Highly rated restaurants Silver Birch in Chiswick and Somssi in Mayfair where shuttered permanently this week, while Honey & Smoke grill house in Great Portland Street and Milk Beach in Queen’s Park have closed for conversion into wine bars as hospitality owners grapple with the challenges of the economy.
The Silver Birch ran for five years and won high marks for its “wonderful” food in the 2026 Harden’s guide, but always struggled with the constraints imposed by its “caff-like” premises. Somssi offered Korean counter dining in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hanover Square, and was rebranded under chef Jihun Kim following the departure of US-based Korean celeb chef Akira Back last summer.
Honey & Smoke will reopen on April 13 as Honey & Co Great Portland, a wine bar, deli and dining room which is expected to be more in line with the rest of the small but influential group of Middle Eastern-style venues from founders Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich (pictured).
Milk Beach now has its flagship Australian all-day cafe in Soho, while the original branch is being converted into a wine bar, with takeaway sushi bars set to open at both venues this summer.
Meanwhile, restaurateur Sam Harrison has announced the closure this coming Sunday (March 22) of his cafe Sam’s Kitchen in Chiswick, saying: “It is brutally tough for the hospitality industry at the moment, and especially for the independent sector. This is the first time I have had to close a site in over 20 years of having my own places and it breaks my heart. I would ask all of you to get out there and support local and independent – it’s very simple, use them or lose them! If we don’t get the government to do more to help this wonderful industry, it will be changed for ever.”
Harrison also owns Sam’s Riverside, Sam’s Larder and Sam’s Kitchen in Hammersmith, and Sam’s Waterside in Brentford.
