Stevie Parle's Joy at Portobello to close

Stevie Parle is to close his pop-up Joy at Portobello restaurant, retail space and music venue at the end of the month.

Posting on Instagram, the chef said he was having to vacate the site to make way for another operator.

He wrote: “Sadly, despite our best endeavours and contrary to our expectations we were not given an opportunity to sign a long lease and we have lost the site to a west London-based street food/pub/club operator. I don’t know what they’re planning for it but I do wish them luck.”

Parle opened his first restaurant, Dock Kitchen, at Portobello Dock in 2009 when he was just 24 years old, which traded for eight years until it closed in 2017.

Joy opened in summer 2020 and the chef spoke of his happiness at returning to the site.

He said: “Portobello Dock is special to me. I opened my first restaurant here with Tom Dixon when I was 24 and it’s been empty since we left four years ago. It was brilliant to be back.

“We brought great food, beautiful flowers, happiness, good times, and, importantly, well-paid jobs to Portobello Dock at a moment when those were all in short supply.

“We have been supported by an incredible bunch of guests, shoppers, friends and neighbours and feel hugely privileged to have been the place where so many people reconnected with friends and family they hadn’t seen for months.”

However, Parle said he hopes to bring back the restaurant in a different location, adding: “Hopefully we’ll find an equally brilliant permanent home for Joy one day.”

Parle also owns London pasta brand Pastaio, which has restaurants in Soho and at Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush.

Photo: Charlie McKay