Monday Bulletin: Heard | Solis | Braai Bird
Published 28 September 2026
Catch up on the latest industry news stories of the week from the CODE Bulletin.
To get the CODE Bulletin direct to your inbox every Monday morning sign up here.
Let us know your news to potentially be featured in the CODE Bulletin or Good Food Guide Weekly newsletters, as well as across CODE and Good Food Guide social platforms.
HEARD
Heard is heading to Covent Garden for its biggest opening yet. Opening on the former Byon site on Wellington Street in November, Heard’s flagship will be “the fullest expression of the brand to date”, set across two floors with a dessert and cocktail ‘speakeasy’ hidden downstairs, where diners will be able to build their own ice cream sandwiches and sundaes. Heard founder Jordan Bailey, who won two Michelin stars at Aimsir, says: “Covent Garden is the first time we’ve had enough space to really build a world around Heard. It feels like the first proper glimpse of what Heard can become.” Heard originated as a food truck and pop-up in 2025 and now has two permanent locations in Borough and Soho. It’s known for its signature double smashburgers, its cool collaborations, and exceptional drinks programme led by Heard co-founder and sommelier Majken Bech-Bailey.
SOLIS
Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng have found a standalone site for their South American-style grill Solis on Kingly Street, Soho. The follow-up to their Battersea original opens on 20 October with an expanded menu that includes sharing cuts, specials, bocadillos and sangrias.
FIRANGI
Ruhi Parmar Amin and Simar Deol’s roving Indian residency Firangi is pitching up at Top Cuvée in Highbury until 20 December. Expect bistro-style dishes such as Coorg pandi pork belly, green beans and quince fudge and bavette with chamba chukh peppercorn sauce.
BRAAI BIRD
A year after relocating their Peckham restaurant to Marylebone, Kudu’s Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams are back in SE15 with a new South African-inspired concept, Braai Bird. The wood-fired rotisserie chicken restaurant opens on their former Kudu Grill site in November.
Be Inclusive Hospitality’s Better Hospitality Report packed with new research and practical guidance is out now. Download it here.
Homelessness charity StreetSmart raised £1,178,000 from diners at over 650 restaurants last year. Join the restaurants seeking to beat those numbers by signing up to this year’s campaign here.
Planque in Haggerston celebrates five years on Sunday 4 October with the collab to end all collabs. Among the eight guest chefs will be Meedu Saad, Joké Bakare and Gabriel Pryce. Walk-in only, 3pm to 8pm.
The Hakkasan Group’s noughties-defining Yauatcha Soho is undergoing a major reinvention under the creative consultancy of filmmaker Wong Kar Wai. It will be back in late 2027.
Christopher’s in Covent Garden will permanently close its Wellington Street site at the end of September after 35 years. It is actively seeking a new home.
Curious Vines is bringing together three industries – football, hospitality and wine – for a timely panel event on safeguarding, alcohol and the law at Fulham Football Club on Monday 2 November at 6pm. Tickets here.
Applications are now open for Rise to the Table, Rosewood Foundation’s global mentorship programme for women in hospitality, now in its second year. Marie Mitchell and Joyeta Ng were among last year’s cohort.
Inver on Loch Fyne, founded by Pam Brunton and Rob Latimer in 2015, is on the market for offers over £275,000.
WHAT WE’RE READING
THE DUMBWAITER
The West Country is the star of Saoirse Ronan’s new film Bad Apples. Spot Bristol restaurant Sousta and fine cider brand Showerings in the school trip scene (since when did schoolkids get to go to cider mills?).
Meanwhile Forza Wine at the National Theatre made its small screen debut in Sharon Horgan’s new series Youth and Scott’s in Mayfair crops up in series two of MobLand.
The Knaves of Clubs in Shoreditch has a new “Les Trois Garçons” Sunday roast involving chicken, porchetta and beef. The name’s a tribute to the iconic restaurant formerly at this address. Gone but not forgotten.
Spotted at Tiella on Columbia Road: Amy Taylor of Aussie punk band Amyl and the Sniffers.
