Over the past 13 years Pepe’s restaurant in East Looe, Cornwall has traded as a successful Tex Mex style restaurant. The business has now been bought by Josh Geary and it will trade as Zute Lounge, Bar & Kitchen, a tapas style restaurant and bar with a jazz music influence. They will offer fresh homemade sharing food and gourmet pizzas, as well as a signature cocktail menu using home-infused sprits and syrups. The property was sold by licensed property specialists Stonesmith of Exeter and follows on from the sale of the Squid Ink in Looe.
Josh has world wide experience in the hospitality industry having worked in bars and restaurants in New Zealand and Australia as well as being the head bar tender at St Mellion International Resort. Accompanying Josh around the world and joining him in his new venture as Head Chef is his friend Andrew Keeble.
Presently the property is being refurbished inside and outside and is on schedule to re-open on 21st April as Zute Lounge, Bar & Kitchen and will be styled on a 1930’s jazz bar. Josh has an exciting professional jazz quartet coming over from New Zealand for the Summer season to play regular evening jazz sessions and Sunday afternoon acoustic sessions along with some excellent local talent. All the information will soon be available on the restaurants new web site www.zutebar.com
Josh and Andrew grew up in the area and saw the potential in Pepe’s to offer something unique to Looe. Having got their travelling out of the way they were looking to settle back down in the area and to use their years of experience in running their own business.
The property is situated in the centre of East Looe, which is considered to be one of the country’s most picturesque communities, and located close to the beach, harbourside and pier.
The new lay out will provide a bar with 8 high seats, lounge area with soft low seating for 12 and formal dining for approx 30. There is a well equipped catering kitchen and Josh has installed a new pizza oven for home made gourmet pizzas. The property also provides 3 bedroomed owners accommodation with a kitchen/diner, lounge, bathroom and balcony.
A leasehold business, Stonesmith sold Pepe’s off a guide price of £125,000.
