9 places to eat in Norwich this summer which opened this year

After months of restrictions and a winter which felt like an eternity, the sunshine and bustle of summer will be welcome relief.

But for a handful of businesses, the coming months will mark their first summer open and trading in the fine city.

So if you're looking for somewhere to eat and drink in Norwich this summer, here are a few new places to try.

From left to right, Krysia Colley, George Colley, baby Matilda Colley, Natty Crothers and Abby Kidd, who will open Yard pasta and cocktails bar on Pottergate. (Image: George Colley)

Yard

Based on Pottergate, in the former home of the Rabbit coffee shop, Yard is set to be opened by Goerge Colley, of the city's Brick Pizza restaurant, and friend and colleague Nathaniel Crothers.

The business will take over two floors, the ground floor and basement, with pasta served throughout and cocktails in the basement.

The menu is likely to be concise, with around six dishes ranging in price from £4 to £9.

Connaught Kitchen opens in Norwich - the team behind the new establishment are Nina Gooda, Tom Hurrell and Lucy Hurrell (pictured) and Ed Stenner. (Image: Archant)

Connaught Kitchen

In May, café bistro Connaught Kitchen opened at Connaught Road, off Dereham Road, with hot and cold drinks, cakes and pastries on the menu.

It's been set up by the team behind Asian-inspired street food van Moco Kitchen, which was first launched at Redwell Brewery, in Trowse, in 2019 and has proved a hit ever since.

For couples Nina Gooda and Ed Stenner and Lucy and Tom Hurrell, it has been something of a dream - both couples used to live nearby and would walk past number 80, vowing to one day turn it into a café.

Sam Whitehouse has officially opened Slice and Dice on St Benedicts Street. (Image: Clarissa Place)

Slice and Dice

Vegan food and board games have come together at Slice and Dice, on St Benedicts Street, which opened for the first time on May 17.

It has already proved a hit since then, with more than 100 people coming through the doors for something to eat, or a chat over a game.

Owner Samantha Whitehouse had been planning on opening the business for some time, but feared the pandemic had spelled out the end of the dream.

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Maggie Christensen has opened Danish bakery and café Frå.kost in Norwich.

Frå.kost

As soon as cafés were allowed to reopen to customers outside from April 12, Frå.kost opened its doors at St Augustines Gate in the city.

It had been four years in the works and has been pushed forward by Maggie Christensen, 31, who moved to Norwich from Denmark in 2017.

Missing familiar sweet treats, she began baking Danish pastries and delivering them around the city - she was in particular known for transporting them, along with fresh lemonade, across Norwich on a cargo bike.

Sam Brown inside The Food Vault in Norwich (Image: The Food Vault)

The Food Vault

Owner Sam Brown also took the plunge and opened The Food Fault, on Silver Road in the NR3 area, when the roadmap allowed from May 17.

It joined a family of businesses he runs, including the Redwell Vault Pizzeria at Redwell Brewery in Trowse and the Giant Yorkie Roast Co delivery service.

The signature Yorkshire pudding wraps have proved particularly popular, as well as hot meat baguettes and fresh cakes.

Mark Woodcock and Beatriz Lopez-Ruiz with son Thiago inside Thiago's at No.34, which has just opened in Norwich. (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

Thiago's at No 34

In March, couple Mark Woodcock and Beatriz Lopez-Ruiz, with her brother José and sister-in-law Maria-Teresa Baiget-Marco opened Thiago's at No 34 on Prince of Wales Road.

It serves pastries, paninis and other snacks, with plans down the line to hopefully open a bigger space, closer to the city centre, to offer tapas-style food.

They also hope to serve wine, beer and nibbles in the evening.

The restaurant on Upper St Giles Street will soon become 'Lords Restaurant' if the licensing application is successful (Image: Sarah Burgess)

Lords Restaurant

This summer, Klodjan Xhaferrllai, 21, plans to take forward his brother's dream of running a Mediterranean restaurant.

Older brother Olgert's Diamonds restaurant, at 82 Upper St Giles Street, lost its alcohol licence last year when he was found to have served more than a dozen customers food and drink as part of a funeral commemoration, breaking lockdown rules.

While an opening date is not yet confirmed - and a bid for a new alcohol licence is ongoing - it will reopen as Lords Restaurant, serving steaks, pizza, pasta and seafood.

Head chef Dalsukh Jetani and sous chef Mansi Dankhara with some of the food available at Revado Hotel on Stracey Road in Norwich. (Image: Archant 2021)

Revado Hotel

The team from Namaste Indian restaurant in the city have taken on the former Stracey Hotel, on Stracey Road, near the train station, and renamed it Revado Hotel.

While they initially opened in spring for essential travellers, under the government's roadmap, from May 17 they were allowed to fully reopen for customers.

There is also Revado's Kitchen on site, a vegetarian restaurant serving food and drink from around the world.

Nick and Briony De'Ath, owners of The Red Lion pub in Norwich which has opened it's doors to customers again. (Image: Archant 2021)

The Red Lion

Plenty of people cheered when the news spread that the Red Lion, on the city's picturesque Bishopgate, was reopening.

It has now had its first few weeks in business, after owners Nick and Briony De'Ath - who currently run the Unthank Arms, Trafford Arms, William and Florence and Chambers Cocktail Company - decided to take it on.

It serves a brunch and main menu, as well as Sunday roasts.

Our Summer in the City campaign, sponsored by Chantry Place and the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID), aims to encourage people to get out and about in Norwich this summer, to enjoy what's on the doorstep.

Summer in the City. (Image: Archant)