Sicilian Avenue, central London’s historic pedestrianised dining and lifestyle destination announces its first two retailers, all London brands – the trendy Flying Horse Coffee, BACKWORKS offering massages for all, and Japanese tea, café and retailer MATCHADO.
Flying Horse Coffee officially opened its doors this December, 2025 at No.1 Sicilian Avenue – on the corner of Southampton Row – and is the first to fuel the area’s office workers, tourists, students and residents. The other two London-founded independents will open in Spring 2026 when visitors will have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the beautifully restored and architecturally delightful Grade II listed pedestrianised avenue that has been captivating walkers, laureates, creatives and authors for over 115 years.
Just 90 seconds from Holborn Station and set against the backdrop of Bloomsbury Square and a six-minute walk from the UK’s most visited 272 year old attraction, The British Museum, Sicilian Avenue’s developers are revitalising this heritage destination to create a vibrant consumer destination in the heart of Bloomsbury.
With 70,000 sq ft of renovated contemporary offices sitting above 17,500 sq ft of retail / food and beverage space and al fresco seating, Sicilian Avenue’s iconic buildings have been perfectly reimagined into a premium lifestyle destination that will reconnect Bloomsbury’s residents, workers, Londoners, students and visitors in a calm yet joyful pedestrianised environment.
Flying Horse Coffee Selects Sicilian Avenue as its First Central London Location
Much-loved coffee roastery, brunch and lifestyle brand Flying Horse Coffee will be the first to open at No.1 Sicilian Avenue on Monday 1 December, 2025.
Flying Horse Coffee chose Sicilian Avenue as its first central London location thanks to its culturally rich heritage and grade II listed architecture, a stunning backdrop for one of London’s brightest coffee companies.
At No.1 Sicilian Avenue, Flying Horse Coffee will offer customers their finest freshly ground signature brews complemented with delicious toasties and bagels for Londoners on-the-go and tourists looking to explore the city.
Philip Way, Owner and Founder of Flying Horse Coffee, adds: “We are super excited to get started, and it’s our most beautiful setting yet to open in. We’ve really taken our time to respect its heritage down to details like matching the colour of our coffee machine with the Grade II listed oriel window frames. These details matter to the experience and lifestyle we’re creating for our customers – we want them to feel that they’re in a special place, because they are!”
Loyal fans will be rewarded with a regular free cup of coffee through its Magic Stamp Loyalty App.
BACKWORKS Prefers Pedestrianised Locations to Grow its Self-Care Brand
Since opening its first ever wellness space in Angel’s heritage-rich, pedestrianised Camden Passage in 2024, creating a serene, safe and modern enclave for its clientele has been high on the agenda.
BACKWORKS was formed to make wellness accessible for incredibly busy people, adding a crucial lifestyle element to the Bloomsbury area.
The new drop-in wellness space offers fully clothed, seated massages on ergonomic chairs – perfect for time-pressed business owners, workers, students, visitors and locals who need a quick reset. BACKWORKS’ highly skilled therapists blend deep tissue and sports massage techniques to create personalised 15 to 45 minute sessions that release tension fast. In addition to in-store massages, BACKWORKS offers a corporate package that converts events and offices into wellness experiences with minimal fuss.
Douglas Anderson, Co-founder of BACKWORKS, adds: ‘Sicilian Avenue captures the experience we want for our clients. Its beautiful oriel windows allow for more natural light, and its culturally inspiring location is perfectly in line with our vision: quiet, yet lively and making wellbeing accessible – like grabbing your morning coffee. Our mission is to offer an alternative to lengthy, expensive massage treatments that require booking weeks in advance, having to undress and be covered in oils. Sometimes you just need that 15 minutes of dedicated time-out without thinking about work or worries in a peaceful space – and BACKWORKS offers an accessible, affordable solution to wellness for everyone.’
BACKWORKS creates little waste thanks to its through-clothing massage techniques making the business one of the most sustainable wellness spaces in London.
MATCHADO adds Japanese Tea Culture and Matcha Baked Treats to Sicilian Avenue
Steeped in the harmony, seasonality and attention to detail that define Japanese culture, MATCHADO brings a thoughtful, handcrafted approach to tea and sweets to its newest café on Sicilian Avenue. Founded in 2019 by Japanese tea specialist Hiromi Matsunobu, MATCHADO was created to share the authentic flavours of Japanese tea and sweets — and the deep craftsmanship of Japanese tea culture — with the UK.
At Sicilian Avenue, guests can experience MATCHADO’s signature style of Japanese tea preparation. The café uses ceremonial-grade matcha and premium hojicha hand-sourced from family tea farms across Japan, with every drink hand-whisked to order for smoothness, aroma and balance. MATCHADO’s carefully selected tea tools and tableware highlight the beauty and ritual of Japanese tea-making, while its London-made baked treats showcase Japanese flavours including matcha, hojicha, yuzu and black sesame.