Covent Garden

• A new 28:50 wine bar has arrived in Covent Garden

  

  9/12/19 - updated with opening details

  A brand new 28:50 has quietly launched in Covent Garden. The wine bar group started off in Fetter Lane and grew to three different sites over the years, but right now only the Marylebone wine bar remains. The bar was previously launched by Xavier Rousset, but he left to open Blandford Comptoir and Comptoir Cafe. 

  The original venture focuses on 30 wines by the glass,

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• Korean barbecue restaurant Yori to open in Covent Garden

  It’s farewell to the Covent Garden outlet of Jidori and in its place is the third branch of Korean barbecue restaurant Yori.

• Test Driving Volta do Mar - a restaurant using Portugal as its culinary springboard

  

  Having sharpened Londoners' appetites for Spanish and Italian food with the Salt Yard Group, the former founder is now hoping his new opening Volta do Mar will do the same for Portuguese food.

• High-end Japanese coffee % Arabica comes to London, opening in Covent Garden and Broadway market

  

  Following the launch of Omotesando in Fitzrovia, another high-end coffee shop % Arabica (not to be confused with the Levantine restaurant) has come to London. They're going one better than Omotesando, launching two stores almost simultaneously, in Covent Garden and Broadway Market. 

  It has to be said, the coffee shops look very stylish indeed - a very paired back, clean look with their signature coffee

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• The very Christmassy Miracle is popping up again at the Henrietta Hotel

   

  Ready or not, we're starting to gear up for Christmas (and once 5 November is passed, be prepared for a deluge of Christmas fare). One very popular event that's back is also one of the kitschiest - the Miracle pop-up bar is coming back to the Henrietta Hotel in Covent Garden.

  They're popular across the States, but once again, The Henrietta is hosting the only UK pop-up. So you can expect a LOT

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• Test Driving Pick and Cheese - the world's first cheese conveyor belt restaurant

  

  You may have seen loads of videos of this new place by The Cheese Bar folk on your Insta feed, but how does it actually work? We went to find out.

• Volta do Mar sees ex-Salt Yard Group founder take on Portuguese food

  The ex-Salt Yard Group founder returns to the fray with a Portuguese restaurant that'll start with custard tarts in the morning and move through to larger dishes in the evening.

• Moto bar and shop in Covent Garden will serve up sake and top Japanese snacks

  Moto will be focusing strongly around Sake and other Japanese spirits, aiming to bring lesser-known varieties to London - all paired with bar snacks too. 

• Alcotraz is bringing its prison-themed cocktail bar to Covent Garden

  

  It caused something of a stir when it opened originally in Brick Lane, but the prison-themed Alcotraz must be doing something right - as they've just announced a new three-month pop-up in the West End. 

  Coming to Covent Garden, this time it's Alcotraz Penitentiary: Cell Block Six Eight. It's a basement speakeasy where you'll have to smuggle your alcohol past a warden and guards to the

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• Test Driving Nutshell - the new Iranian star of Theatreland

  

  We head into Covent Garden to try their take on modern Iranian cuisine...

• KERB goes indoors with Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden

  

  Updated 9/9/19 with the final line-up

  Over the years, KERB, after starting at King's Cross, have gone on to conquer all parts of London with their lunchtime street food markets (and some great evening events). And now they've finally decided to go indoors for their next venture, a covered market at Seven Dials. 

  They're taking over the 19th century Thomas Neal’s Warehouse in Seven

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• Pick and Cheese at Seven Dials Market will be London's (nay the world's) first cheese conveyor belt restaurant

  If you've ever wondered what entirely new delights the London food scene held for jaded city dwellers, then behold the new cheese conveyor belt restaurant coming your way.

• Monty's Deli and Claw are the latest to move into Seven Dials Market

   

  As the launch of Seven Dials Market gets closer, we're hearing more about who exactly will be settling into London's next big food hall. 

  First up is Monty's Deli. They've recently closed their Hoxton restaurant, so this will be their third site (they're also at Spitalfields and Market Hall Victoria). So if you're in Covent Garden and have a craving for a proper reuben salt beef

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• Finland's Fafa's will be serving up filled pitas in Covent Garden

  Fafa's is a Finnish success story having started out as a street food vendor - and now with 39 outlets across Finland and beyond. This is their first time in London, where they'll be bringing their filled pitas to Covent Garden. 

• The Franco Manca team does pasta and Nanban Mk II for Seven Dials Market

  

  The next big London food hall is on the horizon, and two new openings there have just been announced.

  First up is Strozzapretti from the original people behind Franco Manca (note - not actually Franco Manca itself). Franco Manca was best known for their pizzas, of course, but Strozzapretti is all about pasta. We really do seem to be getting closer and closer to peak

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