Openings of the week

Turtle Bay, Camden

Caribbean-inspired chain Turtle Bay will launch its 50^th store in Camden this August as part of wider expansion plans to open six restaurants per year. The opening will be followed by another in Lincoln in September.

The Camden location will be the first in North London and feature a menu created by Turtle Bay executive chef and Jamaican celebrity cook Collin Brown. The offer focuses on fresh and classic flavours, is 42% plant-based, and features Caribbean ingredients such as callaloo, ackee, and jackfruit, plus 2-4-1 cocktails and bottomless brunch.

Pizza Pilgrims, Queen’s Park

Pizza Pilgrims have announced their latest pizzeria will open in London’s Queen’s Park on 1 July. The chain will also launch a new deli concept at the venue, selling Italian produce and dry store goods.

The Queen’s Park site is designed as a neighbourhood hub, also offering slow-proved Neapolitan pizza, Neapolitan espresso, bread baked in-store, child-friendly options, and late evening aperitivo. It features an open-plan kitchen and reclaimed furniture in a 50-cover space inspired by traditional trattorias.

Empire Empire, Notting Hill

Gunpowder founder Harneet Baweja will launch his latest restaurant on 15 June in Notting Hill. Empire Empire is inspired by the golden age of Indian disco, with a custom jukebox played Bollywood bangers and a menu offering Northwest Indian food. Dishes include chicken malai curry, lobster biryani, and malai methi matar.

Pho, Milton Keynes

Vietnamese chain Pho is set to open a 4,133 sq ft location in Milton Keynes’ Centre:mk shopping centre. The menu includes pho, curries, rice bowls, wok-fried rice and noodles, light salads, appetisers, and fresh juices, alongside Vietnamese coffee and beers.

Fazenda, Bishopsgate

South American restaurant group will open its first London restaurant in Bishopsgate this August, joining restaurants in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Edinburgh. The 170-cover site will be its largest, spanning two floors and 10,000 sq ft.

Fazenda Bishopsgate will have three private dining rooms, a bar and lounge, and a traditional rodizio offer of grilled meats carved at the table, along with a new a la carte menu.

Chaakoo Bombay Café, Edinburgh

Glasgow restaurant Chaakoo is to open its third site on Edinburgh’s Lothian Road on 12 June. It will serve a menu of tapas-style small plates inspired by Mumbai and Iranian cuisine.

Unity Place, Milton Keynes

Multipurpose destination Unity Place will open in Milton Keynes this July, housing an urban food market featuring local street food vendors. The offer includes sustainable craft beer from Toast Microbrewery; coffee from Change Please; and a rooftop venue, the Unity Sky Lounge.

Dover Yard, 1 Hotel Mayfair

Sustainable luxury concept 1 Hotel Mayfair, forthcoming on London’s Dover Street, has announced it will open a destination cocktail bar within its premises this summer. The bar will be in addition to the previously announced flagship restaurant Dovetale, led by chef Tom Sellers.

Dover Yard is described as a ‘neighbourhood bar with Mayfair sensibilities, with a cocktail menu spotlighting repurposed ingredients, British-produced spirits and local craft brands, and low-to-no alcohol options.