London Michelin Guide restaurant to close after just one year
Sesta, a Hackney-based restaurant recognised by the Michelin Guide, will close on 20 December after just over a year of operating, with its owner claiming, “times are just too hard to make ends meet.”
Sesta opened in 2024 on the previous site of Michelin-star tasting menu Pidgin on Hackney’s Wilton Way, with the same head chef Drew Snaith and general manager Hannah Kowalski at the helm.
But, just over a year after its launch, the restaurant has announced its closure on Instagram, citing financial difficulties.
On a statement posted to social media, the owner said: “It’s with a heavy heart that we announce SESTA will not be reopening in the next year.
“While we’ve loved every minute of bringing this little restaurant to life, sadly times are just too hard to make ends meet. We’re so proud of the space we’ve created and the brilliant team that have worked tirelessly to make it happen.”
Glowing review
The venue near London Fields had a 4.4 Tripadvisor rating. One user remarked it was rare to see a restaurant where “every course is a triumph in its own right, but Sesta has done this every time I’ve been.” Another reviewer noted a menu sprinkled with a “touch of food magic”, and “the best meal I have had out for many years.”
Sesta will call last orders on 20 December.
The menu served up British dishes, like Chalkstream trout and Yorkshire chicken, alongside international flavours – from khinkali to rayu. Nduja-scotched olives, cider scones and coastal cheddar are examples of the imaginative fare found on the menu.
The Michelin Guide described the cocktail list as “short but terrific,” with other key selling points including “plenty of natural wines”, and “delightful staff”.
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‘Grateful for good times’
In the closure announcement, the owner also wrote: “We’re grateful for all the laughs and good times we’ve had along the way, the plates served and glasses clinked.
“There are too many people to thank individually, but naturally it goes without saying to the whole team past and present, to Sam and James, to all of our suppliers, and of course to all of the wonderful guests that have passed through our doors.
“Our final service will be Saturday 20 December. Come get an iconic Scotched Olive while you can! Drew and Olivia”.
Raising a glass
Heartbroken users flooded the comment section in solidarity. “Devastating news,” was the overall feel, with many commenters also looking back on a “beautiful place” filled with “amazing people”, and, of course, “the best food”.
The announcement comes as the UK restaurant sector battles a slew of financial woes, including rising operational costs, a drop in consumer spending and labour shortages.
Other recent closures in the capital include Popham’s, also in Hackney, and Don Ciccio in Highgate, North London. The owner of the Italian restaurant slammed the “sheer indifference” of locals after being forced to close six years, bitterly claiming “thank you for never supporting us, not even once.”
Economic battlefield
In a bitter farewell message on the Don Ciccio website, the former civil engineer said that “bad food, bad reviews or bad luck” were not to blame for the closure, but rather “the sheer indifference of our neighbours”.
The owner lamented that, being awarded Traveller’s Choice 2023 and 2024 on Tripadvisor, as well as a scoring a 4,7 star Google rating, was not enough to keep the business open.
Nonetheless, it’s not all doom and gloom: Restaurant guide Harden’s recently found that London has seen its highest number of restaurant openings since 2017, with 146 new venues opening in the 12 months to September 2025, pointing to the sector’s resilience in a tough economic climate.
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