After closing its doors during the pandemic, Le Caprice… is coming back.
At least, something like Le Caprice will be – opening on the same site, just behind The Ritz, with Jeremy King at the helm (one half of the duo who made the place so successful in the first place). Only this time around it’ll be called Arlington, after its address.
A little primer for anyone who’s taking in a lot of new information here: Le Caprice was one of those iconic London restaurants that was rarely out of the society pages during its 1980s heyday. It was founded in 1947, but the real golden era came later, when Princess Diana had a favourite corner table; Omar Sharif and Ian Dury got into fisticuffs over a girl; and Madonna and Liz Hurley were counted among the regulars.
That success was down to the pair who took over in 1981, Chris Corbin and Jeremy King. They’re essentially the patron saints of London’s restaurant scene, running some of the city’s most beloved restaurants – The Wolseley, Brasserie Zédel, Fischers – until the spring of 2022, when they were forcibly bought out of their own business by shareholders Minor International. It was only going to be a matter of time before the pair returned, and it couldn’t get more fitting than the site where it all began.
While the name may have changed, there’ll be plenty of echoes of the original – especially from maître d’ Jesus Adorno, who returns to the post he proudly held for 38 years. There’s also whispers of some old favourites returning to the menu, like the crispy duck salad and bang bang chicken.
Which hopefully hasn’t been there for 38 years.
NOTE: Arlington is set to open in early 2024.
Arlington | 20 Arlington Street, London SW1A 1RJ
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