Award-winning vegan chef Alexis Gauthier has expanded his plant-based 123V with a new restaurant opening at Brown’s, the four-storey fashion boutique on Mayfair’s Brook Street close by Claridge’s.
Open now, the new restaurant, designed by Red Deer studio, has taken over the space previously occupied by Native, including the secluded outside terrace.
The opening is a sibling to the lively 123V Studio Gauthier, which sits inside the BFI Building in Fitzrovia, and follows the closure of the original 123V at Fenwick.
Though much of the food served at the new 123V will be similar to that at Studio Gauthier, with a menu focussed on “garden sushi” — sushi made without fish or meat, in other words — the Browns venture offers its own exclusive dishes, and describes itself as “slightly more refined and luxurious” than its sister site. It is, however, dog-friendly.
Among the new additions on the menu are what they’re calling “fresh salad rolls” — Thai style rolls — and light, ramen-like “garden bowls”.
123V first garnered attention in the summer of 2021 when it offered a plant-based “beef” burger which proved so realistic that one outraged customer returned it on the grounds that she didn’t eat meat. The Standard’s then fashion editor, Chloe Street, called it “a vegan fashion girl’s heaven”.
Alongside the food menu is a compact, all-vegan wine list chosen by Gauthier Soho sommelier David Havlik — surprises are promised alongside the usual Provence rosé, clarets and Loire whites. Mocktails and seasonal infusions will also be served.
Alexis Gauthier, who is perhaps best known for his eponymous fine-dining restaurant in Soho, said of the launch: “Sushi is a globally popular cuisine, which naturally lends itself to forward thinkers.
“It’s rooted in a fundamental artisan technique, but is not afraid of innovation. It’s a luxury choice because of its style and playfulness, but it’s not exclusive. I see plant-based sushi as the next great global cuisine on the horizon, as it ticks every box — it’s delicious, sustainable, elegant, fun, and you don’t miss anything.”
