What's New in London 2014
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre
London 2012
London is a hotbed of new openings from destination restaurants to designer hotels, from quirky cafes to stylish shops. Find out about the hottest openings in town - if it's new and newsworthy, it's here.
Opened January 2014
Where:
Tommi's Burger Joint Chelsea,
342 Kings Road, London London, SW3 5UR
Category:
Tommi's Burger Joint Chelsea, 342 Kings Road, London, SW3 5UR
Tube: South Kensington Station
Sunday hangover cure, burger of the month and icelandic Viking beer are top of the list of Sunday achievements list on a lazy Sunday on the King's Road, courtesy of Tommi's Burger Joint, the burger outlet by restaurateur Tomas 'Tommi' Tomasson. Tommi's has already built up a loyal following with its restaurant on Marylebone Lane so it's great news they're opening a second outlet in Chelsea. The informal, vintage feel to the interior mirrors the decor of the original London site on Thayer Street. The menu reflects a consciously back-to-basics vibe, with just a few burgers, sodas and shakes available. Patties are made with top quality chunky mince, served in a soft bun with red onion and salad while fries are skinny, crunchy and salty. The King's Road restaurant adds a special Icelandic beer, Viking, to the drinks menu alongside a selection of wine and regular beers, and home-made milkshakes created with Icelandic ice-cream.
Opened 6th January 2014
Where:
The House of Ho,
55-59 Old Compton Street, London London, W1D 6HW
Category:
South East Asian Cuisine
The House of Ho, 55-59 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 6HW
Tube: Leicester Square Station, Piccadilly Circus Station, Tottenham Court Road Station
Bobby Chinn, a New Zealand-born chef who already has two successful restaurants in Vietnam - Restaurant Bobby Chinn in Saigon and Hanoi - opened his first London restaurant, The House of Ho in Soho on 6th January 2014. Described as a restaurant with "real potential" by Tom Parker Bowles, who highlighted a "magnificent wodge of apple-smoked pork belly" for special praise, this "resolutely Vietnamese" venue offers a menu of traditional dishes from Vietnam where Bobby has lived since 1996, but given his own twist developed from his travels around the world. Born in New Zealand to a Chinese father and Egyptian mother, Bobby was educated in England and lived in the States for several years so he certainly has plenty of international experience to draw on when it comes to culinary invention. The atmosphere at this 90-seat restaurant on Old Compton Street will be "fun" and "informal" with moderate prices.
Opened 9th January 2014
Where:
La Giaconda,
9 Denmark Street, London London, WC2H 8LS
Category:
French Cuisine
La Giaconda, 9 Denmark Street, London, WC2H 8LS
Tube: Tottenham Court Road Station, Leicester Square Station, Covent Garden Station
Back in the sixties the Giaconda Cafe at 9 Denmark Street was where David Bowie met his first backing group, The Lower 3rd. Famous as the hangout of music legends Bowie, Boland & The Kinks, La Giaconda next to Tin Pan Alley, was relaunched in January 2014 by Australian chef Paul Merrony and his wife Tracey Petersen, who have also been involved in Flat White and Milk Bar for years. The old Giaconda style remains - serving honest food with a 'French-ish' flavour - but the restaurant is now housed in a smaller, 'secret' room behind the more casual cafe. An elegant dining space with a high ceiling made cosy with rugs and textiles, the restaurant serves a meat-heavy menu with choices including roast chicken, ham hock hash or grilled rack of lamb alongside more adventurous cuts like grilled calves liver or tripe braised with chorizo, smoked paprika and butter beans. In the cafe, with its red tiled bar, wooden floors and tables, things are more informal. Open for breakfast, lunch - when Paul's plat du jour is served along with favourites such as a Caesar salad and a croque monsieur - and supper, whatever is on the menu is cooked simply with good ingredients but without any pomp.
Opened 14th January 2014
Where:
Dirty Bones,
20 Kensington Church Street, London London, W8 4BN
Category:
Dirty Bones, 20 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4BN
Tube: Notting Hill Gate Station
Hot dogs, loud music and retro styling give Dirty Bones a buzzing atmosphere. The menu, created by Ross Clarke (previously at the Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen), features a selection of playful takes on the classic American snack, using high quality British sausage meat. The hotdogs include: The Brit, served with treacle bacon, mature beer cheddar and English mustard; The Asian, served with kimchi relish, crispy seaweed and wasabi mayo; The Classic Yankee, served with yellow mustard, red ketchup and spring onions; and The Burger Dog. Other meaty options include fried chicken in a spicy glaze which comes in both 1/2 stack and a whole stack, succulent Boston ribeye steak on the bone with the signature Dirty Bones glaze. Beef up mains with side dishes of triple fried fries, charred padron peppers, mac and cheese, and tomato and chorizo. Desserts, which include The Milk & Cookies and Coffee & Doughnut, are a nod to traditional diner classics while drinks include quirky cocktails like the Dirty Bones Martini (olive oil washed Tanqueray, Lillet Blanc, Halidikili olives) and the Mutt's Nuts (Woodford Reserve, cinnamon and vanilla infused maple syrup, Angostura bitters, lemon and apple juices). Fun.
Opened 16th January 2014
Where:
Brooklyn Bowl,
O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, London London, SE10 0DX
Category:
Brooklyn Bowl, O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, London, SE10 0DX
Tube: North Greenwich Station
Five years after the original Brooklyn Bowl launched, the well known New York bowling alley comes to London's O2. The London venue is the first Brooklyn Bowl to open outside the US and includes 12 lanes of bowling, a 800-capacity concert venue alongside American style food and beers brewed locally by the Meantime Brewing Company. Well known for its live music as well as the bowling lanes, the original has been hailed by Rolling Stone as "one of the most incredible places on earth," and Adele, Kanye West and Elvis Costello have all played at the NYC venue. Food is by Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Restaurants which brings its signature menu including oyster po' bos, Cajun catfish, French bread pizzas, egg shooters, and their famous fried chicken to UK shores.
Opened 16th January 2014
Where:
Lanes of London,
Marriott Hotel, 140 Park Lane, London London, W1K 7AA
Category:
Lanes of London, Marriott Hotel, 140 Park Lane, London, W1K 7AA
Tube: Marble Arch Station
Not what you'd expect of a restaurant within the Marriott hotel on Park Lane, Lanes of London takes street food and confines it within four walls of a Mayfair hotel. So the menu is divided into areas of London and the type of cuisine typical of that locale. So under Brick Lane you get Indian food, Kingsland Road stands for Vietnamese, Edgware Road represents food from the Middle East and Portobello Road stands for burgers and fried chicken. The bar creates the first impression as you enter the restaurant with bevelled mirrors and clear and colured glass creating a warm welcome as you arrive. The restaurant itself has leather banquettes and is divided by screens for privacy while large bay windows give elevated views onto Speaker's Corner and Marble Arch. Reviewing Lanes of London for the Guardian, Jay Rayner found it to be a poor substitute for the real thing but concedes that the sliders "are glorious and make me hum happily to myself" and the desserts which include "jammy dodgers served in their own cutesy tin" almost make up for the "bizarre inconsistencies".
Opened 17th January 2014
Where:
Oslo,
1A-1C Amhurst Road, London London, E8 1LL
Category:
Oslo, 1A-1C Amhurst Road, London, E8 1LL
Tube: Hackney Wick Overground Station
Situated next to Hackney Central Station on Amhurst Road, Oslo is a Nordic inspired music and dining destination with capacity of up to 600 over two floors. The venue has been designed as both a daytime hub to meet and eat - it's a burger and some brews sort of place - and a night time destination for clubbing. Its weekly club night 'Valhalla' kicks off upstairs at 10pm while in the first few weeks of opening there were gigs from Dry the River, Chrome Hoof and Indiana. Downstairs the extensive bar includes handpicked ales from local breweries such as Redemption, Five Point's and Sambrook's, alongside top quality wine and spirits, while the menu has been designed by Oslo head chef Dave Ahern, formerly of House of Wolf.
Opened 20th January 2014
Where:
Souli,
17 George Street, London London, W1U 3QL
Category:
Cafes and Delis
Souli, 17 George Street, London, W1U 3QL
Tube: Bond Street Station
Owner Hella Souli set up cafe-come-takeaway Souli on George Street in Marylebone to deliver fresh, fabulous, fast food. Imagine you're in Italy as you sip on Sant'Eustachio coffee from Rome - it's the only place in London you'll find it - and choose from a selection of gourmet sandwiches. Choices include home-made porchetta with wild rocket and fig chutney or crisp and fresh endive, walnut and poached pear salad with Roquefort dressing. Stop here for coffee to take-away, a quick breakfast before work, or a more leisurely lunch with friends.
Opened February 2014
Where:
Brindisa Food Rooms,
41-43 Atlantic Road, London London, SW9 8JL
Category:
Spanish Cuisine
Brindisa Food Rooms, 41-43 Atlantic Road, London, SW9 8JL
Tube: Brixton Station
Part-shop, part-bar, Brindisa Food Rooms is the Brixton sister venue to the original Brindisa at Borough Market, Monika Linton's famous import business which has made its name bringing Spanish delicacies to these shores for these past 25 years. Set under two railway arches, the Brixton Brindisa offers a simple but extended menu inspired by the Catalan Llesqueries; a very accessible way of eating that Monika Linton enjoyed when she lived in Barcelona in the mid-1980s. Specialities include grilled chorizo, a llesca - sliced toasted country bread rubbed with sweet tomato, covered with generous slices of cured ham - Basque salt cod and cuts of fresh Iberico meat from Extremadura. Shop here for fresh fruit and veg direct from Barcelona, home-marinated olives, and a small range of affordable wines to accompany the food, available to buy by the bottle.
