According to new research commissioned by Tristan Capital Partners, one in 10 business owners now works from a restaurant or cafe when they’re in central London. That figure rises to 19% for small businesses with fewer than ten employees. These are the agile, independent firms that fuel the capital’s economy – and they’re choosing third spaces over traditional offices.

Business owners prefer high quality food and drink experiences in pedestrianised areas

It’s not just fringe behaviour. Over half (58%) of the business people surveyed in central London said they’re more likely to seek out better quality food and drink experiences now than they were in 2019. For Millennials and Gen Z, that jumps to 60%.

Nearly three-quarters (71%) said they would be more likely to choose a pedestrianised setting than one with traffic, again rising to 74% of Gen Z and Millennials. We’re seeing a shift from quick convenience to purposeful presence in pleasant spaces with many highlighting a lack of noise and distraction as a key benefit. A good lunch, in the right place, can be as valuable as a Zoom call or a Slack message – and much more enjoyable. Most importantly, over two-fifths (43%) state that  being in a prime location is vital to this experience.

Enter Sicilian Avenue. Quietly iconic and tucked away between Holborn and the British Museum, this Grade II listed pedestrianised street is being reimagined for how we live and work now. Following a full restoration, it will soon reopen with a curated line-up of restaurants, cafés, and bars. Think high-quality, welcoming venues set in beautifully restored Edwardian architecture – and all within 90 seconds of Holborn station and a seven minute amble from Tottenham Court Road Station.

The location couldn’t be better. It sits at the heart of Bloomsbury’s intellectual buzz and Holborn’s commercial edge, surrounded by creatives, students, researchers, and business leaders. And the appetite is clear. A striking 95% of business owners and workers surveyed said they’d be likely to visit Sicilian Avenue for dining or socialising.

The post-modern working lunch

More than just a nice place to eat, Sicilian Avenue is being built with the modern working day in mind. The research shows that business owners are more likely than other workers to hold meetings in cafés or restaurants – 58% versus 41%. They’re also more likely to travel across central London to meet clients or partners over lunch or coffee. They’re not just looking for a desk and Wi-Fi. They want quality service, fresh ingredients, thoughtful design – and a place that makes people feel at ease.

That focus on experience is becoming a priority. Seventy percent of respondents said service quality is key to a great dining experience. Sixty-four percent said the ingredients matter. And nearly half said that location plays a big part in where they choose to go. The extras count too – VIP loyalty schemes are appreciated by 20% of business owners and even more by Gen Zs.

Sustainability is increasingly part of the equation. One in three business owners say they actively look for environmentally friendly dining settings. Whether that’s plant-based menus, minimal packaging, or walkable locations, it’s part of the wider shift in how people make decisions about where to spend their time and money.

This isn’t just about taste. It’s about tempo. Places like Sicilian Avenue offer a different pace. They invite people to slow down, to linger, to connect. Tanya Braun from Living Streets summed it up perfectly: “Businesses thrive when there is pedestrianisation, because people slow down, they feel more comfortable being in that area, and are therefore more likely to spend time and money there.”

It’s a smart play, too. London is home to 1,400 coworking spaces, but many micro-businesses don’t need a membership or a monthly desk. What they need is choice. Somewhere to take a meeting. Somewhere to work between pitches. Somewhere to reward a team after a long morning. Somewhere you’d actually want to spend time.

As Alex Melligan from Tristan Capital Partners puts it: “Entrepreneurs and micro-business owners are financially savvy and seek intimate, creative places that respect individual space but also encourage connections.” That’s the energy Sicilian Avenue is being designed to capture – a space that’s calm but alive, heritage-rich but future-focused.

We’re not returning to the office. We’re redefining it. In a city as fast-moving as London, it’s the flexible, welcoming, good-food-filled places that are winning. The restaurant or café is no longer a detour – it’s the destination. And with the revival of Sicilian Avenue, the capital is serving up something that feels both deeply local and globally relevant.

Because at the end of the day, business doesn’t just happen in boardrooms. It happens over coffee, conversation and connection. And the places that make room for that? They’re the ones shaping the future of work.

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