Pot Luck Club’s London debut

The Pot Luck Club’s heirloom tomato salad.
Image: Supplied

One of South Africa’s most acclaimed restaurants, The Pot Luck Club, is heading to London for a three-month residency at the Waldorf Hilton — also known as the Waldorf London — a grand Edwardian landmark in the heart of Covent Garden.

From mid-August, the Pot Luck Club will take over the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Homage. Set near the Royal Opera House, the Waldorf has been a fixture in the capital’s cultural and hospitality landscape since it opened in 1908. Founded by William Waldorf Astor, it was one of the first hotels in London to combine luxurious accommodation with a full social experience, offering everything from elegant dinners to refined afternoon teas.

The London residency is a natural extension for The Pot Luck Club. Cape Town’s restaurant scene is highly seasonal, with a surge of visitors in summer and quieter during winter. Add to that the explosion of new high-quality openings in the city, and it has created a more competitive environment — making this timing spot on for an international pop-up in summer.

The Waldorf Hilton exterior.
Image: Supplied

This isn’t the first global outing for celebrated chef and founder Luke Dale Roberts, who has taken Pot Luck to Verbier and Andermatt in Switzerland, and Test Kitchen to the Shangri-La Le Touessrok in Mauritius, as well as guest appearances around the world. Known for putting fine dining on the map in South Africa, Dale Roberts has built a global following with his inventive, flavour-packed small plates and bold approach to “global tapas”.

Since opening on top of Cape Town’s Old Biscuit Mill in 2012, The Pot Luck Club has drawn crowds for its punchy, eclectic menu and striking city views. For the London residency, Dale Roberts and his Cape Town team will personally oversee the launch, with sous chef Rachel Maroun staying on to lead the kitchen for part of the time.

Dale Roberts has been in discussion with hotel operators since the Covid-19 lockdowns, and stayed in touch as new opportunities emerged.

There will be fewer dishes than at the Pot Luck Club in Cape Town and the team has been rehearsing fervently. The menu will include some Pot Luck family favourites. Diners can expect smoked beef fillet with truffle café au lait, Springbok tataki with mandarin gastrique and Cape Malay-spiced vegetarian dishes — all underpinned by British produce and seasonal ingredients.

The Waldorf Hilton’s Homage restaurant.
Image: Supplied

“As a Brit, there’s something meaningful about returning in this way, partnering with one of London’s landmark hotels and sharing what we’ve built in Cape Town with a new audience. We’ve been fortunate to grow an international following at home and this feels like the natural next step,” says Dale Roberts.

“It’s going to carry all the DNA of Pot Luck. Punchy global sharing plates, touches of Cape Malay influence and the very best ingredients we can source in the UK.”

The experience goes beyond the food. Service and atmosphere will mirror the relaxed yet refined Cape Town original. The dining space will concentrate on the Pot Luck table set-up and food style, while relying on the old-world charm of the room. Meanwhile, front-of-house and culinary staff from both Cape Town and London have been training, and soft openings will precede the official launch on August 13.

A curated cocktail programme will accompany the food, led by the Waldorf’s head bartender Abby Long and developed in collaboration with Dale Roberts. Served at The Wild Monkey bar, the drinks menu will feature house-infused cordials, seasonal ingredients and cocktails designed to echo the kitchen’s bold flavours. For the first time, a dedicated bar snacks menu — also designed by Dale Roberts — will be offered to complement the drinks.

The Pot Luck Club’s smoked beef fillet.
Image: Supplied

Guy Hilton, area GM at The Waldorf London, says the partnership brings together one of London’s landmark hotels and one of South Africa’s most celebrated restaurants.

Dinner will be served daily from 5pm, with the final seating at 10pm. Diners can choose from an à la carte offering, a shorter prix fixe menu, or indulge in the full tasting experience.

For those who can’t make it to London, The Pot Luck Club continues to operate in Cape Town and Johannesburg. In the Cape, it’s running its Sunday Brunch Winter Extravaganza — a decadent 10-course affair with bottomless bubbles and a standout Bloody Mary DIY station for R1,250 a person.

Expect indulgent offerings like oysters topped with trout roe and spicy dressing, cornbread with lobster, brioche with quail egg and an interpretation on the classic Arnold Bennett smoked haddock omelette. There’s also risotto, roast lamb served with seasonal vegetables and a trio of desserts: chamomile madeleines, strawberries and cream, and a selection of pastries. The winter brunch offering runs until September 28.

In Johannesburg, The Pot Luck Club recently relocated from Rosebank to the elegant yet intimate Peech Hotel in Melrose.

Its London residency joins a growing trend of top South African restaurants reaching global audiences. In July, Salsify at the Roundhouse held a two-night collaboration with Michelin-starred Akoko in London — another sign of the country’s increasingly confident culinary voice on the world stage.

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