KIBOU Japanese Kitchen & Bar has signed for 1a Tavistock Street in Covent Garden.
The independently owned premium casual dining restaurant group has secured the flagship site within the Shaftesbury Capital estate in London’s West End.
The acquisition marks a pivotal moment in KIBOU’s growth and represents its first Central London restaurant.
The opening is targeted for early 2027.
At 210 covers, the Covent Garden restaurant will become the largest site in the KIBOU group.
Design and fit-out will be led by Q&A Interior Design Ltd, which has created every KIBOU restaurant to date.
The site will also feature original hand-painted murals by Gloucestershire-based artist Martyna Sabadasz, a defining element of the KIBOU brand and guest experience.
A development timeline will be confirmed in due course.
The signing follows KIBOU’s strongest trading year on record, with double-digit year-on-year revenue growth driven by sustained investment in team and guest experience.
It builds on the group’s expanding portfolio, which currently spans Battersea, Cambridge, Cheltenham, Clifton in Bristol, Oxford and Solihull.
A seventh site is also due to open in Birmingham this autumn.
Funding for the Covent Garden development has been supported by HSBC UK.
Shaftesbury Capital PLC is one of London’s leading West End landlords, with a portfolio concentrated in Covent Garden, Carnaby, Soho and Chinatown.
Sam Horswill, Managing Director at KIBOU Restaurants Ltd, said: “Covent Garden is one of the world’s busiest and most exciting dining destinations, and we’re delighted to be working with the Shaftesbury Capital team to bring KIBOU here.
“Securing our largest site yet in the heart of the capital is a real statement of intent.
“This is organic growth built on strong foundations.
“Our best ever trading year, a brilliant team, and real ambition for what comes next.”
Emma Matus, Head of Restaurant Leasing at Shaftesbury Capital, added: “Covent Garden continues to prove itself as one of the world’s premier hospitality destinations, attracting the very best restaurant and bar brands.
“KIBOU’s arrival will be a fantastic addition to our restaurant mix and we’re excited to see it thrive as it takes on its most ambitious site yet in the heart of the West End.”
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