Marco Pierre White is to open a Wheeler’s restaurant in the City, following a 20-year hiatus for the seafood brand in the Square Mile. Wheeler’s Rib Room & Oyster Bar will open in the Threadneedles Hotel, near the Bank of England, this March.
The menu, written by White and executed by head chef Stephen Smith, features traditional classics such as Wheeler’s fish pie alongside dishes like grilled Dover sole and the Marco classic of quails’ eggs maintenon, with an average spend of £25-£30 per person.
The bar area is to feature an oyster bar where a variety of bivalves will be on offer with a drinks bar for wines, Champagnes and cocktails.
The original Wheelers, which started in 1856, is still trading in Whitstable.
White said, ‘The Wheeler’s brand was originally created in 1856 by Captain Wheeler in Whitstable. It was later brought to London’s Old Compton Street and was regularly visited by, among others, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Walt Disney. It has a fascinating history as the oldest fish brand in the world and it’s great to be bringing it back to the City after a 20-year absence. The tradition and history of Wheeler’s will remain at the restaurant’s heart, but we’ve tweaked and evolved the menu to create an offer that is more in tune with what today’s customers want with lots of meat choices – it’s not just for fish lovers.’
Wheeler’s Rib Room & Oyster Bar is the third brand in the Black & White Franchising portfolio, which also includes Marco’s Italian and Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill.