Historically, restaurants rarely changed locations, with the ambiance of a dining room considered inseparable from its specific design, the character of its building, and the local area. This made relocating a restaurant a rare occurrence, with notable exceptions like Claude Bosi, who moved Hibiscus from Ludlow to London in 2007, and Vanilla Black, which relocated from York to London in 2008.
Fast forward to 2024, the trend has shifted dramatically. Restaurants now view relocation as a viable option, whether for strategic reasons or necessity. Owners increasingly find ways to adapt and preserve their original concepts even as they transition to new spaces.
Several high-profile examples illustrate this new trend in London, including Nest and Manteca, along with Adejoké Bakare’s Chishuru, Cyrus Todiwala’s Café Spice Namaste, and Honey & Co. Outside London, Michelin-starred Osip has recently moved to a new site in Somerset, while Sheffield’s JÖRO is set to relocate to Oughtibridge in December, enhancing its offerings with additional accommodations and a bar.
JÖRO’s relocation marks a significant evolution for the brand, with plans for a fully open kitchen where chefs can serve dishes directly to diners. The owners, Stacey Sherwood-French and Luke French, chose to keep the restaurant’s name despite considering a rebranding. They felt strongly that the essence of JÖRO—the intimate atmosphere and the character of Luke’s cooking—would remain intact.
The decision to retain the name JÖRO was not just about brand recognition; it reflects the personal investment of the couple in their restaurant and its identity as an extension of themselves.
This sentiment resonates with other chefs as well, like Rodney Wages, who relocated his Michelin-starred Avery restaurant from San Francisco to Edinburgh. Wages took care to maintain the restaurant’s unique aesthetic and culinary approach, even as he adapted some dishes to reflect local ingredients.
Modern chefs strive to create a distinctive culinary identity that is recognizable across various locations. Their food, design, and service styles come together to form a cohesive experience, enabling them to maintain a loyal fanbase, whether they’re in a pop-up or a permanent site.
The transition to new locations often involves community engagement through social media, making a restaurant’s presence felt beyond its physical location. This has allowed many chefs and owners to develop adaptable concepts that fit various settings and audiences.
However, moving beloved eateries can be challenging, as in the case of Honey & Co, where owners Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer had to navigate the emotional ties associated with their original site. Their new location in Bloomsbury, while larger, aimed to capture the warmth and inviting feel of their previous restaurant through organic design choices.
A similar approach was taken with the food, maintaining most of the beloved menu items while also introducing fresh ideas enabled by their new custom kitchen. Despite some diners feeling nostalgic for the old location, the owners focused on enhancing the guest experience and ensuring their enthusiasm for the new space translated effectively.
As with JÖRO, every move presents an opportunity for improvement, making the new restaurant an evolution rather than a complete departure from what customers have come to love. Both Honey & Co and Osip exemplify this philosophy, with their new locations reflecting their identities as well as the narratives of their culinary concepts.
