General News

Waterside eating and drinking

It doesn't take more than a sniff of decent weather to get us excited, and what better way to spend a sunny weekend than to head to the river or the docks? If the clouds roll in again, no matter: nothing tops the natural beauty of a watery reflection. Whether it's fine dining or simply somewhere to sink a few ales that you're after, Square Meal's guide to the best waterside restaurants and bars has got it covered.

Marcus Wareing to part company with Gordon Ramsay (May 2008)

Rumours of a split between Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) have been doing the rounds for some time and now it’s finally been confirmed that the chef behind two Michelin-starred Petrus will be parting company with the restaurant group. But Wareing won’t be leaving The Berkeley, where he currently operates Petrus. GRH’s contract with the luxury Knightsbridge hotel ends in mid-September, and once it’s finished Wareing will stay on and continue to preside over the fine-dining operation. We hear GRH plans to take the Petrus name with them, so the restaurant will be renamed – Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley is a possibility.

Richard Caring - Britain's Wealthiest Restaurateur (April 2008)

The Ivy owner has just been named the 184th richest man in Britain in the Sunday Times Rich List, with a wealth valued at £450 million, making Richard Caring the country’s wealthiest restaurateur and blowing the likes of Sir Terence Conran (£76m) and Gordon Ramsay (£50m) out of the water.

Caring made his fortune in the rag trade, supplying high-street fashion chains with clothes made in the Far East, but more recently he’s turned his attention to the some of London’s trendiest restaurants and clubs. In 2005 Caring bought Signature Restaurants, which owns The Ivy, J Sheekey and 2006 newcomer Scott's for an estimated £31.5m. Last year he acquired the Birley Group which includes exclusive members’ clubs such as Annabel’s and Harry’s Bar, and in early 2008 he took the majority stake in the Soho House group. All of which has bolstered him to the status of wealthiest (and most influential) restaurateur in the UK.

Click here to read Square Meal’s exclusive interview with Richard Caring.

Blow-out Burger (April 2008)

It sounds like something that would be conjured up in the kitchen at The Ritz, but the £80 burger is soon to be the handiwork of chefs at Burger King. In June the Gloucester Road branch of the fast-food outlet (85 Gloucester Road, SW7, 020 7370 2447) will be serving a Wagyu beef burger topped with foie gras and blue cheese. Why does Wagyu command such high prices? Well, the cattle have plenty of space for grazing and are regularly massaged in beer to ensure a good marbling of fat in the meat.

If even that can’t tempt you in to a branch of Burger King, then click here for Square Meal’s round-up of the best burgers places in London.

Crackdown on Expense Lunches (April 2008)

According to an article in the Evening Standard, City workers are now feeling the full force of the credit crunch. The newspaper reports that staff at Deutsche Bank have been issued a memo from the Frankfurt HQ stating, among other belt-tightening policies, that workers should spend no more than £52 per person on business lunches. Fortunately for them there are plenty of top-tier London restaurants that offer great-value gourmet lunches, including Le Gavroche’s £48 set lunch which comes with three courses, half a bottle of wine, half a bottle of water and coffee. Other good-value options include £29.50 for three courses at The Capital hotel in Knightsbridge and a £30 set menu at Fitzrovia's Pied a Terre.

Click through for:

• A list of the best-value gourmet lunch restaurants

A Spring Clean for Square Meal (April 2008)

We are pleased to announce that Squaremeal.co.uk has had a brand new redesign, giving your favourite restaurant, bar & venue guide a clean, ultra-modern look & feel, while also making it even easier to use.

Square Meal has always been first to alert you to the hottest restaurant and venue news, and now you can access even more of the latest stories with our separate homepages for Restaurants & Bars and Venues & Events. And if you never want to miss a story, make sure you upload our Newsfeed to alert you every time a news article is added.

Not only has Square Meal’s content significantly increased, it has also diversified: our brand new Food & Drink section contains articles on food trends, spirits & cocktails, plus features on wines from around the world, so you can read up on your favourite topics while browsing the site.

And, searching squaremeal.co.uk is now easier than ever - with redesigned and more flexible Quick Search & Advanced Search options, you’ll always be able to find the perfect restaurant, bar or venue to suit your needs, at the touch of a button.

We hope you like our new look as much as we do, and as ever, we really appreciate your comments, so please contact us with any suggestions you have.