With successful openings in Abu Dhabi and Dubai logged, Asia de Cuba's attention has turned to taking care of business back in London. Specifically, that means a thorough revamp of its Soho restaurant, with corporate chef Luis Pous's signature 'Chino Latino' cuisine still very much at the heart of things.
Bibendum has been a Chelsea staple since it opened in 1987, and a recent renovation, along with a new head chef, have seen it given a shake-up. Peter Robinson has worked with founding chef Simon Hopkinson to create a new, pared-down menu.
Pied à Terre has a history as colourful as the artful plates it serves. It's no stranger to a renovation, having suffered fire damage in 2004 – luckily the latest touch-ups are just tweaks; the focus is still very much on the food.
This genuine 1920s relic, with its enormous room, lush furnishings and Great Gatsby-esque atmosphere, harks back to the days of proper glamour dining. A refurb last year saw it brought up to date, without sacrificing the things that make it such a London institution.
The Ivy has been the hangout of choice for the rich and famous – and occasionally for us normals too – for generations, and it's back after a massive refurb and renovation. (Don’t worry – the characteristic stained-glass windows are still intact.) Executive chef Gary Lee's new menu includes Ivy classics – Cornish crab, shepherd's pie and Bang Bang Chicken all still feature, as you'd hope – alongside new additions such as barbecued squid and chorizo salad, and an Asian-influenced grazing menu featuring tea-smoked short ribs and tempura shrimp and squid. There's a revamped cocktail menu, too, with a 'roaring twenties' section – a gentle reminder of just how long this Soho institution has been in the game.
Le Pont de la Tour has been a stalwart of the London food scene since its opening in 1991, supplying the capital with a winning combination of great food and great views over the river and Tower Bridge. A welcome refresh has seen the unveiling of a new bar area, as well as a new program of live music from Thursday-Saturday. Russell Sage Studios have reimagined the interiors with a nautical theme, inspired by the French cruise liner SS Normandie, while a new menu of creative cocktails takes inspiration from the south of France – the French Riviera (vodka, lemon, basil, gomme syrup and champagne) is deliciously refreshing. The menu still features all the dishes you expect to find at a food French restaurant, and you'll find foie gras, slow-cooked beef and lobster thermidor are still firm favourites here – as well as an incredible cheeseboard.
