New burger restaurant to open in Newark at former Cafe Bleu site

Gourmet burgers will replace haute cuisine at a restaurant which has come under new ownership.

The restaurant, which used to house Cafe Bleu, Castlegate, Newark, will be opened as Blu Gourmet Burger Co in around mid-November, its owner hopes.

Mr Martyn Kirby, who runs Cafe Amore on Kirkgate, Newark, said the burger restaurant will have a rustic feel about it and that as many ingredients as possible will be sourced within a 20-mile radius.

He said: "I had the lucky chance to take on Cafe Bleu. It has got the best location in Newark in my opinion, it is in a beautiful building with so many first-class features.

"I couldn't have wanted a better position for a gourmet burger restaurant.

"Visitors will get a casual and affordable dining experience. We started decorating on Monday and we'll have some industrial elements such as an anvil which is quite fashionable."

He said the menu would consist of gourmet burgers with more than 100 different types of topping on offer. Diners will be able to choose from a variety of buns and chips to go with the burger.

Mr Kirby said a number of real ales would be served, all made by Cromwell-based brewery Milestone.

"We're not talking about fast-food burgers with additives, these will be proper 100% meat burgers," Mr Kirby said.

"We will have a variety of buns such as brioche and a mix of chips, for example sweet potato chips. Burgers will cost around £9-10 so two people should be able to enjoy a good meal out for between £20-25.

"The restaurant will probably be open from around 11am-11pm."

Mr Kirby said Cafe Amore would continue to function as normal. Cafe Bleu used to be a restaurant which served a varied selection of modern European dishes.