6 pubs and restaurants you may not know were owned by celebrities

When you duck into a quaint pub for a quick pint or peruse a menu to decide whether that restaurant is the perfect spot for the night, you probably aren't thinking about who owns the place.

But without knowing it you might have sipped a refreshing beer or wolfed down a delicious meal in a spot owned by some of the most famous people on the planet.

Actors, athletes, musicians, sportsmen and sportswomen have often attempted to break into the hospitality industry with mixed results.

Here are just some pubs and restaurants you may not realise are owned by celebrities:

Idris Elba

The Hollywood star is the owner of a chic restaurant and wine bar in Kings Cross, London called Porte Noire. On its website, the venue explains: "Porte Noire was born out of a shared passion for wine between Frenchman and oenophile, David Farber and Renaissance man, Idris Elba.

"David’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the wine trade and Idris’s verve and eye for what’s next has enabled them to curate a delicious and unique collection of wines."

It has a fresh seasonal menu and a wine list with 800 bottles.

Address: Gasholder 10, A, 1 Lewis Cubitt Walk, London N1C 4BX

https://www.portenoire.co.uk/

Ed Sheeran

The Galway Girl and Shape of You singer dipped his toes into the restaurant world in September 2019 with Bertie Blossoms in Notting Hill, London. The name is inspired by the singer's wife Cherry Seaborn.

It is described as an intimate.

Full address: 323 Portobello Rd, London W10 5SY

https://www.bertieblossoms.co.uk/

Lewis Hamilton

The legendary F1 driver stepped out from the starting grid and into the food world with Neat Burger. He helped with the creation of the vegan fast food chain - which also boasts Leonardo DiCaprio as an investor.

It has sites across London including Camden, Finsbury Park, Oxford Circus, Soho and Westfield Stratford.

Speaking about Neat Burger, the seven-time world F1 champion said: "We created Neat Burger to make plant-based eating more accessible to everyone, whether you eat plant-based all the time or just want to add it to your diet every now and again. The response to Neat Burger since we opened has been incredible. I’m really proud of the boundaries we have been able to push in this space and the plans for expansion are really exciting.”

https://www.neat-burger.com/

Sir Ian McKellen

The iconic West End and Lord of the Rings actor is the proud owner of The Grapes pub in Limehouse, London. The boozer has been recommended by the Good Pub Guide since 1996 but dates back centuries and is part of the fabric of the capital.

The menu include mini tapas as well as pub classics such as fish and chips, cheese burger and even an apple crumble.

Address: 76 Narrow St, London E14 8BP

https://www.thegrapes.co.uk/

Rick Astley

No you haven't just been Rick Rolled, the 1980s pop icon teamed up with Mikkeller to launch a pub in London in 2018. It is a collaboration between Rick Astley and Mikkel Borg Bjergsø.

They had previously collaborated to brew the beer ‘Astley’s Northern Hop Lager' but then decided to open a bar together. It is described as an intimate brewhouse in a relaxed environment offering a robust array of beers on tap.

Address: 37-39 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QL

https://www.mikkellerbrewpublondon.com/

James Blunt

If you visit The Fox and Pheasant in London, the owner will be hoping you'll leave singing You're Beautiful. James Blunt and his wife Sofia Wellesley are the owners of this venue which is described as a little country pub tucked away in a corner of Chelsea.

Prior to being purchased by James Blunt in 2017, the pub belonged to the chain Greene King. The new owners put the boozer through a major renovation and reopened in 2018.

Address: 1 Billing Rd, London SW10 9UJ

https://www.thefoxandpheasant.com/