Delivery and takeaway sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant groups rose 5% year-on-year in October 2023, according to CGA by NIQ’s Hospitality at Home Tracker.
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Aulis’s Charles Carron Brown irons out the mistakes commonly made in approaching a somm, helping to bag the wine a diner wants, rather than the one the somm wants them to drink.
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Finch, a neighbourhood wine bar from the team behind Grays and Feather, is now open in the heart of Brixton Village. Putting the emphasis on theatrical flair, Finch has found its home in a pocket-sized 178sq ft venue, while taking ‘cabinet of curiosities’ as its theme. Featuring just 12 covers, Finch is the second bar from the wine focused company, following the opening of Plume in Covent Garden in 2018.
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The end of this month marks the return of TV chef Jamie Oliver with his newest venture: a restaurant, dubbed Jamie Oliver Catherine St. A ‘love letter to Britain’s food culture’, the Covent Garden restaurant has been imagined around the idea of reflecting Oliver’s culinary roots, from his parents’ pub to his early days at The River Cafe and Neal Street Restaurant, through to his first endeavour, Fifteen. Head chef Chris Shaill will be helming the kitchen following a previous stint working beside Oliver for eight years at Barbecoa. The wine list is being curated by Filipe Bhering, previously of Annabel’s and KOL, and will feature New and Old World offerings, plus cocktails putting a modern spin on the classics.
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Bartending trio Chris Tanner, Martyn ‘Simo’ Simpson and Jack Wallis have put their heads and their mixology skills together to become ‘the Dram brothers’ – the brains behind a multi-faceted venue which launches in the heart of London’s Soho this month. The venue will feature two bars, a whisky shop, an outdoor terrace and a private pool room with a ready-to-drink cocktail vending machine. Aiming to modernise the drinking experience, the playful concept will also follow through to a top-tier spirits and cocktails offer, set over three floors within a 17th century Grade II listed building.
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This autumn, cheese enthusiast Mathew Carver is partnering with friend and long-term supplier Andy Swinscoe, founder of The Courtyard Dairy, to create a new wine, cheese and pizza bar in North Yorkshire. His first restaurant outside of the capital, Rind is part of Carver’s now mature empire of cheese-focused venues in London: The Cheese Bar,
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This month Sexy Fish is opening its third global outpost, in Manchester, with the launch now officially teed up for 12 October. Part of Caprice Holdings, which owns Bacchanalia and Annabel’s, Sexy Fish has become a fixture on the more flamboyant end of Mayfair’s dining scene, with a wine and Champagne list from the world’s top vintages and leading estates taking centre stage. Like its London outpost, Sexy Fish Manchester will be situated in the heart of the city, where a wide selection of top-end Japanese whiskies will also complement the Omakase tasting menus and late-night dining vibe.
Having opened in the regional foodie mecca of Bury St Edmunds, Bradley Dorrington talks to Andrew Catchpole about his different approach to food and wine at The Wine Cellar BSE.
Late-night bar Nessa is now open on the corner of Brewer, Warwick and Glasshouse streets, promising to be Soho’s newest destination for classic drinks and inventive cocktails. Bar manager Floriano Cubeddu (previously of The Goring Hotel, The Ned and Mortimer House) has put together a menu that champions British producers and seasonal ingredients. Cocktails are classic with a playful twist and showcase a range of UK-based brands, with serves including the bittersweet Ol’ China Plate, which mixes East London rye whisky, Sacred dry vermouth and Sipello with Campari. Low & no serves make a strong appearance, too, alongside an extensive list of sparkling and still wines and spirits, again highlighting British producers.
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Pioneering chef Rowley Leigh, (Le Café Anglais and Kensington Place), is returning to west London to launch a residency at Notting Hill’s club and restaurant Laylow. Opening this September, Leigh’s Laylow promises to be a bistro with nostalgic dishes and ‘classic technique’, with inspiration drawn from family holidays to Europe. Italian fare will predominantly lead the menu, while the drinks list is being designed to complement the flavour of Rowley’s hearty dishes. A mixture of spirits classics and ‘rarely seen bootlegs’ will be available, Leigh promises, including a specialist range of tequilas and mezcals.
Top Chef Tom Kerridge is back with another venture: The Butcher’s Tap & Grill on Tryon Street, Chelsea, which will be launching towards the end of the year.
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Varnishers Yard, King’s Cross, London N1 9FD
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The percentage of the UK’s largest restaurant companies turning a profit has doubled in the last year, according to new figures. However, further interest rate rises now hover over the horizon. As a result, hospitality’s biggest operators could be facing new challenges on their return journey to profitability.
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St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, London, NW1 2AR
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