London’s Soho welcomes six new F&B offerings

Six new F&B additions are set to open in Soho’s Shaftesbury Capital portfolio.

Kingly Street has welcomed two new signings from The Counter and Little Door and Co alongside the upsize of pub and cocktail bar Two Floors. Three-storey alfresco dining destination, Kingly Court, has introduced two new debut concepts, Liu Xiaomian and Donia, as well as the reopening of pan Asian specialist, Oka.

Debuting at 15-16 Kingly Street this May, is contemporary Aegean restaurant The Counter. With space for 60 covers spanning 2,000 sq ft, and a 20-seat terrace outside, The Counter will be bringing its coal-fired, Middle Eastern dishes to the West End for the first time, offering a seasonal menu focused on traditional small plates and mains cooked on the open-kitchen’s grill. 

There is also a 30-cover downstairs bar, Under The Counter, with cocktails drawing inspiration from Greece, Turkey, the Mediterranean and Levant.

Kemal Demirasal, chef-founder at The Counter, said: “We’re really excited to be bringing the flavours of the Aegean, which unites Greece and Turkey, to central London. We couldn’t be happier to be opening our second restaurant in Soho, and to open our first ever bar, Under The Counter, in the heart of London’s vibrant West End.”

Little Door and Co is launching the latest venue joining four other leading sites across London. The 3,400 sq ft bar and restaurant located at 9 Kingly Street, named The Little Violet Door, will provide an afternoon to late night offering with a house party-style environment and unique identity.

Kamran Dehdashti and Jamie Hazeel, co-founders of Little Door and Co, said: “Following the success of The Little Scarlet Door, our ambition has always been to grow our footprint in central London. From hosting our first pop-up ten years ago, our fifth site is a real milestone. The Little Violet Door takes us back to our British heritage and the iconic history of Kingly Street perfectly aligns with our vision.”

Pub and cocktail bar, Two Floors, has also expanded its presence in Soho, made possible by Shaftesbury Capital undertaking a comprehensive redevelopment of three townhouses to create new ground floor units and over 14,000 sq ft of offices above. 

Formerly occupying just 3 Kingly Street, Two Floors have extended into number 4, boasting a combined 2,850 sq ft that will allow them to introduce an enhanced food offer featuring pub classics.

In addition, noodle bar Liu Xiaomian has opened on the first floor of Kingly Court and marks its first ever permanent bricks-and-mortar location. Drawing inspiration from the flavours of Chongqing, China, Liu Xiaomian serves its spicy Chongqing noodles, while pig trotter noodles and aubergine salad have been added to the Kingly Court menu. 

Newly opened modern Filipino restaurant, Donia, is joining the diverse Kingly Court line-up on the top floor. Focused on sharing plates, Donia is the latest concept from Maginhawa Group, led by leading Filipino restaurateurs Florence Mae Maglanoc and Omar Shah, who also have fusion restaurant Ramo Ramen and dessert parlour Mamasons within Shaftesbury Capital’s portfolio.

Lastly, after nearly a decade at Kingly Court, pan Asian and sushi specialist Oka has re-opened their West End flagship restaurant. Expanding the venue, as well as a significant investment to refurbish the space, has brought a fresh décor and experience to Kingly Court diners. 

Michelle McGrath, executive director at Shaftesbury Capital, said: “The country’s best hospitality entrepreneurs seek out Soho for its reputation as the epicentre of London’s vibrant dining scene, with a food-savvy consumer base that truly understand dining quality and innovation, but also a critical mass of thriving restaurants, cafés, bars, and pubs. 

“High quality hospitality, like these new signings, lies at the heart of the West End’s flourishing ecosystem, and Soho exemplifies this with its concentration of office workers, local residents, and global and domestic visitors.”