Ooh la la! Street to get its third French restaurant
Maidstone will be saying bonjour to a new French bistro when a branch of Côte Brasserie opens in the town centre.
The continental chain, which has a portfolio of 90 restaurants across the UK, will be the third eatery to offer Gallic grub in a stretch of just 300ft along Earl Street, with Café Rouge and Frédéric also flying the red, white and blue flag a few doors down.
It will be moving into an 18th century town house, which houses an Oxfam charity shop – which is closing, the former Quicksilver amusement arcade and office space.
The firm says it expects to create up to 40 jobs. Last week, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) granted planning permission to restore the grade II listed site back into a single building and change the use of the site.
There were no objections to the plans. In her report Kathryn Altieri, MBC planning officer, said rather than resulting in an over-concentration of restaurants in Earl Street, the restaurant would “improve the vitality and viability” of the area.
Inspired by Parisian brasseries and bistros, Côte offers classic French dishes such as steak frites, tuna niçoise and moules marinières.
The firm will be adding Maidstone to its growing list of Kent branches, which includes Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and Bluewater. It will be open from 8am to 11pm on weekdays, 9am to 11pm on Saturdays and 9am to 10.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Also new to Earl Street is cocktail and prosecco bar Bottega, set to open in the former TJ’s Diner site later this month.