[Location: Whitstable] Popular 1990s London restaurant to reopen in long-empty Kent Prezzo
Kent Online 2026-10-10 04:00:00
Context: In Whitstable, Kent, a popular 1990s London restaurant, Jimmy Beez, is set to reopen in a long-empty former Prezzo site on the High Street. The restaurant's founder, James Breslaw, is reviving the eatery with his former head chef, Gary Lee, who went on to become executive chef at The Ivy. The new venture plans to welcome customers in spring 2027.
Key Facts
- Jimmy Beez, a popular restaurant and bar on Portobello Road, London, was originally opened by James Breslaw in 1993 and became a haunt for celebrities and figures from London's music industry.
- The original Jimmy Beez closed after Breslaw broke his neck while surfing in India in December 1997, forcing him to give up the business.
- The new Jimmy Beez in Whitstable will offer an all-day brunch menu with a New York touch by day and small plates with Asian influences by night.
- A planning application has been submitted to Canterbury City Council to transform the Grade-II listed building, which has stood empty since Prezzo closed in 2023.