New Restaurants
New Nightspots
| Name |
Address |
City |
Phone |
| Alchemist, The |
225 St. John’s Hill. |
London |
020-7326 7456 |
| Island, The |
123 College Rd. |
London |
020-8960 0693 |
| Phoenix, The |
14 Palace St. |
London |
020-7828 8136 |
| Verve |
1 Upper St., Martin’s Ln. |
London |
020-7395 1200 |
Coming Soon
Mews of Mayfair
Two traditional mews buildings in Mayfair (10-11 Lancashire Court, W1, 020-7518 9388) are being converted into this Modern British restaurant and lounge with embossed leather seating, silk embroidered wallpaper and antique crystal lights. Chef David Selex (formerly of The Grocer on Warwick and Sugar Club) will oversee the menu, as well as a chef's dining room decorated with oversized antique maps of the British Empire. There will also be a basement lounge evoking 1920s glamour and a ground-floor bar serving afternoon tea, light dishes throughout the day and a variety of signature cocktails, including a Moscow Mews (a variation on the Moscow Mule made with fresh ginger).
Good Deals and Other News
New head chef Dominic Teague (ex L'Escargot) replaces Allan Pickett, who has moved to Orrery.
Newly appointed executive chef Jaspal Singh Arora (ex Taj Group in India) is updating and modernising the menu while retaining the traditional heart of the restaurant, now celebrating its 25th anniversary.
This recently refurbished eatery features a revamped menu and wine list, with lower prices to boot. The cuisine, now French bistro, includes the likes of moules marinière, steak tartare, roast poulet noir and grilled onglet steak. There is also a daily chef's lunch menu (£12.50 for three courses).
New head chef Carlo Salodini has updated the à la carte menus, which still reflect the modern Italian fare the restaurant is known for. There is also a set-price lunch menu (£16.50 for two courses). While the green exterior hasn't changed, the dining room now showcases a changing selection of art that's available for purchase.
Brown's Hotel has introduced a pre-theatre dinner menu with a selection of lighter dishes to ensure diners don't doze off mid-performance (Monday–Saturday, 6–7 PM; two courses for £25 or three courses for £30).
This Gloucester Road venue was recently acquired by Tony Kitous, owner of Levant and Levantine, and has just emerged from a major overhaul. David Jones is the new chef direct from Casablanca, and Moroccan artisans have created authentic handcrafted furniture for the dining room.
There is a new branch in Marylebone at 10 Paddington Street, W1 (020-7009 9600).
In celebration of summer, this Zuma sib is offering all-day dining, as well as Sunday lunch; the terrace is up and running too.
Once again, this restaurant/food shop is offering gourmet picnic hampers for a variety of tastes, including the traditional Wimbledon hamper (£37 per person) featuring asparagus and mushroom quiche, cherry tomato compote and smoked mackerel pâté with toasted soldiers and gherkins, as well as the more globally flavoured Lord's Cricket hamper (£35 per person) and the Italian-influenced Ascot hamper (£25 per person). All come with a selection of English cheese and Tyrell's handmade crisps and require 48 hours notice.
- The Grocer on Warwick
- Poons (Leicester St.)
- Tootsies (New King's Rd.)