The popular eaterie has said that it wants to open 60 restaurants in the UK
Three new Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants are coming to the UK, it has been confirmed. Dave’s Hot Chicken, the Los Angeles-born, Nashville-style fried chicken brand backed by Drake, has announced plans to open three new restaurants in Leicester, Sheffield and Bristol as part of its ongoing UK expansion.
The Leicester branch is set to open today, 6 February, with further details about the Sheffield and Bristol locations to be disclosed in the upcoming months. The US fried chicken chain is offering free sliders to the first 100 customers when the restaurant in the city centre opens at 11am.
These new openings will bring the total number of Dave’s Hot Chicken outlets in the UK to ten. In Leicester the chain has applied for it to be open until 3am. Dave’s Hot Chicken has applied for a late-night license for the former Pret a Manger store in Gallowtree Gate.
Mind Blowing Chicken Ltd is seeking permission to serve late night refreshments from 11pm until 3am Monday to Sunday, and on New Year’s Eve until the start of permitted hours on New Year’s Day.
The Bristol Cabot Circus branch is set to open in March according to signs in the windows. Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open in the the old Ask Italian site on Cambridge Street, Sheffield this February.
The popular chicken brand first made its mark in the UK on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue in December 2024, where it saw a consistent queue of customers for three months. The restaurant quickly gained traction on TikTok due to its viral spicy chicken challenge, which requires customers to sign a waiver before ordering.
Last year, the brand extended its reach to other regions, starting with Birmingham and Manchester, followed by Stevenage. Azzurri, the company behind Zizzi, ASK Italian and Coco di Mama brands, has been granted exclusive development rights for the fried chicken chain across Europe. It has stated its intention to open 60 locations across the UK.
Steve Holmes, chief executive of Azzurri Group, characterised Dave’s Hot Chicken as “a once-in-a-generation brand”. Keyana Mohammadi, head of marketing at Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “The response to Dave’s in the UK has been massive, and it’s clear there’s a real appetite for bold flavours and proper heat.
“After successful openings in London, Manchester and Birmingham, expanding into Leicester, Sheffield and Bristol feels like a natural next step. These are cities with strong food cultures, and we’re excited to bring the Dave’s experience to even more people.”
Established in Los Angeles back in 2017 by three mates who’d known each other since childhood, Dave’s Hot Chicken has expanded to more than 200 locations across the United States within six years.
Last summer saw the brand snapped up by private equity firm Roark Capital, which also has Subway in its portfolio, in a transaction valued at $1 billion.
Among the menu are items such as chicken tenders, fries, and sides like mac & cheese, sliders, slaw, and pickles. Plus, the foodie brand serves ‘top-loaded shakes’, ‘slushers’, and a range of other drinks.
The Bristol site comes as Dave’s Hot Chicken aims to bring ‘Nashville-style hot chicken’ to the UK, with locations already found in London, Croydon, Birmingham, Manchester, Shaftesbury and Stevenage. According to its Instagram page, Dave’s recently collaborated with Fallout, marking the second season of the hit Amazon Prime post-apocalyptic show, with a ‘Saucy Survival Kit’.
UK Dave’s Hot Chicken locations
- London – Shaftesbury Avenue (West End): The flagship location.
- London – Westfield White City: Located in the shopping centre.
- London Croydon
- Birmingham – New Street: City centre location.
- Birmingham – Resorts World
- Manchester – Printworks: City centre location.
- Stevenage – Leisure Park: Includes curb-side pickup.
- Leicester – Gallowtree Gate: Opening February 6, 2026.
- Sheffield Cambridge Street – opening February
- Bristol Cabot Circus – opening March
