Published: 14 January, 2026
Dovetailing with the opening of The Newman Hotel, spiffy new cocktail destination Gambit Bar is due to open its doors on 1 February. The 60-cover subterranean venue is spearheaded by the new hotel’s head of food and drink, Eder Neto. ‘Creative yet understated’ is the modus operandi of Neto’s cocktail menu, an exciting twist on the Picante leading the charge. This combination of tequila, lime, bird’s eye chillies, blood orange and smoked salt is a standalone treat but clearly demands pairing with Gambit’s array of bar snacks, concocted by executive chef Christian Turner. Flatbreads, oysters and rullepølse (Danish cold cuts) can be enjoyed amid the bar’s stylish geometric interiors, inspired by the art of Fiztrovia’s very own Percy Wyndham Lewis.
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Published: 12 January, 2026
Last week’s reports that pubs will see great business rates support has been followed by a chorus of industry figures urging the government to extend the relief to all of hospitality.
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Published: 12 January, 2026
Premium on-trade distributor Enotria has announced the appointment of a new CEO, with Phillip White taking the helm.
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Published: 12 January, 2026
Birmingham indie stalwart Phil Innes of Loki Wine fame has teamed up with chef Glynn Purnell to bring new culinary vibrancy to the Brum food and drink scene. Trillium opened during the festive period in the city centre’s Snow Hill and combines the wine nous of Innes and the cooking talents of a team that includes Purnell as chef patron and Rob Palmer as head chef, who was in charge at Hampton Manor when its Peel Restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. Creativity abounds on the menu – whether its Orkney scallops with oxtail bolognese or a peasant kiev, Palmer has been given a long leash to innovate. To no one’s surprise the wine list is top notch, with an expansive by-the-glass offer allowing patrons the opportunity to explore.
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Published: 22 December, 2025
Given that it’s been in use for wine consumption since about 1500BC, glassware has had plenty of time to evolve, and today’s manufacturers have the restaurant world spoilt for choice when it comes to sizes, shapes and colours. But how far are today’s top sommeliers prepared to go outside the traditionally accepted vessels when it comes to providing the best experience for diners in their food-matching choices – and what do diners expect?
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Published: 20 December, 2025
Fresh analysis from trade body UK Hospitality (UKH) can reveal that over the next three years hospitality venues in England can expect to see an average increase in business rates of over £32k.
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Published: 16 December, 2025
At Mayfair’s glitzy new Lilibet’s restaurant export director at Champagne Cattier, François Colas (pictured, centre) guided attendees through the producer’s range as well as its ambitions for the UK market, following its recent on-trade partnership with Enotria.
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Published: 15 December, 2025
Drinks distributors Bibendum and Matthew Clark (both under the C&C Group umbrella) have unveiled their 2026 predictions for the on-trade – both in terms of overall and wine-specific trends.
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Published: 15 December, 2025
With the on-trade now in full swing over the lead up to what we hope is a fruitful Christmas, a reminder that the Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA) 2026 is open for entries.
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Published: 12 December, 2025
In the spring, restaurateur and founder of D3 collective Des Gunewardena will open three new venues – all housed within Olympia’s Grade II-listed Pillar Hall. The first, Idalia, is a 300-cover restaurant situated on the ground floor, which will serve theatrical cocktails in the bar before guests move on to the dining room. Meanwhile, Pepperbird, a 70-cover basement speakeasy, will feature live music at its core, drawing inspiration from 1970s jazz and classic rock. Finally, Upstairs at Pillar Hall will feature a modern events space with room for more than 500 people, all housed within the building’s ornate neoclassical structure.
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Published: 10 December, 2025
This new concept from Khaled Dandachi and Fred Srouchi (the minds behind the celebrated Sparrow Italia in Mayfair) is all about coastal French cuisine. Fresh fish and seafood are the foundation of this restaurant, which is named after the deep blue of the ocean depths. The intention is to create an elevated culinary experience, using classical French techniques to transform the best seasonal offerings into enticing dishes such as smoked eel croquettes, salade niçoise and octopus béarnaise, among others, paired with fine French wines. Also on offer are cocktails inspired by the Francophone world. Located directly on Hanover Square, every inch of Mazarine is designed to entice, from its warm, contemporary interiors to its attentive and welcoming hospitality.
