Clucking Oinks opens new restaurant in Castlegate, York

The business which started as a food truck and currently operates from Spark:York in Piccadilly has also opened a restaurant at number 1 Castlegate, which used to house well-loved vegan restaurant Source.

Owner Mike Brand told The Press Clucking Oinks will remain at Spark but that the opportunity to spread the business's wings and launch a restaurant was too good to turn down.

He said: "We had been looking for a venue at the back end of last year but there was little of any value in York - rents were astronomical."

But when he learned that the Castlegate site was becoming available following the closure of Source - at a reasonable price - he decided to take the plunge.

He says it will allow him and wife Rachel the chance to merge their talents and passions.

The Clucking Oinks team at Castlegate. Image supplied

"I have always loved the street food element while she has always wanted to do front of house," said Mike.

The bigger venue allows them to expand the menu too, he added.

"At Spark, we have limited space. Now we have a larger kitchen, more storage, and we can offer table service and drinks - which we have never done at Spark."

They will also have an oven for the first time.

"The menu will be different, we will have more burgers, wings, a bunch of different fries and sauces.

"We will update the menu every so often - and would like to eventually open for brunch."

After a 'soft opening', the business opens fully on Thursday, June 29 and will be open from Thursdays to Mondays from noon to 9pm.

While committed to Spark, Mike said it felt right to open a permanent base in York considering the uncertainty surrounding Spark's future. The site is earmarked for affordable housing and Spark's lease is short-term.

Mike said: "This gives us a bit of stability. I love Spark - I am the only original trader left - but there is so much negativity around will it stay or will it not.

"We have spent five years' building our name in York and for that to be taken away would be terrible.

"If worse comes to worse with Spark then we would still have a base in York."

Food from the new Clucking Oinks kitchen in Castlegate. Image supplied

But it is not just York that Mike has set his sights on.

Last year, he opened a Clucking Oinks at a venue in London and he would like to replicate that elsewhere, including Leeds.

He said he earned his business wings while working as a head chef for a large hotel chain in London.

Largely office bound, he spent his days off visiting street food outlets and decided he wanted to get back to his roots, and cooking.

He said: "I loved how engaged the owners were with food. I was so office based in London and I thought: 'I just got to get back to my passion for food'."