The ‘Ryanair of Restaurants’

The no-nonsense name says a lot about Cafe Bar Deli, a casual dining concept which started in Dublin in 2001 and has been called the ‘Ryanair of restaurants’. The allusion to Ireland’s pioneering budget airline refers more to the chain’s attitude than its service or pricing. Restaurant entrepreneur Jay Bourke, who created a string of successful pub and cafe-bar ventures with partner Eoin Foyle in the 1990s under such names as Globe, Front Lounge, Odessa Market Bar, Eden and Bodega, sought maximum value-for-money plus a straightforward homely feel without overtheming or fancy decor. “You pay your money and you get what you ask for,” is how director Maurice Knightly defines the CBD concept. “We hang our hat on Mediterranean rather than specifically Italian and most of our menu items are made from scratch on the premises including pizza dough and sauces. It’s fast and cheap and it seems to be hitting the spot.” Average spend-per-head, food and drink, is around €20 and units are typically 100 seaters in central sites. The chain now has seven branches in Irish cities and this summer also brought the first franchised unit in an ambitious programme in league with the Dublin-based and internationally franchised O’Brien’s sandwich bar business.
 
www.cafebardeli.ie
 

 
| 13 November 2008 |