Cote brasserie to open second site

Andy Bassadone and Chris Benians, the former management team of Strada, are to open the second site of their French brasserie concept Cote.

The first Cote launched in Wimbledon Village in south London in August.

The pair, who are backed by Caprice Holdings owner Richard Caring, will launch a 130-cover restaurant in Soho in April.

It will be located on Wardour Street on the site of the former Soho Spice restaurant.

Bassadone and Benians sold Italian pizza chain Strada to restaurant group Tragus in a deal worth £140m in June this year.

Bassadone said: "We want Cote to be a better French restaurant than anything else in its price category, and to surprise everyone with its quality."

Richard Caring teams up with Strada directors to launch bistro >>

By Kerstin Kühn