Simpson’s in the Strand readies to reopen this month

Simpson’s in the Strand is set to reopen in March under the stewardship of restaurateur Jeremy King.

The restaurant was founded in 1828 but has been shuttered since 2020 despite a refurbishment in 2017.

King, who launched restaurants the Park and Arlington in recent years – told The Guardian that he first fell in love with the restaurant 40 years ago, and has been in conversations with the adjacent Savoy hotel about overseeing the restaurant for the past two decades.

“I have always enjoyed the romance of historical restaurants, but as the last of the grande dame restaurants in London, Simpson’s was always going to be my heart’s desire, as it allowed us to immerse the guests in Edwardian opulence,” King said.

“There are very few restaurants outside of hotels that have been purpose built, and the sheer generosity of the architecture – its multiple spaces, extravagant design and sense of authority – are all so beguiling. It is unlikely we will ever see institutions like this again because the excessive cost conspires against profitability.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the 2022 Cateys acknowledged that heritage establishments such as Simpson’s in the Strand can become “spent”.

“It requires a great deal of determination and energy to rejuvenate and hence they sometimes change hands, the baton is passed, and they emerge either as a celebration of the history or completely changed. I am enjoying celebrating Simpson’s,” he said.