IT’s was always logically the next big step for Bundobust and we’re just glad they’re locating it in Manchester. Yes, the duo who came up with the perfect match of Gujarati veggie street food and craft beer under one roof are opening their own brewery.
It will form part of a second restaurant site in the city. The location is under wraps for the moment, but it is 4,000 sq ft and will have space for up to 140 covers, making it bigger than the existing venues in Piccadilly Gardens, Leeds and the latest, in Liverpool.
The jewel in the crown of Bundo Mark IV, though, will be that brewing facility, according to co-founder Marko Husak, who first struck gold with his Sparrow Beer Cafe, which spearheaded the regeneration of a whole quarter of Bradford.
Now, culmination of a dream, he will have nine brewing vessels to play with – giving him the scope to produce 28,500 pints per month. Bundobust say they will continue to rotate guest beers and collaborate with some of the North’s finest brewers – their house Indian witbier Bombay Dazzler is with Northern Monk. Bundobust's own her brewer will be named shortly.
Mrko told us: “It has been a great year for us at Bundobust as we celebrate our fifth Birthday. We feel no-one does Indian food and beer combined better than Bundobust, and opening our on site brew house will set us apart from other Indian restaurants. Over the last 5 years we have been introducing our guests to the vast & varied world of beer with our own collaborative brews & those from some of the best breweries in the world. Now it’s time to take it up a notch.”
Customers might be able to view the beer tanks as they dine but there will be no radical departure from the tried and trusted menu they first launched in Leeds in 2014, its inspiration coming from the Gujarati culinary heritage of Marko’s business (and drinking) partner Mayur Patel of the Prashad restaurant dynasty.
We gave the Piccadilly Gardens basement Bundobust five stars in our most recent review, it has been praised to the skies by Observer restaurant critic Jay Rayner and, having won Manchester Food and Drink Awards Restaurant of the Year 2017, it is shortlisted in three categories this year – Casual Restaurant of the Year, Affordable Eats and Best Vegan.