Restaurateur Andrew Edmunds, the founder of his eponymous restaurant in Soho, has died at the age of 79.
The restaurateur’s death was confirmed by his restaurant on Monday, which announced: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Andrew Edmunds. The restaurant will be closed until Tuesday 20 September.”
Edmunds’ family have said that his death came after a seemingly trivial illness and was not expected.
In the 1980s, Edmunds acquired two neighbouring buildings on Lexington Street, in Soho. In one, he would open his art dealership, and in the other, his eponymous restaurant.
The dealership stocked primarily 19th and 18th-century prints and cartoons, including works by James Gillray and William Hogarth. Edmunds would often lend pieces to museums such as the Sir John Soane’s Museum and Tate Britain.
The restaurant, meanwhile, is widely considered one of the last Bohemian Soho hangouts, favoured by journalists, creatives and artists. It is also regarded as one of London’s most romantic restaurants, thanks to its intimate dining room and convivial atmosphere. The menu is seasonal, with unfussy dishes like “grouse for lunch” jotted down on the blackboard outside.
Since Edmund’s death, the staff have said “through thick or thin, Andrew would never want the restaurant to close. We will remain open as he intended.”
Many fans of Edmunds and his restaurant have taken to social media to express their condolences. Food critic Jay Rayner called the restaurant “a true pillar of Soho”, while fellow critic Marina O’Loughlin described Edmunds himself as “the best kind of restaurateur, in it for the love of it”.
The Chair of the Soho Society, Tim Lord, said “He was a discreet but enormously intelligent and thoughtful man who loved Soho and understood its history and heritage better than most. He will be terribly missed.”
Edmunds leaves behind his wife Bryony, three children, three grandchildren and his restaurant. You can find out more and book a table at Andrew Edmunds here.
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