Opened February 2014
Where:
Holborn Dining Room,
252 High Holborn, London London, WC1V 7EN
Category:
British Cuisine
Holborn Dining Room, 252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN
Tube: Holborn Station, Chancery Lane Station
The launch of the luxury Rosewood London on High Holborn was one of the new hotel highlights of 2013, and from February 2014 the hotel's in-house restaurant, the Martin Brudnizki-designed Holborn Dining Room, welcomes its first diners. Rosewood is renowned for designing its hotels according to location and the Holborn Dining Room's nod to Britain comes in the form of mini milk bottles as vases and custard vessels, banquettes made to look like park benches, and seat covers in London bus red. The menu, overseen by Executive Chef Lee Bull, includes traditional British dishes such as lamb chops, corned beef hash and hock & coq pudding, all made from the finest locally sourced ingredients. And with former Ivy Head Chef Des McDonald, whose first restaurant was The Fish & Chip Shop in Islington, at the realm, the fish and chips served with mushy peas is one of the obvious menu highlights. High tea is also available, with a selection of sandwiches, Welsh rarebit, cream tea and a daily changing cake menu.
During the soft opening (18th-23rd February) the brasserie is offering 50% off all food at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Opened February 2014
Where:
La Patisserie des Reves,
43 Marylebone High Street, London London, W1U 5HR
Category:
Delicatessens
La Patisserie des Reves, 43 Marylebone High Street, London, W1U 5HR
Tube: Baker Street Station
Renowned pastry chef Philippe Conticini brings his pastry perfection from Paris to London with La Patisserie des Reves in Marylebone. French patisseries are beautifully presented under glass belljar covers containing signature pastries like traditional mille-feuille cakes, Saint Honore (choux pastry, cream and caramel topping) and Paris-Brest - choux pastry with praline cream and praline sauce. A close replica of the decor in the five existing French shops, the design is modern with clean white surfaces and flashes of bright colour. Founded in 2009 by Conticini and entrepreneur and hotelier Thierry Teyssier, La Patisserie des Reves has expanded to include five stores in Paris and two in Japan, and now one in London.
Opened 4th February 2014
Where:
London House,
7-9 Battersea Square, London London, SW11 3RA
Category:
Modern European Cuisine
London House, 7-9 Battersea Square, London, SW11 3RA
Tube: Fulham Broadway Station
In Battersea, in a former coal warehouse on a riverside spot, London House is one of two Gordon Ramsay restaurants to launch in close succession. Opened in February 2014, London House followed the September 2013 opening of the Union Street Cafe in Borough Market. Ramsay's head chef at London House is Anna Kelly, who has previously worked at leading restaurants in Paris. Her husband Colin runs the critically acclaimed Picture restaurant in central London. Baked haddock with squid ink, venison on a bed of braised puy lentils, and chicken with sweet potato and fried polenta are typical dishes at London House which is more of a fine dining concept than Union Street Cafe with interiors by top interior designer Russell Sage who has already designed Ramsay restaurants Petrus and Bread Street Kitchen.
Opened 6th February 2014
Where:
Quattro Passi,
34 Dover Street, London London, W1S 4NG
Category:
Italian Cuisine
Quattro Passi, 34 Dover Street, London, W1S 4NG
Tube: Green Park Station
Italian chef Antonio Mellino, who has earned two Michelin stars with his Quattro Passi restaurant on the Amalfi Coast, is moving his family to London to bring "real Italian fine dining" to London. Working alongside his family - which includes sons Raffaele and Fabrizio - Quattro Passi in London replicates the success of the Italian original to offer authentic dishes from the Calabrian coast of Southern Italy. The menu includes pearls of shrimp in chickpea sauce, scialatielli pasta with cuttlefish, prawns and mint, and Madame Piemontese golden fried veal chop served with oven roasted potatoes and lemon perfumed mayonnaise. Antonio plans to import all his ingredients fresh from Italy every day, almost exclusively using his long standing Amalfi coast suppliers. Cristiano Pellizzari, formerly of the Four Seasons, is general manager at this glamorous 100 cover restaurant on Dover Street so you can expect a very high standard of service and presentation. For Mayfair's more discerning clientele, a private members club on the lower level of the restaurant gives members access to a luxurious bar with 60 covers, a club menu, and live music.
Opened 9th February 2014
Where:
Whisky Mist,
London Hilton Hotel, 35 Hertford Street, London London, W1J 7SD
Category:
Nightclubs
Whisky Mist, Hilton Hotel, 35 Hertford Street, London, W1J 7SD
Tube: Green Park Station, Hyde Park Corner Station
London's renowned celebrity hotspot - a favourite haunt for every class of celeb from footballers to royals - returns in 2014 after an extensive two-month refurbishment. The new Whisky Mist has been overseen by nightclub owner Nick House (who is also co-owner of Mahiki and Bodo's Schloss) and a team from top clubs in Europe to reveal "a darkly glamorous new spin on its Scottish heritage". Clubbers can dance till dawn in rooms decorated with suits of armour, coats of arms, crested wallpaper, whisky barrels and the majestic stag after which the club is named. The "gothic chapel" look is completed by stained glass windows, a reclaimed church organ and pews. Cocktails are served in pewter and steel, and leather and horn cups. Opt for the signature Whisky Mist cocktail and you'll get a potent alcoholic drink infused with amber and honey. With the return of Whisky Mist comes its new sister club, Rusty Nail, an intimate, exclusive late-night hangout with a carefully curated line-up of DJs which is, presumably, for VVIPs and is also available for private hire.
Opened 10th February 2014
Where:
Polpetto,
11 Berwick Street, London London, W1F 0PL
Category:
Italian Cuisine
Polpetto, 11 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0PL
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station, Tottenham Court Road Station, Leicester Square Station
Two years after the closure of Polpetto's first incarnation above The French House, Russell Norman and Richard Beatty's hugely popular Italian restaurant has re-opened in a new larger location but still within Soho, at 11 Berwick Street, with Florence Knight in charge of the kitchen once again. The 70-cover dining room is substantially larger than the 23-cover restaurant originally established above the iconic French House pub in Dean Street, and includes an open kitchen and aperitivo bar. The larger premises is a welcome improvement for those who failed to get into the previous Polpetto restaurant which couldn't cater for groups larger than four. The menu features cicheti, small plates of classic Venetian osteria dishes such as mussels, cannellini beans and three-cornered garlic; beetroot, gorgonzola and poppy seeds; and scallops, cauliflower and lardo; but there are also British combinations like bacon chop, pear and walnut; game faggot and bloater with fennel giving Polpetto a slightly different flavour to the rest of the Polpo group. Sister restaurants co-owned by BBC's 'The Restaurant Man', Russell Norman, dubbed the "king of Soho restaurants" by The Times, include Polpo restaurants in Covent Garden, Soho and Smithfield as well as Mishkin's and Spuntino. The wine list promotes northern Italian wines from small producers, while desserts include maple tart, fried pecorino and honey, chocolate flan with creme fraiche, and milk pudding flavoured with rhubarb and rose.
Opened 12th February 2014
Where:
The Fable,
52 Holborn Viaduct, London London, EC1A 2FD
Category:
British Cuisine
The Fable, 52 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2FD
Tube: Farringdon Station, St. Paul's Station
Inspired by Aesop's tales, The Fable is a Farringdon bar and restaurant based around story telling; everything from the decor - the vintage typewriter, the library lined with leather bound story books - to the cocktails tells a story. Created by Drake & Morgan, responsible for sister venues such as The Folly, the parlour, The Anthologist and, most recently, the happenstance, The Fable has floor-to-ceiling windows and seats 426 across its three floors. The site on Holborn Viaduct was once a dwelling house dating back to the 15th century. As well as the bar and restaurant there's a wine room, a florist's - featuring a roll-top bath overflowing with blooms - and a deli stocked with Borough Market delights.
Opened 17th February 2014
Where:
Roka Mayfair,
30 North Audley Street, London London, W1K 6HP
Category:
Japanese Cuisine
Roka Mayfair, 30 North Audley Street, London, W1K 6HP
Tube: Bond Street Station, Marble Arch Station
Roka, Rainer Becker's contemporary Japanese robatayaki restaurants, will open two new London locations in 2014. Roka Mayfair will open on North Audley Street on 17th February followed by Roka Aldwych - which promises "a new dynamic altogether" - in the summer. Ten years after setting up the original Roka and Shochu Lounge on Charlotte Street in 2004, Roka Mayfair opens following the successful formula of the original restaurant with the charcoal robata grill at the heart of the restaurant. Excellent ingredients and expertly crafted sushi and sashimi compliment the food from the robata grill and dishes like rice hot pot with lobster from a menu overseen by the group's executive chef, Hamish Brown. Relaxed yet elegant dining is the feel of the Mayfair restaurant where glimpses of crimson complement the contemporary design and a plush upholstered wall features hand-painted Japanese prints. The main dining room seats 80 guests, you can eat at the robata counter, or dine outside on terrace where there's seating for 12. Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney, who first appeared on the London restaurant scene in 2002 with Zuma, will have four Roka branches in London by the end of 2014, with the two new openings following hot on the heels of their 2013 launch of Oblix on the 32nd floor of The Shard.
