KAPETI INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Restaurant Fit Out London
Design & Build. One team. From empty shell to opening night.
Opening a restaurant in London is not only a design project. It's a construction programme.
Before a single wall goes up, you need landlord approval drawings, a Licence to Alter, a building controller, a principal designer, a principal contractor, a structural engineer, a fire consultant, planning permission submissions — and someone who can coordinate all of them simultaneously, on a schedule, without letting any one thread hold up the rest.
Most clients come to us having already discovered how complex this is. Some come to us at the very beginning — before they've even signed their lease — because their landlord needs to see a concept design before agreeing to the tenancy.
That's exactly where we start.
How a Restaurant Project Actually Works
Before the lease
We prepare landlord drawings, fire strategy documentation and Licence to Alter submissions. Your landlord's surveyor reviews the concept. We respond to queries. You sign the lease
Design development
Interior design, full technical drawings, material specifications, 3D visuals, kitchen layout signed off by your chef, bespoke joinery designs sent to production.
Approvals
Building control application, planning permission (where required), heritage statements, structural engineer appointment, principal designer coordination.
Construction
Structural works, MEP systems — gas, electrical, heating, plumbing, extraction and ventilation — commercial kitchen installation, bespoke bar and joinery delivery from production, flooring, finishes, lighting installation.
Procurement & coordination
Furniture, fixtures and equipment ordered, tracked and delivered to site in sequence. Everything arrives when it's needed — not before, not after.
Certifications & handover
Gas certification, electrical certification, alarm, CCTV, fire risk assessment sign-off. Building control closure certificate. Professional clean. Keys handed to you. 12-month warranty.
What This Means for You
While we run your project, you run your business.
If you already have a restaurant, you're not losing weeks of focus to landlord negotiations and building control correspondence. If this is your first site, you're not navigating a process that most people only encounter once in a lifetime — alone.
You tell us your vision. You meet with us at key decisions. Your chef signs off the kitchen layout. You approve the materials.
Everything else — every coordination call, every compliance submission, every contractor on site — is handled by us.
The result: a restaurant that opens on time, within budget, and exactly as you imagined it.
Our Restaurant Projects
Efes Premium Wimbledon — Complete turnkey design & build. Planning permission, full structural works, bespoke joinery, commercial kitchen, FF&E. Delivered on time. Now one of London's most recognised restaurant interiors. Wimbledon, London November 2023.
Efes Richmond Plus — 45-metre linear space with extreme proportional challenges. Turnkey delivery from landlord drawings to opening night. Richmond, London February 2025.
Soho Steak Restaurant — Restaurant & lounge design, fit-out and project management. Soho, London. January 2024.
Twickenham Takeaway — Takeaway Restaurant & shop design, fit-out and project management. Twickenham Surrey March 2025.
and many more..
Common Questions
1. We haven't found a site yet — is it too early to speak to you?
No — the earlier the better. We work with clients before they've signed their lease, helping them assess whether a site is viable, what the fit-out will cost, and what the landlord will require.
2. Our landlord is asking for a concept design before agreeing the lease — can you help? Yes. This is one of the most common first steps we take with restaurant clients. We prepare landlord drawings, fire strategy documentation and Licence to Alter submissions to support your tenancy application.
3. How long does a restaurant fit-out take in London?
Most restaurant fit-outs take 20–25 weeks from building control approval to opening, depending on complexity. We'll give you a realistic programme from day one.
4. How much does a restaurant fit-out cost in London?
Costs vary significantly depending on size, condition of the shell and specification level. A realistic starting point for a full turnkey restaurant fit-out in London is £400,000–£1.000,000+. We provide a detailed budget breakdown before any work begins.
5. Do you coordinate the commercial kitchen as well?
Yes. We work with your chef to design the kitchen layout, coordinate equipment suppliers and manage the full installation — gas, electrical, extraction and ventilation included.
6. What happens after handover?
All certifications — gas, electrical, fire, alarm, CCTV — are provided at handover. Building control closure certificate included. 12-month warranty on all works.
Thinking about opening a restaurant in London?
The earlier you speak to us, the smoother the process. We regularly work with clients before they've signed their lease — helping them understand what's involved, what it will cost, and how long it will take.
The first conversation is free. No cost, no obligation.
One team. One contract. No handovers. No surprises.
Work With Us
If you're planning a restaurant, home or office in London or across the UK and you want one team to take it from concept to keys — we'd like to hear about your project.
+44 734 2240695