Bloomberg

Chef Mark Hix plans to open a restaurant in London’s Soho, with seats for about 80 diners and a basement bar with the ambience of a private club.

“I wanted to have my own place in Soho,” said Hix, whose establishments include Hix Oyster & Chop House at London’s Hix Smithfield, the Albemarle at Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair and Hix Oyster & Fish House, in Lyme Regis, a coastal retreat.

The site on Brewer Street formerly housed Aaya, a short- lived Japanese venue owned by restaurateur Alan Yau’s brother Gary. The design will be by Martin Brudnizki, the man behind the Club at the Ivy, Soho Beach House in Miami and Le Caprice at the Pierre, in New York. Hix said the look will be “rugged Georgian,” meaning an English style, rather than Tbilisi chic.

The eatery will simply be called Hix, retaining the chef’s name and indicating it will be different from his other restaurants, which he doesn’t want to resemble a chain. While Hix was unusually reticent when asked about the food, the bar snacks sound suspiciously like the Hix-smoked salmon and the crackling we had during an interview at the Oyster & Chop House.

Those of us who have been drinking with Hix can imagine what a social hub that bar may become. His friends include the artist Tracey Emin, the musician Alex James, the writer Tom Parker Bowles and many of the city’s chefs and restaurateurs.