St John Hotel - later renamed St John Chinatown - opened to rave reviews and a large amount of foreign press interest when it opened back in Spring 2011 and subsequently gained a Michelin star. Sadly, all that wasn't enough to prevent it from heading into receivership shortly afterwards.
On a happier note, it was pretty swiftly bought up by the Unlisted Collection who have a number of boutique hotels - most notable is Nuno Mendes' Viajante in their Town Hall Hotel, and they're now relaunching their new acquisition as One Leicester Street in May.
The restaurant is undergoing something of an overhaul, with leather banquette seating along one wall, plus the addition of some outside space underneath a "Victorian Awning" which will be used for quick pit-stops. Both the rooms and the bar are also getting an overhaul, with the Bar at One Leicester Street also getting some banquette seating and offering cocktails and a bar food menu from noon to midnight daily.
But it's not all change. The head chef at One Leicester Street will remain Tom Harris, the very chef who won St John Chinatown its Michelin star - so they'll be hoping to retain that at the end of the year. As before, he'll be offering an ever-changing seasonal menu, but this time mixing smaller and larger dishes with an emphasis on sharing. It'll be open all day from 8am to midnight (last orders at 9.30pm).
One Leicester Street opens on May 1st at 1 Leicester St. London WC2H 7BL. Bookings are taken on 020 3301 8020.
