Restaurants fully booked as industry reopens

Restaurant tables are fully booked across the country, according to operators, as the sector resumes indoor service.

Bookings are looking 'really good' for the upcoming weeks as Rick Stein Restaurants, according to chef director Jack Stein.

"We're set to welcome over 15,000 guests in our first week alone across our restaurants in Cornwall, Marlborough, Winchester, Sandbanks and London," he says. "Our 1975 flagship Seafood Restaurant in Padstow is fully booked, but we are welcoming walk-ins for dining on our new rooftop terrace. Ideal for a glass of wine and some fine Cornish seafood to celebrate."

Over at Frenchie in Covent Garden, reservations are looking strong across the board. 

"If we look at bookings for this same week two years ago - we are now very much ahead," comments Cyril Baligand, Frenchie's group operations director. 

"Weekdays are busy at lunch and dinner, both indoors and on our terrace, and this weekend is fully booked for lunch and dinner. However, our terrace bookings have dropped since people can book indoors, which is no surprise due to changeable weather. It's a similar pattern to last year when we opened in the summer. 

"Once the weather improves, we can't wait to see Henrietta Street absolutely buzzing and with Covent Garden being one of London's prime destinations, we are hoping for a busy summer."

Tom Aikens has confirmed in the lead up to reopening his Muse restaurants in London's Belgravia, the team received an 'overwhelming amount of support' from guests with advance bookings and enquiries.

"We're an intimate 25-seater restaurant, so it's a real experience dining at Muse and I think that's what people are looking for at the moment: tangible, memorable dining experiences," Aikens says. 

"We reopen on Tuesday 18 May and are fully booked until the end of the month, and nearly booked for all of June with just a few mid-week tables left. As it's looking good, we've opened our September reservations ahead of our scheduled release date. 

"We've had plenty of time to think about how we see the menu at Muse evolving, and I'm so excited to introduce some of our new dishes. Including a 4 hour slow cooked squid that melts like butter, blow torched and caramelised served with a home fermented asparagus. I can't wait to see our restaurant full again, with guests enjoying the experience of intimate, experiential dining, leaving the outside world at the door."


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