Less than a month after earning major national recognition, Oh London (11411 Olive Boulevard) is closing. Raj Pandey, who owns the restaurant along with his wife Shweta, confirmed that the final day of service is Saturday, October 24, ending a run that began in February 2025.
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The Closure
The timing makes the farewell especially bittersweet. “Our event and private party business has continued to grow,” Pandey says, “along with the general sales which had been growing consistently month over month but not increasing fast enough for Oh London to remain viable. So when the landlord told us he had an alternate use for the building, including planned renovations and upgrades which were needed, we decided it was the right time to close.”
Raising prices presented another challenge. “We were at the point where we couldn’t raise prices to the point they needed to be raised, or there would be pushback,” he says. “Like a lot of other restaurant owners, we were stuck.”
The demands on the couple’s time also factored into the decision. “Oh London ended up taking up a lot more of Shweta’s and my time than we thought,” Pandey adds, “and we have other businesses to attend to.”
Pandey says key employees were notified ahead of the closure and given letters of recommendation. There are no plans to announce for reopening or relocating Oh London.
The closure comes on the heels of an unexpected honor: Oh London ranked No. 13 on Yelp’s Best New Restaurants of 2026 list, one of just two Missouri restaurants recognized and the only honoree in the St. Louis area. Pandey says the distinction meant a great deal to him, Shweta, and their team, making the decision to close all the more difficult.
The Concept
Oh London combined British pub fare, American comfort food, and international flavors in the former Reserve Restaurant & Lounge space, previously home to Granite City Food & Brewery. The sprawling restaurant featured several dining areas, a large bar, and a private event room, with dishes ranging from fish and chips and bangers and mash to butter chicken and chicken tikka masala.
Sunday brunches, live music, themed evenings, and private celebrations—even a car show in the parking lot—gave guests multiple reasons to visit.
“The relationships that grew around those experiences are what we will remember most,” Pandey says, crediting the kitchen and front-of-house teams and thanking guests who dined, celebrated, recommended the restaurant, and offered encouragement.
The Owners & the Future
Courtesy of Black SaltCourtesy of Black Salt
Raj and Shweta Pandey
The Pandeys’ restaurant ventures began with Black Salt, which they opened with business partner Sanjiv Shekhar in Chesterfield in 2023. A second location opened in Creve Coeur in January 2025 and has since closed.
Their interests also extend into food preservation. Black Salt Foods, a line of ready-to-serve Indian dishes briefly sold at select Dierbergs stores, served as a commercial demonstration of TAPS, short for turmeric assisted pressure sterilization. The revolutionary technology is designed to preserve foods for more than a year without preservatives while retaining taste, texture, and nutrition. It forms the foundation of TAPS Global , co-founded by Pandey and led by entrepreneur General John Michel, known locally for his philanthropic efforts at Soulcial Kitchen and beyond.
Oh London chefs Pushwinder Kumar and Ayush will contribute to both Black Salt and TAPS Global while taking on longer-term roles at Gol Bowl, Sanjiv Shekhar’s fast-casual concept with locations in Maplewood and University City. They are expected to join Gol Bowl by mid-November, and Pandey believes “their efforts can take it to the next level.”
“They are both so talented,” says Pandey, who wanted to give the chefs opportunities to showcase their skills across multiple ventures.
The chefs also figure into the Pandeys’ next restaurant project: a 60-seat, higher-end Indian restaurant in Clayton. The plan is for them to return to help launch the restaurant in 2028. Pandey envisions an intimate setting featuring dishes, flavors, and presentations less commonly found on local Indian menus.