This week's round-up: Venezuelan flavours and an AA Rosette revival

This week's round-up features a new Venezuelan venture in London and the reopening of a two AA Rosette restaurant & bar.

Nela

Nela, the acclaimed Amsterdam restaurant known for its live-fire cooking and refined simplicity, is set to open a new location in London this autumn.

The restaurant will take over a 10,000 sq. ft. space at The Whiteley, a newly redeveloped West London landmark, bringing its signature mix of craftsmanship, culture, and high-quality ingredients to the UK capital.

Founded by celebrated chefs Hari Shetty and Ori Geller—who met while working at the Michelin-starred Duchess in Amsterdam—and British entrepreneur Gilad Hayeem, Nela focuses on cooking with fire and sourcing hand-picked ingredients.

The London site will feature a dramatic open kitchen, a 360° centrepiece bar with a curated cocktail list, private dining space, and an outdoor terrace. Guests can expect signature flame-grilled dishes alongside raw and cured plates, all reimagined with local and global influences. One standout item making its way from Amsterdam is Nela’s unique tiramisu with coffee caviar.

The opening marks the next step in Nela’s international expansion, combining Shetty and Geller’s fine dining pedigree with London’s vibrant food scene.

Hari and Ori said: “Following the success of our launch in Amsterdam, we’re very excited to share the Nela experience with London.

“Our vision has always been to create a space where we can gather round the fire to share good food and drink with friends in a beautiful setting. The Whiteley is a unique place and, together with our incredible team, we can’t wait to create a destination within a destination for all lovers of great hospitality.”

Arepa and Co

This April, Ernesto Moreno and Kathe Cunin will open a new Arepa & Co in Elephant Park, marking an exciting new chapter for the much-loved Venezuelan restaurant.

First launched in Haggerston in 2014, Arepa & Co has built a reputation as a welcoming home for the Venezuelan community in London.

Alongside its vibrant new setting, the restaurant and bar will introduce a refreshed menu rooted in Venezuelan cuisine. Customers can expect arepas—traditional flat corn breads toasted, sliced open and generously filled with meats, pulses and cheese—alongside cachapas (sweetcorn pancakes), yuca chips, and their signature tequeños, a cheese and guava-filled pastry snack.

Arepa & Co Elephant Park will be open from morning through evening. A hatch will serve breakfast options like pastelitos, traditional Venezuelan pastries, for both takeaway and dine-in. By evening, guests can enjoy cocktails such as the Arepa Sour and Guarapita at low tables near the 20-foot blue-toned bar before dining in the 70-cover restaurant.

The interior, inspired by Latin American haciendas, features hanging plants, wide-open summer windows and terracotta tiling.

Shelves throughout the space will showcase imported