Kansas-inspired barbecue operator Bodean’s opens its eighth site in Muswell Hill in October as it continues a rapid rollout across the capital. It has taken the site previously occupied by Giraffe on Muswell Hill Broadway, and is redeveloping it as a 75-cover restaurant. Bodean’s says two more sites will open in London over the next year. Founder André Blais said: “We are delighted to continue our roll out of Bodean’s across London. Muswell Hill is perfectly positioned in a high footfall location with a great local crowd and lots of families. North London is an area we’ve wanted to explore for a long time and we are looking forward to bringing authentic Kansas City BBQ to Muswell Hill.”
Cambridge beer house concept Pint Shop will be opening its second site on George Street in Oxford in mid-September. It will sell simple British food and bar snacks as well as a wide range of beers. Co-founder Rich Holmers said: “We are really looking forward to getting the doors open to the Oxford site. We have been working on it since March and we can’t wait for our customers to see it. It is an exciting time for Pint Shop, our team have put a lot of work into the site and we hope our new customers love the look and feel of the place.” You can view their property requirements here.
Gusto has set 23 September for the opening of its major new restaurant on Colmore Row in Birmingham. It is a 13o-cover restaurant, and has been developed on h site of the Grand. Gusto says it is targeting 26 restaurants in the next four or five years. View their property requirements here.
A new chicken shop called Fancy Funkin Chicken is opening on Coldharbour Lane in the next few weeks. It will be selling southern American-influenced chicken dishes including wings and burgers, plus cocktails and craft beers. It is a 50-cover unit, and has been developed by a group including PIX founder Nathan Pattie, ex-Sketch’s Rollo Weeks and ex-Cuckoo’s Lars Larson. The company have instructed a property agent to source new opportunities in central London, view their requirements here.
BrewDog opens a new site in Angel called Punk Kitchen today (26 August) that will host various artisanal foodmakers for the next month. It has taken over the unit previously run as Dog Eat Dog, and will sell its various beers alongside the food. The first incumbent there is London Laksa. View BrewDog’s UK property requirements here.
Fulham Shore says it will open another branch of The Real Greek in Muswell Hill this autumn, along with three more Franco Manca pizzerias.
Thai Leisure Group has applied to open its casual Thaikhun brand at the St David’s retail development in Cardiff. It would be its first restaurant in Wales.
Belpassi Bros, the meatballs concept developed by Livio and Lorenzo Belpassi that was originally developed as a street food venture, has opened its permanent restaurant in Tooting. It is a 40-cover restaurant and bar with a range of various meatballs and sauces, plus Italian wines and cocktails.
The New World Trading Company will open its tenth Botanist bar and restaurant site in Sheffield in October. It is a 10,000 square feet unit on Leopold Street in the city.
Fuller’s-backed The Stable has opened in Bournemouth. It has taken six years to bring the site to opening.
Prezzo and Loungers have both opened at the Buttermarket shopping development in Ipswich town centre. Loungers has launched a branch of its Cosy Club concept there. More brands are due to follow at the centre, including Byron and Wagamama.
The San Carlo group is opening a branch of its Fumo brand on St Martin’s Lane in the next couple of weeks. It is a 130-cover restaurant that will be open all day, seven days a week.
Thai group Giggling Squid says it will open ten new sites by the middle of next year, including recent acquisitions in Norwich, Berkhamsted, Warwick and Farham. It has also acquired venues in Brentwood, Wokingham, Windsor and Bath. The expansion follows a recent investment from the Business Growth Fund and an £8m facility with Barclays.
A new delicatessen called Cure + Cut has just opened on Monmouth Street off Seven Dials. It has been developed by Jerome Armit and Rufus Wickham, and is open from 8am to 9pm for eat in and take out. Its range includes baked goods, lunch salads and sandwiches and counter desserts. The unit is a two-floor space with 30 covers in all.
Burger operator Patty & Bun has set 15 September for the opening of its previously announced sixth restaurant on Goodge Street in London.
A new casual Peruvian concept called Butifarra has just opened on Rupert Street in Soho. It is modelled on Peru’s picanteries, and is named after a street food snack in the country of bread and slow-cooked meat and salsa. It is open all day from 8am to 7pm.
A specialist rum room called The Plantation is to open on Duke Street between Mayfair and Marylebone next Thursday (1 September). It is inspired by Cuban bars of the 1920s to 40s, with 200 different versions used for a range of cocktails. It has a drinking area called the Sipping Salon, plus a bookable area on a veranda for 40 people. The Plantation has been developed by the Breakfast Group, whose venues include Opium Chinatown, Salvador & Amanda, Jerusalem and 68 and Boston.
Honest Burger continue to seek new site across London, view their property requirements here.
Bird, the free range and fried chicken restaurant are also searching for new locations in London, click here to view their property requirements.
Other occupiers who are looking to new opportunities across the UK, include POKEit, Fusspot, Ali Ocakbasi and Rump & Ribs.
