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London lost a lot of good restaurants in 2017

Written by
Tom Howells
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London’s restaurant scene might seem like it’s in rude health – I mean, we can hardly keep up with the relentless waves of new openings, and we’re the pros. But 2017 has seen more than its fair share of sad departures, too. We’ve touched on the most notable below, in a round-up of edible obits.  

Vineet Bhatia

This Chelsea Indian shuttered just a week after winning a Michelin star. Weird, huh?

HKK

London lurves the super-slick Cantonese joint Hakkasan – but its equally revered City offshoot? Not so much (it closed in the autumn). 

Paradise Garage

Robin Gill’s Bethnal Green joint may be out, but his Clapham micro-empire is still going strong.

Tom Kerridge at The Rib Room

Never mind closing – TK’s first London venture disappeared before it even opened.

M Manze, Chapel Market

It was Islington’s salty stalwart. Chapel Market simply won’t be the same without those eels. 

Grain Store

Bye-bye Bruno Loubet – the ace French chef departed Granary Square for a retirement return to his old life in Oz.

Barnyard and Dabbous 

Foodie wunderkind and critics’ fave Ollie Dabbous shut down both his Fitzrovia pads – but he's still knocking it out of the park at Henrietta

Molly Bakes

Alas, the Dalston originator of 2016’s super-sweet Insta classic is no more. 

Bel-Air

The super breezy, Cali-eating café’s departure was one of this winter’s gloomiest.

Duke’s Brew & Que

The super-sudden disappearance of brewery/barbecue joint Duke’s deprived Haggerston of some of the city’s best ribs.

Chicken Town

We’re clucking sad to see this high-quality, not for profit Tottenham chicken shop fly the coop. 

Bodo’s Schloss

Cue the pining of the ‘Made in Chelsea’ cast and ‘trad’ Alpine garb-makers alike.


That wasn’t all, either. Here are the rest of the joints that took (or are imminently taking) a bow in 2017: Foxlow Stoke Newington, Klub Trop, FRHappy, Koffmann's at The Berkeley, Belpassi Bros, Queen's, Toasted, Boundary, Butifarra, Nape by Cannon & Cannon, Cure + Cut, Food Store Irving Street, The Manor (it's reopening as an Italian, mind), James Cochran N1 (though it was supposedly a pop-up), Modern Pantry Finsbury Square (proof that a decent place going corporate ain’t a good thing), Veneta (ditto), Ebury, Embassy East, The Richmond, Club Mexicana at Pamela (it WAS a residency, though, and they're still going at Dinerama), Bread Ahead Seven Dials and Dock Kitchen.

RIP, guys. 

Don’t fear: there’s new stuff coming, too. Here’s our list of London restaurants opening soon

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