Suspense building as opening date of Hot Rock steak restaurant is announced

Hot Rock Southsea is making a comeback to the city at the former site of The Greenwich pub, in Osborne Road, with plans to officially open next month.

The steak restaurant is switching fine dining for fun dining where customers will have full control of how their steak is cooked with hot rock grills on each table.

Owner Sonny Ahmed, previously had a site in Port Solent which closed due to a financial strain after opening a venue in London.

But, the 53-year-old now has ambitious plans to open Hot Rock restaurants up and down the south, with plans in the pipeline to deliver a site in Brighton.

In a previous interview, Sonny said: “I started working at my dad’s restaurant when I was 13 so I have been working in the industry for almost four decades.

“When I was 19, I went to Majorca for nine days and ended up coming back three years later - while I was there, I noticed this al fresco restaurant and they were serving steaks on the rocks and I thought it was a brilliant idea.

“We have brought the kitchen to the table - We aren’t fine dining, we’re fun dining.

“I’m like a big kid when I’m talking about this because it just makes me so excited.”

Customers will be able to enjoy high quality wagyu steak, sourced from Australia, as well as salmon, chicken and lamb, which they can cook on hot rocks at their table.

The Southsea venue is currently undergoing a major refit to get it ready for its official opening on January 14 at 5pm.

More updates to follow.