Opened 21st February 2014
Where:
Chiltern Firehouse,
Chiltern Street, London London, W1U 7PU
Category:
New Hotels
Chiltern Firehouse, Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7PU
Tube: Baker Street Station
Legendary American hotelier Andre Balazs has turned the vacant former fire station in Marylebone's Chiltern Street into the Chiltern Firehouse, a luxury hotel with 26 boutique suites. New York-based real-estate developer Andre Balazs has already enjoyed huge success and notoriety with designer hotels like The Mercer, Chateau Marmont, and The Standard Hollywood in the US. Now he has opened his first hotel in London, transforming the Grade II-listed Victorian building into a classy hotel set to be the hangout of choice for the style set. Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes departed his Michelin-starred Viajante restaurant at Bethnal Green's Town Hall Hotel to head up the kitchen, serving dishes with an American slant - taking inspiration from the 16 years Nuno spent training and working in the States with chefs such as Wolfgang Puck who is behind CUT at 45 Park Lane and the thrice Michelin starred Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Opened 27th February 2014
Where:
8 Hoxton Square,
8 Hoxton Square, London London, N1 6NU
Category:
British Cuisine
8 Hoxton Square, 8 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6NU
Tube: Old Street Station
Australian-born chef Cameron Emirali, previously in the kitchen of the Wapping Project, and Luke Wilson, the duo behind 10 Greek Street, have gone to a second venture with 8 Hoxton Square, a 50-60 cover restaurant in east London. Loved by the critics - Marina O'Loughlin described 10 Greek Street as part of "a culinary revolution in Soho" - this is sure to become a popular place to eat. Starters of cauliflower soup and truffle oil can be followed by mains like whole grilled sea bream, and poussin served with white beans, bacon and spinach. Apple and raisin turnover, pear tart and almond praline ice cream, and chestnut honey semifreddo with blood orange and pistachio give diners something sweet to end with. Get up close and personal with the chef at the kitchen table at which eight people can sit and see how their food is expertly put together (bookable Monday to Sunday). Open for lunch and dinner daily, you can also enjoy breakfast here from 10am-12.30pm on the weekends.
Opened 28th February 2014
Where:
The Werkstatt,
7-9 Woodbridge Street, London London, EC1R 0LL
Category:
Art Galleries
The Werkstatt, 7-9 Woodbridge Street, London, EC1R 0LL
Tube: Farringdon Station
The Werkstatt - meaning workshop in German - is a workshop for international designers and architects to meet, be inspired, play and create. A showcase for the Sto Group, the global construction and design company, the renovated factory in Clerkenwell aims to become a cultural hub through a programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops and consultations. Opening with the inaugural exhibition 'Building Images', the exhibition gives a taste of things to come - inspiring visitors with great architectural photography shortlisted for The Arcaid Images Architectural Photography Award.
Opened Spring 2014
Where:
Q Grill,
29-33 Chalk Farm Road, London London, NW1 8AJ
Category:
Q Grill, 29-33 Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8AJ
Tube: Chalk Farm Station
Memphis, Tennessee meets 'farm to grill', meets Camden Town is how Q Grill on Chalk Farm Road describes itself. Q Grill comes to Camden courtesy of Des McDonald, the man behind Islington's The Fish & Chip Shop who has brought in Phil Eagle, previously head chef at Hix, to head up the kitchen while the menu is overseen by Lee Bull who is also behind the menu at The Fish & Chip Shop. At the 150-seat Q, burgers, pecan wood-roasted chicken and grilled rib eye steak make up the meaty offerings alongside fish dishes like battered shrimp Q fritters, and queen scallop ceviche from the raw bar. Supplement with sides including seasoned fries, Q baked beans, and fried onion rings. Finish with American afters like banoffee cheesecake, salted caramel and peanut butter puddings, and Louisville lemonade jello, and wash down with wine, beer, American bourbon, or a cocktail. Another 2014 opening from owner Des McDonald, former CEO of Caprice Holdings, is the Rosewood hotel's Holborn Dining Room, expected to be a highlight of the new crop of restaurants opening in London in 2014.
Opened March 2014
Where:
Bravas Tapas,
St Katharine Docks, London London, E1W 1AT
Category:
Spanish Cuisine
Bravas Tapas, St Katharine Docks, London, E1W 1AT
Tube: Tower Hill Station
Serving superior Spanish food and with an outdoor terrace overlooking the marina, Bravas Tapas is a welcome new addition to St Katharine Dock. Brought to you by restaurateur Bal Thind - who invested in successful London restaurants Hakkasan, Yauatcha and Busaba - Victor Garvey is the chef. Garvey has worked at some of the best restaurants in the Basque country, including Mugaritz and Akelarre, and had his own restaurant, Acacia, on the beach of Puerto Banus, Marbella. All the dishes on the menu at the London restaurant are tapas dishes like tapas croquetas, chipirones (tiny squid) and patatas bravas. To drink, George Matzaridis, previously at Hakkasan, has created Spanish-themed cocktails and there are Spanish wines, sangrias, sherry and craft beers.
Opened March 2014
Where:
Jamaica Patty Co,
26 New Row, London London, WC2N 4LA
Category:
Caribbean Cuisine
Jamaica Patty Co, 26 New Row, London, WC2N 4LA
Tube: Leicester Square Station, Covent Garden Station, Charing Cross Station
JPC, or Jamaica Patty Co. to give this Covent Garden restaurant its full name, is the brainchild of Jamaica-born Theresa Roberts. Promising to transform preconceptions about Caribbean cuisine, JPC has a "contemporary but authentic" approach to cooking. Patties are, naturally, centre stage, freshly baked in store every day and filled with deliciously spicy fillings. Options include jerk chicken, prawn, curried goat and Jamaica's national dish of Ackee and Salt Fish. The kitchen is run by multi-award winning Jamaican chef Collin Brown, three times voted Caribbean Chef of the Year, who cooks up mouthwatering speciality soups like punchy pumpkin with a spicy kick, chicken and dumpling and gungo pea - perfect for a healthy lunch on the go. Other dining options include Jamaican porridge and a shot of Blue Mountain coffee in the morning, patties and Plantain crisps, as well as Tortuga rum cake, banana bread, or Devon House Ice Cream for something sweet. Wash down with fresh coconut water or soursop juice, the tropical drink renowned for its health benefits.
Opened March 2014
Where:
Rawduck,
97 Richmond Road, London London, E8 3NJ
Category:
Cafes and Delis
Rawduck, 97 Richmond Road, London, E8 3NJ
Tube: Bethnal Green Station
After being forces to close as its original location, 5 Amhurst Road, Rawduck reopens in Hackney, at 97 Richmond Road near London Fields. This wine shop, cafe, bar and restaurant is from the team behind Soho restaurant Ducksoup, aka chef Julian Biggs, Clare Lattin and Rory McCoy. At Rawduck they've replicated the features that make their Soho original so popular - the record player where you can be DJ, and the natural and bio-dynamic wines to drink in or take away. On the blackboard menu there's prosciutto and ricotta Hackney Bun, salmon and curd toast, boiled hen's egg with buttered sourdough soldiers in the morning. Lunchtime sandwiches include the Reuben with pastrami, saurkraut, melted Swiss cheese and wasabi mayo, or the Dirty Bird with chilli roast chicken, iceberg lettuce and jalapeno mayo. From 5pm choices include raw chopped beef, shaved radish, sriacha and parmesan or bottarga and mozzarella, creme fraiche and San Danielle and garlic sourdough crumbs.
Opened March 2014
Where:
Sky Garden,
20 Fenchurch Street, London London, EC3M 3BY
Category:
British Cuisine
Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY
Tube: Monument Station, Bank Station, Cannon Street Station
The free-to-access Sky Garden occupying the top three floors of Rafael Vinoly's 37 storey, 525ft 20 Fenchurch Street (aka the Walkie Talkie) gives diners several different dining spaces and beautiful landscaped gardens at the top of one of London's landmark buildings. Visitors to the Sky Garden will arrive by express lift at a beautiful landscaped garden at level 35 designed by award-winning landscape architects Gillespies and a bar serving champagne and canapes, a chic brasserie and viewing area at level 36 and a public terrace, seafood bar and grill restaurant and cafe at level 37. The food is by "rhubarb" who also run Gallery Mess at Saatchi Gallery, "rhubarb" at the Royal Albert Hall, and Bond & Brook by "rhubarb" at Fenwick. The company also works with Michelin starred chef Heston Blumenthal and will be offering events at 20 Fenchurch Street.
Opened March 2014
Where:
Sunborn London,
ExCeL Royal Victoria Dock, London London, E16 1SL
Category:
New Hotels
Sunborn London, ExCeL Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1SL
Tube: Canning Town Station
Moored at Royal Victoria docks, next to the ExCeL Centre, Sunborn London offers travellers luxury accommodation with a difference - on a glamourous 142-metre yacht. Originally the Sunborn Princess at the Naantali Spa in Finland, the floating hotel has undergone a complete refurbishment both on the outside and within to include 138 spacious rooms and suites over five floors, increasing the number of hotel rooms on-site at ExCeL London to over 1,600. The 120-metre Sunborn London includes entertaining space, a fine dining restaurant, bar, auditorium and conference rooms, state of the art gym and vast outside decks and private terraces. The hotel is primarily expected to attract corporate clients, with its close proximity to ExCeL, London City Airport and Canary Wharf but is also conveniently located for visitors holidaying in the area and visiting local attractions like the O2, Greenwich and the Emirates Airline.
