Iberica, the Spanish restaurant group, is in talks to open a restaurant in Leeds, following its first site outside of London that is opening at Manchester’s Spinningfields in March.
Marco Fernandez Pardo, the founder of the group told M&C Report Manchester will be the first of several openings as there is a great appetite for Spanish cuisine outside of the capital.
He said he hopes to open in Leeds this year and is in discussions on a site in the city. Fernandez Pardo said the group is also interested in bringing the concept to Edinburgh and Glasgow, but added all cities in the UK are “a possibility”.
“Of the 15 million Brits who visit Spain every year two million go for the food. If you look at Spanish food sector in the UK you have the lower to mid-end with a lot of family-run businesses that reflect the low to mid offering that we have in Spain at the moment, especially on the coast. Now there is a new sector of gastronomic tapas started by the likes of Barrafina and now I’m hearing there are more people thinking of opening more formal Spanish restaurants. This upper end sector is growing and will eat into the first sector, which we compete in on a price basis.”
He said he is extremely excited to be opening in Manchester and described it as a “clean and vibrant city with a lot going on. We never thought of going outside of London but there’s so much life in Manchester and outside of London.”
Ibérica’s executive head chef, three Michelin starred-Nacho Manzano has developed an à la carte menu ahead of the restaurant’s launch that will offer guests a real insight into authentic Spanish gastronomy.
Alongside the established menu of tapas, customers will also be able to choose from a selection of larger dishes, such as traditionally made paella and Asturian cachopo made with fried beef, Ibérico pork and Asturian cheeses. These dishes highlight Ibérica’s on-going commitment to offering guests an authentic Spanish experience, driven by the close relationships it has forged with producers across Spain to provide the highest quality ingredients available.
In addition to its restaurant, Ibérica Spinningfields will also have an in-house delicatessen selling a selection of its lovingly sourced produce, including a collection of over 20 different olive oils, preserved fish and vegetables, turrones (traditional Iberian sweets) and one of the largest selections of Spanish cheese and cured meats available in the UK.
