Fabled restaurateur Joe Allen dies aged 87

The family of Joe Allen has announced that the theatreland restaurateur, and founder of the eponymous restaurants in London, Paris and New York, died peacefully last Sunday, aged 87. Having opened his first restaurant in Broadway in 1965, Allen had since become an influential hospitality figure across the world.

1977 marked the launch of Allen’s first restaurant in London, which came to affectionately be known as ‘the West End’s canteen’ as it drew in theatregoers, actors, celebrities, and royalty. Today, it is one of the longest running establishments in the West End, with patrons including Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley and dozens of stage actors. It was one of the best places to spot actors having a late-night supper after curtain down, and for many years the must-order was the off-menu burger. The staff, often out-of-work actors themselves, would sing and take to the piano nightly.

“Joe was such an unassuming, generous man and he knew bars and restaurants through and through, he would always be sat at the worst table at Joe’s to leave the best ones to customers, that’s how he was,” say the current co-owners of Joe Allen, Tim Healy and Lawrence Hartley. They continue, “he will be sorely missed by all of us; we raise a glass to him.”

Both Russell Norman and Rowley Leigh had worked at Joe Allen early in their careers. Restaurateur Jeremy King, who met his business partner Chris Corbin when working at Joe Allen, also paid tribute on Twitter, sayng “Joe Allen – one of my restaurateur heroes to whom I owe so much. It’s a sad day.”