Opened March 2014
Where:
Walkie Talkie / 20 Fenchurch Street,
20 Fenchurch Street, London London, EC3M 3BY
Category:
Sights
Walkie Talkie / 20 Fenchurch Street, 20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY
Tube: Monument Station, Bank Station, Cannon Street Station
Designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Vinoly, 20 Fenchurch Street, nicknamed the 'Walkie Talkie' made headlines before it even opened when it 'melted' cars parked underneath it during the peak of the summer heat in 2013. With measures put in place to prevent further melting mishaps, the Walkie Talkie promises to be one of the most hotly anticipated buildings to open in London in 2014 with its 'garden in the sky'. The distincitve top heavy design allows for a top floor Sky Garden which span three floors and offers uninterrupted views across the City. Served by two express lifts, visitors arrive to a beautiful landscaped garden at level 35, a bar and viewing area at level 36 and, to top it all, a public terrace, restaurant and cafe at level 37. The Sky Garden will be a truly unique space and has been designed to create an open and vibrant place of leisure offering visitors a rare chance to experience London from a different viewpoint. The 37 storey, 525ft (160 metre) high, £500 million building also offers 690,000 square feet of office space and contains over 28,000m3 of concrete, 13,000 tonnes of structural and reinforcing steel and approximately 33,000 metres squared of glass - equivalent to more than 4.5 football pitches.
Opened End March 2014
Where:
Villiers Coffee Company and Dining Room,
31a Villiers Street, London London, WC2N 6ND
Category:
British Cuisine
Villiers Coffee Company and Dining Room, 31a Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6ND
Tube: Charing Cross Station, Embankment Underground Station, Leicester Square Station
The family behind the famous Gordon's Wine Bar, a wonderfully atmospheric subterranean bar where Samuel Pepys once lived, have branched out to open Villiers Coffee Company and Dining Room in the same street as the original bar. Set up by the granddaughters of the current owners of Gordon's, Sophie Gordon is in charge of the menus and the kitchen while her sister Rose looks after the wine list and front of house. It's a real family affair - "Being a Gordon, food and drink has always been in our DNA," Sophie, who sold cakes to fund her Fine Art degree, told the Evening Standard - and their father, illustrator Tom Gordon, has designed the menus and decor. Villers is open all day offering coffee and breakfast in the morning and from mid-day there will be an informal, all-day menu of seasonal dishes. Salads, pastries and cakes are available to take away. The bar at the front serves as a cafe by day and a bar for eating and dining in the evening.
Opened Early 2014
Where:
Duck & Rice,
90 Berwick Street, London London, W1F 0QB
Category:
Chinese Cuisine
Duck & Rice, 90 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0QB
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station, Tottenham Court Road Station
Hakkasan and Wagamama founder Alan Yau opens 'Chinese gastropub' Duck & Rice on the Soho street famous for its fruit and veg market, silk shops and Flat White. The restaurant, on the site where The Endurance once stood, is just around the corner from Yauatcha, another Alan Yau success story.
Opened Early 2014
Where:
Farina,
186 Bermondsey Street, London London, SE1 3TQ
Category:
Farina, 186 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3TQ
Tube: London Bridge Station
Zucca, Sam Harris's hugely popular Italian restaurant in Bermondsey, expands to include Farina, a pizza restaurant and ice cream parlour at no. 186 next door. Having cut his teeth at The River Cafe chef-proprieter Sam Harris has firmly established Zucca as the Bermondsey equivalent - minus the prohibitive prices. With the original restauant full to over flowing, diners will be pleased to see this extension offering authentic Italian fare and genuine gelato. From the name - Italian for "flour"- we wouldn't be suprised to see dishes like gelato di polenta (polenta ice cream) on the menu. More details to follow...
Opened 1st March 2014
Where:
Aquatics Centre,
Olympic Park, Stratford, London London, E20 2ST
Category:
London Olympics Venues
Aquatics Centre, Olympic Park, Stratford, London, E20 2ST
Tube: Stratford Station
The iconic wave-shaped Aquatics Centre designed by Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid for the London 2012 Olympics reopens in 2014 for public use as a leisure faculty for local and elite swimmers, complete with creche, family-friendly changing facilities, a cafe and a new public plaza. The Centre's most striking feature is its state-of-the-art sweeping 160m long roof, which is made from steel and glass on the outside and 37,000 individual strips of treated hardwood within, and has a longer single span than the roof at Heathrow's Terminal 5. Underneath this staggering edifice are a 50m competition pool, 25m competition diving pool and a 50m warm-up pool. Former world record-holding swimmer Mark Foster laid the first of 180,000 pool tiles in September 2010 - two years after work started - while British diver Tom Daley opened the pool in July 2011. Labelled the unofficial "gateway" to the 2012 Games due to its position in the south east of the Park, above the River Lea and Olympic Stadium, the Centre has a 2,500-seat permanent faculty. An interesting final fact: more than 160,000 tonnes of soil, much of it contaminated, were dug out to build the Aquatics Centre in an operation that uncovered several Iron Age skeletons as well an assortment of rusting relics from the area's former uses.
Opened 1st March 2014
Where:
Assado,
157 Waterloo Road, London London, SE1 8XA
Category:
Indian/South Asian Cuisine
Assado, 157 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8XA
Tube: Lambeth North Station, Southwark Station, Waterloo Station
Portuguese influenced food with an Indian/Goan twist is the flavour at Assado at 157 Waterloo Road, the latest restaurant from chef Cyrus Todiwala, one half of the duo featured in BBC TV series The Incredible Spice Men who is also behind celebrated Indian restaurant Cafe Spice Namaste. At Assado - a Portuguese word meaning 'roast' - Cyrus has developed a natural correlation between Portuguese, Goan and Brazilian cuisine, combined with that of his Indian homeland. The result is a menu of specials cooked on woks, wood-burning ovens, and the Kamado grill in the open plan kitchen as well as the signature dish of pulled pork Assado. Mains include traditional Goan style Pork Vindaloo, and Caldeen de Frango com Arroz, a milder curry developed in Goa for the Portuguese palate. Diners can eat in or get good quality food to go - the restaurant space includes a deli counter serving a wide choice of delicatessen specialities and meals for people to pick up and take away.
Opened 4th March 2014
Where:
Lee Valley VeloPark,
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London London, E20 3EL
Category:
Lee Valley VeloPark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, E20 3EL
Tube: Leyton Station
Four cycling venues in one, the Lee Valley VeloPark within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park includes the Olympic Velodrome track, the re-modelled Olympic BMX Track, one mile of floodlit road circuit, and five miles of mountain biking trails. From March 2014, members of the public, no matter what their ability, can use the 2012 Olympic venues and follow in the tracks of the medal winning Olympic athletes. The 250 metre indoor velodrome track is the fastest in the world, used for bikes with no gears or brakes with fixed wheels. The BMX track has been remodelled, and new mountain biking trails have been designed by one of Britain's top trail builders and graded into three levels. So, whatever your level of experience, you can book in for an hour long taster session, a skills sessions or a drop in session.
Opened 4th March 2014
Where:
London Olympics BMX Track,
Olympic Park, London London, E20 2ST
Category:
London Olympics Venues
London Olympics BMX Track, Olympic Park, London, E20 2ST
Tube: Hackney Wick Overground Station
The adapted Olympic BMX Track, the home of the BMX Cycling competition in the 2012 London Olympics, reopens to the public on 4th March 2014, a year and eight months after the Games. The floodlit undulating 400 metre track at the former Olympic Park in Stratford has been adapted so that members of the public - from beginners to more advanced riders - can use it. The toughest challenges of London 2012 course remain so experienced riders can get a taste of the Olympic course. The track is floodlit so you can ride from early in the morning to late evening and coaching for all levels of ability is available. The BMX track is part of the Lee Valley VeloPark which combines four cycling disciplines in one venue and includes eight kilometres of mountain bike trails, a one mile road racing circuit, a cafe, cycle hire and workshop facilities, and the 6,000 seater Olympics Velodrome, all opening on 4th March 2014.
Opened 4th March 2014
Where:
London Olympics Velodrome,
Olympic Park, Stratford, London London, E20 2ST
Category:
London Olympics Venues
London Olympics Velodrome, Olympic Park, Stratford, London, E20 2ST
Tube: Leyton Station
The iconic Pringle-shaped Velodrome in the north of the Olympic Park at Stratford, a state of the art stadium built for the London 2012 Olympics, re-opens for public use on 4th March 2014. The centerpiece of the 2012 cycling competition, the 6,000 seat velodrome returns centre stage as the most striking element of the Lee Valley VeloPark which combines four cycling disciplines in one venue. Cyclists of all abilities can ride the 250 metre track where Great Britain won seven gold medals from ten events in the London 2012 Games. The award winning stadium has been designed for the very highest level of international cycling competition but is also available to beginners and novices who can sign up for taster courses. The new VeloPark includes the neighbouring redeveloped BMX Track and is owned, funded and run by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.
