Is this the year of the restaurant flip in London?
Instead of opening brand new sites from scratch, operators are reworking what they already have: same address, same ownership, but with a different concept, a new chef, a tighter menu and often a completely fresh identity. Restaurants are ditching old formats and trying to stay ahead of trends, or at the very least keep up with them, which is almost impossible thanks to good old social media. One minute it’s listening bars and small plates, the next it’s nostalgic comfort food, and by the time everyone catches on, the mood will have shifted again.
At the same time, diners are more time-starved and cost-conscious than ever, making them less willing to commit to long, expensive fine dining experiences. Tightened expense accounts and fewer splashy client dinners are adding to the pressure too, leaving some higher-end restaurants scrambling to adapt. London’s tourist landscape is shifting as well, shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, changing travel habits and the long tail of Brexit, meaning restaurants can’t rely on the same international crowds they once did. Flipping a concept has become the quickest way to keep pace: hold onto the site and the infrastructure, lose what’s not landing, and relaunch with something that feels more in tune with how Londoners — and the people still travelling here — want to eat right now.
Sova (formerly Zima)
The team behind modern Slavic restaurant Zima flipped its Notting Hill restaurant into Sova, a wine and vinyl bar specialising in wines from Eastern and Central Europe, like a Ukrainian-style Brut, Georgian orange wines, a Serbian Pinot Grigio, a Hungarian Riesling, a Slovenian Malvasia and chilled reds from Bulgaria.
Tavern (formerly Nest)
The Old Street site that used to be home to tasting menu spot Nest has been transformed into British bistro Tavern. The team (who also run Restaurant St Barts) is using the same quality produce, just in a looser, more fun way.
Bottarga (formerly Chicama)
The Pachamama Group has moved away from its Peruvian roots and turned its London sites into (very vibey) Mediterranean concepts, starting with Greek spot Bottarga, which took over the seafood-focused Chicama in Chelsea.
IGNI (formerly HUMO)
After quietly closing HUMO, where everything was cooked over various types of wood, Creative Restaurant Group has brought in ex-Cycene chef Theo Clench to run new concept IGNI. Live fire and smoke is still central to the kitchen, just this time with a focus on seafood.
Dove (formerly Orasay)
It was a bit of a surprise when Jackson Boxer announced he was closing Orasay and taking the restaurant in a new direction, but then Dove came – with its excellent menu and cult burger – and it all made sense.
Chelsea Grill (formerly Fantomas)
Wild Group made a bold move onto the King’s Road with Fantomas, helmed by Chris Denney. It only lasted nine months before the team decide to switch it up to Chelsea Grill, centred around premium meat and seafood butchered, aged and grilled in-house.
Nina (formerly Pachamama)
The second of the Pachamama sites to get the flip, Nina in Marylebone has a menu of Italian dishes given a gentle modern twist, cool but not try-hard interiors, and a super buzzy atmosphere.
TAQ (formerly Taqueria)
After 20 years on Westbourne Grove, Taqueria has reopened as TAQ – it’s still a Mexican restaurant but it’s got a new identity and an entirely new menu led by chef Eduardo Yishima and backed by Jackson Boxer.
Honey & Co. Great Portland (formerly Honey & Smoke)
Rather than moving away from their signature Middle Eastern style when they closed Honey & Smoke, owners Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich made a more gentle change, going from a grill restaurant into a deli and wine bar.
Bistro Sablé (formerly Smokehouse)
After running Smokehouse for over a decade, the Noble Inns group decided it was time for a change, turning the Islington site into a classic French spot Bistro Sablé.
Lagana (formerly Pachamama East)
The last of the existing Peruvian Pachamama sites in Shoreditch was turned into Lagana. It’s more casual than the other two flipped locations (there are crayons for you to draw on the tablecloths with) but it’s just as cool.
Chez Rose (formerly Little Social)
After finding success with Row on 5, Spencer Metzger and Jason Atherton are teaming up again for the French-inspired Chez Rose, opening on the old Little Social site.
MIKO Mei Fair (formerly MiMi Mei Fair)
After closing one of her Mayfair restaurants (KOYN), Samyukta Nair decided to rejig one of her others (MiMi Mei Fair) by flipping the ground floor area of the Chinese spot into MIKO Mei Fair, itself a reimagined version of KOYN Thai.
Appalachia (formerly Counter 71)
What was home to British tasting menu spot Counter 71 is reopening as Appalachia this June. New Head Chef Alistair Borer (ex-Smoking Goat) will cook dishes inspired by the mountainous region of the US.
Bar Blondie (formerly Milk Beach)
Elliot Milne may have closed the original Milk Beach location on Lonsdale Road but he’s not letting the site go, instead teaming up with sommelier Alexandra Price and flipping it into Bar Blondie, a southern European-inspired wine bar.
