Situated within the newly opened Principal London hotel in Bloomsbury, the 102-cover restaurant and 30-seater bar will share the same DNA as the pair’s Hackney restaurant, bringing together Brett’s cooking with Margaret’s warm style and hospitality.
The oyster bar located the centre of Neptune’s dining room will serve a variety of oysters and shellfish selected from independent growers around the UK. Diners will be able to order towering seafood platters that evolve with the seasons, featuring classic chilled and raw dishes, all spiked with diverse flavours.
Neptune’s branding and logo, hand-drawn by New York and London-based design duo Craig & Karl, plays on the name’s invocations of the wonder of space and the magic of the oceans.
Inspired by album covers and music posters, it also gives a nod to the aesthetic experimentation of 1960s Californian counter-culture.
In designing the restaurant, Margaret worked with Russell Sage Studio to revive the existing Grade II-listed dining room by adding a graphic wooden floor, peach ceiling and a centrally located pewter-top bar, creating a space that is as elegant as it is inviting from breakfast through to late evening.
Unexpected colour combinations create a unique and eclectic aesthetic in the true spirit of the Bloomsbury set. The walls will be adorned with artworks curated by Antonia Marsh, which will go on to become a rolling exhibition series in the restaurant.
The first artist to display at Neptune will be emerging painter George Rouy, known for his charged, hypnotic paintings of figures, flora and fauna in enigmatic space.
“Brett and I are really excited to be opening a contemporary space within such a wonderful historic building,” comments Margaret Crow, co-founder of Neptune. “Our approach has always been to create food based on honest, good quality ingredients and to serve it in thoughtfully designed spaces. We see Neptune at the Principal London as a great embodiment of our ideals.”
