Eating out: Restaurants and coffee houses

THE award-winning Brazilian restaurant chain Viva Brazil is opening a pop-up in Liverpool’s Metquarter.

“Espiritio de Brazil by Viva Brazil” will be open throughout the Christmas period and into the New Year.

The 110 cover eatery will open on Thursday (October 22) at the former Café Rouge site and will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Founder and owner of the chain Andy Aldric, has decided to launch the pop up while work continues to refurbish the Castle Street restaurant which suffered a fire at the beginning of August.

The Castle Street site will reopen on November 26 with the pop-up continuing to operate.

The pop up will also be available for private hire for up to 110 guests for Christmas parties.

Aldrich, said: “Getting the Castle Street restaurant back up and running as soon as possible was always our number one priority.

“We do not want customers to miss out so while work continues on our expansive refit, the pop-up will operate as our main hub. It will give customers choice as they will also be available to book the pop up for their private Christmas parties.” 

Jennina O’Neill, centre manager at Metquarter added: “We’ve had some fantastic brands join Metquarter in recent months, including REX and Made.com, this is sure to be a very popular addition to the centre over the festive period.”

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TURTLE Bay, the UK’s first high street Caribbean restaurant, is bringing its unique culinary experience to Liverpool.

The venue, which is due to open next month, is located in the grade II listed Produce Exchange building on Victoria Street and will cover an area of 3,500sq ft.

It will seat 140 people, with a bar area for guests to relax and soak up the atmosphere.

The restaurant has seen positive growth since it was founded in 2010 and will be investing £800,000 into the project, which will create a total number of 60 jobs.

The management team is still recruiting for floor staff.

Ajith Jayawickrema of Turtle Bay, said: “We’ve been looking at Liverpool as a destination for some time, it’s an exciting period of growth for the city, especially its vibrant culinary scene.

“There was no question as to whether or not we would open here, it was about finding the right space. Now that we have, we can’t wait to introduce Liverpool to Turtle Bay’s unique take on Caribbean cuisine.”

The restaurant will be officially opening its doors on Friday November 13.

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INDEPENDENT North West coffee operator Bean has taken 1,600sq ft on the ground floor of No 2 St Paul’s Square, Liverpool.

The company started to fit out the unit earlier this month and will open its doors to the public next month.

Bean, which has outlets across Liverpool and Manchester, will be serving ethically sourced coffees and blends to suit all tastes, as well as a range of specialty sandwiches, small platters and fresh salads throughout the day.

In the evening, the venue will transform to become a vibrant cocktail bar selling a series of classic drinks and cocktails.

Jon Whyte, director and co-founder of Bean, said: “Adding cocktails to the menu is a new concept for us as a business.

“It is aimed at the many organisations and individuals who work in the commercial business district and are looking for a first port of call for coffee or cocktails depending on the time of day.

“Our vision is to create a new venue for the square, with an atmosphere that is informal and relaxed.”

Phil Mayall, development director for English Cities Fund (ECf), owner and developer of the building, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Bean to St Paul’s Square.

“The company will make a real difference to the area, providing a focal point, especially in the evenings for colleagues to gather for a drink after work, which is a completely new offering for St Paul’s Square.”

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ARCHIE’S Burgers and Shakes has opened its biggest restaurant yet in Liverpool as part of the company’s impressive expansion plans.

The Ranelagh Street site is the company’s third venue to date and the first outside of Manchester.

The brand, which is soon to mark four years in business, is a firm favourite amongst local and visiting celebrities.
 
A spokesman for owners of Archie’s, brothers Imran and Amer Rafiq, said: “When we decided we wanted to expand our offering and move out of Manchester for the first time, we knew straight away that a Liverpool location was the obvious next step for Archie’s.

“The city’s food and drink scene continues to thrive and I’m sure that Archie’s will be a popular addition to its already eclectic restaurant catalogue.

“The new eatery mirrors the instantly recognisable and quirky interior style of the original Archie’s restaurants, with its pink and white colour scheme and classic American diner-inspired furnishings.

“The venue is set over two floors so it’s our biggest site yet, making it the perfect location from which to operate both our take-out and table service facilities.”

The new venue, which features bright and bold hues complimented by quirky accents such as neon wall art, has been designed and executed by managing director of DV8 Designs Lee Birchall and his Warrington-based team.