Islington

Coverage highlights foodservice and hospitality activity across this central London borough, with reporting focused on Upper Street, Exmouth Market, Chapel Market, and the wider Angel area. Topics include restaurant and bar openings, neighbourhood dining formats, independent brand growth, and evolving consumer preferences among young professionals and long-term residents. Insight is designed for operators navigating high-footfall trading zones, premium casual trends, and strong local loyalty in one of London’s most food-centric boroughs.

Apr- 2022 -

7 April

Restaurants

Neyba to raise £15m amid plans to open 14 new sites

Neyba, the multi-cuisine kitchen, and grocery concept, has launched a £15m Series A funding round amid plans to further expand its presence in the UK. The unique food concept, owned by Burger and Lobster founder, Misha Zelman and ex Harrods and Heston Blumenthal sales and marketing head, Ben Hedley opened…
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6 April

Restaurants

Chik’n to rebrand amid Soho House partnership

Chik’n has announced that it is set to relaunch and rebrand this spring as Chicken Shop, alongside the opening of a new site in Notting Hill and a new partnership with Soho House. The brand said it has partnered with Soho House to help “spread their wings to bring their…
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Jan- 2022 -

26 January

Restaurants

Rai opens its doors in Fitzrovia

Rai, the multi-course concept created by and named after founder Shrabaneswor Rai and executive chef Padam Raj Rai, has opened its doors in Fitzrovia. The concept features multi-course omakase-style tasting menus that fuse Japanese dishes with unique ingredients from the UK and around the world. Having won “critical acclaim” at…
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Nov- 2020 -

25 November

Restaurants

Bird announces five-year expansion plan

Bird Restaurants has announced an “ambitious expansion plan” with several new site launches planned for early 2021. News of the expansion closely follows the appointment of the group’s new managing director, Andrew Clover. The fried chicken and waffles chain currently has a range of sites across London, including Brixton, Westfield,…
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Aug- 2020 -

14 August

Pubs and Bars

Brewhouse & Kitchen sales up 115% thanks to Eat Out to Help Out

Brewhouse and Kitchen, the 22-site national brewpub group, has reported that sales have grown by 115% during the first six days in which the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Following its staggered reopening, the group had already achieved growth of 6.1% during its first four weeks of trading, with…
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May- 2020 -

25 May

Comment

The coronavirus diaries: Slerp

What a whirlwind the last two months has been. We have seen any sense of a normal approach to life go out the window. As an F&B business owner, we have had to think fast and be creative in order to give ourselves a chance for survival. With so many…
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21 May

Coronavirus

Ottolenghi reopens two London sites

Ottolenghi has announced that two of its London delis are beginning to open their doors. This week, step-by-step, Notting Hill and Islington sites will begin to open to serve the local community pastries, cakes, coffee, fresh salads and other pantry items. The chain, founded by famed Isreali-English chef Yotam Ottolenghi,…
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Apr- 2020 -

23 April

Coronavirus

Paul reopens London sites for takeaway

Paul has announced it is reopening seven of its stores in Canary Wharf, Hampstead, Holland Park, South Kensington, Hammersmith, Marble Arch and Wimbledon. Its Chelsea, Earl Court and Islington sites are also scheduled to open next week. The reopened sites will operate daily between 8am until 2pm for takeaway service…
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Jan- 2020 -

29 January

Restaurants

Zia Lucia to open its fourth restaurant site

Independent pizzeria, Zia Lucia, will open its fourth permanent site in Aldgate East on 7 February 2020. Following on from the launch of the first Zia Lucia in Islington in 2016, Hammersmith in 2018 and Boxpark Wembley in 2019, founders Claudio Vescovo and Gianluca D’Angelo are set to bring its…
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Nov- 2019 -

28 November

Restaurants

Raj of Islington to open Upper Street restaurant in December

Raj of Islington has announced it will open the doors to its new Upper Street restaurant in early December. The brand was founded in 2016 by restaurateur Salim Sheikh, as the 82-cover restaurant will be similar to their flagship venue, Raj of Kensington. The sister restaurant will focus on the…
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