XOXO grill house set to beef up the city centre offering

The finishing touches, inside and out, are being made to XOXO Grill House, in the gutted and refurbished former Sports Lounge in King Street, off Cowgate.

Owner Sameer Bashir, who will run the place front of house day to day, said he expected the decor to be completed by next week, and staff training to start prior to the as yet undecided opening date, in the second or third week of April.

“I think it is something that is needed in Peterborough,” said Sameer.

“Inside it will look really classy, with nice lighting and comfortable booth seating. Very relaxed, don’t expect to be rushed.”

The restaurant will seat 34 inside and another 12 outside and be open for business seven days a week, providing a much-needed boost for that part of the city centre - adding to what is offered at Topo Gigio’s, Tamu, Pizza Parlour and Music Cafe and The Pizza House on Cowgate.

While the main fayre will be the usual cuts of steak and gourmet burgets with a whole host of toppings, alcoholic drinks will be off the menu, with XOXO instead offering mocktails and the like.

“That may change in the future,” added Sameer, “but for now we want to concentrate on mocktails and soft drinks.”

An official opening party will take place to announce its arrival on a date to be fixed, but it will be followed by Turtle Bay, a caribbean restaurant and bar chain in St John’s Square in May, a Pizza, Pots and Pints pub, to be launched by Charles Wells brewery in the former Clarkes restaurant premises in the same area in late summer, and a 150-seat Middletons Steak House currently taking shape in three units in Bridge Street in early autumn.