Articles
Originally published on Tuesday, 15th January 2013
The Americana Invasion
2013 spells out U.S.A.
America’s on the mind and not just because of politics or impending inauguration parties. There’s always been a synergy between them and us; earlier this year we were swapping non-stop with the Big Apple. This year, however, there seems to be a lot of one-way traffic. London, make room: Stateside is moving in.
We’ve already got the US’s brunch parties and trash food habits down, and big names Sushisamba and STK have already crossed the pond. It doesn’t stop there. In 2013, expect American foodstuffs from all over the spectrum. Madison Square institution Shake Shack will come to Covent Garden, NY-Mexican taquería La Esquina will finally set up tienda and rumour has it Obama’s favourite burger shop Five Guys will also make the jump. Even national chain Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. will open in (quite fittingly) the Trocadero. On the high-brow front, Greenwich Village stalwart Balthazar has taken over the old Theatre Museum site in Covent Garden (opening date still TBC), while the rumour mill has The Spotted Pig, Marlon Abela’s A Voce and a Thomas Keller outpost tipped for LDN invasion.
Add to that the migration of America’s best hotels. The recently opened boutique Thompson Hotel Belgraves mixes Brit sensibilities with new-school American bohemia, while Andre Balazs (of [Chateau Marmont, The Mercer and Standard fame) will open a boutique hotel in a disused fire station in Marylebone later this year. On top of that, there’ll be Nobu Shoreditch on Willow Street, featuring a restaurant and 143-room hotel – à la Las Vegas – in a huge structure designed by Ron Arad. And, in 2014, a Mondrian hotel will call the South Bank home — plus we heard that Ace wants to join in the London fun, too.
It’s not just food, drink and beds, either. American fashion has got a foothold – Tom Ford chose to show at LCM this week instead of Milan, and J.Crew will soon be opening its first overseas boutique at 165 Regent Street. (It’s not all take, though, we’ve surrendered Dover Street Market to New York.)
All we need now is LA’s Grilled Cheese Truck, NY’s Café Select, a MoMA, a Met Ball and more 24h options (like Cafeteria) and we’ll be Americana-complete.
Info
Shake Shack, opens mid-2013, Covent Garden Market Building, WC2E
Balthazar, until Decopens mid-February, The Flower Cellars, 4-8 Russell Street, WC2B 5HZ
Belgraves hotel, now open, 20 Chesham Place, SW1X 8HQ
