Café break over as Bewley’s to reopen

ONE of the country’s best known restaurants, Bewley’s on Grafton Street, is set to reopen within weeks under new management and with a more contemporary selection of food and coffee.

Bewley’s confirmed yesterday the restaurant will open next month, with four distinct eating choices for customers.

The company said it had signed up restaurateurs Jay Bourke and Eoin Foyle to operate all food services.

Bourke and Foyle own several Dublin restaurants and pubs, including Café Bar Deli, Eden, Odessa, Rí Rá and the Market Bar, as well as the Bodega bar and Savoy nightclub in Cork.

Bewley’s decided to close its restaurants on Grafton Street and Westmoreland Street last year after reporting losses of €4 million.

Despite a high-profile campaign to prevent the closure, Bewley’s ceased operations at both cafés last November.

The same style of medium-priced Mediterranean food which is available in the existing Café Bar Deli restaurant will form the main part of the new operation and will extend over two floors.

A café and patisserie will operate on the ground floor, while a fish restaurant called Mackerel will open on the first floor. Bewley’s will also reestablish its Café Theatre on the top floor of the building, which will include jazz performances.

Bewley’s managing director Jim Corbett said jobs would be available for former staff members who were made redundant.

The café is expected to employ more than 100 people.