A Mayfair Celebrity Haven, Langan’s, Hopes to Recapture Its Glory Days in 2021

Langan’s Brasserie, a Mayfair celebrity institution for classic French cooking, champagne, and most importantly, being seen eating classic French cooking and drinking champagne, is to reopen after falling into administration in October 2020. Taken over by restaurateurs Graziano Arricale and James Hitchen, it has been completely refurbished, adding a raw bar and afternoon tea lounge, the former in order to fit in fully to Mayfair’s devotion to not cooking small fish and bivalves.

The menu, however, is decidedly old French, heavy on 1970s and 1980s classics a spinach soufflé that was the “it dish” of its heyday, tableside steak tartare, fruits de mer platters and a sizeable fish pie. It will be no surprise to anyone that crêpes sûzette have made the dessert menu.

Opened by chef Peter Langan in partnership with Sir Michael Caine, it wasn’t just a hotspot but a proving ground for some of the capital’s foremost practitioners of low-key luxury: it’s where Jeremy King, then of (also soon to be relaunched) Joe Allen met Chris Corbin, who was maitre’d at the time, before forming their now expansive group Corbin and King. The opening is slated for this month.

Norma no more for chef Ben Tish

He’s stepping down from the Stafford Group, where he oversaw his Sicilian restaurant and The Game Bird, after three years. [Big Hospitality]

Langan’s isn’t the only Francophone restaurant undergoing reinvention

Au revoir Bob Bob Cité, hello Bob Bob Ricard City, with Leonid Shutov repurposing his second restaurant to be more like its Soho predecessor. Vodka shots and lobster macaroni cheese galore.

A reminder of the city’s hottest restaurants, right now

Including a Florentine trattoria and some luxurious new bowls of ramen.