Snookies & Co welcomed its first customers on Tuesday, December 9, with the eatery’s name chosen as way of honouring the legacy of the popular Snookies café that inhabited the building for decades.
The new venue will serve a range of breakfast, lunch and dinner items with a focus on Indian fusion dishes in the evening. There was great excitement when it was announced the Snookies name would be returning to Osborne Road but owner Kas Miah insists they are not trying to copy the old café.
He said: “We are not the original Snookies, that was opened by Mr and Mrs Bishop in the late 1970s. We are not trying to copy that version of Snookies. The reason we have called it Snookies & Co is that we are trying to dedicate that name to the building in honour of Mr and Mrs Bishop.”
The eatery joins a collection of restaurants run by the Kassia group which includes, The Exchange in Waterlooville, The Pacific in Drayton and Kassia in Denmead and Drayton, among others.
The ownership team are using their experience to help shape the menu and experience for customers at Snookies & Co.
Kas said: “We have a lot of options available, we will be doing breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the evening it will be like a Indian bistro type of food. Our background is Indian food and spicing, in another of our restaurants, Pure in Clanfield, we did an Indian French fusion, and we are going to do a similar concept here.
“It is Indian food but combined with French and English influences.”
The opening days have proven successful with customers happy to see the doors open. Rubel Miah, a partner in the restaurant, said: “The response has been fantastic. We have had lots of people say how great the menu looks, especially the breakfast and lunch side of it.
“It has been a positive start and hopefully the adventure can take us further and further. We will take on feedback from customers and add things to the menu.”
George said: “It is really exciting, we think the potential here is huge. We are just settling in and looking forward to getting over our growing pains. We are excited about what the future holds as we are looking to mould it to what the customer wants and what is selling best. It’s just great to get started as it has been a while to get here.”
Further details can be found on https://www.snookies.co/.
1. Snookies & Co
Snookies & Co has opened in Osborne Road, Southsea. Pictured is: (l-r) Kaz Miah, CEO, Rubel Miah, partner, Allanah Smithson, manager, George Purnell, partner and Issy Middlewood, front of house. | Habibur Rahman
2. Snookies & Co
Snookies & Co is an all day venue which also has an extensive cocktail menu. | Habibur Rahman
4. Snookies & Co
The name Snookies was picked as a way to honour the history of the building and the former popular café which was based there for a number of years. | Habibur Rahman