It’s been a good year for art gallery-adjacent eating in London and the South East: Locatelli at the National Gallery, Setlist at Somerset House, and Coquina at Hastings Contemporary. Now, the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea is getting an independent new neighbour in the form of Cafe Linea. It’s the first solo project from hospitality veterans and husband-and-wife founders Greg and Felicity Godik, who have taken inspiration from the arcade cafés of continental Europe – here transplanted to Grade II-listed premises on the corner of Duke of York Square.
Wallpaper* dines at Cafe Linea, London
The mood: a grand garden party
Paris-based interior designers Dion & Arles – who worked on Chiltern Firehouse’s Louie restaurant and 1 Hotel Mayfair’s Dovetale – know a thing or two about restaurants that are just as pleasant to spend time in both indoors and out. By day, natural light floods through the arched windows, illuminating the 19th-century interior with its vaulted ceilings and arched alcoves; by night, the neo-classical proportions are softened by candlelight. Out on the terrace, it’s all about green, beige and rattan.
‘The project sought to create a soft conversation with strong architectural characteristics,’ explains Florence Arles. ‘We took inspiration from architect Charles Voysey, among others, while the tabletops are inspired by English ceramist Clarice Cliff. We used and played with established codes, introducing cast-iron furniture and elements from Italian pergolas alongside Arts and Crafts aesthetics and a softly contrasting colour palette.’
The food: continental breakfasts, global lunches and dinners
Continental cafés are the inspiration, and Cafe Linea does a mean continental-style breakfast. Pâtisseries are made fresh each day in the on-site bakery to accompany a cup of artisan coffee, while savoury allumettes (puff pastry sticks) filled with ham, cheese and miso are also on offer. Later in the day, the à la carte menu reflects the global influences of well-travelled Argentine chef Carolina Ferpozzi: expect anything from ricotta dumplings with mushrooms to a curried chicken pie to share. The old-world wine list, meanwhile, leans towards sweet and sparkling wines to complement the pastry offerings.
Cafe Linea is located at 90, Duke of York Square, London SW3 4LY, UK.
-
A new Athens gallery is a celebration of old and new, a stone's throw from the AcropolisNew Athens gallery Melas Martinos by Local Local is a contemporary art space, a stone's throw from the Acropolis, in the Greek capital's Monastiraki neighbourhood
-
Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: live updates from the Wallpaper* teamFrom 7-9 July, Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 arrives in Paris. Follow along for a first look at the shows, presentations and other fashion happenings, as seen by the Wallpaper* editors
-
Boundaries between art and life dissolve in Katherine Hubbard's intimate documentation of her mother's illnessIn 'The Great Room', Katherine Hubbard merges caregiving for her mother with an unflinching documentary of the process
-
Canal is a new west London restaurant with a suntrap terraceAt Canal, the new restaurant at Mason & Fifth’s Westbourne Park hotel, expect modern European breakfast, lunch and dinner from the team behind Crispin and Bistro Freddie
-
This hidden London culinary haven is a refreshing take on the steakhouseMr Porter, a new steakhouse, bar and lounge in central London's swish Mayfair, is a hidden haven of strong flavours and minimalist dining
-
Ready to unplug? Sign up for this digital detox retreat in CornwallOffline escape provider Unplugged has partnered with Cabilla Cornwall to offer a phone-free, nature-immersive group experience on Bodmin Moor
-
Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project is London’s tastiest (and weirdest) summer traditionThe cult pop-up has returned, transforming a Belgravia corner into a sleek, steel-clad shrine to British pantry nostalgia
-
The best bars in London for bartending greatnessFrom chic hotel cocktail classics to game-changing flavour combinations, our resident drinks correspondent, Neil Ridley, explores ten of the best bars in London
-
NoMad London’s new restaurant fast-tracks you to New York’s jazz ageMartin Brudnizki Design Studio conjures up old-world glamour at Twenty8 NoMad, where the menu features nearly as many martini variations as main courses
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria AngelinaA Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
This Hackney bar is reviving London’s legacy of lesbian spacesDesigned by Studio Popelo and Wet Studio, La Camionera emerges as a vital sanctuary for London’s FLINTA* community, honouring it right down to the details
