Gusto Italian launches new £1.8m Oxford site
The restored Mitre Hotel is a preserved grade II listed building. Gusto Italian worked closely with historic contractors and local specialists throughout the redevelopment
Gusto Italian has announced it is opening its 14th site, in Oxford, on 1 December 2022, following a £1.8m investment in the Mitre Hotel building on Oxford High Street.
The 10,000 sq ft restaurant and bar offers 150 covers on the ground floor serving both diners and drinks guests, a 60-cover function room on the first floor.
The Theatre Kitchen unites the kitchen and dining area creating an open kitchen, giving guests the opportunity to witness Gusto Italian’s skilled chefs first-hand. The Pizza Experience provides two and a half hours of “feasting and entertainment” at the Chef’s Table.
To celebrate the launch of Gusto Italian has partnered with Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice delivering Gusto Italian favourites to locals from a fleet of classic Minis.
The restored Mitre Hotel is a preserved grade II listed building. Gusto Italian worked closely with historic contractors and local specialists throughout the redevelopment.
CEO Matt Snell said: “I’m over the moon to be opening this amazing restaurant. It has been a labour of love, and from the outset, we have taken our responsibility as custodians of this historic building seriously and placed significant weight on preserving the listed features, while introducing design elements that have made Gusto Italian so popular. The result, however has exceeded my expectations.
“This stunning building combines tradition and modernity, testament to the incredible work that the design, construction and restoration teams have invested in this project. I’m very excited for the people of Oxford to visit the new restaurant and I hope Gusto Italian will be the go-to venue for special occasions in the city for years to come.”
Snell added: “The Oxford site opening represents a significant step in Gusto Italian’s two-year growth strategy, as the company looks to expand its footprint and make substantial upgrades to its core estate having already redeveloped Edinburgh and Alderley Edge locations this year, as part of a self-funded £2m CAPEX programme.
“Fresh from winning the Italian Restaurant Award at the PAPA Industry awards, forecast for further growth looks bright as recent customer feedback data illustrates the Gusto Italian model is hugely popular with consumers. Scores have reached record levels, the first-class experience reflected in an average Net Promoter Score in the high 80s, compared to an industry average of 55, and an average amongst the other leading casual dining operators in the high 60s.”