Casual Dining

Euros puts a dampener on restaurant sales

21-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Restaurants saw a steep decline in sales last month as consumers shifted their spend towards pubs during the 2024 Euros tournament.

Latest opening: Marceline

20-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

London’s Canary Wharf is now home to a huge new floating brasserie that features classical takes on rustic French dishes.

Menu price increases remain ahead of inflation as operators use premium ingredients to drive spend

20-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Chain restaurants are using more premium main dishes to drive average transaction value and attract a more aspirational consumer, according to Lumina’s latest quarterly Menu Tracker.

Nando’s launches school leaver apprenticeship programme for second year

20-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Nando’s has opened applications for the second intake to its ‘Hospitality Heroes’ Apprenticeship Programme.

Rick Stein’s restaurant group seeks central London site as it returns to profit

19-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

The bulk of Rick Stein’s restaurant group returned to profit last year following a challenging 2022 in which it reported a loss before tax of £347,000.

The Prince Arthur and The Plough team launch third East London venture

19-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

The team behind food-centric pubs The Prince Arthur in London Fields and The Plough in Homerton has launched a third East London site.

“Sri Lankan food is still miles behind Indian food in terms of people’s understanding”

16-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

The pair behind Sri Lankan restaurant Kolamba Soho on their larger, more grown-up east London venue, being picky with sites, and challenging perceptions.

Menu prices rise 4.5% year-on-year

16-Aug-2024 By MCA Insight

Food menu prices have increased 4.5% year-on-year, according to Lumina Intelligence’s latest Menu Tracker quarterly update.

Gail's faces backlash over rumours it plans to open in Walthamstow Village

14-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Nearly 500 people have signed a petition trying to prevent the opening of a Gail’s in Walthamstow Village.

How I Got Here: Rupert Davidson

14-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

The founder Neapolitan pizza restaurant group Fatto a Mano on nurturing talent from within your business, learning from mistakes, and what makes a good leader.

Honest Burger CEO to become group chair - updated

14-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Honest Burgers has announced that CEO Thomas Kelly will be moving into the chair role from next month, just eight months after joining the business.

Fatto a Mano to open sixth pizzeria

14-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Burgeoning pizza group Fatto a Mano will open its sixth site this autumn, its third in the capital.

Long Read

Hopping to it: why Kricket is back on the expansion trail

14-Aug-2024 By Stefan Chomka

With a new site in Canary Wharf and another opening in Shoreditch, the modern Indian restaurant group is entering a new phase of growth.

Frankie & Benny’s leans into New York-inspired origins with menu shake-up

13-Aug-2024 By Finn Scott-Delany

Big Table Group is trialling a refreshed menu at three Frankie & Benny’s restaurants after discovering the brand’s remaining sites are mostly outperforming their neighbours.

Tom Pemberton’s Hereford Road closes

13-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Chef Tom Pemberton has closed his well-regarded West London restaurant Hereford Road after 17 years.

The Lowdown

Why Burger & Lobster’s seafood sharer is ‘definitely not a bucket’, despite its appearance

09-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

The London-based group has relaunched its seafood sharer ‘bucket’ with a new look after its original red and white striped design was deemed too similar to that used by KFC.

Latest opening: Goodbye Horses

09-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Alex Young and George de Vos have marked themselves out as a duo to watch with this distinctive natural wine bar, restaurant and coffee shop.

Revolution Bars restructuring plan gets go-ahead

09-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Revolution Bars Group is to move forward with implementing its restructuring plan after it was approved by the High Court.

Meet the ‘hipster Pied Piper’ that helped turn London on to natural wine

09-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Sune co-founder Honey Spencer has spent the past decade or so convincing both restaurateurs and diners to embrace the wilder, less predictable side of wine.

Kricket is heading to Shoreditch – which could see it do breakfast for the first time

08-Aug-2024 By Stefan Chomka

Indian restaurant group Kricket has acquired a site in Shoreditch for the opening of its fifth restaurant.

The Breakfast Club toasts ‘most successful financial year’ in almost a decade

07-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

The Breakfast Club has reported its ‘most successful financial year’ in almost a decade with ‘significantly improved performance across all major metrics’.

