Russian restaurant giant arrives in UK

Novikov Restaurant Group has announced plans to open its first restaurant outside Russia, having secured a 19,000 square foot site at 50 Berkeley Street in the heart of London’s Mayfair.

Founded in 1992 by Arkady Novikov, the group lead the early development of Russia’s upmarket restaurant scene and now represents a multi-million dollar empire with over 47 restaurants offering 18 different cuisines in and around its Moscow base.

Due to open for business in early 2011, the building is likely to be divided into two restaurants; one specialising in Asian seafood and the other in Mediterranean cuisine. There is also a plan to incorporate a Far Eastern-themed bar under the same roof.

50 Berkeley Street has been vacant for the past three years under lease to the group behind Hakkasan, which has now dropped plans to open a new restaurant on the site after posting a £6.4 million loss last year.

Explaining the attraction of this location for his first foreign venture, Novikov commented: “London is renowned for the diversity and quality of its restaurant culture, and is home to some of the best restaurants in the world.

"Also, as one of the great cosmopolitan cities, London was a natural choice as a location for our first restaurant outside of Russia.”

Gabriel Savage, 01.06.2010