Word is out that Premier League footballer Ashley Cole and rapper Jay-Z are joining forces to open a London restaurant later this year. We’ll have to wait and see whether the superstar duo can cut it in the culinary world, but in the meantime we’ve chosen our favourite restaurants owned by celebrities.
The Grapes
Co-owned by Sir Ian McKellen
76 Narrow Street, London E14 8BP
Becoming a landlord may not be a typical career progression for one of Britain’s most celebrated actors, but at the beginning of the year Sir Ian McKellen bought the lease of his East End local. Built in 1720, Dickens was a regular at this riverside inn and as you descend into the wood-panelled bar, filled with antique furniture and shelves stacked with leather-bound books, it’s easy to imagine him sipping an ale in a darkened corner. The kitchen serves hearty pub grub and Sir Ian’s shepherd’s pie has become extremely popular with the regulars. The best tables are by the window, overlooking a dramatic sweep of the Thames at Limehouse Reach.
Rosso
Co-owned by Rio Ferdinand
43 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BG
The Manchester United and England defender has proven to be as reliable in the restaurant world as he is on the pitch. Entered through the heavy double doors of the Grade II-listed building, the dining room makes a big impression, with towering vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, granite columns and a roaring fireplace that dominates one end of the colourful space. Thankfully, the Italian cooking is as impressive as the decor, and the kitchen’s regularly changing menu showcases the best of the country's cuisine with piles of fresh pasta and slabs of authentic thin crust pizza.
Nobu
Co-owned by Robert De Niro
19 Old Park Lane, London W1K 1LB
Chef and restaurateur Nobuyuki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa opened his own restaurant, Matsuhisa, in Beverley Hills in 1987, weaving Peruvian influences into contemporary Japanese dishes. He quickly built up a devoted celebrity following, including the Oscar-winning actor Robert de Niro. It was the Raging Bull star who convinced Matsuhisa to open Nobu in New York City in 1994. The partnership flourished and the Nobu empire rapidly expanded around the globe. Located on the first floor of The Metropolitan hotel on Park Lane, with huge windows overlooking Hyde Park, the eponymous Nobu London was the first European venture for the duo. A decade on, and although the celeb-spotting opportunities have dwindled in favour of the newer Nobu Berkeley Street, Matsuhisa’s Michelin-starred cooking continues to impress.
11 The Quay
Owned by Damien Hirst
11 The Quay, Ilfracombe, Devon EX34 9EQ
In 2004, Damien Hirst opened a handsome harbourside restaurant in the small Devonshire town of Ilfracombe. On the ground floor of a red brick Victorian townhouse, a relaxed café and bar called the White Hart serves a great selection of local ales, wines and cocktails. Upstairs in the oak-floored dining room, the classic British menu makes the most of the excellent fresh seafood and meat from local farmers. Most diners opt for a table in the Atlantic Room, a small gallery shaped like an upturned boat, decorated with Hirst’s work and naturally lit at lunch by a huge window facing the water.
The Royal Oak
Co-owned by Michael Parkinson
B3024, Paley Street, Berkshire SL6 3JN
Opened in 2002, this award-winning pub and restaurant is jointly owned by veteran chat show host Michael Parkinson and his son Nick. The cosy interior features exposed beams, framed memorabilia and polished flagstones. In 2007, Parkinson interviewed Dominic Chapman for the role of head chef and since then the restaurant has gone on to win a score of accolades, including a Michelin star in 2010. Chapman formerly worked at The Hinds Head, Heston Blumenthal's gastropub in nearby Bray. Here he focuses his attention on the seasons, using locally sourced ingredients to create superb contemporary British dishes. Highlights include Norfolk brown hare and trotter pie and the humble Scotch egg, which ended up being voted the world’s best by Olive magazine.
