There are plans in place to open a new restaurant, bar and event space at the Polish Community Centre on Sherwood Rise next to the Church of our Lady of Czestochowa. The new restaurant, called Bread and Wine is set to open on Monday, August 1 with an exciting new menu.
The centre has been used for events in the past but the new plans will see it open up again for seven days a week. Owner Agnieszka Wenda is excited to be taking on the venue with her husband, chef, Krzysztof. The couple made Nottingham their home after relocating from Poland nine years ago.
"We would like to open a restaurant in one of the buildings, then a cafe and bar in another part. We plan to be seven days a week and hold events such as weddings or birthday parties. We are right next to the church so we have a lot of people who might want to have a party afterwards," she explained.
Read more: Lady Bay Bridge update as highway maintenance workers working at the scene
The centre won't just be for the Polish community as the couple would like to open it up to make it welcoming to people from other cultures. They want people to feel comfortable popping in for an event, sample the menu or have a drink or two when they open.
Krzysztof will be the head chef of the restaurant and he has extensive experience as the couple also owns the popular Polish bistro, Kurna Chata in Sneinton. There will be a difference in cuisine at both places with the new restaurant offering a modern mix of Polish fusion food while taking inspiration from other cultures such as British or French.
"We would like to change the Polish traditional dishes so that we can have something that is part Polish but with something British or French. We are not in Poland and we have to respect where we are and what people might like. You have to think about the people that are coming and what they might like to eat," she said.
She added: "We run a small bistro which offers good food where we have a Polish traditional meal of the day but we also do street food.. It's going to be different here even though it's also a food business. It's not going to be a small bistro or takeaway, it's a proper restaurant. We have some great people working with us and we feel very positive."
Agnieszka also highlighted that the church and community centre have seen great changes over the years due to the hard work of Father Krzysztof Kawczynski. They feel they are building on the good work that the priest has done for the local community. The beautiful church and grounds have been restored and kept in excellent condition including the stunning stained glass windows throughout the buildings.
The centre will open up to expand and offer conferences, food, events, family days or even meeting places which will make it a valuable space for not just the Polish community but also, local residents. Nottingham has a thriving Polish community who are excited about the opening of the venue.
"We have a lot of different types of Polish people here as some were born here as their parents stayed after the second World War but then there are those who moved to the UK to look for work. If we organise anything here like a New Year's Eve party, they are always asking when the next party is."
Agnieszka added: "It's not just Polish people, as some of their partners are British so they can come in as well. They are happy because Polish people are known for good parties and good music. Sometimes, we like to finish very early in the morning."
While the menu is top secret, Agnieszka said that they have had a lot of interest in the restaurant from chefs looking to join their team. They are hoping that they will be able to expand on this by offering different cuisine nights such as Italian, Spanish or Irish food evenings.
"We would like the place to be open for night events and we hope that the place is going to bring in lots of people looking for good music and food. Especially those looking for good food because we are working really hard on our menu right now and we have lots of really amazing chefs who are interested in working with us."
READ NEXT:
- Highway maintenance officers called to major bridge as closure remains in place
- Beach coming to Nottinghamshire town this summer
- Nottingham Forest transfer news LIVE: Gibbs-White message, Brice Samba exit, bid rejected
- Plans to turn listed building into school are approved
- The latest traffic and travel news from Nottinghamshire Live
