'It is not a final goodbye': London's Romulo Café closes its doors

Well-loved Filipino restaurant Romulo Café in London’s Kensington has closed after eight years of trading.

Founders Rowena Romulo and Chris Joseph opened the site in 2016 as the first international outpost of the Romulo restaurant group, which is run by Romulo’s family in Manila.

A post on the restaurant’s Instagram said it had closed permanently on 8 January.

It read: “This marks the conclusion of a chapter in our journey dedicated to elevating the profile of fine Filipino cuisine in the UK. For the past 8 years, Romulo Café has been our canvas for showcasing the richness of Philippine culture.

“The trajectory of our industry has been significantly shaped by unforeseen external factors, including the lockdowns and price increases due to the Ukrainian war.

“Coupled with the evolving economic landscape, the impact of such persistent challenges has rendered the continued operation of the restaurant impractical.”

The team said sister restaurant Kasa and Kin, which opened in London’s Soho in 2021, continues to trade as normal.

Romulo and Joseph hinted that the restaurant could have a future in a different format.

They added: “While Romulo Café bids farewell in its current form, it is not a final goodbye. Stay tuned for news on future adventures.”

Romulo Café is the latest in a string of independent hospitality businesses to close since the start of the year after struggling with rising costs.

Operators have warned more sites will permanently shut their doors without government help.