The rise of London’s hyper-luxurious restaurants explained - The Standard podcast

MAYFAIR’S JAPANESE RESTAURANT ARAGAWA
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Jon Weeks8 November 2023

New figures from the Harden’s London Restaurant Guide shows the number of hyper-luxurious restaurants, offering dizzying new levels of exorbitance, is on the rise.

According to their data, there are 54 such eateries where a couple could expect to receive a bill for at least £300 for their evening out, up by almost half from 37 last year despite the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Back in 2016 there was just one such restaurant in the capital: The Araki London in Mayfair, which exceeded the £150-a-head barrier.

However, the trend shows no sign of stopping; just this month Mayfair’s Japanese restaurant Aragawa officially opened, grabbing headlines for charging £900 for a 14oz Tajima beef waygu steak.

The Standard’s Business Editor Jonathan Prynn tells The Standard podcast what may have caused the rise in hyper-luxurious restaurants in the capital, and considers whether they are here to stay.

Plus, Our Going Out Editor David Ellis describes the kind of clientele spotted at these high-end restaurants, and how eating out culture has changed in the past few years.

Listen above, find us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.

To read Jonathan Prynn's article click here.

Released at 4pm on the day of recording, The Standard podcast is an essential daily guide to the biggest, most complex events by our award-winning newsroom.

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