Walking down the Strand in London usually feels like being shoved through a giant, humid meat-grinder of tourists and red buses. But then there’s 100 Strand. For a few years, the windows were dark, the famous silver trolleys were gathered like ghost ships in a warehouse, and the "Grand Dame" of British dining looked like she might never wake up.
Honestly, people were worried. When the fixtures and fittings were auctioned off in 2023, it felt like a funeral.
But here’s the thing: Simpson's in the Strand is coming back. Specifically, February 2026. And it isn't just a "paint and polish" job. Jeremy King—the man basically responsible for making London dining feel like a movie set through places like The Wolseley—has taken the reins. If you've ever wanted to sit where Winston Churchill allegedly sat while eating beef carved by a man in a tall white toque, you're about to get your chance.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Chess History
Most folks know Simpson’s was a "chess place." They think it was just a restaurant where people happened to play games.
That’s backwards.
In 1828, it started as Samuel Reiss’s Grand Cigar Divan. It was a smoking room. A coffee house. It was a place for guys to hide from their wives, puff on cigars, and stare at checkered boards. It was actually the "Home of Chess" in England.
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The famous roast beef? That was a solution to a logistical problem.
Players didn't want to leave their games to go to a dining room. So, John Simpson (the caterer who joined in 1848) decided to bring the food to them. But you can’t just slap a plate of meat on a chess table. The silver-domed trolleys were invented so carvers could wheel a massive joint of beef silently through the room, slice it right there, and leave the players to their gambits.
The Immortal Game
It wasn't just casual play. In 1851, the "Immortal Game" was played right here between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky. It’s legendary among chess nerds because Anderssen sacrificed almost all his major pieces to pull off a checkmate. That happened while people were likely chewing on Yorkshire puddings just a few feet away.
The Jeremy King Relaunch: What’s Actually Changing?
If you visited before it closed in 2020, you might remember it feeling a bit... stiff. Maybe a bit dusty.
Jeremy King is leaning into the "theatre" of it all for the 2026 reopening. The Grand Divan—that massive, wood-paneled room on the ground floor—is being restored to its Edwardian peak. The trolleys are back. The carvers have been "cast" (King’s word) for their personality as much as their knife skills.
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But it's not just one big room anymore. Here is how the new layout breaks down:
- The Grand Divan: The flagship. Traditional British roasts, grills, and game.
- Romano’s: Located on the first floor. This is the "lighter" side. Think of it as the Brasserie Zédel of the Strand—more affordable, more casual, and open from 11 am to midnight.
- Simpson’s Bar: An Art Deco cocktail spot. Expect very, very cold martinis.
- Nellie’s: A late-night basement bar named after Dame Nellie Melba (the opera singer who gave us Peach Melba). It stays open until 3 am.
- The Assembly Room: A private ballroom for when you need to host 100 people and feel like a Victorian aristocrat.
Why the "Ten Deadly Sins" Is the Menu Item to Watch
We need to talk about breakfast.
Simpson's was always a bastion of the "Bill of Fare." For the 2026 relaunch, they are introducing a breakfast menu in the Grand Divan. The star? A dish called The 10 Deadly Sins.
It’s basically a Full English on steroids: Cumberland sausage, scrambled eggs, streaky bacon, back bacon, black pudding, fried mushrooms, baked tomato, kidney, fried bread, and bubble and squeak. It’s a heart attack on a plate, served with a side of historical gravitas. Honestly, it’s exactly what you want after a night at Nellie’s.
Is It Just for Tourists Now?
This is the big question. Before the 2020 closure, there was a sense that Simpson's had become a museum.
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Jeremy King's whole "thing" is creating places where the wealthy and the "not-so-wealthy" can sit in the same room. By splitting the venue into the formal Grand Divan and the more accessible Romano's, he’s trying to kill that "tourist trap" vibe.
They are keeping the Grade II-listed features—the timber paneling, the red velvet, the chandeliers. But they're making it "convivial." It’s a tricky balance. You want the history, but you don't want to feel like you're eating in a tomb.
Real Talk: The Auction
In 2023, a lot of the original stuff was sold. Chairs, tables, even some of the trolleys. Critics said the soul was gone. But King has been painstakingly sourcing and restoring period-appropriate pieces to bring that "Grand Dame" feeling back without it feeling like a replica.
Actionable Tips for Your 2026 Visit
If you’re planning to go, don’t just walk in and expect a table. This is going to be one of the toughest bookings in London for the first half of the year.
- Watch the Calendar: Soft launches are happening in late February 2026. The full "proper" opening is slated for mid-March.
- Pick Your Room: If you want the "trolley experience," you must book the Grand Divan. If you want a quick pre-theatre bite that won't destroy your bank account, Romano's is the better bet.
- Dress the Part: You don't need a tuxedo, but this isn't the place for flip-flops. Think "smart casual" at a minimum. It’s about respecting the room.
- Look for the Chessboards: They’ve kept the chess heritage alive in the decor, particularly in Romano’s with chequerboard carpets. Take a minute to find the plaque on the staircase that lists the grandmasters who played there.
Simpson's in the Strand has survived eight monarchs and two world wars. It even survived the 2019 Cats movie being filmed nearby. Its 2026 return isn't just a restaurant opening; it's a test to see if London's "old world" still has a place in a city that's obsessed with the "new."
What to do next:
Go to the official Simpson’s in the Strand website and sign up for their mailing list. Reservations for the March 2026 slots are expected to go live in early February, and they will likely vanish within hours of being released. If you miss the Grand Divan, try for a late-night drink at Nellie’s to see the animal-print velvet and ox-blood walls—it’s a completely different side of the building’s history.