The spring, summer and autumn of 2010 are shaping up to be a golden period – perhaps one without precedent – for London restaurant openings.
We’re certainly not going to want for starry names. Perhaps symbolically, last week kicked off with a (re-)launch by London’s highest-profile chef, Gordon Ramsay – Pétrus. And Gordon will be back, Terminator-style, in the summer too, when the Savoy Grill is finally able to re-open, as part of the hotel (re-)launch of the year.
Ramsay’s recent Belgravia opening follows just a few weeks after the return to London of big ’90s London name Bruno Loubet, at his Clerkenwell ‘Bistrot’. Another big name of the era, Joel Antunes has recently relaunched himself on the London scene at the new mega-hotel by Westminster Bridge, Park Plaza (a dining room, curiously, from which we’ve been told the general public have so far been excluded!). And Raymond Blanc has just opened a City branch of his Brasserie Blanc chain.
Moving to forthcoming attractions, the Mandarin Oriental is to see the arrival of Bar Boulud, from NYC mega-chef Daniel Boulud. Somewhere at the other end of Sloane Street, Rome’s La Calandre (like Boulud, blessed with Michelin ***) is set to open a relatively informal offshoot, Il Calandrino this summer. And, back at the Mandarin, Heston Blumenthal (yet another ***) is set to tip up with an operation widely expected to owe something to the Hind’s Head at Bray.
Other major-name forthcomings include the Roux clan, set to open a new offshoot in Parliament Square. And only last week, news emerged that much-admired Roussillon executive chef Alexis Gauthier is shortly to re-open the Lindsay House site in ever-hotter Soho.
And we’re holding our breath too for a possible return to the stoves (literally, it seems) of Pierre Koffmann, whose Tante Claire (where Gordon Ramsay’s Chelsea flagship stands today) was the best restaurant in London in the late-’90s.
Moving away from the better-known names, recent times has seen a small-but-welcome theme of chefs escaping from the tyranny of known-and-usual dishes. Clerkenwell’s unpretentious Caravan has widely been favourably reviewed for just that, and we hope for more of the same from Nuno Mendes (who worked with New York's celebrated Jean-Georges Vongerichten) when he opens Viajante in Bethnal Green later this month. East London continues to gather momentum.
In the centre of town, re-invigoration continues too, even around Leicester Square. Traditionally a grockle-magnet, the area has fast seen the opening of a branch of the estimable Busaba Eatha chain. More foodily, look out later in the year for the opening of the 'Son of St John’, where Manzi’s used to be. And later still, the old Swiss Centre site will see the launch of a trendy ‘W’ hotel, which may well have a restaurant of some interest.
In nearby Covent Garden, another East End success, Hawksmoor, is also set for a major West End début. In addition, the Arbutus boys are set to take over the large Pitcher & Piano site in William IV Street for an all-day operation which – if it works out – could be the start of something big. This area hasn’t had a proper large Gallic style operation since the closure of the Palais du Jardin, a major ’90s fixture on Long Acre. A major new Mexican chain, Cantina Laredo, is also set to make its UK début, as also is a flagship for the fast-growing Jamie's Italian chain.
Covent Garden, amazingly, is even beginning to ‘export’ concepts. Terroirs, going against the East-West flow, is, we’re told, to open an offshoot near the Columbia Road Flower Market.
Only this week it has emerged that the well-regarded Texture team is to open an offshoot in 'Midtown' (as the area round Holborn has recently been re-branded). 28/50 - named after the latitudes between which vines are generally grown - will open late next month.
Returning west, look out for the opening of Marlon Abela’s Bistro du Midi on the former (Brompton) Oratory site and – still at the planning level – an offshoot of camp Soho success story Bob Bob Ricard.
Other (fairly well-substantiated) rumours and ‘trails’… Ollie Couillaud (most recently of Bord’Eaux, now closed) is looking to set up on his own in South West London. Viet Grill chef Hieu Trung Bui may come to Soho in partnership with Mark Hix. We’re also reliably informed that the Cinnamon Club – one of London’s most consistently successful upmarket Indians – may shortly be announcing a third site, somewhere in the West End.
However the weather turns out, it looks as if London’s restaurant-goers can look forward to a long hot summer.
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