Restaurants
The Restaurants section on Catering Today delivers comprehensive coverage of the UK restaurant industry, from independent operators to national chains. It reports on business performance, openings, acquisitions, and leadership changes, alongside analysis of market trends, menu innovation, and consumer behaviour. With insight into finance, operations, technology, and sustainability, Catering Today provides hospitality professionals with the intelligence and updates shaping commercial strategy across the UK dining landscape.
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Nov- 2023 -14 November
West African restaurant Akara opens in Borough Yards
Aji Akokomi, owner of fine dining West African restaurant Akoko in Fitzrovia, has launched his new restaurant, Akara, in Borough Yards. The 40-seat restaurant is named after the West African dish known as black-eye bean fritters, and it serves the traditional flavours of the area. London-based design studio, A-nrd, has…
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13 November
Loungers roll-out continues with four new sites
Loungers, a UK-based café, bar and restaurant operator under the Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside brands, has revealed that its accelerated site roll-out plan remains firmly on track, with the launch of four new sites since it announced its landmark 200th Lounge opening on 13 September 2023. The three new…
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13 November
Wonderland Restaurants unveils next Park Row theme
Wonderland Restaurants has unveiled The Iceberg Lounge as its next theme at Park Row, London. The restaurant opened last Friday (10 November) and is inspired by the fictional venue from the Batman universe, owned by The Penguin. The Iceberg Lounge introduces a new menu of Modern Japanese dishes and cocktails…
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9 November
Marlowe Bar and Restaurant opens in East London
Marlowe Bar and Restaurant has opened at Montcalm East hotel in East London. The new dining and drinking experience is inspired by playwright Christopher Marlowe and boasts three different spaces. First up is the ground floor Café which is an all-day venue, serving from breakfast to dinner. Next is the…
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9 November
Restaurant Associates appoints new culinary director
Restaurant Associates has appointed Adam Thomason as its new culinary director. Thomason, who holds a Master of Culinary Arts degree, spent several years working for Restaurant Associates and the larger Compass Group before leaving in 2021. Currently, he leads the England Culinary Team as captain. Thomason said: “It’s fantastic to…
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8 November
Number of London restaurants charging £150+ a head nearly doubles
The number of restaurants in London charging £150 per head or more per person for a meal has risen 46% to 54 up from 37 last year, according to data from Harden’s London Restaurants 2024 guide. There has also been a 59% jump in the number of London restaurants charging…
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7 November
Pizza Express owner decides againt The Restaurant Group bid
Pizza Express owner, Wheel Topco, will not make a bid for The Restaurant Group (TRG) due to “market conditions” it has confirmed. Last month, TRG confirmed that Wheel Topco had requested diligence information to evaluate a possible offer for its competitor. This move comes after TRG agreed to be bought…
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6 November
Outpost Bar and Kitchen to open in Pontcanna’s Laundry Quarter
Outpost, a new Welsh independent bar and kitchen based in Pontcanna’s Laundry Quarter, is set to open its doors on Wednesday, 8 November. The man behind the new venture is Nick Saunders, founder of Cardiff’s Depot venue and Depot’s spin-off, the Tiger Yard street food venue in Cardiff Bay. He…
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3 November
Half of restaurant-goers say bad experiences damage brand loyalty
Nearly half (49%) of restaurant-goers stated that a few bad experiences is the biggest reason why they become less loyal to a brand, according to a survey by CGA and Zonal. The survey of more than 5,000 UK adults found that 52% of consumers say they now have higher expectations…
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2 November
Chopstix’s converted Chozen Noodle sites see sales uplift
Two former Chozen Noodle sites which have been converted into Chopstix venues have seen sales rise almost 50% since the conversion. The sites Beaconsfield Extra motorway service area and Cobham Extra motorway service area became Chopstix sites following the brand’s takeover of competitor Chozen Noodle in March. These two venues…
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