Islington’s Bellanger reopens with renewed style

Bellanger has returned to Islington with a newer, more casual style after closing in 2019.

Owners of the restaurant, which reopened on Friday (August 14), told this newspaper the closure was due to a lack of custom last year.

However, restaurant’s owners - founders of restaurant group Corbin and King’s, Jeremy King and Chris Corbin - decided to bring it back after more than 4,000 people responded to a survey urging it to return.

“It was with a sadness in my heart because I loved Islington and I wanted to make it work,” Jeremy said.

“We just want it to be a restaurant that not only can people come for celebrations but they can come for anything from a cup of coffee to a sandwich. That’s all we want it to be, just a neighbourhood facility.”

After a year of contemplating, Jeremy told this newspaper he decided to bring back the French Brasserie with a renewed style because he believes the environment was too formal.

He “took a leaf out of Brasserie Zedel’s book” and transformed it into a more informal space, with the menu now being “very French and very affordable”.

The decor is lighter and “very much in the brasserie tradition with murals and posters,” he said.

Jeremy hopes to make “the whole feel of the place more accessible” and said customers “have embraced the new changes”.

Bellanger is participating in the Eat Out To Help Out Scheme.