Historic Mayfair Restaurant and Bar to Undergo Full-Blown Refurbishment

The restaurateur behind two of Mayfair’s most famous restaurant-bars, Mourad Mazouz, will reopen the historic North African Momo on Heddon Street in March. As well as undergoing a complete refurbishment upstairs, the basement bar will be taken over by award-winning bartender Erik Lorincz, who moves from the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel.

“As the restaurant enters its 22nd year, the iconic Momo will undergo a transformation in January 2019 and will reopen in March,” a spokesperson for the restaurant said. Joining what is described as an “elegant, North African and Mediterranean brasserie” will be a “refined 19th century styled” cocktail bar “El Bar” run by Lorincz. In 2017, the bartender steered American Bar at The Savoy to win first place at The World’s 50 Best Bars Awards.

Meanwhile, Mazouz, who also runs the two-Michelin-starred Sketch with French chef Pierre Gagnaire, will oversee the extension of the terrace and a new “sumptuous” design of Momo’s interiors.

The restaurant has also announced the appointment of new executive chef Hervé Deville’s, (previously head chef under Gagnaire at Sketch for seven years) who will design a new menu. “His culinary excellence, combined with the perfect balance of light Mediterranean dishes and hints of North African Flavour will bring a new, contemporary twist to this much-loved institution,” said a statement shared with Eater today.

The restaurant’s website thanks its customers for over two decades of support, saying Momo will be “starting 2019 with a refurbishment.”

“It has been 21 years since we opened, so we thought it was time for an upgrade,” it adds.

“In the meantime, we just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your support over the last two decades. We can’t wait to come back better than ever.”

Check back for an interview with Mazouz next month.