Hostmore to transition to fully franchised model following acquisition of TGI Fridays’ US business

06-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Hostmore is to transition to an ‘asset light’ fully franchised model with no corporate stores following its acquisition of TGI Fridays in the US.

Cool weather and Euros boost delivery sales in June

02-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

Britain’s leading managed restaurant groups recorded the strongest growth in delivery sales since the end of Covid-19 restrictions in June, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

Daisy Green adds to estate with new South Kensington site

01-Aug-2024 By James McAllister

London-based antipodean restaurant group Daisy Green is to further add to its estate this month with the opening of Glamarama Green in South Kensington.

Maginhawa Group shutters its original Ramo Ramen restaurant in Kentish Town

01-Aug-2024 By Joe Lutrario

London-based Filipino restaurant business Maginhawa Group has closed its Ramo Ramen restaurant in Kentish Town.

Brother Marcus to open in Covent Garden

01-Aug-2024 By Restaurant

Eastern Mediterranean restaurant group Brother Marcus has chosen Covent Garden for its largest location to date.

Brighton’s The Coal Shed to relaunch this September

31-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Brighton-centric restaurateur Razak Helalat will relocate and reimagine his The Coal Shed restaurant this September.

Longbow Bars & Restaurants submits plans for Bakewell restaurant

31-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Pub and restaurant group Longbow Bars & Restaurants has filed plans to transform the former Royal Bank of Scotland building in Bakwell into a restaurant.

Turtle Bay looks to improve work-life balance for staff through ‘4 days at the Bay’ initiative

31-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Turtle Bay has launched a new initiative that allows salaried restaurant staff to reduce their work week from five days to four without any reduction in pay.

The Alchemist reveals new City location as workers return to offices

31-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Bar group The Alchemist is banking on a continued return of office workers to the City with plans for a new £1.9m project.

YO! owner Snowfox Group rebrands as Wonderfield Group

31-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

The Snowfox Group, which owns brands including YO!, has announced that it has become the Wonderfield Group.

Thomas Straker to double up in Notting Hill

31-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Thomas Straker is set to open a second London site a stone’s throw away from his eponymous Straker’s restaurant in Notting Hill.

Philip Warren transforms its former butchers shop site into a burger joint

30-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Philip Warren Butchers is launching a burger restaurant at the site that originally housed the butcher brand in Launceston, Cornwall.

Parogon Group reports sales increase as it looks to speed up expansion

30-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Parogon Group has reported strong sales growth over the past financial year.

Mike Robinson partners with Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden duo for new restaurant

30-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Chef and restaurateur Mike Robinson has joined forces with Toby Baggott and Sam Lawson-King to open a new pizza concept.

Cow & Sow heads to Birmingham for third site

29-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Bristol-based steakhouse brand Cow & Sow is opening its first restaurant beyond the south west with a new site in Birmingham.

Brighton’s Curry Leaf Cafe closes its doors

29-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Brighton restaurant Curry Leaf Cafe has closed after 10 years citing competition from national Indian chains Mowgli and Dishhoom’s Permit Room spin-off.

Latest opening: Holy Carrot

26-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Following a successful pop up, first-time restaurateur Irina Linovich has found a permanent home for her ‘vegetable forward’ concept Holy Carrot in London’s Notting Hill.

The Lowdown

Another US fried chicken brand is coming to the UK. Is there space for it?

26-Jul-2024 By Stefan Chomka

US-based Dave’s Hot Chicken has bold plans for the UK, with 60 restaurants planned.

Dishoom crosses the pond for the first time with New York café collaboration

25-Jul-2024 By Joe Lutrario

Indian restaurant group Dishoom will make its transatlantic debut next month in the form of a collaboration with famed New York French brasserie Pastis.

Pasta Evangelists begins franchise rollout with two London sites

25-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Pasta Evangelists is opening two Pasta Emporiums under franchise in London as part of its plans roll out a further 20 sites over the next five years.

Bavette named Britain’s Best Local Restaurant

24-Jul-2024 By Restaurant

Leeds-based restaurant Bavette has been named as Britain’s Best Local Restaurant by The Good Food Guide.

Kanada-Ya returns to expansion trail with Westfield opening

23-Jul-2024 By James McAllister

Japanese ramen group Kanada-Ya is to launch its first London restaurant in nearly two years with a new opening at Westfield shopping centre in White City.