North West Premier Hospitality

Fress

Fress
Written by Roma Publications

Fress

Located at 62 Oldham Street, Manchester, Fress combines a ‘modern Victorian’ look with a European-style brasserie menu.

Owned by Barry Chui and his sister-in-law Jennifer Hargreaves, an old newsagents has been transformed into an all-day dining spot with traditional floor tiles, floor to ceiling glass and old brick styling on the walls.

Speaking to Premier Hospitality magazine, Director of Fress, Barry Chui said:  “We just went for a very French feeling throughout. We have had people come down and say that you could be sat in there and forget where you are and you could be sat in the middle of France.”

As well as the transformation indoors, the outside of Fress was also refurbished to include a black canopy and black shop front.

Fress

Credit photographs to Lucas Smith Photography.

Barry added: “We have gone for a very traditional feel and a traditional French/European look. The whole thing is a stand out feature. Locally, round here, there is nothing that looks similar to us and it really catches people’s attention. The black front and black canopy really give it an old fashioned look.”

The 46 cover restaurant takes its name from a Yiddish word meaning ‘to eat gluttonously.’ Open from breakfast through to dinner, Fress is open from Monday to Saturday, 8am until 10pm and Sunday, 8:30am until 9pm.  The brunch menu includes choices of Smashed Avocado, French Toast with Halva Ice Cream and a Full English breakfast. The Lunch and Dinner menu offers choices of small plates and large plates with items including French Onion Soup, Tiger Prawns, Seafood Risotto and Crispy Lamb Belly all available.

Offering a sophisticated yet relaxed eatery in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Fress has received positive feedback from its diners.

Barry said: “It has been open for a few weeks now and to be honest we haven’t really had any negative feedback whatsoever. We probably will do because you always will but it has been really positive so far. It’s really rewarding to hear the feedback.”

With Fress already impressing diners and locals in its first few weeks, Barry has plans to expand and open more restaurants.

He said: “It is so hard to find properties but with Fress no one wanted to give us a lease because we weren’t established. Now we have the first one up and running, I know it will be easier to get a second site because we have somewhere set up already. We want to expand and if we can get premises nearby, we will do a different concept and design all together, but if we can get one further-a-field we will mirror what we have.

“This project is very important because we have been very confident and put all of our own money into it. We were really confident about doing it and getting all this positive feedback is really worthwhile.”

For more information visit: http://fressrestaurant.com/

Credit photographs to Lucas Smith Photography.

Credit photographs to Lucas Smith Photography.

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Roma Publications