There are famous restaurants in London, and then there are legends. Quaglino’s is firmly in the latter category, and notable in having had two turns in the spotlight. First, in the 1930s and then again when relaunched by Tererence Conran in 1993.
It is almost one hundred years since Giovanni Quaglino first opened the doors in 1929, and the eponymous Quaglino’s quickly became a glittering St James’s institution that drew royalty, writers, film stars and London’s café society for generations. Having closed in the late 1970s, it was relaunched by Terence Conran and Joel Kissin, and quickly became the place to go as London flung itself into the glamour and fun of the late 1990s. No surprises that it soon had a starring role in Absolutely Famulous.
I can promise you because I was there that an evening at Quaglino’s was always so very special. When you walked down that staircase you knew a proper evening was about to begin….
And now Quaglino’s is poised to begin a brilliant new chapter under The Evolv Collection, following a significant restoration, a newly commissioned collection of art, and a menu that traces the remarkable journey of its founder.
Exclitingly, Quaglino’s is being returned to its full glory, not as an exercise in nostalgia, but as a living institution restored for the present. The restoration honours the room’s Art Deco bones and its famous staircase while introducing a newly commissioned collection of art and a reimagined day-to-night experience.
At its centre is a menu that follows Giovanni Quaglino’s own journey, from Piedmont to Cannes, by way of The Savoy, bringing together Italian provenance, French classical technique and the best of British traditional dining.
In addition to the famous Q Bar, promises innovative cocktails reflecting Quaglinos’ journey including re-imagined Savoy classics, three new bars are being launched to sate the appetites of modern St.James’s:
- The Champagne bar; offering 24 champagnes by the glass and bottle
- A Fruits de Mar seafood counter serving mollusks, and crustacea, which to me sounds reminiscent of the original Conran feature design and offering, along with modern ceviche and tiradito small plates
- A Dessert bar which should take the form of a Cannes ‘Tabac’ offering smoke-filled edible helium balloons, cannoli cigars and chocolate ashtrays.
True to Quaglino’s history, entertainment returns to the heart of the room, with a new stage bringing cabaret and live music closer to guests than ever before and theatrical raised booths around the perimeter of the dining room.
In the spirit of Conran’s ‘democratisation of dining’, the restored Quaglino’s will pair its celebrated evenings of glamour and spectacle with a generous, accessible daytime offering of ‘Ten Pound Plates’, proof that a great London institution can belong to everyone…
In the kitchen is Daniel Scott whose on-trend approach strips away unnecessary complexity, allowing the quality of produce – sourced directly from farmers, producers and fishermen – to define each dish. Recognised as Leading Chef of the Year at the 2024 This is Manchester Awards, he is a serious addition to the London scene, and the menu reflects a collaboration between Scott and Miller Prada, formerly of Michelin-starred Humo. To whet the appetite we are promised Vitello Tonato Skewers, Pissaladiere, Turbot Mountbatten and Lamb Cutlet Milanese.
Martin Williams of The Evolv Collection explained “Quaglino’s isn’t simply a restaurant; it’s a part of London’s story. Our job was never to reinvent it, but to return it restored, alive, and every bit as glamorous as the room Giovanni Quaglino opened in 1929. When Sir Terence Conran brought Quaglino’s back in 1993, he understood that real glamour should be open to everyone. Few rooms in London carry the history that Quaglino’s does, the royalty, the music, the feeling that anything might happen after midnight. We haven’t changed what Quaglino’s is; we’ve simply reminded London why it fell for it in the first place.”
Quaglino’s will reopen its doors on 7th October 2026 at 16 Bury Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6AJ, with reservations available from 5th August via www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk .
I can’t wait!