I think everyone and their dog got extremely excited when the news broke out that Arbequina was expanding. It’s a cult favourite in Oxford, perfect for date night thanks to their innovative cocktails and low-lit vibe, also great for group dinners and birthdays with their sharing style menu and private dining space available for bigger groups.
We wanted to know more about the plans, so had a chat with Ben Bateman, General Manager, to get the deets!
Can you cast your mind back and give us a bit of background to the original Arbequina, how did it all start?
Arbequina on Cowley Rd was opened in 2016. The idea was really to create and exciting, buzzy space that was the kind of place we would enjoy, and to share that with the community of Oxford. All 3 of us have spent our lives in hospitality, and the majority of that in Oxford, so I suppose after a while you want to create a space you think is missing.
The ethos has always been on a relaxed, fun atmosphere, and the core focus on quality & exciting ingredients (both food & drink).
Can you tell us the story behind the second Arbequina? How did the idea come about?
We have wanted to do a second site for a while. After all the lockdowns, when we combined our 2 adjacent sites (what was then Arbequina & Terruño – a small cocktail & wine bar), the offering on Cowley Road felt like the iteration of itself we’d always wanted to finalise.
Having the opportunity to open in the Covered Market felt, and feels, perfect for us. The vision for the future of the space is vibrant & exciting, there are lots of amazing businesses in there, and all with a real focus on independents and unique identities!
What’s the vision for the new restaurant? Will it be exactly the same style and menu as the Cowley Road spot, or bring some new twists?
The ethos for the new space remains as it always is for us. We are imagining it will be more tapas-esque. Basically – think along the lines of those buzzy, lively European markets. A long bar will be the central focal point, with all the fun & excitement that brings.
As the main focus will be a daytime offering in the week, in line with the market hours, it will have a bright and fast-paced charm! Some of our well-loved classics will of course be present, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to offer new experiences!
What are you most excited for with this project?
I think the excitement comes from designing, creating and sharing a new space. It absorbs you in a different way to the day-to-day fun of hospitality. The opportunity to be open in a such a lively area, and hopefully meet some new customers, is always a massive boon! It’s nice to have something to complement the opening hours of the Cowley Rd site as well.
We’re certainly looking forward to the opening, and to see what other changes are coming to our beloved Covered Market. Stayed tuned – as soon as Arbequina 2.0 announce their opening date – we’ll let you know!
Arbequina
72-74 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1JB (soon to be also in the Covered Market).
If you’d like to support Arbequina’s Crowdfunder for this project- you can find out more via https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/arbequina-oxford-covered-market
Leave a Reply