If you like your beer and you like a steak, we have a double dose of good news.
A brand-new steakhouse is about to open with plenty of good beer on tap.
The Brew & Brisket on Wigginton Road has taken over what was for many years the Bumper Castle pub on Wigginton Road.
In May 2015 it became an Indian restaurant, Barbusie Castle. But its latest incarnation is its swishest yet.
The destination
So how did the Brew & Brisket come about? The man to explain is Khaled Abdulgani, who was well known to discerning York drinkers before taking the helm at this new venture.
He is a former manager of Pivni, on Patrick Pool, opened The Attic By Night on King’s Square and was the general manager of York Tap at the railway station for two years.
“A friend of mine bought the lease a few months ago, but his experience isn’t in the hospitality trade,” he told YorkMix.
“We had a few different ideas for it, but we thought the best thing would be a steakhouse. We couldn’t list a really good handful of steakhouses in York.
“Being a destination point, we thought it would be a place people would drive out to for something of really high quality.”
The food and drink
“The main focus is on the meats and the quality of the steaks,” says Khaled. “The steaks are the thing we are passionate about.”
These will encompass all the favourite cuts, including sirloin and rib eye both with and without the bone.
With sizes from 8-16oz, the steaks will range in price from £16 to £27, with chips and salad.
Sykes in Wetherby will be one of their main suppliers. “We are going to keep it as local as possible. That ties in with our ethos.”
The Brew & Brisket also aims to be family friendly, and will offer Sunday roasts, lunchtime tapas (£4-£6), a kids’ menu, plus dishes like risotto and pasta (£10-£15).
Khaled said: “We are focusing on the quality of the food and the quality of the service, and creating a nice atmosphere for people to enjoy.”
There will be six craft beers on draught, with proper ales to follow once they have developed the cellar, plus wines and spirits.
The space
There’s a lot of space at the Brew & Brisket, both inside and out. The main room alone seats up to 50 people.
There are various other rooms for diners or private parties, including a conservatory, a back room and a snug, complete with Chesterfield-style sofas.
“The garden space is huge. There’s a lot of potential,” says Khaled.
He sees the garden developing into a family area and barbecue space with tables and chairs. Another idea is to provide barbecues in summer where families could cook their own steaks just as they like them.
It’s taken a lot of work to get the old building into shape. When they moved in, parts of it were “a building site”.
They have redecorated, relaid the floors and refitted the bar. Later on they are hoping to convert some of the upstairs rooms into bed and breakfast accommodation.
The ethos
It was Khaled who came up with the name. They wanted to put some distance between the new venture and the Bumper Castle.
“It’s been a lot of different things in the past. We wanted to have a fresh identity and a fresh look, and put our own stamp on the place.
“So changing the name was quite important.”
That and the new logo help to give the place a more modern and trendy vibe, he said.
The Brew & Brisket, with three chefs and up to four front-of-house staff, was having a soft launch on Friday (February 24) with invited friends and family. It opens to the public on Monday (February 27).