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Published: 08 December, 2025
The team behind much-loved Caper & Cure are expanding their Stokes Croft bar – Carmen Street Wine – by opening a bottleshop next door. The extended interior, which will bring with it an additional 30 covers, is to be a continuation of Carmen Street’s minimalist style. In addition, guests can expect a spirited atmosphere that encourages sharing and community. The wines, which are mainly low-intervention European bottles, will be available to take away or purchase online – with the option to sit in and enjoy a glass for those who want to. These wines can be enjoyed alongside a compact menu, which includes dishes such as moules marinière and pâté en croûte, in addition to locally supplied cheese.
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Published: 08 December, 2025
Champagne Cattier has announced a fresh on-trade partnership with distributor Enotria – beginning from January 2026.
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Published: 04 December, 2025
Lumina Intelligence – an insights company for food and drink brands – has released its Restaurant Market Report for 2025, revealing signs of increasing stability in the restaurant market after years of turmoil.
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Published: 15 November, 2025
This December, the founders of Goodbye Horses and The Dreamery, Alex Young and George de Vos, are opening a wine shop inspired by their love for the unexpected. Located in a striking glass-surrounded space with carved volcanic rock throughout, the centre of the venue will be a counter constructed from hundreds of oak ‘logs’ piled on one another, with wine bottles slipping in between, on which a selection of ever-changing natural wines that highlight the team’s passion for ‘zero-zero’ wines (nothing added, and nothing removed) will be presented. A staircase behind the counter will take guests deeper, to a bar and dining space hidden in a historic bank vault below the shop – much of which has been preserved – where a rotating selection of small plates will be offered.
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Published: 14 November, 2025
Hospitality is an extremely wasteful industry. According to Juliane Caillouette Noble, MD of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), this is because the sector operates on a linear economy model, where goods are used then thrown away. The aim of her organisation is a more ‘circular’ future, which means redesigning supply chains and rethinking the lifecycle of products so resources are reused for as long as possible. In a circular economy, recycling is a last resort, especially with the amount of ‘recycling’ that goes to landfill. Attendees of the launch learned that circularity is intimately connected to so-called zero-waste solutions (defined as diverting at least 90% of waste from landfill by reducing and reusing resources) as resources are reused, lowering business waste.
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Published: 12 November, 2025
This is Amy Poon’s first permanent venue, continuing but evolving the legacy of her parents’ famous Chinese restaurants. The idea is to serve high-quality dishes that are often unfamiliar in the west yet are cooked regularly in Chinese homes – Poon says it’s “where you come if you don’t have a nice Chinese friend who will cook for you at home”. Fundamental to this is a focus on steam cooking, alongside some Poon’s staples, such as claypot rice (first introduced to the UK by Bill Poon, Amy’s father) and both traditional and experimental presentations of Poon’s wind-dried meats (created by her grandfather). The wine list will demonstrate the versatility of wines with Chinese dishes, focusing on cool-climate wines, family-owned producers, biodynamic practice and female winemakers.
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Published: 10 November, 2025
Luca Dusi, founder of the original Passione Vino in Shoreditch, is celebrating over 20 years in London by opening his latest venture. Part shop, part bar and restaurant and located in a former Italian tattoo parlour, this new location will continue to reflect Dusi’s passion for Italian wine producers – he even designed the bar himself. To pair with the wines, a series of bold sandwiches has been created by chef Pascal Lazzarotto from carefully chosen Italian ingredients such as oxtail, smoked trout, cotechino and sardines. Each guest will have a pairing individual to them, as there is no wine list at Passione Vino – instead, Dusi and the team recommend their favourite bottles.
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Published: 10 November, 2025
Stamina is not only needed by revellers at this time of year but also spirits suppliers, who need to sate the cyclical rise in demand for everything from single malt to mezcal. Harpers spoke to distributors – whose agility and innovation set the standard for UK spirits suppliers – about their expectations for the Yuletide period.
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Published: 03 November, 2025
Pub insolvencies saw a marked increase during Q2 and Q3 of 2025, reversing a tentative recovery seen earlier this year. According to accountancy firm Price Bailey, 219 pubs entered insolvency in Q2, followed by 189 in Q3. Q1 saw 161 establishments not able to pay their debts.
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