There will be an exciting new addition to the London dining scene in February 2013, when Keith McNally, referred to by the New York Times as "the restaurateur who invented downtown", brings an outpost of Balthazar to the UK.

For the English-born McNally, whose New York restaurants include Odeon, Café Luxembourg and Morandi, this will be the first site outside of the US. It will also be the first sequel, directly modelled on one of his existing restaurants.

McNally is teaming up with Richard Caring, the man behind the Ivy, Le Caprice and Soho House group in the venture.

Balthazar in New York opened in 1997 in a converted warehouse and serves a French menu and has a raw seafood bar.

The London site will be at Covent Garden and will closely resemble the original.