The new Saffron Street Restaurant has officially opened to the public in Blackburn.
The 130-seater restaurant, in King William Street, underwent major renovations over the past year and was formerly the O'Neill's bar.
Saffron Street first opened in Ilford followed by Leicester. Blackburn is the third to site to open and is the largest, employing 30 staff in full and part-time roles.
The restaurant will be open seven days a week, initially from 5pm till late during weekdays and from 2pm onwards on weekends.
The interior celebrates traditional Indian and South Asian architecture with a modern twist.
The second floor includes separate booths and private dining areas with dedicated areas for families and small parties.
Diners can also view the kitchen and chefs producing their foods from behind a see-through screen.
Managers at the site said they were delighted to be bringing their ‘authentic Indian dishes’ to Blackburn for the first time.
A spokesperson for the company said: “There have been a lot of delays, as there are with big projects like this but we have reached the stage where we are ready to open. The last few weeks have been busy.
“It has been a complete transformation.
“We specialise in a lot of dishes that are not served in Indian restaurants. It is Indian Street Food you would normally find in smaller places where we have put our own twist on it.
“We have got a range of foods for diners everything from Thalis to the traditional butter chicken. There some really unique items like the Lamb Shank Biryani and Chicken Bamboo biryani.”
The company said it has been ‘proud’ to use local companies to fit out the property, with the spokesperson adding: “We kept everything local from shopfitting and a lot of the local businesses have been used to create the restaurant."
The restaurant opens within a what will be a bustling dining area which has been seen several historic buildings undergo major renovations.
Toro’s Steakhouse, which launched earlier this month is based just opposite the location and the Heavenly Dessert parlour and Caffée Impresso are also close by.
The new Kobeda Palace is set to open on Richmond Terrace and plans have also been revealed for Blackburn to have its very own Akbar’s next to King George’s Hall.
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