Just when we’re about to say goodbye to summer 2017, Las Iguanas will be bringing the tropical flavours of Latin America to the city centre.

The Birmingham Mail can reveal the new branch of the chain will open in Temple Street on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28 housed in the former Temple Street Social. It is sure to be a colourful addition to our thriving restaurant scene

The venue, part of the historic Somerset House, has been empty since closing in summer 2015. Las Iguanas, which also has a restaurant in the Arcadian, specialises in food with a Latin flavour, with the menu taking inspiration from South American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African dishes.

Las Iguanas is coming to the city centre

The exotic food offering is a marked departure from the British themed menu at Temple Street Social which closed down within three years of opening.

The new restaurant will be decorated in the chain’s colourful signature style with comfy booths teamed with a backdrop of sunshine shades of yellow, sky blue and turquoise as well a selection of street art in Buenos Aires.

Popular dishes on the menu at the Arcadian branch include nachos with smoked chipotle chicken and dulche de leche macadamia cheesecake.

Las Iguanas, Temple Street
Las Iguanas, Temple Street

But the new city centre location will have new dishes on the menu – including Bolinhos de Caranguejo – crab, prawn and potato croquettes, Cuban sandwiches consisting of roasted pork belly, pulled pork, Emmental cheese and ham with sweet mustard and green pickle relish.

There is also seafood dishes such as sea bass a lo Macho, a fillet of sea bass with mussels, crayfish and prawns in a white wine, spinach, paprika and cream sauce.

Las Iguanas

There will also be 241 on Happy Hour cocktails and coolers.

Next door to the new Las Iguanas the Serenity beauty salon will soon be transformed into another new ground floor eatery - American diner Jackson and Rye.

Both Las Iguanas and Jackson and Rye will join the Revolucion de Cuba as Temple Street’s new openings at the end of 2017. The Cuban cocktail bar and restaurant specialises in “authentic Cuban food and drink” with particular focus on rum cocktails.