Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, the New York-based restaurant sensation known for its award-winning burgers and Instagram-famous CrazyShake milkshakes, is set to dramatically expand its UK presence with a flagship restaurant in London’s Piccadilly Circus. Following the successful launch of its first UK location in Westfield Stratford last November, Black Tap have partnered once again with full-service 360 brand and design agency, Harrison, to create an ambitious two-floor dining experience in a Grade 2 listed building.
The Piccadilly location represents a significant milestone in Black Tap’s ‘Soho to Soho’ journey – creating a direct connection between the brand’s original home in New York’s Soho district and London’s vibrant Soho neighbourhood. This flagship venue dramatically scales up the Black Tap experience, featuring a stunning array of custom design elements across its expansive ground floor and basement levels.
Harrison’s design team, led by Sarah Acres, Jamie Baldwin and Rob Blakemore, has crafted a unique journey through the space that captures the electric energy of New York City while respecting and celebrating the historic building’s architectural heritage. The ground floor features a sleek monochrome palette dominated by a dramatic bar where black and white tiles flow seamlessly from floor to counter, creating a striking centrepiece and natural focal point for the restaurant’s craft beverages.
“The Piccadilly location presented us with fascinating design challenges and opportunities,” says Sarah Acres, Associate Director, and Senior Interior Designer at Harrison. “We’ve created distinct zones throughout the space, ensuring each visit offers guests a different experience. The ground floor celebrates the building’s listed features by thoughtfully working around and celebrating them, while the basement explodes with colour, energy and one-of-a-kind features that transport diners straight to downtown New York.”
“Working on Black Tap Piccadily has been an exercise in creative contrast.” adds Jamie Baldwin, Junior Interior Designer at Harrison. “We wanted to honour both the historic character of this iconic building and the vibrant, energetic image of the Black Tap brand. The result is a space that feels simultaneously respectful of London’s architectural heritage and authentically New York in its attitude and atmosphere. Every design element tells part of that story, from the custom furnishings to the immersive lighting features.”
The basement dining floor delivers a dramatic design statement – a bold, oversized boombox that commands attention and houses four booth seating areas within its speakers. This striking feature is complemented by an immersive LED-lit corridor running through its centre, creating a sensory-rich experience that pays homage to Black Tap’s hip-hop roots. Urban-inspired elements like a fire escape-themed staircase and seating area, along with a metro-style stair feature, further capture New York City’s distinctive character.
Throughout the space, each piece of fixed furniture, bar, and large-scale feature has been custom-designed specifically for this location. The walls showcase vibrant, striking murals by renowned NYC street artist Bradley Theodore, whose work captures the energy and spirit of New York while adding another layer of authenticity to the atmosphere.
In a particularly innovative touch, a striking angel statue positioned beyond the boombox corridor serves as a nod to the building’s heritage. The statue holds an aux cord made of neon rope, while the back of its wings featuring urban graffiti – presenting an angelic presence from the front and a playful, mischievous edge from behind.
This innovative design approach was not without challenges. With the ground floor being Grade 2 listed, the team had to work within significant constraints, creating a unique space without modifying the walls or ceiling. “We designed a steel frame structure for the back bar that arches around the building’s architectural features, carefully preserving and celebrating them,” explains Sarah. “By illuminating these elements and layering artwork over them, we were able to create a striking contrasting feature that respects the building’s heritage while delivering Black Tap’s signature bold aesthetic.”
The Piccadilly restaurant marks the second step in Black Tap’s ambitious UK expansion, with plans for three additional London locations to open by 2026.
