The group behind Hache, Cabana Brasil and Hush Mayfair has opened a new restaurant in Kingston, taking on the site left vacant by the recently departed Cau.

Branded as Hache Riverside Social, the restaurant is a standalone, extended branch of the burger chain. It opened late last month and features the group’s core burger menu as well as specialist coffees and pastries, brunch dishes and light bites.

The likes of grilled prawns with pesto aioli, spicy buffalo cauliflower, and harissa arancini cater for bustling evening revellers, while avocado toast, eggs and veggie bowls are designed to appeal to the lunch crowd and those who might use the spot for remote working.

CEO Jamie Barber told Harden’s that the approach is concept-lite and rooted in the classics.

“Riverside Social is a really fun concept,” he told us.

“We wanted to create somewhere that people want to go for lunch, somewhere that suits people who need to set up with their laptop, but which also works for the evening dinner trade.

“We’ve got great brunch dishes and we’ve developed a modern menu and cocktails for evenings and weekends. Obviously, we’ve got our Hache burgers too – that’s still the core focus. It’s just about offering a little bit more and about being a restaurant again.

“I think some areas have got a bit rooted in concept. We wanted to strip everything back and react to what customers want. It’s been a really enjoyable process.”