Quaglino’s Returns: The St James’s Institution Enters a New Era
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Nearly a century after Giovanni Quaglino first opened its doors in St James’s, the legendary London dining room is preparing to make its return. On 7 October 2026, Quaglino’s will reopen at 16 Bury Street under The Evolv Collection, following a significant restoration that seeks to revive the glamour, theatre and democratic spirit that have defined the restaurant across generations.
First opened in 1929, Quaglino’s quickly became one of London’s great social stages. Royalty, writers, actors and the city’s café society were drawn to its combination of serious dining and unabashed spectacle. It was a place to eat, drink, dance and, crucially, to be seen.
The latest chapter is being approached not as an exercise in nostalgia, but as a restoration of Quaglino’s as a living institution. The Art Deco bones of the room and its celebrated staircase have been carefully honoured, while a newly commissioned collection of art and a reimagined day-to-night format bring the restaurant firmly into the present.
The revival also nods to one of the most important moments in Quaglino’s history: Sir Terence Conran’s 1993 restoration. His vision was rooted in the democratisation of dining — the idea that glamour, great food and a sense of occasion should not be reserved for a select few. The Evolv Collection is consciously returning to that philosophy, pairing an elevated evening experience with a generous and accessible daytime offering, including its “Ten Pound Plates”.
At the heart of the restaurant is a menu inspired by Giovanni Quaglino’s own culinary journey, from Piedmont to Cannes and through his time at The Savoy. The cooking brings together Italian provenance, French classical technique and the traditions of the British brasserie, with an emphasis on seasonality, provenance and craft.
Senior Brand Chef Daniel Scott, who brings three decades of culinary experience to the role, has developed the menu around ingredient-led cooking, allowing exceptional produce sourced directly from farmers, producers and fishermen to take centre stage. Among the signature dishes are Vitello Tonnato Skewers, Pissaladière, Turbot Mountbatten and Lamb Cutlet Milanese.
Group Culinary Consultant Miller Prada, formerly of Michelin-starred Humo, has also collaborated on the collection, bringing an imaginative perspective to a menu designed to reflect Quaglino’s distinctive heritage and international influences.
The drinks offering is equally theatrical. Alongside the much-loved Q Bar, which will serve cocktails inspired by Quaglino’s journey — including reimagined Savoy classics — three new bar concepts will punctuate the room.
A dedicated Champagne Bar will offer 24 champagnes by the glass and bottle. The Fruits de Mer seafood counter takes inspiration from the original Conran-era design, serving molluscs and crustacea alongside contemporary ceviche and tiradito small plates. Then there is the Dessert Bar, styled as a Cannes tabac and deliberately playful in spirit, with creations including smoke-filled edible helium balloons, cannoli cigars and chocolate ashtrays.
Entertainment, meanwhile, returns to the centre of the experience. A newly revamped stage will bring cabaret and live music closer to diners, while theatrical raised booths around the perimeter of the dining room create an atmosphere designed to evolve as the evening progresses.
The result promises a Quaglino’s for a new generation: a restaurant where a weekday lunch can be as accessible as an evening of Champagne and cabaret, and where heritage is treated not as a museum piece but as an invitation to keep the story moving.
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