London restaurants cut menus and close briefly as heatwave strains kitchens

London restaurants are cutting menus, turning off fryers and closing briefly as a record June heatwave pushes kitchen temperatures higher and forces operators to balance service with staff safety.

Service changes across the capital

The Times reported on Thursday that several London venues had already changed operations as temperatures climbed above 36C.

At Tiella in east London, chef Dara Klein said she had turned off the pasta boiler and stoves and was running a reduced menu focused on cold snacks and starters, along with monkfish, chicken Milanese and desserts.

Nick Gibson, owner of the Draper’s Arms in Islington, said the kitchen was being kept as cool as possible by turning off the fryer, flat-top grill and salamander. He also said the pub was restricting later evening bookings.

Closures and shorter hours

Other operators have gone further. IGNI in Mayfair closed for Wednesday and Thursday because of the heat conditions in its fire-led kitchen.

Milena Floyd, managing director of Creative Restaurant Group, said the decision reflected unsafe or unreasonable conditions for kitchen and front-of-house staff, and that the restaurant did not want to compromise the fire-led experience.

Logma in Shoreditch said it was closing lunch service earlier and switching specials to salads while it improved cooling.

Fortitude Bakery in Russell Square split overnight baking shifts so bakers could avoid the hottest morning hours.

A wider heat response in London

The restaurant changes are part of a broader strain on London during the late-June heatwave, which has also affected transport and health services across the city and the wider UK.

The same reporting said London mayor Sadiq Khan launched Heat Ready London as the city’s first heat plan, with measures including more water refill points, urban greening and transport resilience.

For hospitality operators, the immediate challenge is practical and financial at once: keeping kitchens workable, protecting staff welfare and preserving a service customers can rely on.

How long the changes last will depend on the weather. For now, the named restaurants are adjusting in real time, and more venues could follow if the heat continues.