Opened 5th March 2014
Where:
Made in the Shade,
177 Hoxton Street, London London, N1 6PJ
Category:
Caribbean Cuisine
Made in the Shade, 177 Hoxton Street, London, N1 6PJ
Tube: Old Street Station
Made in the Shade, not just the 1975 compilation album by The Rolling Stones but also slang for 'success' back in the '50s, is also a Hoxton bar serving Carribean food that's the brainchild of three cocktail creators, Jeremy Thompson Jewitt, Jim Wrigley, and Peter Lewis, with food by BBC celebrity chef @caribbeancook Patrick William. Food is locally sourced and the tapas style soul food menu - good for sharing with friends - is made with seasonal ingredients. But the drinks are the crowd pulling factor here. Internationally-acclaimed drinksmith Jim Wrigley has been given free rein to create whatever he liked. The results are the refreshing 'Shady Maid Lemonade' with Hendrick's Gin; the long and luscious Buffalo Trace bourbon-based 'Jonson's Reprieve' (with freshly juiced carrot and turmeric); and the 'Thyme is on my side', vodka with fresh squeezed blood orange juice and thyme-infused agave. Special attention is paid to keeping your cocktails cool with "purpose-crafted, millimetre-perfect hand-sawn ice" to keep your drink colder for longer.
Opens 14th March 2014
Where:
Karl Lagerfeld,
145-147 Regent Street, London London, W1B 4JD
Category:
Karl Lagerfeld, 145-147 Regent Street, London, W1B 4JD
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station, Oxford Circus Station
The biggest European Karl Lagerfeld store occupies a prime Regent Street spot, giving shoppers an insight into the world of Karl with Lagerfeld's cutting edge designs for the home, men and women displayed in a state of the art store. Karl Lagerfeld the store is filled with men's and women's ready-to-wear, perfume, accessories, including handbags, leather goods, watches, eyewear, scarves, footwear as well as just about everything you could possibly want. Alongside the mainline collections is a specific UK Capsule collection which includes a range of Union Jack-motif pieces like Karl's signature fingerless leather gloves and, K/Kreepers, the K/Kuilted backpack, and his collectible tokidoki figure, 'Mr UK'. Throughout the 250 metres square store, mirrors and walls of light illuminate and enhance the collections on display. Digital gadgets are an integral part of the shop with photobooths in the changing rooms, and iPad minis on display racks where visitors can explore the entire collection online. Videos show the latest collections and Karl news, shoppers can surf Karl.com, take photos of their favourite items, and leave a message for the designer. The store was launched on Thursday 13th March 2014 with an A-list private cocktail party where a fleet of Karl Lagerfeld branded London taxis drove in convoy on Regent Street throughout the evening. Special guests included Princess Beatrice, Lady Amanda Harlech, Arizona Muse, Amber Le Bon, Haim, John Newman and David Gandy, and Karl Lagerfeld himself.
Opens 17th March 2014
Where:
Big Easy Covent Garden,
12 Maiden Lane, London London, WC2E 7NA
Category:
American Cuisine
Big Easy Covent Garden, 12 Maiden Lane, London, WC2E 7NA
Tube: Covent Garden Station, Charing Cross Station, Embankment Underground Station, Leicester Square Station
Big Easy Covent Garden is due to open on 17th March 2014.
Located in a former electricity power station, set over three floors and occupying 10,000 square feet, the famous American Big Easy restaurant comes to Covent Garden setting up a BBQ and crabshack on the site the Gatti Brothers first used to light their own restaurant back in 1883. The interior - all copper conduits, brickwork, steel and concrete girders, and industrial lighting - pays homage to the building's industrial past. The menu includes BBQ beef cuts, rare-breed British steaks, fresh local seafood and lobster. The imposing nine-metre bar specialises in brown liquor of all types - whisky, tequila, Caribbean rum, and French and Spanish brandy. Frozen slushies - dispensed from imported, purpose built cocktail machines - are also a speciality. Running the show as executive bartender for Corrett restaurants is award winning Lee Potter Cavanagh, formerly group bars manager of HIX restaurants, and 2013 Young Bartender of the year Nathan Merriman as bar manager (previously at The Club at The Ivy and prior to that The Savoy). Live music seven nights a week makes for a lively atmosphere, fuelled by X-rated shakes (creamy cocktail milkshakes) and Pickle backs - a shot of whisky followed by a shot of cucumber or pickle juice.
Opens 24th March 2014
Where:
One Kensington,
1 High Street Kensington, London London, W8 5NP
Category:
One Kensington, 1 High Street Kensington, London, W8 5NP
Tube: High Street Kensington Station
One Kensington Place opens 24th March 2014.
Tamarind, the restaurant group behind the Michelin starred Tamarind restaurant and the more casual Imli, specialising in street food, takes a new direction with One Kensington Place, with a focus on international rather than Indian cuisine. As well as good quality food, the restaurant offers views overlooking Kensington Palace Gardens and is housed in a Grade II listed, late Gothic revival Victorian building built in 1885 for the London and County Bank to designs by architect Alfred Williams. With original features like the high carved vaulted ceilings, double height windows and expansive wood panelling, the restaurant has the atmosphere of a private members' club but without the need for membership. Available for all day dining, for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, or a romantic dinner, One Kensington is also a great place to enjoy views over Kensington Palace Gardens with a glass of champagne at the elevated champagne table.
Opens Spring 2014
Where:
Simon Rogan at Claridge's,
Brook Street, London London, W1K 4HR
Category:
Simon Rogan at Claridge's, Brook Street, London, W1K 4HR
Tube: Bond Street Station
Simon Rogan at Claridge's opens in spring 2014.
Simon Rogan, the celebrated chef behind Roganic, a successful pop-up in Marylebone which ran from 2011 to 2013, is the man who will be taking the helm at Claridge's, heading up the restaurant previously run by Gordon Ramsay for 12 years. Rogan has worked with well known chefs like Marco Pierre White and Jean-Christophe Novelli and has earned two Michelin stars with his own L'Enclume restaurant with rooms in Cumbria where he also owns Rogan & Co, and The Pig & Whistle. More recently, in 2013 he launched two restaurants - The French, and Mr Coopers House & Garden - in Manchester's Midland Hotel. The restaurant's 2014 opening will be headline news following the closure of Ramsay's operation there in June 2013. Rogan's style of modern British cooking style is inspired by his love of homegrown produce and fresh ingredients will be sourced from his own farm in Cumbria - said to be "a defining factor" for the new restaurant at Claridge's.
Opens March 2014
Where:
Barnyard,
18 Charlotte Street, London London, W1T 2LZ
Category:
British Cuisine
Barnyard, 18 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 2LZ
Tube: Goodge Street Station, Tottenham Court Road Station
Barnyard opens in March 2014.
Tipped to be one of the hottest openings of 2014, Barnyard is the latest venture by Ollie Dabbous and Oskar Kinberg, the pair behind the excellent and always fully-booked Dabbous. Run by general manager Charlie Bolton, a key member of the opening team at Dabbous before he went on to manage the bar at Burger and Lobster in Mayfair, chef Joseph Woodland who trained at The Square before moving to Launceston Place heads up the kitchen. Barnyard dishes include homemade sausage rolls with piccalilli, roast beef on toast with warm horseradish buttermilk, and sweets such as apple and cloudberry crumble with clotted cream, and bananas and custard. Barnyard tipples include Hedgerow Shandy (sloe gin, cider, pink grapefruit & tonic), boilermakers, homemade lemonade and unusual milkshakes, such as popcorn and lavender, all served either virgin or alcoholic. Barnyard's rustic theme is felt through its interior fitted out with reclaimed timber and corrugated tin while indie folk, country and blues are predominantly on the playlist. And if you've ever had to wait months for a table at Dabbous - and "getting a table at Dabbous will prove tougher than getting through to a real human being on the TalkTalk helpline" (Jay Rayner, The Guardian) - the good news is that Barnyard is walk-ins only.
Opens April 2014
Where:
Barrafina Covent Garden,
10 Adelaide Street, London London, WC2N 4HZ
Category:
Spanish Cuisine
Barrafina Covent Garden, 10 Adelaide Street, London, WC2N 4HZ
Tube: Charing Cross Station, Embankment Underground Station, Leicester Square Station, Covent Garden Station
Barrafina Covent Garden opens April 2014.
After a five year wait, restaurateurs Sam and Eddie Hart open the second branch of Barrafina, this time occupying a corner site on Adelaide Street in Covent Garden. Much like the original and hugely popular Barrafina on Frith Street in Soho, the menu here will be made up of classic and contemporary tapas, using meticulously sourced and seasonal ingredients from Spain and the British Isles, but with the addition of some new dishes which take inspiration from recent trips to Spain. The restaurant includes a long marble top bar, with 29 stools and an open kitchen, and there's a lower ground floor space for private dining and events which has an open kitchen with its very own plancha. Nieves Barragan Mohacho, who has worked with the Hart Brothers for over ten years oversees the running of the kitchen as Executive Head Chef, and the fabulous Jose Etura heads up the front of house operations. Just as at the original, it's first come, first served - form an orderly queue, tapas lovers, it's worth it.
Opens April 2014
Where:
Bonnie Gull Seafood Cafe,
55-57 Exmouth Market, London London, EC1R 4QL
Category:
Fish and Seafood
Bonnie Gull Seafood Cafe, 55-57 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QL
Tube: Farringdon Station
Bonnie Gull Seafood Cafe, Exmouth Market opens in April 2014.
