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Choice Restaurant, Castlefield, Closes Friday
New Craftbrew food bar opens by July
CHOICE RESTAURANT is closing on Friday 25 April.
It will be a complete departure from Choice both in the way it looks and what it offers. The one constant will be the food which will be very strong.
The thirteen-year-old restaurant has brought aspirational food to the south west of the city centre. But proprietor Jon Grieves, a well-known figure on the Manchester scene and a true gent, tells Confidential this isn't the end of the story.
"Choice will be reinvented," he says. "A London-based craft beer company wants to move into the North West. We’re being brought into the brand to develop it.
"It will be a complete departure from Choice both in the way it looks and what it offers. The one constant will be the food which will be very strong. We'll have a proper kitchen, proper meals and a proper chef with good British food that matches the types of drinks we sell. We want a chef to make his or her name here. The atmosphere will be lively rather than that of a more formal restaurant such as Choice.
"As for the drinks," continues Jon, "expect craft beers sourced from across the country but also from the USA and elsewhere. We'll retain a really strong winelist with three or four cocktails on the list. I'll be working with the new venture."
"So come on," asked Confidential, "who's the operator you're working with, spill the beans, hops, barley and so on?"
"We'll release those details in the next week or two," says Jon. "We just want to make sure we have all the right permissions in place first, planning permission and so on."
Mysterious.
Confidential is pleased by this development.
Choice has been a brave idea providing excellent meals in gracious surroundings.
But this re-invention feels right, feels of-the-moment.
The new Choice, whatever it's called, will boost the area around host building Castle Quay and drag people further round the basin - especially as the terrace by the Bridgewater Canal will be completely refurbished. Summer is coming and we can't have too many terraces.
You can follow Jonathan Schofield on Twitter here @JonathSchofield or connect via Google+
Choice Restaurant
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It might be Meantime as they've been doing stuff in Upper Campfield Market. Nice beers, though it's strange not to have worked with some of the great Manchester brewers, such as Brightside.
Same Craftbrew as on the Quays?
Love Craftbrew at the Quays - lovely little place with some nice choices and brilliant staff.
not surprising! it was beyond bad for my xmas meal and they didn't even take on board any of my comments.
great place, i'm sure the reinvention will be a success!
Thank goodness the place needed dragging into the times and the standards or the food have slipped considerably over the past years. Looking forward to seeing the changes.
I hope the reinvention doesn't mean loud music.Choice was one of the few places you could actually carry on a conversation without intrusive music. Man Con should do a review of places in Manchester where you can eat or just drink without the constant thump of music. Yes I am old.
Totally agree Ann, I'm not that old (!!) but I like to go out for a drink after work on a Friday and not spend the rest of the weekend with no voice from having to shout!
What a bloody shame. We have always loved Choice and the food, service & atmosphere were perfect. I hope John does as good a job with the next place and I am sure we will once again be regulars. It is so nice when an individual gives up so much of his life to tying to create something much loved. He deserves a lot more credit
Really shocked by the news of the closure of Choice. Always been a brilliant place to go and I am sure that Jon will oversee a new and great transistion. Was such a pleasure to sit outside in the Summer with such a laid back atmosphere. Food, service and the ambience will surly continue with Jon at the helm. Looking forward to the opening, best of luck to Jon who as the last writer comments deserves so much more credit !