Television Centre in White City is rapidly becoming the premier dining destination in West London with a cluster of new restaurants opening in the former BBC Television headquarters over the next month.
Pizza place Homeslice, operated by Sir Terry Wogan’s sons, and burger joint Patty & Bun are opening in the week commencing 26 March. Bluebird Café an iconic feature of the King’s Road in Chelsea for 20 years, opens on 11 April. White City House, Soho House’s new members’ club, officially launches on 23 April at Television Centre, including their restaurant and cocktail bar The Allis.
Indian kitchen Kricket, will open in July at Television Centre.
Homeslice
Brothers Mark and Alan Wogan have chosen Television Centre to launch the newest branch of their restaurant, Homeslice. Offering 20” pizzas whole or by the slice, the simple menu offers an innovative take on classic Italian pizza, with creative flavour combinations including spiced lamb, lime and honey aubergine and chorizo and cream.
In 2012, Alan and Mark bought into Homeslice, then a portable wood-fired oven, run and built by chef Ry Jessup to cater at food markets and festivals. They established their first bricks and mortar site in 2013 at 13 Neal’s Yard and have since opened restaurants in Fitztrovia, the City and Shoreditch. The Television Centre site holds an emotional attachment for the brothers, who are the sons of iconic BBC broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan, who died in 2016.
Alan Wogan, Homeslice co-founder said:
“I can remember being driven through those gates to the ‘doughnut’ building with Dad as kids. This brings things full circle. It would have been nice if he’d known we were going to open a restaurant where he spent so much of his career. He would have been thrilled. He was very proud of what he had seen of us doing with the business.”
Patty & Bun
Patty & Bun, regarded as serving some of the best burgers in London, will open its 12th site at Television Centre with a menu of customer favourites, including the Ari Gold beef burger, and Hot Chic chicken burger, brisket nuggets and cheese balls.
Patty & Bun was founded in 2010 by Joe Grossman and Fred Trussell, former head chef at Pitt Cue and started as a pop-up touring London pubs and clubs. The first permanent restaurant opened on James Street, Marylebone in 2012. Patty & Bun has sites in Notting Hill, Shoreditch and Soho, a prep and development kitchen in London Fields and a permanent residency in Swingers golf bar in Aldgate.
Bluebird
Run by top restaurant group D&D London, Bluebird Café is opening a 5,000 square foot all day café, deli and outdoor terrace which in the evening will transform into a restaurant and bar.
Designed by David d’Almada’s Sagrada, expect 1960s styling that incorporates contemporary Chelsea glamour. Artwork has been sourced by Fraser Scott and includes works by young British artists and designs inspired by Bridget Riley and Celia Birtwell. The modern European menu offers staples including, butter chicken curry with basmati rice and burnt chilli, spiced king prawns with yogurt and pistachio and nduja crusted yellow fin tuna with grilled onion and green sauce. Responsibility for puddings and savoury and sweet pastries will be in the hands of Award Winning Chef, Roger Pizey.
Simon Gregory, Bluebird Executive Chef, said,
‘I’m incredibly excited to be a part of such an iconic redevelopment – the Television Centre couldn’t be a better home for the first Bluebird Café. We can’t wait to bring the very best of Bluebird’s all-day dining to the West London community’.
Soho House
On 23 April Soho House will be officially launching their long-awaited new members’ club for the creative industries, White City House at Television Centre. White City House will offer a rooftop swimming pool and terrace, House Gym, with pool, yoga and dance studios and fitness equipment, a screening room, an event space, Electric Cinema and Soho House Hotel with 45 bedrooms with rooms overlooking the forecourt. The Allis, a relaxed and welcoming restaurant and cocktail bar will offer all-day dining, providing social space for brunch, meetings, afternoon tea, group meals and date nights.
Kricket
Contemporary Indian Kricket will launch their largest restaurant yet at Television Centre. Known for their small plates that offer contemporary twists on the traditional flavours of India using British ingredients, the 140-cover restaurant will include an open kitchen, cocktail bar and an outdoor terrace for visitors to enjoy in the spring and summer months.
Kricket was founded by Chef Will Bowlby and Rik Campbell inside one of Pop Brixton’s shipping containers and has since established itself as one of the most exciting newcomers on the London food scene. In January 2017 they launched their first permanent kitchen in Soho, which was ranked the 80th best restaurant in the UK in the Estrella Damm National Restaurants Awards.
Rik Campbell, Kricket Co-Founder, said:
“We are really excited to be moving into the Television Centre, an iconic building in the heart of West London and accompanied by some great names in the industry.”
Workers, residents and visitors at neighbouring White City Place, owned and developed by Stanhope, Mitsui and AIMCo, can already enjoy authentic New-York style pizza at Pizza Street, freshly-made Greek cuisine at The Athenian, American baked goods at Butterscotch, fast service Italian at Coco di Mama and. Feast Bar & Kitchen managed by the company behind Pergola on the Roof, next door to Television Centre. More are on the way with Karachi Kitchen Shola, Nikkei restaurant Waka and wine bar and restaurant Wellbourne opening in April at White City Place.
