The re-imagined Langan's Brasserie, in London's Mayfair, is set to reopen in autumn 2021. Under the direction of restauranteurs, Graziano Arricale and James Hitchen (pictured), Langan’s will be carefully restored to its former glory: a bastion of timeless glamour, luxury – and escapism.
Former Operations Director at Richard Caring’s Birley Clubs, Arricale now heads up the Food & Beverage operating team responsible for the Chucs Restaurant & Cafe´ Collection, which has five West London sites and is planning to expand in 2021, Chelsea based KX Private Members’ Club (which will open its New York outpost next summer), and KXU, its pay-as-you-go boutique sister concept.
The re-launched Langan’s will be overseen by Arricale as CEO, alongside site Managing Director James Hitchen. Founder and former CEO of East Coast Concepts - whose projects included the critically acclaimed Neighbourhood MCR and Victors - Hitchen grew the business from a single site in 2009, into a successful six venue group.
Through an extensive refurbishment, Langan’s will be re-imagined and brought up to date - all the while ensuring the brand’s heritage as a British institution remains firmly intact. Fettle Studios, a boutique interior architecture and design firm, have been commissioned to deliver interiors which reflect the restaurant’s intimate connection to the worlds of cinema, music and art.
A nod to Langan’s legacy, works by young British artists will adorn the walls, while crisp linen table cloths and premium silver tableware will add to an atmosphere of timeless elegance.
Langan’s menu will consist of British and French classics focused on prime, luxury ingredients. Highlights include seared hand dived scallops with lardons and celeriac, wild mushroom fricassee served with toasted brioche and plateau fruit de mer, followed by mains such as Fish Pie (a well established Langan’s classic), Lobster Thermidor, and bouillabaisse with red mullet and gurnard.
In true Langan’s style, several dishes shall be served tableside, including a classic steak tartare, Dover Sole (grilled or meunie`re) and Chateaubriand for two.
Dessert will, of course, be an indulgent affair – think Crepes Suzette, Creme Brulee and Salted Caramel Eclairs. An extensive wine list meanwhile, will feature a wide selection of French bottles alongside international favourites. Service will be formal yet friendly – the indulgent attention of its waiters having been a source of great pride for the original Langan’s.
In addition to the main dining room, there will be a ground floor lounge bar for leisurely afternoon tea, business meetings and pre-dinner drinks, as well as a shellfish bar serving up oysters and caviar. The lower ground floor meanwhile will become home to an extensive wine cellar and private dining room.
Upstairs, reached via Langan’s impressive Art Deco staircase, is set to become an exclusive, invitation-only late lounge. With a licence until 3am, guests will be able to enjoy dinner with live music, which will give way to DJs, drinking and dancing from 11pm.
Founded by Irish restauranteur Peter Langan in 1976, in partnership with actor Sir Michael Caine and former head chef of the Michelin-starred Capital Hotel, Richard Shepherd, Langan’s re-defined the London dining scene in the 1970s and 80s.
The first destination restaurant of its kind, diners arrived in their droves to rub shoulders with the rich and famous. A celebrity haunt, Langan’s was frequented by everyone from Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando, to Muhammed Ali, Mick Jagger and Elton John.
