During lockdown, many restaurants converted themselves into food stores in an attempt to keep afloat. But the reverse trend — shops turning themselves into restaurants — has now become all the rage.
Lina Stores, one of Soho’s most famous Italian delis, is to open a 100-seater, two-floor deli-diner in Marylebone in June, the latest in a long line of grocery shops realising that many shoppers quite enjoy a plate of food and a glass of wine while they contemplate what to buy.
Sara Esposito, in charge of Lina’s delicatessens, says: “Being surrounded by all this history, and the products, and seeing the hams and cheese sliced right in front of you is driving the appeal of the dine-in deli.”
Shops keep on being told that,
