Turquaz set to open on Jewry Street in Winchester

Authentic Turkish restaurant chain, Turquoise Group, is set to open its 15th Turquaz restaurant on 18 Jewry Street in Winchester. The opening date is currently set for early September 2022. 

It is reported that a new 15-year lease has been agreed on the Grade II-listed city centre property, which comprises 4,526 sq ft across ground and first floor trading areas. In total, the restaurant and trading areas are said to accommodate approximately 150 covers, as well as seating for around 26 people in the central courtyard. 

The property was previously occupied by Loch Fyne restaurant, adjacent to Brasserie Blanc and opposite Wagamama and Josie’s. The letting is said to have been completed on behalf of an undisclosed private landlord by Savills.

Turquaz is “well-known” for offering customers a “sensational fine dining experience” at affordable prices. The menu is said to offer a great variety of Turkish cuisine, a large selection of charcoal grilled fish and meats with exciting vegetarian dishes and classics such as moussaka and halloumi salad.

Cevdet Mutlu, owner of Turquaz, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be opening one of our restaurants in the wonderful City of Winchester and in such a historic building.”

Chris Bickle, director of the licensed leisure team at Savills Southampton, added: “We are extremely pleased to secure a new operator to bring this beautiful historic property back to life. Turquaz’s Mediterranean cuisine is highly complementary to the current offerings across the city, with Giggling Squid also securing space in the city recently.

“Winchester is regularly voted one of the best places to live in the UK and is a very popular food and beverage location with low city centre commercial vacancy rates of around 8.5% compared to the UK average of 14.5% in March 2022.”