Caravan to open largest site to date in Covent Garden

Caravan is set to open its largest site to date with a new flagship restaurant in Covent Garden. The opening will represent the group’s eighth site, and follows on from its last opening in Canary Wharf in 2022. Spanning two floors, it is the brand's second central London restaurant since the opening of its Fitzrovia site in 2018. Drawing parallels with its flagship King’s Cross restaurant situated in a Grade II listed Victorian granary, Caravan’s new Covent Garden restaurant is set in a historic and characterful building, Grainhouse on Drury Lane. Caravan Covent Garden will feature terrace dining wrapping around the site, a light filled lower ground floor for all day bar and dining, a table for two positioned in a subterranean light well, and the Green Room, its largest private hire and events space to date. The design for the site is said to be “inspired by a connection to nature and the outdoor world”. It will feature a panoramic shopfront, flooding the restaurant in natural light, while raw, natural materials and planting will “bring the coastline indoors”. The restaurant will be open from morning to night, offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, cocktails and dinner. Signature dishes include jalapeno cornbread, steamed cod dumplings, and crisp chilli salt tofu. Also on the menu are Caravan’s craft coffee blends and hand-picked single origin coffees that are locally roasted at its North London roastery. Laura Harper Hinton, Caravan co-founder and CEO, said: "We are thrilled to be heading to Covent Garden to share our passion for craft coffee, well-travelled food and memorable experiences in a new part of the city. Thirteen years after opening our first restaurant in Exmouth Market, we still strive to be a source of new, exciting flavours, fresh ideas, and authentic, friendly experiences. “We’re so proud to have created restaurants that all are welcome to visit, at any time of the day, for any occasion and can’t wait to throw open the doors at Covent Garden so we can bring more New Zealand sunshine and hospitality to more of London.” Caravan Covent Garden will open at the mixed use Grainhouse development which is also set to become the new European headquarters for Hines, a global real estate investment, development and property manager. Grainhouse was acquired by Hines in March 2020. Emme Batten, director - Retail Asset Management at Hines in the UK, said: “Signing Caravan as our first F&B operator at Grainhouse is testament to the quality central London location, and expert design and workmanship that has gone into the extensive redevelopment of the building paying homage to its traditional period design. “It also demonstrates that prime buildings with great connectivity in thriving communities will continue to attract high profile retailers. Caravan is a pioneering and highly regarded restaurant brand and we’re excited that its all day dining concept will soon be available at Grainhouse for its occupiers and the general public alike to enjoy.”