Birmingham restaurant group Itihaas has expanded its fine dining empire with the opening of a new outlet in Manchester.
The new venture builds on Itihaas’ existing relationship with Selfridges, established when the company opened a brasserie at Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre.
The Selfridges brasserie joined the already established Itihaas restaurant in Fleet Street in the city centre.
The expanding restaurant business is now opening another brasserie at Selfridges in Manchester’s Trafford Centre.
Itihaas has won plaudits for its South Asian cuisine, with a menu spanning various regions from the subcontinent, from Punjab to Kerala and Goa.
Its Manchester venture, like the Bullring brasserie, will offer a menu of chef-prepared meals for visitors to ‘grab and go’.
Itihaas owner and founder Raj Rana said: “This is a very exciting move for the business. The time was right to grow and take our offering to another city.
“Our menu is not simply the usual list of standard curries – we give customers a real chance to explore.
“Birmingham has nurtured us and shown there is a market for real Indian flavours and authentic food from right across the Indian subcontinent.”
Itihaas recently collaborated with a Midlands microbrewery to create a craft beer, Sambha IPA, brewed specially to match Indian cuisine.
Launched at the Selfridges Birmingham brasserie it will also be on sale at the new Manchester outlet.
Speaking about the Manchester opening Mr Rana added: “The city is dynamic and it’s clear Mancunians have high standards – they know their food. But here in Birmingham, consumers are really spoilt for choice, with so many great dining spots.
“It’s the support and success we’ve had in the demanding Birmingham market, that gives us the confidence to give it a go in another city.”
