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The prevalence of the omicron variant — since 15 December, the dominant strain of Covid-19 in London — is beginning to have an impact on restaurants across the capital. Because of either an overwhelming number of cases among staff, or as a preemptive measure against infection among those staff as they head into the Christmas holidays, a growing number of London restaurants have announced that they will close their doors early.
Unlike in previous Covid waves, the peak for omicron will arrive comparatively quickly. For restaurants, that means that even in the as-of-now unlikely event of more restrictions being introduced, it is likely that any measures would be short-term. Indeed, the as-of-now is this: “We’re not closing hospitality,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his press conference on 15 December.
Nevertheless, omicron has impacted restaurants in London just before Christmas in a way that few would have predicted only a fortnight ago. As one general manager of a London restaurant group told Eater candidly: “It’s a fucking nightmare.”
This is a fast-moving situation, with more and more restaurants announcing closure. The below list will remain updated over the coming days.
If they are now listed below, then please send any tips or news of closures to london@eater.com
Brutto
Address: 35-37 Greenhill Rents, London EC1M 6BN
When: 22 December
Projected reopening: January
Koya City
Address: 10-12 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR
When: 21 December
Projected reopening: 4 January; Soho and Koya Ko in Hackney remain open
Sessions Arts Club
Address: Old Sessions House, 24 Clerkenwell Grn, London EC1R 0NA
When: 20 December
Projected reopening: January
Ombra
Address: 1 Vyner St, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9DG
When: 20 December
Projected reopening: 31 December “maybe”
Cafe Cecilia
Address: 32 Andrews Road, Hackney E8 4RL
When: 20 December
Projected reopening: January
Planque
Address: 322-324 Acton Mews, London E8 4EA
When: 19 December
Projected reopening: January
Trullo
Address: 300-302, St Paul’s Rd, London N1 2LH
When: 19 December
Projected reopening: 28 December
Dumpling Shack
Address: Old Spitalfields Market
When: 18 December
Projected reopening: 2 January
St John / St John Bread and Wine
Address: 26 St John St, Barbican, London EC1M 4AY / 94-96 Commercial St, London E1 6LZ
When: 18 December
Projected reopening: Dining rooms in January; Bread and Wine remains open for takeaway.
Chick ‘n’ Sours
Address: 390 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AA
When: 19 December
Projected reopening: 3 January
Jolene
Address: 21 Newington Green, Stoke Newington N16 9PU
When: 18 December, “eight days earlier than anticipated.”
Projected reopening: January
Westerns Laundry
Address: 34 Drayton Park, Holloway N5 1PB
When: 18 December, “eight days earlier than anticipated.”
Projected reopening: January
Primeur
Address: Barnes Motors, 116 Petherton Road, Newington Green N5 2RT
When: 18 December, “eight days earlier than anticipated.”
Projected reopening: January
The Clove Club
Address: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, Shoreditch EC1V 9LT
When: 17 December
Projected reopening: 7 January
Luca
Address: 88 St John St, London EC1M 4EH
When: 17 December
Projected reopening: January
Pidgin
Address: 52 Wilton Way, Hackney E8 1BG
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: 5 January
Bright
Address: 1 Westgate Street, London Fields E8 3RL
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January; a retail space will arrive in the coming days.
Peg
Address: 120 Morning Lane, Clapton E9 6LH
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January. Open as a shop for now.
P.Franco
Address: 107 Lower Clapton Road, Lower Clapton E5 0NP
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January for drinking and eating in; bottle shop is remaining open.
Quality Chop House
Address: 88-94 Farringdon Road, Farringdon EC1R 3EA
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January
Quality Wines
Address: 88-94 Farringdon Road, Farringdon EC1R 3EA
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January
Portland
Address: 113 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia W1W 6QQ
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January
Clipstone
Address: 5 Clipstone Street, Fitzrovia W1W 6BB
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January
Llewelyn’s
Address: 293-295 Railton Road, Herne Hill SE24 0JP
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January
Camberwell Arms
Address: 65 Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell SE5 8TR
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: After Christmas
Mangal 2
Address: 4 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston N16 8BH
When: 16 December
Projected reopening: January
Forza Wine
Address: The Rooftop, 133A Rye Lane, Peckham SE15 4BQ
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: After Christmas
Kol
Address: 9 Seymour Street, Marylebone W1H 7BA
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: January
Snackbar
Address: 20 Dalston Lane, Dalston E8 3AZ
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: January
Cafe Deco
Address: 43 Store Street, Bloomsbury WC1E 7DB
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: 4 January for dinner, but will operate as a shop selling home meals in jars, mince pies, charcuterie and wine in the run up to Christmas.
Hill & Szrok
Address: 60 Broadway Market, Hackney E8 4QJ
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: It will remain open as a butchers shop but the cookshop and wine bar will not reopen until further notice.
Hector’s
Address: 49a Ardleigh Road, De Beauvoir N1 4HS
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: 5 January for drinking and eating in; bottle shop is remaining open.
Toklas
Address: 1 Surrey Street, Temple WC2R 2ND
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: 6 January
Max’s Sandwich Shop
Address: 19 Crouch Hill, Finsbury Park N4 4AP
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: 5 January
40 Maltby Street
Address: 40 Maltby Street, Bermondsey SE1 3PA
When: 15 December
Projected reopening: 6 January for dinner but open now as a bottle shop, provisioner, and meals to cook at home.