“Less is definitely more” on the contemporary restaurant circuit, with single item menus on the rise and more popular than ever. The concept of specialising in one dish and doing it exceptionally well has proved popular for burgers, meatballs and now, steak. Enter Arlo’s…
The founder of Arlo’s, Tom McNeile, has an extensive catering background. Since 2009, Tom was the Managing Director of L’atelier des Chefs Ltd, the UK’s largest cookery school by client volume, and a market leader within the highly competitive London market.
Arlo’s was born out of ‘an obsession for great steak and a refusal to compromise.’ Established back in 2014, the project was put on hold whilst Tom searched for the perfect venue to launch his vision. The restaurant opened towards the end of summer this year in the perfect setting just off the Balham High Road, nestled between the busy shopping street and a residential area.
Serving both the eat-in and takeaway markets, Arlo’s puts a spotlight on its ‘exceptional ingredients’; sourcing only grass-fed, native English breads, traceable from ‘field to fork’. In accordance with their mission to, ‘serve excellent steak at an excellent price’, they champion the unusual cuts of beef that wouldn’t usually find their way to the butcher’s table. This innovative concept is proving incredibly popular, allowing customers to experience delicious variations of the popular dish at a just fraction of the traditional cost. The cosy, minimal interior is completed by an open kitchen, creating an intimate dining experience where customers can watch their steak cook as they wait.
Johnson Reed helped Tom and his team to finance catering equipment and elements of the fit-out, including restaurant furniture and the EPOS till system. As well as being a tax-efficient method of acquiring equipment the lease gives the team peace of mind, knowing that all repayments were agreed beforehand and thereby allowing them to budget with confidence.
“I worked with Johnson Reed following a recommendation from our kitchen design company. I found the whole experience to be simple, efficient, professional and – frankly – not what I’d expected from my first foray into leasing. The discussions were jargon free and Johnson Reed evidently rate customer service very highly. Thank you Mark, I’ve recommended Johnson Reed and no doubt we will speak soon about Arlo’s 2!”
-Tom McNeile, Founder
Arlo’s have recently won the award for ‘Balham’s favourite venue’ in the TimeOut Love London Awards. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a truly incredible achievement having been nominated alongside longer-established and much ’bigger brand’ restaurants. Well done to Tom and the team!
