Farewell to Bibendum: a London dining legend closed its doors

One of London’s best-loved restaurants, the two-Michelin-starred Bibendum, has closed its doors for good. The restaurant, located in the famous Art Deco Michelin House on Fulham Road, announced its closure after unsuccessful negotiations with landlords.

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Michelin House was first transformed into a restaurant in 1987. Over the decades, Bibendum became an integral part of South Kensington’s culinary history and a favourite among London food lovers.

French chef Claude Bosi, who took over in 2017, quickly restored Bibendum’s former glory — just a year later, it regained its two Michelin stars. The interiors were adorned with stained-glass windows depicting Bibendum, the Michelin Man, in whose honour the restaurant was named.

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In recent years, Bosi has also opened Brooklands at The Peninsula London (which also holds two Michelin stars), along with two traditional French bistros, Josephine, in Chelsea and Marylebone.

London has lost another culinary landmark, but Bibendum’s legacy will remain part of the city’s gastronomic map. However the story of this place began long before the restaurant appeared.

Drawing by unknown artist, 1911. Photo: PD-US, Link

The building was constructed in 1911 as the headquarters of the French tyre manufacturer Michelin. Its façade, decorated in the Art Deco style — with stained glass, ceramic panels, and iron details — served as a celebration of the brand’s mascot, Bibendum, the cheerful “Michelin Man.” That same year, the first Michelin Guide for the British Isles was published — a practical travel companion designed to inspire motorists to explore the country and, incidentally, to buy more tyres.

In 1985, Michelin sold the building to Lord Paul Hamlyn and Sir Terence Conran, who restored its historical features and opened the Bibendum restaurant, named after the mascot. The first head chef was Simon Hopkinson, followed by Claude Bosi in 2017.

Cover photo: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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