Coalhouse, a ‘smokehouse and taproom’ inspired by the fire pits of the American Deep South and the fiery flavours of Mexico, opens tonight in the sedate Regency spa town of Cheltenham.
Created by chef Lewis Spencer, the founder of east London barbecue venue Hotbox, Coalhouse is co-owned by local restaurant powerhouse Jay Rahman of Prithvi, and has taken over the site formerly occupied by Mayflower, a Chinese restaurant which closed for the second time in May.
Billed as a ‘Brew & Que’, the venue combines smoked or flame-grilled food with beer and cider from the region’s craft breweries; while most of the produce is also locally sourced from suppliers including Martin’s Meats in Toddington. Upstairs is a speakeasy-style bar called the 18th Amendment (which introduced Prohibition to the US in 1919; it was repealed by the 21sat Amendment 14 years later).
Jay said ahead of the opening: “It’s a space that feels alive, welcoming and social. I’m very excited to bring this new culinary venture to Cheltenham – it’s an opportunity to introduce flavours and techniques Lewis has honed from years of travel and collaboration, while creating a place where people can come together and get stuck into the simple joy of great food and drink.”
Lewis added: “Barbecuing as a craft has always been about getting together to share and create memories around food. At Coalhouse, we’ve built the restaurant with that spirit at its heart, incorporating live-fire cooking, smoky flavours and dishes that are meant to be enjoyed together.”
Dishes include an 18-hour smoked brisket, St Louis pork ribs, cedar-plank salmon and flame-charred vegetables such as miso aubergine.
Jay’s company JM Socials runs a number of restaurants including Prothvi, Holee Cow, Bhoomi Kitchen and Circo Brasserie in Cheltenham, Jai Ho in Bishop’s Cleeve and Dosa Darlings in Oxford.
