Franco Manca shuts 16 restaurants, blaming ‘disproportionate’ taxes Hospitality Franco Manca has taken aim at “disproportionately high” taxes facing the hospitality sector after the pizza parlour shut 16 restaurants in a structural overhaul. The privately-owned restaurant chain said it is suffering from high VAT and “significant” hikes to national insurance and minimum wages, with the site closures to cost hundreds of jobs. The move [...]
Jeremy King: My honest thoughts on The Ivy £1bn sale Life&Style The Ivy and Simpson’s in the Strand restaurateur on holding his nerve, having no regrets and bringing fun back to London dining “People come in crying,” says Jeremy King from a white tableclothed banquette in his new British restaurant, Simpson’s in the Strand. “They have so many stories: my father brought me here, my godfather [...]
Google partners with Opentable with AI that books your dinner Tech Google has taken a swipe at the restaurant booking market, rolling out AI in the UK that can line up your next reservation directly from search. The new feature, launched on Friday, lets users describe exactly what they want, with Google’s AI then scanning the web for real-time availability and serving up bookable options in [...]
Why I love hotel restaurants – and two of my favourites April 10, 2026 Our top columnist on the joys of a hotel restaurant, and two of his favourites London is rightly famous for outstanding hotels that are home to amazing restaurants. The Mandarin Oriental created this movement, breaking the mould fifteen years ago when the most excellent restaurateur Mark Hastings opened Dinner by Heston and Bar Boulud in [...]
The very best wine pairings for steak and fine cuts of meat April 9, 2026 Liverpool Street Chophouse & Tavern is not a place for small plates. The portions are generous, the menus come in a reassuringly bold red with gold lettering, the wines are decanted and the atmosphere harkens back to a time when long, bottle-strewn business lunches were still de rigour. Chef Mike Reid, formerly of M Restaurants, [...]
Brasserie Zedel has a rival in new London restaurant offering three (amazing) courses for £30 April 9, 2026 Both offer three courses for under £30. But could Art Deco haven Brasserie Zedel finally be facing its toughest competition yet in new opening Romano’s? If you’ve ever eaten at Brasserie Zedel and especially if you’ve had the three course set menu for under twenty quid, we’ve got news for you. Jeremy King, the man [...]
Carbone London review: Electric vibes, but the food… April 8, 2026 Carbone London restaurant review It is the job of a restaurant to blast you as far away as possible from reality, and for all its flaws, Carbone – the most hyped London restaurant opening since the Chiltern Firehouse – rocket launches you to the Garden of Eden. Colour palettes of crimson and burgundy present in [...]
Iconic City dining spot set to relocate to new rooftop location March 30, 2026 One of the Square Mile’s most famous restaurants is set to move location. Coq d’Argent, the French restaurant on the rooftop of the No 1 Poultry building near Bank, opened in 1998 and has upkept its reputation as one of the most reliable lunch spots for almost three decades, only last year winning City AM’s [...]
Inside new Irish pub claiming to serve London’s best Guinness March 30, 2026 A new Irish pub is claiming to be the City’s new “go-to” destination for a perfectly poured pint of Guinness. The Horseman & Fitzgerald’s opens in April in the Square Mile but it isn’t the typical Irish pub: it is fancier and has a lot more going on than the average boozer. As well as [...]
Why London bakers obsess over this Michelin starred restaurant February 13, 2026 Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal has maintained his second Michelin star for his on-trend style of decorative cooking, says Adam Bloodworth It is dinnertime at Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal, although you wouldn’t think it from looking at the plates. The food, at quick glance, presents more like fine patisserie. Most dishes are [...]