Pack your bucket and spade and head to Exmouth Market this April where Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack is setting up its second, larger site. Following the success of the original Fitzrovia restaurant co-founders Alex Hunter and Danny Clancy bring us Bonnie Gull Seafood Cafe offering "something slightly different". Not only bigger, the new restaurant will also have "a more informal 1960s British seaside cafe feel". As with the original, the menu changes with the seasons and the day's catch. Eat in or take-away menu options include a selection of 'shells' - including oysters, cockles, smoked mussels, langoustines served on newspaper - and 'rolls', think fish finger sandwich, lobster and crab rolls. Alongside these are a range of starters and mains based around fresh, sustainable British seafood. Other dishes include Mum's pilchards on sourdough toast and smash your own 1kg cock crab with flame grilled brown meat. Finish with homemade 'Mr Whippy' ice cream and whet your whistle on a cocktail or two.
Opens April 2014
Where:
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company,
Trocadero, 7-14 Coventry Street, London London, W1D 7DH
Category:
Fish and Seafood
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Trocadero, 7-14 Coventry Street, London, W1D 7DH
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station, Leicester Square Station
Bubba Gump Trocadero is currently planning to open in April 2014.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, the seafood restaurant chain inspired by the 1994 film Forrest Gump, comes to London opening at the Trocadero site once occupied by Planet Hollywood which has since moved to Haymarket. The menu at this famous chain of seafood restaurants features shrimp, as the name suggests, including Shrimp Shack Mac & Cheese, Dumb Luck Coconut Shrimp, and Shrimper's Heaven. But it has also won awards for its dixie style baby back ribs and its drink menu which includes margaritas hand-shaken at your table. If you've still got room indulge in all-American puds like Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae. This will be the first Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant in England but the company has many locations in the States including the original on Cannery Row in Monterey, California, which opened in 1996 and one at Universal Studios Florida.
Opens April 2014
Where:
Dorsett Hotel, Shepherds Bush,
58 Shepherd's Bush Green, London London, W12 8QE
Category:
New Hotels
Dorsett Hotel, Shepherds Bush, 58 Shepherd's Bush Green, London, W12 8QE
Tube: Goldhawk Road Station, Shepherd's Bush Market Station (Hammersmith and City Line), Shepherd's Bush Station (Central)
The Dorsett Regency, Shepherd's Bush is due to open in April 2014.
The Dorsett Regency, Shepherd's Bush is a Grade II-listed red brick landmark which opened as a cinema in 1923 but which has been unoccupied since 2001 and now just the original facade remains. Located next to the rather noisy Walkabout pub, the pavilion was being used for one-off events, such as club nights, private parties and one-off screenings before being re-developed. According to the Evening Standard, planning permission has been granted to turn the venue into a four star, 242-room hotel. The hotel on the site of the former Pavilion Cinema will be run by Asian group Dorsett Hospitality International and is expected to become part of its mid-priced business Dorsett Regency brand when it opens in 2014. Hilary Cross transfers from the nearby K West Hotel & Spa to become General Manager at the Dorsett Shepherds Bush.
Opens 1st April 2014
Where:
Willow Street Hotel,
10-50 Willow Street, London London, EC2A 4BH
Category:
New Hotels
Willow Street Hotel, 10-50 Willow Street, London, EC2A 4BH
Tube: Old Street Station
Willow Street Hotel, the first UK hotel from Nobu, is due to open in 2014.
Hot on the heels of the opening of his first-ever hotel - in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, which opened in 2013 - master sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa is also planning his first European hotel, the Willow Street Hotel in London's Shoreditch, the following year. The new hotel, at 10-50 Willow Street, east London, has been designed by Ron Arad Associates and, from the plans submitted to Hackney council, the design is quite simply stunning. The hotel will house 143 bedrooms and - given Nobu has made his name in creating the finest Japanese cuisine in the world - it's no surprise to hear there's a statement restaurant: a dramatic five metre high space in the basement. The five story hotel includes its own garden, while rooms are clustered around a central bathroom screened off by a full-height curved unit. This will be the first UK building by Ron Arad, the designer responsible for the stunning design museum in Holon, Israel.
Opens 5th April 2014
Where:
ArcelorMittal Orbit,
Olympic Park, Stratford, London London, E20 2ST
Category:
Sights
ArcelorMittal Orbit, Olympic Park, Stratford, London, E20 2ST
Tube: Stratford Station
ArcelorMittal Orbit re-opens 5th April 2014.
Presiding over the former Olympic Park the Anish Kapoor-designed ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower, was described by Mayor Boris Johnson as that "something extra" needed to "distinguish the east London skyline" and "arouse the curiosity and wonder of Londoners and visitors". The 115m-high steel sculpture resembles a "continuously looping lattice" (The Independent) and is the largest example of public art in the UK. The project cost around £20m, with most of the funding coming from the involvement of Britain's richest man, the Indian-born steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, chairman of the ArcelorMittal steel company. Painted red and located between the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Centre, the Orbit is "an icon to match the Eiffel Tower" according to Boris - which is perhaps a bit antagonistic towards the French capital city of Paris, which famously lost the 2012 Olympic bid to London. Co-designed by Cecil Balmond, Kapoor's Orbit offers two-storey dining and a viewing gallery - accessible by a spiralling staircase or a lift - over the whole of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and beyond. The sculpture is a permanent structure and, post Games, forms part of the lasting legacy of the area as it continues to attract visitors to east London.
Opens 5th April 2014
Where:
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
Olympic Park, London London, E20 2ST
Category:
Parks and Gardens
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Olympic Park, London, E20 2ST
Tube: Hackney Wick Overground Station
The south section of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park re-opens on 5th April 2014.
A year after the 2012 London Olympic Games, the former Olympic Park re-opened as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - a site of over 250 acres of beautifully landscaped open space and 6.5 km of waterways. The opening of the north park on Saturday 27th July 2013 was the first phase of transforming the Olympic Park while the rest of the 560 acre park opens in spring 2014. The multi-use arena, known as the Copper Box during the 2012 Games, also reopened in summer 2013 creating the third largest arena in London for concerts, sports and community projects as well as cultural and business events. Made up of two distinct areas, the south of the park around the Stadium, the Aquatics Centre and the ArcelorMittal Orbit, is an urban entertainment plaza where a programme of events is run. The north of the park features a river valley, centred around waterways, parkland and green space - offering outdoor activities including play areas and cycle paths. Cyclists can also be able to use parts of the cycling venues used in the Olympics including the Velodrome, BMX course, outdoor road circuits and off-road mountain bike trails at the VeloPark. Both the VeloPark and neighbouring Eton Manor sports complex will be open to the public, managed by the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority. New family homes, artists' workshops, pop-up restaurants, micro-breweries and street markets are also part of the Olympic legacy, as is the transformation of the Press Centre into five floors of office space. If you can't wait for the official opening of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park you can book in for Tickets for the Park In Progress Tour where you'll get an overview of the park as it evolves from sporting arena to the 'people's park'.
Opens 15th April 2014
Where:
Verdi,
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London London, SW7 2AP
Category:
Italian Cuisine
Verdi, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP
Tube: South Kensington Station
Verdi opens on 15th April 2014.
Verdi is the appropritately named restaurant at the Royal Albert Hall which replaces the former Cafe Consort, following a £1 million refurbishment to be unveiled on Tuesday 15th April 2014. Operated by 'rhubarb', a group founded in 1996 by Lucy Gemmell which caters for over 400 events per year and is also behind the Sky Garden restaurants and Gallery Mess, the menu features authentic Italian dishes alongside a strictly Italian wine list served in a contemporary dining room with 224 covers. Food options include sea bream and olive gnocchi with spinach, tomato and caper dressing; stone-baked pizza with tiger prawns, asparagus, button mushrooms, mozzarella and tomato; and rigatoni arrabbiata with garlic, tomatoes and red chilli peppers all sourced from the finest Italian food suppliers. Verdi also plays host to the 'More at the Hall' series with live music showcasing the most promising young talent in London played every Friday from 8pm, lunchtime on Saturdays and as part of a brunch package on Sundays.
Opens May 2014
Where:
City Social,
Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London London, EC2N 1HT
Category:
British Cuisine
City Social, Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HT
Tube: Liverpool Street Station, Bank Station, Moorgate Station
City Social opens May 2014.
Jason Atherton's City Social takes over the Tower 42 spot vacated by Gary Rhodes. Situated high up on the 24th floor of the famous tower, the restaurant offers fanatastic views of the Gherkin, the Cheesgrater and across the city. Head chef Paul Walsh (previously sous chef at Gordon Ramsay's Royal Hospital Road) is working closely with Atherton to design the City Social menu showcasing the best of British ingredients. Interiors have a contemporary art deco look courtesy of Russell Sage Studios - all rosewood panelled boards, chrome and smoked glass, brass and mirror accents - centred around an open kitchen. The art deco theme is also felt in prohibition era cocktails served at the 85-seat bar and made with Scotch, gin and cognac to a menu by award winning mixologist Gareth Evans. Jason Atherton is behind some of London's best restaurants with the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social, Little Social across the street, Social Eating House in Soho, and Berner's Tavern at The London Edition, Ian Schrager's stylish Fitzrovia hotel. With City Social the chef, the first British cook to complete a stage at Spain's famous elBulli restaurant, proves there's still room for him to go up in the world.
