Group behind Opus Birmingham to open new bar in the city
The group behind Birmingham restaurant Opus is to open a new bar named Bar Opus in the city's One Snowhill building.
The new 1,700 sq ft site will have capacity for 120, and serve an all-day menu, plus an "after five" sharing plate food menu inspired by the cuisines of Barcelona and Copenhagen. Dishes will be prepared in the open kitchen, and priced according to plate colour.
There will also be a wide selection of beer, wine and cocktails, and décor from interior design agency Suzanne Barnes Design Partnership.
It will be the third venue for the group, which is run by Ann Tonks, Irene Allen and David Colcombe, and also includes Café Opus, and will seek to offer a continental feel.
It comes nine years after Opus opened, and 18 months after Café Opus.
Co-founder Tonks said that the site was also likely to be bolstered by Birmingham's new tram development, which is set to open stops outside the new venue next summer.
Commenting on the new opening's design, she said: "It will actually give diners on our terrace the feel that they are in a continental environment. The location is the perfect example of going places and the tram will only add weight to that feeling once complete."
Founded in 2005, Opus Restaurant has two AA-Rosettes, and serves high-end food in a smart yet casual setting. Café Opus is set within the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, and focuses on British producers and classic café dishes such as breakfasts, salads, bistro-style dishes, homemade cake, coffee and wine.
It was a runaway success when it opened, exceeding its sales targets by 30% in the first six months.
