The idea for London Bull was developed more than a year ago, but determining where to open the first location took a little bit longer to establish.
The goal was to create a neighbourhood pub-style atmosphere with an expanded menu, and was the brainchild of restaurateur Scott Morison, a 2014 BC Restaurant Hall of Fame inductee.
Morison is also behind Browns Socialhouse, which has a pair of Langley locations and several others in the Lower Mainland.
With the concept behind the restaurant already developed, all that remained was determining where they would open the first location.
“The site presented itself to us,” said Bruce Fox, the chief operating officer and vice-president of development for Browns Restaurant Group.
London Bull officially opened its doors yesterday (Thursday) at 20090 91A Ave. in Walnut Grove. The building has sat empty for the past couple of years after East Side Mario’s closed its doors.
And the higher-ups with Browns were very familiar with both the specific location and the surrounding area.
“We knew the Langley area very well,” Fox said.
“We are through it all the time on our way to and from our (other) restaurants and along came this opportunity.”
While they had bandied about where to open the first of what they hope will be more London Bull locations, Walnut Grove offered much of what they were looking for.
“We were looking for neighbourhoods that have already got an established traffic pattern,” Fox explained.
“And the (movie) theatre is there and all that commercial, industrial up the road — that’s a good lunch business, a good evening business.
“There is a lot of residential (homes) to the south and the east. We feel there is a good mix.”
The menu features appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza, pub fare, pasta, burgers and desserts, plus there is a weekend brunch menu.
There is also a diverse draft beer selection.
Inside the restaurant, a pie shop — called Marshall’s Performance Pies — serves fresh baked pies, ice cream and shakes.
London Bull held a hiring fair last month and they now have a staff of between 65 and 70 people.
The restaurant seats 140 inside with a patio that can accommodate another 70 guests.
It will be open at 11 a.m. Monday to Friday, and at 10 a.m. on weekends and holidays. It will close at midnight all seven days. The brunch menu will be on weekends and holidays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