Opens May 2014
Where:
Ham Yard Hotel,
Ham Yard, London London, W1D 7LT
Category:
New Hotels
Ham Yard Hotel, Ham Yard, London, W1D 7LT
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station, Leicester Square Station
Ham Yard Hotel (working title) is due to open in May 2014.
Tim and Kit Kemp, owners of Firmdale Hotels, are turning a large three quarter acre site at Ham Yard in Soho, a bombsite since the Blitz, into a luxury boutique hotel worth £90 million. The building, situated between Great Windmill Street and Denman Street, will have 90 bedrooms and suites, 25 apartments, 12 retail stores, bar, restaurant, gym and spa when it opens in April 2014. Plush private cinemas are a feature of other Firmdale hotels - which include Charlotte Street Hotel and the Crosby Street Hotel in New York - and this one will follow in their footsteps with a 120 seat theatre and cinema. Other added extras include private event spaces and a 4 lane bowling alley which can also be used as a night club. Firmdale is working with the architects Woods Bagot to turn this central London site, deserted for 40 years, into a luxury hotel with individually designed rooms - something Kit Kemp is a dab hand at.
Opens May 2014
Where:
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre,
Olympic Park, Stratford, London London, E20 2ST
Category:
London Olympics Venues
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, Olympic Park, Stratford, London, E20 2ST
Tube: Hackney Wick Overground Station
From May 2014, London 2012's Hockey Centre becomes the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. The first rate facilities include two hockey pitches within a 3,000-seat hockey stadium which can increase capacity to 15,000 for major events. There are four indoor tennis courts and six outdoor courts, available to the public throughout the day and evening, all year round, and a £30 million clubhouse with changing rooms, bar and seating areas. Having hosted the Wheelchair Tennis at the 2012 Games, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre continues to promote and serve the sport, providing coaching and facilities for local and national players, as well as hosting the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters from 2014-16 and the 2015 EuroHockey Championships. But the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre isn't just for the best athletes, it's also there to encourage local players and beginners and provides an inspiring environment to learn and improve.
Opens May 2014
Where:
Strand Dining Rooms,
1-3 Strand, Grand Buildings, London London, WC2N 5EJ
Category:
British Cuisine
Strand Dining Rooms, 1-3 Strand, Grand Buildings, London, WC2N 5EJ
Tube: Charing Cross Station, Embankment Underground Station, Leicester Square Station
The Strand Dining Rooms are dut to open in May 2014.
From late spring/early summer 2014 there'll be a swanky new place to enjoy all-day dining on Trafalgar Square. Part of the redevelopment of the grand looking 1-3 Grand Buildings, the Strand Dining Rooms is a 180 cover British restaurant from Mark Harris, who has previously held positions at The Capital Hotel, Simon Parker Bowles' Green's Restaurant & Oyster Bar, and Searcy's at The Gherkin. He has teamed up with Russell Sage Studios interiors who have created an interior based on a traditional Pullman Coach with rich polished wood finishes and beautiful detailing. Promising exceptional service and value for money - "very much at the core of everything I believe in", according to Harris - wine will also play an important part at this quintessentially British restaurant, with wines from specialist suppliers like Bibendum, Corney & Barrow, Flint Wines and Decorum Vintners. In the words of Russell Sage, this is "sure to be one of the stand out restaurant openings of 2014".
Opens 6th May 2014
Where:
Shangri-La Hotel London,
32 London Bridge Street, London London, SE1 9SY
Category:
New Hotels
Shangri-La Hotel London, 32 Bridge Street, London, SE1 9SY
Tube: London Bridge Station
Shangri-La Hotel is due to open on 6th May 2014.
The first ever luxury Shangri-La Hotel in London will have the unique selling point of occupying the upper floors of one of the tallest buildings in Europe when it opens on 6th May 2014. Standing at 310 metres (1,016 feet) tall the new Shard tower, also known as London Bridge Tower, will be 245 feet higher than One Canada Square in Canary Wharf - previously London's tallest tower. Taking up 18 floors of the Shard - from floor 34 to 52 - the Shangri-La will offer 195 rooms, 170 deluxe guestrooms, averaging more than 42 square meters each making them among the largest in London. Its 25 suites, including two specialty suites and a presidential suite, are sure to be something special - with glass-enclosed 'wintergarden' balconies. Guests can sink into the 'Shangri-La Bed', with its patented body-contouring technology, and enjoy state of the art luxuries like LCD televisions, hi-fi equipment and business services. To top it all, the luxury spa on the 52nd floor - Europe's first CHI spa - will offer Chinese and Himalayan healing therapies alongside fitness facilities including gym, whirlpool, steam, sauna and, best of all, an indoor infinity swimming pool with panoramic views of the London skyline. Even if you're not staying at the hotel you will be able to benefit from those far-reaching views - anyone can book in for a meal at the restaurant Lang or enjoy afternoon tea at Ting. Gong on level 52 is the highest bar in London - the ideal place for sunset cocktails with stunning views over London's skyline. Alternatively, there's the public viewing platform, The View From The Shard, on floors 68 to 72 which is expected to attract over half a million visitors a year.
Opens 6th May 2014
Where:
Ting,
32 London Bridge Street, London London, SE1 9RL
Category:
Modern European Cuisine
Ting, 32 Bridge Street, London, SE1 9RL
Tube: London Bridge Station
Ting opens on 6th May 2014, bookings available from 3pm onwards.
Modern European food with a hint of Asian flavouring is on the menu at Ting, the signature restaurant and lounge of the Shangri-La, the five star hotel occupying the middle floors of Renzo Piano's 72-storey Shard. From the hotel's sky lobby on level 34 it's a short but spectacular walk up the sweeping staircase to the restaurant on level 35 which gets its name from the Chinese word for 'living room'. Signature dishes include hand-dived scallops from the north-west Highland coast cooked a la plancha and served with carrot, ginger and a light yuzu and grape seed oil dressing and organic Welsh lamb from Rhug Estate, glazed with mirin, sake and soy sauce, served with root vegetables and Kentish apples. The more casual lounge has an a la carte menu of Asian specialties including curry laksa, 'Hainan' chicken rice and char koay teow. Afternoon tea is also something of a speciality with two options on offer - a classically English experience, and an Asian-inspired alternative - both with 30 teas to choose from. One of three restaurants and bars within the Shangri-La, Ting is two floors beneath the hotel's bar, Gong, while artisan deli Lang can be found on the ground floor.
Opens Mid 2014
Where:
The Beaumont,
8 Balderton Street, London London, W1K 6TF
Category:
New Hotels
The Beaumont, 8 Balderton Street, London, W1K 6TF
Tube: Bond Street Station, Marble Arch Station
The Beaumont is due to open mid 2014.
Restaurateurs Jeremy King and Chris Corbin are to open a boutique hotel overlooking Brown Hart Gardens at 8 Balderton Street in the former Avis building, a 1920's Art Deco structure originally used as a garage. The Beaumont, a 75-room hotel in Mayfair, will feature an inhabitable sculpture of a crouching man, called Habitat, by 'Angel of the North' artist Anthony Gormley which is predicted to become a landmark for the area. King and Corbin, who have made their name with top notch eateries like The Wolseley, The Ivy and Le Caprice have developed the £40 million in partnership with property firm Grosvenor to a design by ReardonSmith architects who have previously worked on the Four Seasons on Park Lane, The Savoy, and Claridge's. The boutique hotel at 8 Balderton Street will comprise a royal suite, restaurant, a small private private dining room, lobby bar/salon, spa and leisure facilities as well as the 75 guest rooms.
Opens June 2014
Where:
StreetXo,
15 Old Burlington Street, London London, W1X 1RL
Category:
Spanish Cuisine
StreetXo, 15 Old Burlington Street, London, W1X 1RL
Tube: Oxford Circus Station, Green Park Station
StreetXo opens in June 2014.
Young Madrid-born chef David Munoz, who's behind that city's three Michelin starred DiverXo, brings his street-food inspired StreetXo to London in June 2014, creating his first restaurant outside Spain and returning to the city where it all started - Munoz trained at top London restaurants including Nobu and Hakkasan before setting up his own restaurant in Madrid. His StreetXo restaurant is influenced by Spain, naturally enough, but also takes in many other elements of his travels - which have taken him across Europe to South East Asia and everywhere in between. The focal point of the restaurant will be the central open kitchen with chefs front and centre, cooking and serving up food and fun - Munoz's is an upbeat approach to cooking. The menu will change often and features just 12 to 14 dishes, but also look out for the trolley laden with one-off creations circulating the room. Open and airy, StreetXo will also have a large bar with cool cocktails and Munoz and his crew will be throwing in extra surprises along the way.
Opens 4th June 2014
Where:
Heathrow Terminal 2 | The Queen's Terminal,
London Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, London London, TW6 1EW
Category:
Heathrow Terminal 2 | The Queen's Terminal, Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, London, TW6 1EW
Tube: Heathrow Terminals 123 Station
Heathrow Terminal 2 | The Queen's Terminal opens on 4th June 2014.
