Latest openings: Amba Hotel Grosvenor; Black Bear Burger
Amba Hotel Grosvenor
GLH Hotel's Grosvenor hotel in London's Victoria has been relaunched under its Amba brand following a multimillion-pound refurbishment. The hotel's bedrooms and food and beverage outlets have been refurbished alongside the Soak restaurant, which opened earlier this year. A new suite of meeting and event spaces are set to launch in spring 2020.
GLH has said its new bedroom decor is inspired by the ‘golden age of travel' in the 1920s and it features Hypnos beds, blackout curtains and VQ retro digital radios. Guestrooms also feature a complimentary minibar and cookies. The property is the third hotel in the Amba portfolio, joining the Amba Hotel Charing Cross and the Amba Hotel Marble Arch.
- Reopened 10 December
- Bedrooms 345
- Owner/operator GLH Hotels
- General manager Natasha Ludlow
- Design Goddard Littlefair
- Websitewww.amba-hotel.com
Black Bear Burger
Black Bear Burger has opened its first bricks and mortar site in London's Brixton Village. The concept, which began in Broadway Market, was inspired by the founders' time in Canada. It focuses on grass-fed and dry-aged beefburgers and side dishes such as poutine, chicken wings and nuggets. New dishes specifically for the site include chicken and vegan burgers and brisket spring rolls.
- Founders Liz and Stew Down
- Websitewww.blackbearburger.com
Café Murano Bermondsey
Chef Angela Hartnett has opened a third Café Murano in London, featuring an open kitchen, counter seating and private dining room. As well as new items created specially for the Bermondsey site, the menu features regional Italian Café Murano favourites such as mushroom arancini and chicken Milanese.
- Head chef Adam Jay
- Typical dishes Hake, cuttlefish, tomato and basil stew; and pork chops with grapes agrodolce
- Websitewww.cafemurano.co.uk
Figo
Italian restaurant Figo has opened in London's Stratford, focusing on regional specialities as well as pizza and calzone cooked in a wood-fired oven.
- Covers 100
- Head chef Fabio Moschino
- Typical dishes Carbonara eggs benedict; fried arborio rice balls with truffle and cheese; pan-fried fillet of sea bass with spinach, pine nuts and green sauce
- Websitehttp://figorestaurant.co.uk
Locket's
Locket's has opened in the former Economist building in London's St James. The ground floor has become a European café and wine bar, overseen by Locket Hambro, former director of design and development for Juan Santa Cruz at Santa Cruz Co.
- Covers 60
- Design Fran Hickman Interiors
- Typical dishes Burrata, butternut squash, pumpkin seeds; polenta, mushrooms, Parmesan
- Websitewww.locketslondon.com
Other Side Fried
Fried chicken brand Other Side Fried has opened its first permanent restaurant in London's Brixton. The site will serve the brand's signature fried chicken menu as well as its first vegan burger and vegan ‘dirty tater tots'. Matt Harris and Tommy Kempton started the brand five years ago in Brixton, serving chicken burgers from a food truck.
- Typical dishes Fried chicken with Parmesan, garlic butter mayo, pickles and lettuce
- Websitewww.othersidefried.com
Slim Chickens Bristol
American fast-casual restaurant chain Slim Chickens has opened in Bristol's Cabot Circus, the sixth site to open in the UK for the Southern US chicken brand. It serves buttermilk-marinated, hand-breaded chicken with a choice of 13 dipping sauces, as well as a menu of five sides, milkshakes and desserts in jars. Tom Gordon and Greg Smart opened the first Slim Chickens in Arkansas in 2003.
- Operator Boparan Restaurant Group
- Websitewww.slimchickens.co.uk
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