guilds Global Certification for hospitality training.

Patisserie Valerie staff "still owed wages" after chain's collapse

04-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

Staff who lost their jobs following the collapse of Patisserie Valerie claim they are still owed their final wage packets.

MPs launch inquiry in to business rates reform

01-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

A group of MPs has launched an inquiry in to reforming the business rates system following a raft of closures on the UK high street.

Friday Five: the week's top news

01-Feb-2019 By Sophie Witts

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

Restaurant Radar: February 2019

01-Feb-2019 By Restaurant

From fine dining flagships to 'surreal' east London projects, fried chicken to Tellicherry crab - here's our pick of the UK's big restaurant openings this month

Initiative to tackle harassment and discrimination in hospitality launched

31-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

A project designed to tackle bullying, harassment and discrimination in the hospitality industry is set to launch at the end of March.

Burger & Lobster to open in Singapore after return to profit

31-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

Burger & Lobster is ramping up its global expansion with plans to launch its first restaurant in Singapore this year.

The Lowdown: Dinner is Coming

31-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

An ‘immersive spoof dining experience’ timed to coincide with the final series of Game of Thrones will open soon in Waterloo.

Denmark wins the Bocuse d'Or 2019

31-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

Team Denmark has won the 2019 Bocuse d’Or following a cook-off in Lyon, France yesterday.

Caffè Nero buys majority stake in Coffee#1

30-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

The Caffè Nero Group has acquired the Coffee#1 café chain for an undisclosed sum.

Hotel 'misled' customers with false AA rating

30-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

A Cornish hotel which falsely claimed to have an AA four-star rating has been found to be misleading consumers.

Paul and Emma Ainsworth to launch Padstow cooking school

28-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

Restaurateurs Paul and Emma Ainsworth have announced plans to open a cookery school and chef’s table in Padstow this May.

Latest opening: Provisioners

25-Jan-2019 By Stefan Chomka

A stylish new restaurant has opened in the The Dixon hotel in London’s Tower Bridge.

Friday Five: the week's top news

25-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

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

Patisserie Valerie CEO: "It's a bittersweet time"

25-Jan-2019 By Sophie Witts

The CEO of Patisserie Holdings has described the company’s fall in to administration as "bittersweet" but insists it is "business as usual" for the brand.

Corbin & King plans new restaurant brand for Soho

24-Jan-2019 By Georgi Gyton

Corbin & King is planning to launch a new brand in Soho – “a high quality and good value fish restaurant”, BigHospitality's sister site MCA has learnt.

The Lowdown: Ibrahim Dogus

24-Jan-2019 By Joe Lutrario

A politician and restaurateur has received death threats for adding anti-Brexit messages to his customer's bills.