Giaconda Dining Room forced to close after Paul Merrony breaks his arm

London restaurant the Giaconda Dining Room has been forced to close after its chef patron, Paul Merrony, broke his arm in a cycling accident.

The modern European restaurant in Soho, which opened to critical acclaim in May this year, closed last week and will continue to remain shut until at least 25 November. When it reopens, it will serve lunch only until the end of the year.

"While cycling home from work on Halloween night our chef, Paul Merrony, fell off his bike and broke his arm in about 16 places," the Giaconda Dining Room website says.

"Sadly therefore we will be closed until at least 25 November […] and we will be opening for lunches only until the end of the year.

"Please accept our grovelling apologies for all inconvenience we have caused you."

Giaconda Dining Room will reopen fully for lunch and dinner on 5 January. The 35-seat restaurant on Denmark Street is housed in the site previously occupied by Tin Pan Alley.

The restaurant is Australian-born chef patron Merrony's first in Britain having previously run his eponymous restaurant in Sydney.

Nottingham's Lord Nelson impresses the critics, as does London's Giaconda Dining Room>>

Guardian review of Giaconda Dining Room>>

Giles Coren's review of the Giaconda Dining room>>

By Kerstin Kühn

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