Andina to relocate to Spitalfields

Peruvian restaurant Andina, part of the Ceviche group, is to move to Spitalfields in London after it was forced to close its Redchurch Street site after six years.

The restaurant posted on Instagram last year that its previous site came to the end of its lease in May and the landlord did not allow a renewal.

Property agency Shelley Sandzer secured the former Lupita site at 60-62 Commercial Street for the ‘picanteria' all-day dining concept, offering healthy food and drink inspired by the Peruvian Andes. Hake and sea bass ceviche dishes will feature at Andina's new site, alongside chupe (chowder) and corn cakes.

The 3,000 sq ft, two-floor restaurant on Commercial Street will be a new flagship for the brand and is set to launch in the summer with up to 80 covers on the ground floor when government guidelines allow. The basement will become a South American bar, serving snacks alongside cocktails such as margaritas, caipirinhas, daquiris, and pisco sours.

Raquel de Oliveira, managing director at Andina, said: "Having to leave our home at Redchurch Street last year was incredibly difficult for us, but we are delighted to be able to start a new chapter for Andina on Commercial Street. Given the fantastic local following we have developed over the past seven years we wanted to stay close to our original site, and we are grateful that Shelley Sandzer has found this unit for us just a stone's throw away, on one of London's most buzzing streets."

Etai Page, leasing agent at Shelley Sandzer, added: "The impact of the pandemic on hospitality has been immense, so to be able to bring Andina back into the market is testament to its strength as a brand. There is a confidence that hospitality and leisure will recover in the coming months, and it will be vital to have much-loved operators such as Andina up and running when this happens, as people safely release their pent-up demand to be back in restaurants."

Ceviche was founded in 2011 by Martin Morales and acquired in a management-led buy-out last year after administrators were appointed. In the pre-pack administration deal, Ceviche was sold to Carino, a company backed by Alex and Saiphin Moore, the founders of Rosa's Thai Cafe.

The deal saw the closure of three sites, but Andina as well as Ceviche and Casita Andina in Soho remained open, although Casita Andina has also since closed permanently. The Moores said last year they felt the brand has great potential for expansion.