The Sea, The Sea to open new Chelsea bistro and fish shop this May

Chelsea seafood bar and fishmonger The Sea, The Sea will open a new bistro and fish shop on Pavilion Road in this spring. Founded by Alex Hunter in 2019, the establishment has built a reputation for sourcing seafood directly from small, low-impact fishing vessels and supplying both local customers and prominent London restaurants. The new site, located just down the road at number 243, will expand the business’s offering with a 40-cover bistro, a terrace for outdoor dining and a larger retail fishmongers.

The expansion comes as The Sea, The Sea continues to attract a following among residents of the area and the wider London hospitality scene. The new bistro, led by head chef Nick Marsden, will highlight lesser-known seafood species alongside more familiar options. Marsden, who joined the kitchen in October 2024, previously worked at London establishments including Dovetale, Pitt Cue and The Laughing Heart. He shares Hunter’s commitment to sourcing seafood “directly from fishing vessels using low impact methods – from hand dived scallops to line caught bass”.

The menu will feature a range of small plates and larger dishes, among them cuttlefish with Pickled Salsify and Cauliflower Purée, Confit Sea Trout with White Asparagus and Mustard Greens and Grilled Half Cornish Lobster with Vin Jaune Sabayon. Oysters, served with cucumber and apple vinaigrette, will be available with the option to add the restaurant’s own caviar. There are also desserts such as Potato Ice Cream with Preserved Spruce and Smoked Eel, and Okinawa Sugar Tart with Pumpkin Seed Praline.

The retail side of the new site will have a seaweed counter, dry ageing cabinets for fish, and a central display of shellfish and whole fish. Lunch options such as sashimi sets, shellfish rolls and oven-ready meals like Miso Black Cod will be available for takeaway. In the evenings, the shop will convert into a 10-seat seafood bar.

Hunter enthused: “It’s been an incredible and rewarding seven years seeing the response to The Sea, The Sea, and now being able to expand the business with this exciting new chapter. I love being in Chelsea, and so when the opportunity to open in a bigger site on Pavilion Road came along, it made perfect sense. The Sea, The Sea has always been a stage to showcase our talented team and ethos of working with ethically sourced seafood direct from the best small boats of our shores.”

Hugh Seaborn, chief executive of Cadogan, which owns Pavilion Road, added: “The Sea, The Sea was one of the very first businesses to open when we transformed Pavilion Road from a picturesque backstreet mews to a ‘village heart’ for Chelsea ten years ago. Their success here is not just testament to their artisanal skill and creativity, but the fact that they put community first and really contribute to the wider neighbourhood. We are delighted to see their success reflected in this larger bistro and fish shop, which will undoubtedly contribute further to Pavilion Road’s energy and buzz and become an even firmer local favourite.”

The original Sea, The Sea outpost will continue to operate until the new location opens. The new bistro will serve lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with an extended lunch service on Sundays. The fish shop will open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm, and on Sundays from 10 till 4.

Food Desk

The Sea, The Sea opens in May 2026 at 243 Pavilion Road, London SW1X 0BP. For further information and updates, visit the restaurant’s website here.