The Prince Arthur leaves Belgravia for Draycott Avenue: what to expect
Belgravia is losing one of its more unusual pubs, and Brompton Cross is gaining a restaurant. The Prince Arthur, which opened in Belgravia at the start of 2025 with a Basque-leaning menu and its own-brand caviar, is relocating to Draycott Avenue. In the move it sheds the pub label altogether and becomes a live-fire restaurant downstairs with a late-night music bar above.
Why it is moving
The Belgravia pub quickly found an audience for cooking that was far from typical gastropub fare. The problem, the team has explained, was the building: the extraction set-up in the original site meant the kitchen could no longer cook over live charcoal, which is central to the Basque style it wanted to pursue. As Hot Dinners reported earlier this month, the new site, just down the road from Daphne's and previously home to the short-lived Kino, solves that, with the kitchen brought out front and a fire right in the middle of the room.
It is the team's second attempt at Chelsea, and a bold one given the history. Their earlier trio of Arthur's Market, ASA and Salvador lasted only six months, so this time they are bringing the name that has already proved itself. The people, the caviar and the Basque cooking are all travelling the short distance west.
The restaurant
Downstairs, the restaurant is built around a bespoke charcoal grill. The cooking takes its lead from Basque food and traditions while putting British and European produce centre stage, with a dedicated seafood counter, meat and fish dry-aged in-house and, as before, Prince Arthur's own caviar. Head Chef Adam Iglesias, whose cooking won the Belgravia pub its admirers, moves with it, and the larger kitchen and open fire should give him more room to show what he can do.
The music bar
Upstairs is something new for the business. Chelsea Music Bar is inspired by Tokyo's intimate listening bars, built around vinyl, curated live performances and a cocktail list designed for after dark. It has a late licence, running until 1.30am, which makes it a natural next stop after dinner on Draycott Avenue or Walton Street.
What it means for the neighbourhood
Draycott Avenue sits at the heart of Brompton Cross, a short walk from South Kensington and Knightsbridge stations, where boutiques give way to restaurants in the evening. A serious live-fire kitchen with a late bar above adds an after-dark reason to linger, and gives the junction a very different kind of dinner from its long-standing Italian neighbour. The loss of a characterful pub in Belgravia is a shame, and the pub atmosphere was one of the original's charms, but the cooking was always the point. No firm opening date has been set for the restaurant at the time of writing; the team posts updates on Instagram as @princearthur.belgravia, and progress and reservations can be followed through the Prince Arthur Chelsea website.
