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Luke Farrell to open Yai, a Phuket fine dining restaurant, in Marylebone in early 2027
The Speedboat Bar chef is taking over the former Il Baretto site with JKS, the group behind Gymkhana, and plans a relaxed take on fine dining.
Key facts
- Yai is due to open at 43 Blandford Street, W1U 7HF, in early 2027
- It takes over the former Il Baretto site in Marylebone
- Fine dining based on the food of Phuket, run with JKS
- Produce will come from Luke Farrell's nursery in Dorset
Luke Farrell, the chef behind Speedboat Bar and Plaza Khao Gaeng, is moving into fine dining with Yai, a new restaurant at 43 Blandford Street in Marylebone. It is due to open in early 2027.
Yai takes over the Marylebone site that was once Il Baretto. Farrell’s two earlier Thai restaurants have both been big hits, and this opening is a clear change of direction. The team says the fine dining will keep a relaxed approach.
Food from Phuket on Blandford Street
The cooking will concentrate on Phuket, and that focus will carry through to the look of the dining room. According to the team, the design is “rooted in the idea of an ancestral Phuket home”.
No menu has been published yet. So far the team has only said that it will cook with southern Thai ingredients. Shrimp paste from Songkhla and soy sauce from Betong are among them, plus sea salt from Pattani. Palm sugar from Phatthalung and Sangyod rice are on the list too.
Like Farrell’s other restaurants, Yai is a joint venture with JKS, the group behind Gymkhana. The kitchen will also draw on produce grown at his nursery in Dorset.
Farrell said the ambition is “to transplant the cuisine of Phuket into London at a level not previously attempted”. He added that the restaurant does not set out to define itself against London’s existing Thai restaurants.
When Yai opens and where to find updates
Yai is due to open in early 2027 at 43 Blandford St, W1U 7HF. News will be posted on the restaurant’s website, yairestaurant.com, and on Instagram at @yai.restaurant.
Key questions
When does Yai open in Marylebone?
Yai is due to open in early 2027.
Where is Yai?
At 43 Blandford St, W1U 7HF, on the site that used to be Il Baretto.
What food will Yai serve?
The cooking of Phuket, using southern Thai ingredients such as shrimp paste from Songkhla and Sangyod rice. The full menu has not been released yet.
Who is behind Yai?
Chef Luke Farrell, who runs Speedboat Bar and Plaza Khao Gaeng, working with JKS.
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