Passengers aboard a United Airlines flight from Chicago, due to land at 05.55 on 4th June 2014, will be among the first to experience the new Heathrow Terminal 2, known as Terminal 2 | The Queen's Terminal, in honour of Her Majesty The Queen. The new £2.5bn terminal with its distinctive triple-wave by internationally renowned Luis Vidal + Architects will serve 20 million passengers a year, and will be home to STAR Alliance, Aer Lingus and Virgin Atlantic's domestic flights. Replacing the old terminal which opened in 1955, Terminal 2 houses an ultra-modern facility behind its environmentally considerate glazed facades - less need for electric lighting. Within the ripple-like structure is a two-level departure lounge, ten-metre tall viewing windows, and 63 carefully selected shops and restaurants. John Lewis opens its first airport store at Heathrow Terminal 2, and if any restaurant could take the pain out of a prolonged stay in the departure lounge, Heston Blumenthal's The Perfectionist Cafe must surely be it. Look up in the central courtyard and you'll see Richard Wilson's Slipstream sculpture, an ambitious artwork inspired by the world of aviation, which at 76 metres is longer than the world's largest passenger airliner.
Opens 4th June 2014
Where:
The Perfectionists' Cafe,
Heathrow Terminal 2, London London, TW6 1EW
Category:
British Cuisine
The Perfectionists' Cafe, Heathrow Terminal 2, London, TW6 1EW
Tube: Heathrow Terminals 123 Station
Heston Blumenthal's The Perfectionists' Cafe opens at Heathrow Terminal 2 in June 2014.
He may be best known for his Michelin-starred cuisine-as-laboratory cooking but Heston Blumenthal has done his best to transform the plates of ordinary people with his televised experiment at roadside restaurant group Little Chef. Now Heston brings his innovative style of cooking to the masses once again with The Perfectionists' Cafe at Heathrow's Terminal 2 - The Queen's Terminal which opens on 4th June 2014. Named after and inspired by Heston's 'In Search of Perfection' TV series, the menu celebrates some of Britain's favourite dishes, harking back to the heyday of 1960's passenger flights. Only with better food. Burgers, for example, are made by grinding all the meat grains in the same direction to maximise the juiciness of the meat. There's traditional fish and chips in crunchy batter, and pizzas cooked in the wood burning oven - the first in an airport. Fast, friendly and informal, The Perfectionists' Cafe is for diners who are fed up with junk, but who want exceptional food quickly. And with Heston's name behind it, that's what you'll get here.
Opens Summer 2014
Where:
Mondrian London,
20 Upper Ground, London London, SE1 9PF
Category:
New Hotels
Mondrian London, 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PF
Tube: Bermondsey Station
Mondrian London is due to open summer 2014.
Intended to be a luxury hotel when it was first designed in the 1970s, Sea Containers House fulfills its original purpose when it opens as a Tom Dixon designed hotel in summer 2014. The building, situated between the OXO Tower and Blackfriars Bridge, will become the Mondrian London, a luxury hotel from the Morgans Hotel Group - the New York based boutique hotel group who brought us swanky hotels the Sanderson and St Martin's Lane. Tom Dixon's Design Research Studio, responsible for the design, is planning a transatlantic theme; "the copper-clad lobby gives a nod to the convex shape of a ship's hull" according to Vogue magazine which predicts the Dandelyan bar will be "the hip port of call" with its views across the river to St Paul's, its green marble bar, and the trio of bar masters who have come from the White Lyan bar in Hoxton. Most of the hotel's 359 guest
rooms and suites have spectacular river and city and the hotel also houses a riverside bar and
brasserie with outdoor seating, and an exclusive rooftop lounge and terrace. As with all Morgans hotels, the spa will be a luxury affair, branded to fit in with the signature Agua style with six treatment suites, relaxation space and
a manicure and pedicure room. Spaces for hire include the 56-seat private screening room, break out and meeting rooms.
Opens July 2014
Where:
Lima Floral,
14 Garrick Street, London London, WC2E 9BJ
Category:
South American Cuisine
Lima Floral, 14 Garrick Street, London, WC2E 9BJ
Tube: Leicester Square Station, Covent Garden Station, Charing Cross Station
Lima Floral opens in July 2014.
Virgilio Martinez's Lima, the first Peruvian restaurant to win a Michelin star, expands to a second site on Covent Garden's Garrick Street in July 2014. In the new Lima Floral restaurant by Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez and his partners, Gabriel and Jose Luis Gonzalez there are two spaces: the main restaurant and a 'piqueos bar', a bar serving tapas dishes. The menu, overseen by Martinez and head chef Robert Ortiz, features some of Lima's most popular dishes as well as new dishes. Highlights include scallops with chia ceviche, Amazonian fish with warm causa and kholrabi and quinoa tiradito. New tastes and experiences include innovative use of rare native Peruivan ingredients from the Amazon and the Andes. The bar menu, ideal for sharing, includes small piqueo dishes like grouper with rocoto tiger's milk ceviche and tuna and seared aubergine tiradito. B3 designers, also responsible for Gymkhana, Bubbledogs and Roka, have transformed the historic building, originally built as a monastery, making use of large arched windows to create a bright and airy dining room on the ground floor. In the comfortable drinking den in the basement cocktails are variations on the classic Pisco Sour - Pisco, lime juice, egg white, sugar syrup and bitters - are shaken with ice to a frothy finish.
Opens 1st July 2014
Where:
Gong,
31 St Thomas Street, London London, SE1 90U
Category:
Bars
Gong, 31 St Thomas Street, London, SE1 90U
Tube: London Bridge Station
Gong will open on 1st July 2014.
On level 52 of The Shard Gong is London's highest bar. Part of the Shangri-La Hotel, the tallest hotel in Western Europe, Gong takes its name from 'dougong', an ancient Chinese structural element of interlocking wooden brackets that will be a component of the bar's interior. One of three wining and dining options within the Shangri-La, Gong is two floors above Ting, the hotel's signature restaurant and lounge on level 35, linked to the hotel's reception area on level 34 by a spectacular grand staircase sweeping across double length floor-to-ceiling windows. Added to these is Lang, an artisan deli on the ground floor which gets its name from the Chinese word for 'pathway'. Gong on level 52 is on the same floor as a 24-hour gym and London's highest infinity pool.
Opens September 2014
Where:
Zetter Seymour Street,
28-30 Seymour Street, London London, W1H 7JB
Category:
New Hotels
Zetter Seymour Street, 28-30 Seymour Street, London, W1H 7JB
Tube: Marble Arch Station
Zetter Seymour Street opens September 2014.
Mark Sainsbury and Michael Benyon's Zetter Group - which owns the Zetter and Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell - opens a new hotel on Seymour Street, Marylebone, in September 2014. The 6 storey townhouse hotel will have interiors by Russell Sage Studios, a spectacular suite on the top floor and a cool cocktail bar on the ground floor. The project entailed the demolition of a Grade II listed building in poor structural condition and a brand new building which includes 24 bedrooms and a roof terrace. While the original Zetter was home to fictional hostess Wilhelmina, who travelled the world collecting art and curios for her London home, the latest addition to the Zetter family is the home of wicked uncle Seymour. We can't wait to meet him.
Opens End 2014
Where:
10 Trinity Square,
, London London, EC3P 3AX
Category:
New Hotels
10 Trinity Square, , London, EC3P 3AX
Tube: Chancery Lane Station
10 Trinity Square hotel is due to open Q4 2014.
One of the most iconic buildings in the City of London, 10 Trinity Square, is to be sympathetically transformed into a luxury hotel, due to open in 2014. The landmark building, originally the headquarters of the Port of London Authority, opened in 1922 to a design by well known architect Sir Edwin Cooper. Architects Woods Bagot have worked with English Heritage to preserve as much of the building's existing fabric as possible. Plans include the restoration of the glazed central rotunda which was bombed during the Second World War - the proposed new central glass canopy has earned it the nickname 'the whirlpool'. And an unsightly 1970s office block will be removed. Occupying a prominent location overlooking the Tower Of London and with views of the River Thames, the development of the hotel - which will also see the enhancement of Seething Lane Garden - is one of the most exciting building projects in the City.
Opens End 2014
Where:
Art'otel London Hoxton,
Great Eastern Street, London London, EC2A 3JL
Category:
New Hotels
Art'otel London Hoxton, Great Eastern Street, London, EC2A 3JL
Tube: Old Street Station
Art'otel London Hoxton is due to open in 2014.
Planning is underway for a new Art'otel London Hoxton - the first London venture from the group - on a prominent corner at the junction of Old Street, Rivington Street and Great Eastern Street. Despite objections to the project - from English Heritage who say the building is too tall for the area, and from locals who lament the loss of the Foundry, a bar and art centre with a Banksy mural in the basement - planning permission has been granted by Hackney Council, and backed by mayor Boris Johnson. The 18-storey building, due for completion in 2014, will include 350 hotel rooms and public areas including a gallery space, arthouse cinema, spa and restaurant on the double height top floor. The cylindrical shape of the bronze-coloured building (which has four floors below ground) has drawn comparisons to a waste paper basket. But the design, by Squire and Partners, has been drawn up with its environment in mind. The punched aluminium outer skin, for example, was inspired by punch cards that were used to programme old industrial power looms - drawing on the textile heritage of the area. This is one of three high profile hotel projects by Squire and Partners - masterplanners with Dixon Jones for the controversial Chelsea Barracks development - who are also behind the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge (opened in 2012) and 151 City Road (aka the 'diamond') opposite Moorfields Eye Hospital.
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