Hotel Openings

🍦 Kaspa's Desserts is set to open its 109th UK store on Dean Street, Central London, creating 10 jobs. Founded in 2012 by Azhar Rehman in Croydon, the dessert brand expanded via franchises and launched its first international store in Islamabad in 2018. The Soho flagship location will offer an array of hot and cold desserts, catering to the vibrant nightlife of the area.

🍕 Cattivo, a 40-cover restaurant with outdoor terrace seating, located at The Old Kennels, Cirencester Park, is set to open on August 2. Mike Robinson, known for Michelin-starred The Harwood Arms and other ventures, collaborates with Baggott and Lawson-King of Roots + Seeds Kitchen Garden. Menu features six 12-inch Neapolitan-style sourdough pizzas priced at £14-£17, using local ingredients like honey from Robinson’s hives, Matthews Cotswold Flour, and drinks that include two in-house cocktails, Italian wines, and local beers.

🍖 Cow & Sow, a contemporary dining steakhouse brand, is set to open its third location at One Chamberlain Square in Birmingham's Paradise development in late 2024. Founded by Mark Warburton in January 2022, the brand quickly expanded with a second site launched in December 2022. The menu features 35-day aged steaks with prices ranging from £21 to £32, small plates starting at £6, and an express lunch menu at £14 for one course and £22 for three courses. Warburton aims to work with local charities and businesses upon opening.

🍦 Founded in 1926 in Chicago, The Original Rainbow Cone, known for its five-layered ice cream cone, was purchased by Buona Beef in 2018. By summer 2022, they began franchising, expanding to 21 locations with 30 more units in development. Their first out-of-state venture opened in Valparaiso, Ind., in May. A deal was signed to open 10 dual-branded locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The brand targets smart growth, focusing on local market knowledge and customer service values.

🏡 Hotel Heron, part of Aparium Hotel Group, opens in Alexandria, Virginia's Old Town, featuring Colonial Revival architecture. DC-based Antunovich Associates and Streetsense led the restoration. The lobby showcases Mid-Atlantic elements and a split-tier design. Guestrooms include historical details like velvet headboards and federal-style mirrors. The hotel offers F&B venues: KILN restaurant, Francis Hall cocktail bar, and Good Fortune rooftop bar. Over 3,500 square feet of event space is available, with local art curated in partnership with CulturalDC.

📍 Motels are being renovated to cater to travelers seeking unique stays, with the Interstate Inn in Fort Worth, Texas to launch soon. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will debut its third superyacht, Luminara, in December 2025, offering bespoke itineraries in the Asia-Pacific. Suchi Reddy's AI sculpture "me+you" is on display at Michigan Central in Detroit. Delta Air Lines grapples with the fallout from last week's tech outage, while Southwest changes its 50-year tradition of open boarding. The 44th Gold Key Awards deadline is extended to August 2nd, with the ceremony set for November during BDNY.

🐟 Fish & Forest, a hyper-seasonal and sustainable restaurant, will reopen on 7 August at the former 1331 Bar and Grill on Grape Lane, York, after a complete refurbishment. Originally launched as a pop-up in 2018 and made permanent in 2020 on Micklegate, the venue is owned by chef Andrews, who emphasizes the same philosophy of serving seasonal and sustainable fish from UK waters, game from local estates, and forest foods, now with an expanded menu and a new bar area.

🍝 Korean corn dog brand Bunsik, under Maguro Group, expands with its sixth London site and seventh UK location in Chinatown, next to Korean BBQ Pochawa Grill. Launching its first site in Charing Cross Road in 2021, Bunsik became a social media hit and now offers Korean street food like K-Dogs, fried chicken, ddukbokki, and kimbap. Director Jae Cho takes pride in integrating Bunsik into UK's cultural hubs, alongside Maguro Group's other ventures Bullgogi and Gogi.

🍴 London's Three Uncles Chinese restaurant group will open a new 1,450 sq ft site within Ealing's Filmworks development this September. The venue will feature 50 covers, with 30 indoor seats and 20 on an outdoor terrace. The "18-Districts" menu will showcase rotating Hong Kong dishes alongside their signature Cantonese meats. Co-founder Chong Yew aims to expand with 2-3 new locations yearly, targeting 10 sites and surpassing a weekly sales record of 1,100 ducks. Launched in 2019, the group has locations in Brixton, Camden, Liverpool Street, and St Paul's.

🥕 Holy Carrot, a plant-based restaurant, opened on Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London. Founded by Irina Linovich, it launched after successful supper clubs at Urban Retreat, London in 2021. Menu by executive chef Daniel Watkins features fire and fermentation methods, with small plates £7-£12 and large dishes at £17. Drinks include low-waste cocktails and natural wines. Interiors by Al-Jawad Pike accommodate approx. 40 covers. The kitchen practices low-waste, using all parts of ingredients. Visit at 156 Portobello Road, W11 2EB, or online at holycarrot.co.uk.