After 70 years of serving pizza and pasta in the capital, Italian restaurant chain Spaghetti House has closed all its branches, blaming an 'increasingly challenging environment'. The restaurant group entered administration this week, with all sites shutting their doors.
A London Institution Since 1955
Spaghetti House opened its first restaurant on Goodge Street in 1955, introducing Londoners to traditional Italian food. Founders Simone Lavarini and Lorenzo Fraquelli aimed to create an authentic trattoria where diners could enjoy home-cooked pasta with a digestif. Over the years, the chain expanded to locations in Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Marble Arch, Carnaby Street, Oxford Street, Kensington High Street, and Cranbourn Street.
Financial Struggles and Closure
Lavval Restaurants Ltd, the company behind Spaghetti House, announced it has entered administration and ceased trading. Several sites had already closed before corporate restructuring firm Begbies Traynor was brought in to manage the shutdown. In a statement, the chain cited a combination of sustained cost increases, lasting effects of COVID-19, Brexit, and ongoing global instability as factors that reshaped the restaurant landscape in central London. Rising living costs also reduced customer disposable income, making it harder for people to dine out.
The chain explored all options and sought professional advice before deciding to close. Spaghetti House joins a wave of high-profile London restaurant closures in 2025, including Heston Blumenthal's Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, set to shut in 2027 due to budget struggles and rising food prices.
List of Closed Branches
- Marble Arch, W1H
- Carnaby Street, W1F
- Oxford Street, W1C
- Kensington High Street, W8
- Cranbourn Street, WC2H
Spaghetti House's closure marks the end of an era for London's dining scene, but the city's restaurant landscape continues to evolve with new openings and trends.
