'The city deserves spaces like this': 'Excited' doctors step into world of hospitality with launch of new cafe Sand.

Two doctors are getting stuck into the hospitality industry as they prepare to open a new cafe following a painstaking renovation.

The former BC & A Chartered Accountants site in Elm Grove has been covered in vinyl for the past few months, teasing the arrival of Sand Cafe, which has taken over the vacant premises.

The new cafe, which is being opened by business partners and doctors, Badr Abubakr and Kever Baarani, is set to open at 9am on Saturday, May 16 after undergoing a major refit to create a welcoming space.

Badr said: “This is a new venture. It’s a collaboration between two doctors who want to build a place where we would want to spend time with an attention to detail. We felt that Portsmouth deserves more spaces with thoughtful, careful designs.

“We are really excited to show the city what we have spent time making - It has been a full-on operation but it’s been really rewarding and there have been lots of changes. We have changed the floor plan in the main areas.”

This is the first time the doctors have ever launched a food and drink business, with a soft opening taking place on Friday, May 15 to iron out any kinks before fully opening to the public this weekend.

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The 26-year-old added: “In terms of our brunch, it will have British dishes with an Arabian twist. We have full plates for breakfast, and we have got really nice offerings for lunch. We will also have matcha with v60 pour over coffee. We are really focused on quality and the menu will stand up for itself and we will be evolving this in the future.

“We are both middle eastern and we have a warm and hospitable culture and we are really determined to bring that to this space.”

For more information about Sand. cafe, click here.