LIV Restaurant Belgravia – which will be delivering a fresh approach to all-day dining when it opens next month in one of London’s most stylish neighbourhoods – is offering earlybirds the chance to dine for half price when it soft launches from 2 September to 9 September.
For the first week of operation, ahead of LIV’s official launch on 9 September, those who book early will have the chance to sample executive chef Damien Monley’s vibrant breakfast, brunch and lunch menus alongside artisanal coffee and fresh, cold-pressed juices at a dedicated stand-up drinks bar downstairs.
LIV is Damien’s first foray into the British market, after his success with several high-profile food and drink business in Australia, including the influential all-day Flat White Cafe in Sydney’s upmarket Woollahra. Following that lead, and led by Damien, whose honest, generous style of cooking is all about making the most of the best local ingredients and inspired by a healthy bias, LIV promises a relaxed approach in both ambience and the food on the plate. Dinner service will be added later this year with music creating a groovy laid-back atmosphere.
The aim is to create a true neighbourhood hub for residents of Belgravia, Chelsea and over the bridge in Battersea, providing a relaxing environment and a refreshing antidote to the national franchises that dominate the area’s casual dining scene, and giving the area a much needed boost of boutique.
The interiors of LIV are fitted out in crisp white and neutrals, with plenty of fresh flowers, linen and wicker, and a contemporary art collection featuring artists such as Henry Moore and Alexander Calder. On the plate, seasonally changing menus will showcase much-loved classics alongside LIV twists, great British produce and ingredient combinations that harmonise global flavours, whether it’s a light breakfast of slow-cooked chai-spiced oats with amaranth, bananas, pecans, seeds, yoghurt and palm sugar or a heartier king prawn omelette with basil, Asian slaw, sweet soy, ginger shallot and sriracha. Not forgetting Damien’s legendary ricotta hotcakes with cinnamon butter, berries, seeds and organic maple. Keeping things loose means that lunch could be a classic brunch-style rainbow bowl including avocado, edamame, beetroot, feta and sprouts, a crispy pork sandwich, a Thai coconut-poached chicken salad, or even a meltingly tender 17-hour Wagyu brisket. Kids can also graze off their own menu, with accessible options including a mini grass-fed cheeseburger and pasta pomodoro.
Complementing the food will be a global wine list hand-picked to bring out the flavours in every dish. Speciality coffees, meanwhile, will include a single-roast from a 100-year-old Neapolitan supplier, delivered weekly and overseen by LIV’s inhouse Italian coffee expert, and regular guest roasts from artisan brands such as Alchemy and Origin – so locals have somewhere to stop in for a professionally pulled latte each day. For those with more time to relax , all-day cocktails might continue the Italian theme with a negroni sbagliato, Aperol Spritz, or a simple mimosa.
Executive Chef, Damien Monley says: “The whole team at LIV are super excited about the upcoming opening. Our aim is to create a really special neighbourhood restaurant that showcases amazing produce, delivered with warm, friendly service in a beautiful and comforting setting. Having the opportunity to showcase my version of casual dining to the London market is truly inspiring and I’m absolutely pumped.”
