One of France's most popular restaurant groups is heading to London. La Nouvelle Garde will open its first UK restaurant in Chelsea next spring. The new site, Brasserie Olivia, will mark the group’s first move outside France, and “a whole new adventure,” as co-founder Charles Perez tells Broadsheet.
Founded six years ago by a group of friends with a “shared passion for French food and hospitality”, the brand is defined by its fun, unpretentious vibe and contemporary take on the classic brasserie, which is typically associated with dishes like steak frites and coq au vin, with dark wood interiors and outdoor terrace seating. Its venues include Paris’s Brasserie des Prés, Brasserie Bellanger and Brasserie Dubillot, as well brasseries in Marseille, Lille, Lyon and Bordeaux.
“When we started, you wouldn’t see many young people in brasseries, it was mostly older guests,” says Perez. “We thought that was a shame, because that’s the food we love. So we tried to modernise it, make it young again. Keep the traditional cuisine, but bring in a new energy.”
That same approach will guide Brasserie Olivia, though the team insists it won’t be a replica of its other venues. “We never replicate something we’ve already done,” says Perez. “Every project starts from scratch with a new name, new team, new design, new menu. Of course, it will be French food, with some dishes everyone knows, but most of the menu will change every week depending on the chef and the produce.”
The group’s decision to expand into London was driven by its excitement for the city’s hospitality scene. “We wanted to live something new, to meet new people and learn different things,” Perez says. “London felt natural. The hospitality market here is, for us, the best in the world. There are amazing restaurants everywhere, and it’s a great challenge to try to create a French restaurant in the best city in the world for hospitality.”
The team originally scouted sites in east London before landing on Chelsea. “We found a good site there, and it felt right. It’s a nice challenge, too, because there aren’t many cool restaurants in Chelsea. We want to make it a place where people really want to go out – somewhere relaxed and welcoming, with great food.”
Brasserie Olivia takes its name from Perez’s fiancée, who is expecting their first child early next year. “It’s a big year for us,” he says.
For now, the menu is mostly under wraps, but diners can expect generous, unfussy brasserie cooking including the group’s popular steak frites and sausage and mash, alongside a rotation of seasonal dishes.
Meanwhile, the wine will be mostly – but not exclusively – French. “We always like to work with people locally, so it would be nice to have a few English wines, too,” says Perez. “We want it to feel like it’s for everyone.”
Brasserie Olivia will open in Chelsea in spring 2026.
