Sovereign Centros has recently enhanced Festival Place, one of the UK’s top 25 retail and leisure destinations, with two exciting culinary ventures. The additions include Chopstix, the well-known pan-Asian noodle bar, and an expanded facility for the street food favourite, Festival Street Kitchen.

Located next to Pret A Manger, the new Chopstix outlet occupies 2,490 square feet and offers seating for 54 diners. This launch marks Chopstix’s debut in Basingstoke, reinforcing its status as the UK’s foremost Asian-inspired quick-service restaurant chain. The menu, brimming with fresh, pan-Asian flavours, features specialities such as Firecracker Chicken, Salt ‘N’ Pepper Chicken, and Caramel Drizzle Chicken. The space is adorned with Chopstix’s characteristic red and green design elements, ensuring a lively and welcoming dining environment.

Festival Street Kitchen, a crowd-pleaser at Festival Place, is transitioning to a larger, 4,523 square foot location within the centre. Formerly situated in Festival Square, it will now operate opposite recent additions Kokoro and Café Giardino. The expanded space, accommodating 82 patrons, allows Festival Street Kitchen to continue serving its inventive, street food-inspired dishes, which utilize fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The menu features favorites like Big Pan Burritos and FSK Quesadillas.

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Poppy Radford, Asset Manager at Sovereign Centros, commented on the recent openings: “Festival Place continues to establish itself as Basingstoke’s go-to hub for diverse, all-day dining options, and the commitment of popular operators like Chopstix and Festival Street Kitchen is evidence of this. Having already welcomed Chopstix, and supporting the growth of a local operator in Festival Street Kitchen is a sign of where we want to take Festival Place, delivering a bigger and better experience to its visitors, incorporating ever-popular national names as well as community hero brands.”

Rob Burns, Marketing Director for Chopstix, also shared his enthusiasm: “Festival Place is home to over 200 premier retailers, and we’re delighted that we can provide a brand-new dining option for shoppers, visitors, and locals alike. We’re so excited to have opened our doors, allowing customers to get a taste of some truly delicious, Pan-Asian cuisine. Bringing a new Chopstix to Basingstoke is a fantastic opportunity, both for us, as we create 20 jobs in the local area, and for our customers, who are invited to visit on opening day and beyond for a taste of the delicious and diverse dishes that Chopstix has to offer.”

This development at Festival Place signifies a vibrant start to the year, coming on the heels of a dynamic 2023 that welcomed the UK luggage retailer Baggage World and the beloved Wenzel’s Bakery.

Representatives from Lunson Mitchenall and GCW represent Festival Place.

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Publisher of Hospitality and Leisure News, 365 Retail, Retail Source and organiser of the Creative Retail Awards.