Qatari Diar is in talks to sign two famous restaurant names – Richard Caring's Le Caprice and the US's Carbone – for its luxury hotel and leisure redevelopment of the former US Embassy building at 30 Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, CoStar News understands.
Qatari Diar started construction of the £1 billion hotel, retail, restaurant and leisure destination, to be known as Chancery Rosewood, in 2021.
British architect Sir David Chipperfield's plans for the building, which is Grade II listed, comprise 139 hotel rooms and suites dining and entertainment venues, a ballroom for 1,000 guests designed, a Rosewood Spa & wellbeing facility and fives retail spaces.
Caring's Le Caprice, one of London's most famous restaurant names, is understood to be in talks to open a flagship restaurant. The original site of Le Caprice at 20 Arlington Street closed in 2020 after its lease ended but plans were announced to open the restaurant at another location. Famed restaurant and clubs entrepreneur Richard Caring took over Le Caprice in 2005.
Separately US restaurant Carbone, an Italian-American food celebrity haunt in New York, is understood to be in talks to take space for its first London venue. The group also has restaurants in Dallas, Miami, Las Vegas and Hong Kong.
CBRE and Gillingham Bell advise Qatari Diar.
Le Caprice in London's St James's was originally opened by Mario Gallati in 1947. It has been reported that its owners before Caring, Jeremy King and Chris Corbin, are planning to re-open a new restaurant at the original location, although they may not be able to use the Le Caprice name.
Qatari Diar bought the site following a decision in 2013 by the United States Government to relocate the Embassy to Nine Elms in Battersea.
Qatari Diar secured a £450 million "green" loan from a club of banks led by HSBC for the financing of its redevelopment of the former US Embassy in London at 30 Grosvenor Square, as luxury hotel and retail destination The Chancery Rosewood in 2021.
All parties declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment.