London Flavors Head West

NEW YORK — In theater and music, the English come to New York in droves. In food, not so much. But this season London is on our doorstep with Sunday roasts, afternoon tea and lemon posset.

The first British opening this season is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the new Hoxton hotel that has taken over a former factory for Rosenwach tanks, those wooden rooftop reservoirs that dot the New York skyline.

The central kitchen, on the ground floor, preserves an original arched brick structure called the carriage house. There, Matthew Deliso, the executive chef and a native of Long Island, will be in charge of the wood-fired grills and the grand Molteni ovens and cooktops. The blue finish on the ovens inspired the name of the hotel’s signature restaurant: Klein’s, for the French painter Yves Klein, who used bright blue with abandon. (The Hoxton team was not aware that for some New Yorkers, the name might evoke memories of discount designer clothing.)

The restaurant is airy and free-flowing, and the food, Deliso said, will be American: poached king salmon, spaghetti and meatballs, burgers and halves of grilled chicken. The hotel also has the open-air Backyard terrace for sandwiches, dips and drinks; and the rooftop Summerly, with stunning views and a menu of lobster rolls, ribs and pizza.

Next up, in the third-floor space in the Time Warner Center that was A Voce, will be Bluebird London, from D&D London, a restaurant group with a presence all over Europe. They’ve reconfigured the area, opening up the entrance for an all-day cafe and wine bar; a curving walkway leads to the bar and spacious brasserie-style restaurant overlooking Columbus Circle. The chef, Nicolas Houlbert, is French, a veteran of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and his menu offers contemporary interpretations of British dishes like Cornish chicken pie, fish and chips, and classic roasts. Afternoon tea will be served.

By next year the English onslaught will be in full force. D&D London will open a restaurant in Hudson Yards, as will Rhubarb, another London group, which plans an “East-meets-West” menu.

Long delayed, the London steakhouse Hawksmoor should finally be ready next spring. And the Aqua Restaurant Group, based in Hong Kong with restaurants in Beijing and London, has a New York restaurant on the drawing board, possibly Chinese, in Midtown.

Washington, D.C., is also getting a taste of England, with Leon, the first American branch of a string of stylish fast-casual restaurants notable for their fresh take on salads, wraps and grilled combinations. The company is also known for its colorful and effective cookbooks, some of which are sold in America.