One of London’s last remaining traditional pie and mash shops, Manze’s in Deptford, is expected to close down next year when its owner George Mascall retires to Norfolk. George is the grandson of Michele Manze, an Italian who settled in London and founded a pie-shop dynasty. The Deptford shop opened in 1914 and is now […]
Here’s our weekly round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about up to 14th January 2024. ***** The Evening Standard David Ellis grumbled about the travel time to the new permanent Clapton location of chef Abby Lee’s Mambow, but even with a “bad beginning” (“queuing has not been planned for” and there was […]
Peter Sanchez-Iglesias is planning to bring celebrated Bristol restaurant Casamia back to life – 18 months after closing it down permanently as ‘financially unviable’. Posting on Instagram, he announced: “Casamia will reopen again. Unfinished business.” The restaurant was originally launched in 1997 by Peter’s parents as a relatively modest suburban trattoria, before being transformed by […]
Michael Sager of Hackney wine bar Sager + Wilde is opening a new venue near Victoria Park this month. Bar Bruno is set in a cute Victorian stable, and will serve natural wines alongside small plates with a focus on Swiss-style filled pretzels. The venture will operate as a shop by day, with everything on […]
An Italian steakhouse from Lecce in Puglia has opened a London branch in Chelsea – with little in the way of introduction or promotion. Tabisca has taken over a site near Sloane Square long occupied by Como Lario, and more recently by short-lived restaurants Liv and 1771. Tabisca’s menu showcases a selection of Italian raw and […]
Much-travelled Aussie chef Scott Hallsworth opens the second permanent venue of his pan-Asian project, Freak Scene, in Balham, south London, next week. Freak Scene Sushi & Grill launches on Thursday 18 January, and follows the first permanent Freak Scene in Parsons Green, which opened last spring in “fine form“, according to the 2024 Harden’s guide. […]
James Close is to close down his acclaimed Co Durham restaurant the Raby Hunt after 14 years and join nearby Rockliffe Hall as culinary director. An ex-pro golfer, James taught himself to cook in the kitchen of the former pub and quickly earned a reputation as a standard-bearer for gastronomic excellence in the Northeast. The […]
Here’s our weekly round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about in the first week of 2024. ***** The Evening Standard Jimi Famurewa opened his first review of 2024 with a bold headline: “Welcome to London’s best new restaurant”. He was reviewing Donia, a Filipino spot that’s taken over the top floor of […]
Highly rated Manchester pasta specialist Sud is relaunching its four restaurants as Rigatoni’s – less than a year after their last name change. Brothers Alex and Mike de Martiis (pictured above) founded the group as Sugo in 2015 with a single site in Altrincham, adding further branches in Ancoats, Sale and most recently the city centre’s […]
Prominent vegetarian restaurant Greens, of Didsbury in south Manchester, has closed down after 33 years following a 35% rent hike – while Copper & Ink in Blackheath, southeast London, is another New Year casualty of rising costs. Greens’ founder Simon Rimmer, a regular on television, announced the closure in a video posted to social media […]
