The Sea, The Sea, the much-loved seafood bar and fishmongers in Chelsea, is opening a bistro and fish shop in a brand new location on Pavilion Road, across from its original outpost.
Founded by Alex Hunter in 2019, The Sea, The Sea quickly became known for its considered approach to serving seafood straight from the source and supplying some of London’s favourite restaurants, including Ikoyi and KOL. Having cemented its position amongst locals and Londoners alike, The Sea, The Sea, will be opening this May with a bistro-style seafood restaurant, expanded retail offering including freshly prepared lunch boxes and provisions.
The upstairs bistro will be home to a beautiful dining room. Seating 40 guests, the restaurant is designed with comfort in mind, from roomy banquettes to harmonious textures and colours, creating a relaxed and elegant space. At the helm of the kitchen is Head Chef Nick Marsden who honed his career at some of London’s most prestigious restaurants, including Dovetale, Pitt Cue and The Laughing Heart.
Sharing Alex’s ethos for sourcing directly from fishing vessels using low impact methods - from hand dived scallops to line caught bass - Nick will showcase underused hidden gems as well as the better known favourites. The menu is designed for diners to make their own - whether it be snacks and small plates over a crisp glass of wine, or a seafood feast for the table. Begin with Smoked eel Consommé and horseradish or a bounty of treats from the raw bar which offers up the likes of Pickled Fowey mussels, sunsweet melon, lovage; and all the oysters one could hope for, served with cucumber and apple vinaigrette, with the option to add The Sea, The Sea’s own caviar for just £1 per oyster.
Accessibly priced from start to finish, the menu brings seasonal seafood and vegetables to the forefront. Guests can expect small plates such as Cuttlefish, pickled salsify and cauliflower purée or Confit sea trout, white asparagus and mustard greens. Larger dishes come from the grill, featuring the likes of Skate wing, Trombetta courgette, nettle and Gordal olives; Grilled half Cornish lobster with Vin Jaune sabayon and brown butter; and sharing dishes of Whole plaice, braised punterelle, broad beans and mint. Inventive and in keeping with the theme are puddings including Potato ice cream, preserved spruce and smoked eel; Okinawa sugar tart, pumpkin seed praline and Chocolate Crémeaux, blackberry and Assam pepper.
The drinks list is extensive, with white wines taking the lion's share. Start with something sparkling, dive into The Sea, The Sea’s Old World whites, or choose from a capsule collection of reds, orange wines, and saké. Playful cocktails include The Red Snapper: Gin Mare, spiced tomato mix and lemon; Fish House Punch comprising Cognac, Créme de Péche, Earl Grey tea, lemon, sugar and clarified milk; and The Sea, The Sea’s take on the classics: Pink Peppercorn Negroni and a Yuzu Spritz.
In true The Sea, The Sea style, guests will be greeted by an abundance of seafood when entering the shop. From dry ageing cabinets displaying house-aged fish and theatrical oyster shucking, to a wealth of shellfish, molluscs and whole day boat fish proudly displayed on the central round table, the shop will welcome guests to discover and delight in the freshest seafood sourced primarily from Cornwall and Scotland. The new shop will also introduce a seaweed counter, welcoming guests to delve into and source different varieties. Then there are freshly prepared lunch boxes for those on the move, featuring sashimi sets and shellfish rolls as well as oven-ready options like miso black cod and Singapore chilli crab. Designed with neutral materials such as timber and steel, the shop is formed to let the produce take centre stage, and lends itself to becoming a seafood bar at night, with just 10 seats. Outside, The Sea, The Sea’s new home will boast a 28 cover terrace, becoming the idyllic spot for leisurely lunches and alfresco dinners on one of Chelsea’s most iconic pedestrianised streets.
Alex Hunter says, “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, Cadogan adds “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 10 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 Sea, The Sea will open on 243 Pavilion Road in May 2026. The original outpost continues to operate until then.
