It’s been a good year for art gallery-adjacent eating in London and the South East: Locatelli at the National Gallery, Setlist at Somerset House, and Coquina at Hastings Contemporary. Now, the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea is getting an independent new neighbour in the form of Cafe Linea. It’s the first solo project from hospitality veterans and husband-and-wife founders Greg and Felicity Godik, who have taken inspiration from the arcade cafés of continental Europe – here transplanted to Grade II-listed premises on the corner of Duke of York Square.
Wallpaper* dines at Cafe Linea, London
The mood: a grand garden party
Paris-based interior designers Dion & Arles – who worked on Chiltern Firehouse’s Louie restaurant and 1 Hotel Mayfair’s Dovetale – know a thing or two about restaurants that are just as pleasant to spend time in both indoors and out. By day, natural light floods through the arched windows, illuminating the 19th-century interior with its vaulted ceilings and arched alcoves; by night, the neo-classical proportions are softened by candlelight. Out on the terrace, it’s all about green, beige and rattan.
‘The project sought to create a soft conversation with strong architectural characteristics,’ explains Florence Arles. ‘We took inspiration from architect Charles Voysey, among others, while the tabletops are inspired by English ceramist Clarice Cliff. We used and played with established codes, introducing cast-iron furniture and elements from Italian pergolas alongside Arts and Crafts aesthetics and a softly contrasting colour palette.’
The food: continental breakfasts, global lunches and dinners
Continental cafés are the inspiration, and Cafe Linea does a mean continental-style breakfast. Pâtisseries are made fresh each day in the on-site bakery to accompany a cup of artisan coffee, while savoury allumettes (puff pastry sticks) filled with ham, cheese and miso are also on offer. Later in the day, the à la carte menu reflects the global influences of well-travelled Argentine chef Carolina Ferpozzi: expect anything from ricotta dumplings with mushrooms to a curried chicken pie to share. The old-world wine list, meanwhile, leans towards sweet and sparkling wines to complement the pastry offerings.
Cafe Linea is located at 90, Duke of York Square, London SW3 4LY, UK.
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of 2025Much of the life of a Wallpaper editor* is, inevitably, spent behind a screen. Yet the stories that truly resonate are found beyond it. As we stride into 2026, our team reflects on the last year, and the out-of-office adventures that shaped it
-
The best new gadgets that also look good at CES 2026Away from robotics, mobility and the ever-present AI, we present the most elegant examples of new consumer electronics from CES 2026
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards: this rammed-earth house in Wiltshire is an eco exemplarTuckey Design Studio’s rammed-earth house in the UK's Wiltshire countryside stands out for its forward-thinking, sustainable building methods – which earned it a place in our trio of Best Use of Material winners at the 2026 Wallpaper* Design Awards
-
The most anticipated hotel openings of 2026From landmark restorations to remote retreats, these are the hotel debuts shaping the year ahead
-
The most stylish hotel debuts of 2025A Wallpaper* edit of this year’s defining hotel openings. Design-led stays to shape your next escape
-
Neo-Gothic grandeur and decadent martinis await at Hawksmoor St PancrasThe dining room at the St Pancras London hotel has proved to be a revolving door for big-name chefs; now, it's Hawksmoor’s time to shine
-
Form... and flavour? The best design-led restaurant debuts of 2025A Wallpaper* edit of the restaurant interiors that shaped how we ate, gathered and lingered this year
-
At last: a London hotel that’s great for groups and extended staysThe July London Victoria, a new aparthotel concept just steps away from one of the city's busiest rail stations, is perfect for weekends and long-term visits alike
-
French bistro restaurant Maset channels the ease of the Mediterranean in LondonThis Marylebone restaurant is shaped by the coastal flavours, materials and rhythms of southern France
-
Sir Devonshire Square is a new kind of hotel for the City of LondonA Dutch hospitality group makes its London debut with a design-forward hotel offering a lighter, more playful take on the City’s usual formality
-
This sculptural London seafood restaurant was shaped by ‘the emotions of the sea’In Hanover Square, Mazarine pairs a bold, pearlescent interior with modern coastal cuisine led by ‘bistronomy’ pioneer chef Thierry Laborde
