The Crown Estate has brought Princes Street in London’s West End to full commercial occupancy following four hospitality deals totalling more than 6,500 sq ft, strengthening the food and beverage offering within the Regent Street neighbourhood.
The new additions comprise SpudBros Express, Japanese restaurant Kazu, matcha specialist SMATCHA and New York-style bagel house and speakeasy bar No.1 Princes Street.
The agreements reflect continued demand from hospitality operators for locations in central London’s established retail and leisure districts, with the four businesses bringing a combination of food-to-go, casual dining, specialist drinks and late-night entertainment to the area.
SpudBros Express opened its 2,190 sq ft flagship restaurant at 4 Princes Street earlier in 2026.
The British brand, which has developed a substantial following through social media, specialises in freshly prepared jacket potatoes with a variety of toppings.
The opening forms part of SpudBros Express’s wider expansion, establishing a presence in one of London’s busiest shopping and visitor destinations.
Kazu has secured more than 1,500 sq ft at 6 Princes Street and is scheduled to open before Christmas.
The Japanese restaurant operator already has a location in Fitzrovia and will introduce a casual dining offering featuring sushi, sashimi and contemporary small plates, catering to lunchtime and evening customers.
Meanwhile, Japanese matcha and yuzu specialist SMATCHA is preparing to open its first standalone flagship at 3 Princes Street.
The 1,073 sq ft venue will become the brand’s third London location, following openings at Westfield London and Brent Cross.
SMATCHA specialises in ceremonial-grade matcha sourced from Kyoto, alongside a selection of matcha and yuzu-based drinks.
The new flagship will incorporate Japanese-inspired interiors and a traditional Japanese stone mill, allowing the business to showcase the preparation of freshly milled matcha.
No.1 Princes Street has also joined the neighbourhood, having opened its 1,780 sq ft venue earlier in October.
The business combines a New York-style bagel restaurant with a basement speakeasy bar.
During the day, the ground-floor restaurant serves freshly baked, naturally fermented bagels with deli-style fillings, while the basement venue offers cocktails and late-night entertainment.
The four operators bring the total number of hospitality businesses on Princes Street to six, joining established restaurants Tendril and Bar Remo.
Tendril has operated its plant-focused restaurant on the street for five years, while Bar Remo is a longstanding family-run Italian restaurant.
The expanded hospitality offering forms part of The Crown Estate’s wider strategy to develop the Regent Street neighbourhood as a destination combining retail, food, drink and leisure.
The announcement also follows plans for Time Out Market to establish its first UK location at nearby 10 Piccadilly, introducing another food and cultural destination to the West End.
Sophie Moorcroft, Leasing Manager, Hospitality & Culture at The Crown Estate, said: “Reaching full occupancy at Princes Street reflects the strength of demand from hospitality brands looking to be part of the Regent Street neighbourhood, as well as the growing importance of food and drink to the overall West End experience.
“Our focus is on the long-term prosperity of the area and by creating the right mix of uses and experiences in and around Regent Street, we are giving people more reasons to visit and spend time here. Princes Street is an important part of that, adding a distinctive dining offer alongside the world-class retail on Regent Street and contributing to a vibrant destination throughout the day and into the evening.”
Jacob and Harley Nelson of SpudBros Express welcomed the opportunity to establish their flagship in the West End.
They said: “We’re incredibly proud to have brought SpudBros to the heart of London’s West End. Opening our flagship on Princes Street was a huge milestone for us, and it’s been amazing to see the response from Londoners and visitors from around the world. What started as a simple love for jacket potatoes has grown into something we could never have imagined, and to now have a home just moments from Regent Street is pretty surreal!
“Princes Street is fast becoming a brilliant destination for food and drink, and we’re excited to be part of its next chapter alongside so many fantastic independent brands. We’re grateful to The Crown Estate for supporting our vision and can’t wait to welcome even more people through our doors.”
Daisy Spencer at SMATCHA said: “Opening our first standalone flagship on Princes Street is an exciting milestone for SMATCHA. Our ambition has always been to bring exceptional Japanese matcha to a wider audience through a fresh, contemporary experience. The Regent Street neighbourhood is an incredible location for our next chapter, and we are delighted to be joining such a vibrant and growing collection of hospitality brands. We look forward to becoming part of the local community and contributing to the area’s evolving food and drink scene.”
With all four premises now secured, The Crown Estate has completed the latest phase of hospitality leasing on Princes Street, adding to the growing concentration of food and beverage businesses operating around Regent Street.
The combination of established restaurants, new flagship locations and forthcoming openings reflects the importance of hospitality in supporting footfall, extending visitor dwell time and diversifying the commercial offering within central London’s retail districts.