Martin Kuczmarski’s new restaurant follows Dover Street Counter in Mayfair.
The menu includes fried chicken, spaghetti all’assassina, short rib and lobster.
Margaritas, classic cocktails, 1990s R&B and soul help shape the experience.
Martin Kuczmarski’s latest London opening brings the spirit of Dover Street Counter to Chelsea.
Chelsea has a new address for comfort food, cocktails and a soundtrack worth staying for. Restaurateur Martin Kuczmarski has opened Chelsea Counter at 39 Cadogan Gardens, just off King’s Road. Welcoming its first guests on 2 November 2026, the restaurant follows the success of Dover Street Counter in Mayfair.
The inspiration comes from the counter diners of late-1950s Los Angeles, with an emphasis on the energy around the counter and a menu that works throughout the day. Chelsea Counter carries that approach into a neighbourhood setting, pairing informal dining with a drinks list that gives cocktails plenty of attention.
Food takes a broad view, bringing together dishes from different culinary traditions. There is no single cuisine steering the menu. Instead, it moves between snacks, familiar comfort dishes and more substantial plates, giving diners scope to stop for a quick bite or settle into dinner.
To start, purple potato crisps come with San Marzano tomato salsa, while buttermilk fried chicken is served with hot honey and sesame. A four-cheese toastie adds another comfort-food option, sitting alongside dishes that make the move from a casual daytime meal to an evening out feel straightforward.
For something more substantial, the choices include spaghetti all’assassina, spicy baked baby chicken and slow-cooked short rib with fries. Seafood also has a place, with grilled salmon and half lobster with herbed garlic butter rounding out a menu that leaves room for different appetites around the table.
Margaritas take a prominent position on the drinks list, with pineapple and lychee among the variations. Classic cocktails also feature, giving guests a choice between familiar orders and fruit-led alternatives.
A soundtrack of 1990s R&B and soul runs through the experience, carrying the room from daytime dining into the evening. Alongside the counter format, it helps establish the relaxed, sociable atmosphere that connects Chelsea Counter with its Mayfair sibling.
Where: Chelsea Counter, 39 Cadogan Gardens, London, SW3 2TB
Contact: https://www.instagram.com/chelsea.counter/