Privately owned French restaurant group, Bistrot Pierrehas opened its twelfth bistrot within the award-winning (UK Property Awards 2014-15) new Abbey Sands building on Torquay seafront. The opening sees a development of the group’s interior style, replacing its trademark red for more subtle blue and yellow, as well as its first specific bar menu.
“This will be our first bistrot sur-la-mer,” comments co-founder Robert Beacham, “And we felt it warranted something extra special. Each of our bistrots is styled to complement the building it is in but, whilst our look changes between them, customers can expect the same attentive service and high quality French cooking every day. The aspect from both floors of the restaurant are stunning, as they look directly out to sea, and the use of these colours heightens the setting immensely.”
The restaurant seats 64 inside, with tables for 24 on the balcony and a separate terrace area that seats another 60. On the ground floor the bistrot has a bar area seating 38 inside and 12 outside and has widened the choice of bar food available with choices from Burger Maison to Fritôts de Calamars and Tarte Flambées, classic French flatbread from Alsace. Head Chef Scott Harrison-Jones, also plans to take advantage of the area’s fishing heritage and serve two local Fish specials a day in the main restaurant.
The key promenade site, once the site of the town’s Palm Court Hotel, is the 12th bistrot opening for the group, and its second in Devon, following a successful opening in Plymouth’s Royal William Yard at Easter 2013. The expansion is part of the capital financing deal, announced last year, that will see the group capitalise on strong brand recognition and steady growth within the premium casual dining sector.
“We have spent years creating a restaurant brand that is firmly focused on great value French dining and good food,” continues Beacham, “We are very proud that this combination has proved to be the right mix and that it has enabled us to get where we are now.”