Not content with launching a third branch of its Spanish mini-chain
in Victoria’s Zig Zag complex (currently in development), the team behind Iberica is also looking at sites in Manchester.
Iberica’s director, Marcos Fernández Pardo, told Square Meal: ‘Manchester is a wonderful city – it’s astonishing how beautiful it has become, and it has developed a very vibrant restaurant scene.
We are currently looking at a couple of sites in the city – one in the Spinningfields area – with a view to opening a restaurant with a terrace. There’s some adaptation to do in terms of the dishes
we’ll serve in Manchester, but the format will be largely the same.’
The Manchester site is unlikely to happen until after the Victoria project has been finished in 2015, but
the team is keen to get expansion of the business under way.
‘We’ve been gearing up for this by getting a big team behind us so as to be able to grow the business in an orderly way,’ said Fernández.
Iberica’s expansion follows the success of Iberica’s Marylebone (pictured, left) and Canary Wharf branches, plus the tapas-style terrace bar La Terraza, in Cabot Square.
‘The Victoria branch will seat about 120,’ said Fernández. ‘We want to introduce a stronger bar experience on the ground floor, with pintxos, cocktails with a Spanish twist, and a whole range of
sangrias – some made with cava or beer. We’ll have the main dining room upstairs, along with a couple of rooms for private events.’
Like King’s Cross before it, the investment in the Zig Zag complex should bring more office space, shops and restaurants to Victoria – including luxurious boutiques such as Jimmy Choo and Burberry.
Meanwhile, the site in Manchester will add further zing to a city already riding high on new openings from Michelin-hungry chefs Simon Rogan and Aiden Byrne.
This story was published in November 2013.