The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

bitecuisine Potter and Boud opened three more sites in Lon- don: Soho in late 2013, inside Kingly Court near Carnaby Street; Brixton in 2016, on Coldharbour Lane; and Shoreditch in 2019, on Bethnal Green Road. The brand also briefly established an out- post in Brighton during a later expansion push. After shutting down entirely under its original layout in May 2024, the brand name was acquired by the Rhumshack Group (owners of Cottons) in early 2026, who launched a newly repositioned standalone bar version. While the new Rum Kitchen sits alongside Cot- tons’ four established outlets in Vauxhall, Notting Hill, Shoreditch and Camden, it has a different intention. The Caribbean bar‑restaurant is de- signed as a nightlife‑driven venue rather than a traditional sit‑down. The first of these new‑era sites opened on Inverness Street in Camden Mar- ket in April, with a capacity of around 110 covers and a layout built for a dance floor, bar‑led ener- gy, and a flow that encourages guests to stay long into the wee hours. The décor captures saturated colours, warm light- ing, and tropical cues. Its palette leans into deep, glowing tones of ambers, hot pinks, and electric blues with warm pools around the booths, neon accents around the bar, and a room lit for peo- ple, rather than plates. The bar is the room’s grav- itational centre, with bottles backlit like stained glass on sculptural shelving. The dance floor sits naturally off to the side, so the space transitions from dinner to party without ever needing to an- nounce the shift. Textures are layered but not rustic. Instead of the distressed wood and beach‑shack cues of the original era, Camden uses smooth surfaces, pol- ished woods, metal trims, and tropical touches. Palm‑leaf patterns, warm terracotta tones, and splashes of turquoise appear in the upholstery and wall details. With seating built for groups, the curved booths, communal tables, and ban- quettes encourage people to slide in, stay longer, and share plates between tracks. Through its rum culture concept, the bar carries one of London’s more expansive rum selections, from Jamaican heavyweights like Wray & Neph- ew and Appleton Signature, and lighter Carib- bean blends like Duppy Share and Koko Kanu. These are supported by rum flights, tropical smoothies, mocktails, and signature cocktails like the Jamrock Punch (Appleton Signature, Koko