Coffee and cocktail bar concept Grind is set to expand to seven sites with a new outlet in the City of London.
The group is to open Royal Exchange Grind in the landmark Royal Exchange building in Threadneedle Street in April, with a sweeping marble bar and bespoke brass shelving.
It follows this month’s opening of Grind’s sixth site in Maiden Lane in London’s Covent Garden which, for the first time, features a new counter offer for customers to grab food and drink on the go.
This will feature flatbreads including Black Flatbread made with squid ink and filled with chicken, aioli, pickles and tomatoes, Pink Flatbread made with beetroot and stuffed with avocado, hummus and gherkins, and Green Flatbread made with spirulina and packed with prawns peppers and baby gem lettuce.
For those staying in, dishes include smashed avocado and chilli on toast, Kaniwa-rolled eggs with pickled asparagus and an array of cold pressed juices and smoothie bowls.
Into the early evening, Grind Covent Garden is serving plates of smoked mozzarella and olives, veal meatballs with tomato soup and truffle cheese, and – the latest health food trend – rye tofu sandwiches.
CEO and co-founder David Abrahamovitch said: “Having launched juices and smoothies across the group last year, we’ve been working on our new healthier lunch dishes for quite a while now, and we’re thrilled to be open in Covent Garden and with the feedback we’ve had on our new healthier lunch range from our first few days there.”
Grind bars specialise in high-quality espresso drinks and snacks in the daytime and cocktails in the evenings. The first, Shoreditch Grind (pictured), opened five years ago, followed by Soho, London Bridge, Holborn and Soho Radio in Great Windmill Street.
David added: “We’ve been asked to bring Grind to the City at least once a week over the last five years since we first opened in Shoreditch. The City boasts some of the most discerning, sophisticated consumers in London, and those most appreciative of the volume and speed of service that Grind has led the way with throughout two years of expansion.
“We’re sorry to have made the City wait this long for a Grind of their own – we just had to wait until we found the right building and I’m so pleased we’ve found it in our beautiful new space at Royal Exchange.”
To celebrate the arrival of Covent Garden Grind, the Maiden Lane bar will be serving coffee absolutely free from 8am to midday tomorrow, Friday March 18.
