A NEW bar and bistro has opened in Newport city centre - and it is being run by someone who knows a thing or two about good cuisine.
On Tuesday, April 19, Geshmak – a café bar and bistro - opened its doors for the first time in the city.
Located at 17 Charles Street, it is fair to say that the establishment has some pretty big shoes to fill, considering what it is replacing.
Though the site had been empty for a number of years, it was previously home to Hunky Dory’s, Newport’s first vegetarian restaurant.
Over the course of its 40 years in business, it gained a cult following, before closing for the final time in 2013.
But, while Geshmak isn’t thought to be solely a vegetarian eaterie, there is a real nod to its predecessor on the menu, with a strong offering for vegetarian and vegan customers alike.
What can we expect from the new business?
The Argus understands that Geshmak is the brainchild of former Masterchef contestant, Francesca Keirle.
Last summer, Ms Keirle - who made it into the top 12 in the 11th series of the show in 2015, took over the café at the Barnabas Arts House in the Pill area of Newport.
Running it with her family, it was called Francesca’s Café, and offered an entirely vegetarian and vegan menu.
It is unclear what happened to this café, but they confirmed on their social media channels in late 2021 that they would not be reopening in the new year.
Shortly afterwards, their pages were renamed to Geshmak – which is said to mean “tasty or yummy”.
With this, they confirmed plans to move to a new premises, with a new menu strategy.
They said: “Our scrumptious new venue needed a delicious new name...
“Introducing Geshmak: Cafe, Bar & Bistro.
“Literally meaning tasty or yummy, we think it's the perfect name for our new space.
“We'll be serving a menu for everyone, whilst catering well for vegan & vegetarian customers.”
The business is set to open from Tuesday through to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm on Tuesday through Thursday, and 10am to 10pm on both Friday and Saturday.
A licensing application was submitted to Newport City Council last month, for the sale of alcohol on site.
More information about the new premises can be found online here.
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