At various points in its 140-year history, the Olympia centre in Kensington existed at the centre of London's cultural life. It opened in 1886 as the National Agriculture Hall, then shifted from hosting horse shows to screening some of the first British films, then staging concerts by Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, catwalk shows by Vivienne Westwood, and major events like London Fashion Week. More recently, it’s been known for housing corporate fairs and conferences. But a £1.3 billion regeneration of the heritage site is hoping to restore the venue's cultural clout. The redevelopment of the vast Grade II-listed west London complex will begin opening from spring 2026, with 11 new food and drink venues across 14 acres, as well as offices, two hotels, a theatre (the largest new permanent theatre to open in London since the National Theatre in 1976), a live music venue and a members club. Plus, another convention centre will be added to the two existing conference halls. Developer Yoo Capital hopes the precinct will feed 10 million people a year by the time the project wraps in 2027.
To find out more about the first venues to open within the site, Broadsheet spoke to the restaurant group directors leading the charge.
Emberton Walk, a two-storey high street in the sky
The two historic exhibition halls remain, and a set of escalators at the front of those existing buildings lead to Emberton Walk, a new glass-covered pedestrian walkway. Functioning as a kind of two-storey high street in the sky, here Incipio Group (Pergola, The Libertine and The 411) has created seven new food and drink concepts, with another in the adjoining National Hall.
Wolves of Tokyo will open first. A 300-seat “premium” Japanese restaurant and rooftop cocktail bar inspired by the late-night energy of Tokyo and the cinematic noir of 1971 film The Wolves, it will spread across two floors with an open sushi kitchen, private dining room and karaoke space, and views across west London. Incipio marketing director Rory Graham says it will offer an izakaya-style experience.
Opposite, wine bar and restaurant Lillie’s promises a rooftop space inspired by English gardens and Kensington’s historic vineyards. It will serve small plates crafted with British produce paired with English sparkling wine and champagne.
The name nods to the land’s historic use as nurseries and vineyards. Graham recounts discovering an “amazing piece of text” which revealed that Empress Joséphine, wife of Napoleon, once sent her entourage to source lilies grown on the land to decorate Versailles.
Another rooftop terrace, Bar Arriba, will be the closest in spirit to the Incipio group’s Pergola venues, though Graham stresses that it’s more grown-up. A Mexican rooftop restaurant and bar with a menu of tacos and enchiladas, tropical plants and an extensive mezcal list, “It’s probably what we’re known for,” he says, “but it’s evolved.”
At the centre of the cluster is Arbour, a 15,000 square-foot, two-level food hall housing four brands including fried chicken by Fry Baby, smash burgers by Whammy Burgers (its name a nod to the boxing matches that will soon be staged on-site), farm-to-fork bowls by The Rambler, and coffee and baked goods at Cafe Modo. It was important for the team to have a mix of venues. “If you’re coming for a gig, you want a burger and a pint,” says Graham. “If you’re working in the offices midweek, maybe you want something healthier.”
On the ground floor
In September, Incipio’s new all-day eatery Juno will open on the ground floor in the Grade II-listed National Hall. Set to be the largest Italian restaurant in the UK, it’s named after the Roman queen of the gods, and pitched as a loud, theatrical crowd-pleaser. “You could come in for a pizza and a spritz for £30, or you could have a proper steak and barolo for £100,” says Graham.
Pillar Hall, restored to its glamorous past
Beyond this, the restored Pillar Hall will introduce three venues from Des Gunewardena. He’s the former boss of D&D London (now Evolv Collection, it’s the group behind Bluebird, German Gymnasium, Sartoria, etc), and the restaurateur leading D3 Collective (Jang and Engel, both in The Royal Exchange). Originally known as the Minor Hall, the building was once used for smaller exhibitions. “One of the first British movies was shown in Pillar Hall,” Gunewardena says. “Much later, it became a place for fashion shows. Vivienne Westwood had her first catwalk show upstairs.”
Gunewardena suggests the interior will upend expectations. “I think you’d be quite surprised to see what opens up. We have people coming in and saying, ‘Oh my god, what’s this? I wasn’t expecting this!’”
On the ground floor, Idalia will serve “quintessentially British” dishes with international influences. Gunewardena describes it as having “a very glamorous interior”, which will unfold across several distinct spaces, including a living room-like bar with a fireplace, a main dining area and a “much brighter” indoor space called The Garden.
The food, Gunewardena says, will match the scale. “You can’t have a grand room with a central bar with music and lots going on, and then have food which is small and demure. There’ll be a lot of dramatic-looking dishes.” Standouts will include a salt-crusted sea bass designed for sharing and an “enormous” wood-roasted turbot, while desserts also promise to be a focal point.
Below, Pepperbird will be a low-lit subterranean bar inspired by what Gunewardena calls Olympia’s “glory days” of the ’60s and ’70s. “Rock and jazz. Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis … It will be a very cool, intimate little speakeasy, which will feel like a massive contrast to what’s going on on the ground floor.”
Idalia and Pepperbird will open in spring, while the third venue, upstairs in Pillar Hall, will open slightly later. It will host events during the week, and become a second restaurant and live music destination from Friday to Sunday. “It’s this double-height space with a mezzanine. It’s incredibly dramatic because of its volume.”
The kitchens of these D3 group restaurants will be headed up by an all-female senior team, including executive chef Samantha Williams, who previously worked with Angela Hartnett and Jeremy King, and executive pastry chef Lorena Tommasi, formerly of Annabel’s and Josephine by Claude Bosi.
Later in the year, three more drinking and dining destinations will appear beneath the offices on Emberton Walk, independent of Incipio and D3.
Wolves of Tokyo, Lillie’s, Bar Arriba, Arbour, Juno and Pillar Hall will open in spring 2026, with additional venues completed later in the year and into early 2027.
