After six years of trading, Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton is set to close his Little Social restaurant in Mayfair.
The chef, who also operates Pollen Street Social across the road, will replace his French bistro with a new concept, which will celebrate seasonal British produce. Little Social will close its doors on 19 April, before reopening under its new moniker in early May.
Highlights from the revamped menu will include dishes such as English heritage tomato salad with goat’s curd, almonds and fennel, and roasted Herdwick lamb chop and cannon fillet served alongside crushed Jersey Royal potatoes, spring peas, cucumber and mint. For dessert, guests can choose between the likes of chocolate fondant served with homemade blackcurrant sorbet, or Richmond Park honey with oat crumble, milk ice cream and meringue.
Executive chef Kostas Papathanasiou will take the reigns
No. 5 Social will be headed up by executive chef Kostas Papathanasiou, who previously held the position of senior sous chef at Atherton’s Pollen Street Social, and has also worked at the likes of The Ledbury and The Fat Duck. Upon his appointment, Kostas commented: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be working on this exciting project with Jason; to be given the opportunity to launch a new restaurant that reflects my cooking style is a real honour. I’m really looking forward to re-opening in May as No.5 Social and hope our guests enjoy the new menu.”
The restaurant will also undergo a cosmetic makeover, which will see the dark interiors swapped out for brighter alternatives, including a neutral colour palette featuring flourishes of pale pinks and deep blues, rattan fittings and banquette seating upholstered with a duck egg blue fabric.
What the interiors at Little Social currently look like
Talking about his decision to close Little Social, Atherton said: “We are sad to say goodbye to Little Social. It has been a hugely successful restaurant since its opening in 2013, however, we felt it was time for a new direction and know Kostas will make a great success of No.5 Social.”
Little Social will close on 19 April and reopen as No. 5 Social on 8 May.
Want to find out more about the man behind the restaurant? Read our interview with Jason Atherton.