The Ivy Chester Brasserie settles in on Newgate Street in Chester

Chester's dining scene gained a new name this spring when The Ivy Chester Brasserie opened at 32 Newgate Street on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Six months on, with the evenings drawing in, the restaurant is worth a closer look.

The opening was first announced in March, when Deeside.com reported that The Ivy Collection would open on Newgate Street the following month. The group runs brasseries and neighbourhood cafés across the UK and Ireland and takes its name and inspiration from The Ivy in Covent Garden, which opened in 1917. It said the Chester restaurant would create more than 100 jobs in the city.

The venue is a generous one, with 163 covers and an outdoor terrace for eating outside in warmer weather. Inside, design elements pay tribute to the city's heritage and character, and a selection of local artwork is displayed throughout the restaurant.

Before the doors opened to the public, a launch event was held the week before, attended by the Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Sherin Akhtar, along with guests including former footballer Ian Rush and Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle.

What sets the brasserie apart is the range of ways to use it. Guests can choose from breakfast and brunch, afternoon tea and cream tea, à la carte dining and a traditional Sunday roast, so it suits a weekday breakfast meeting as well as a weekend lunch or a special dinner.

Seasonal set menus appear at different points through the year. At opening these included the Heritage Menu, at two courses for £20.95, and a Taste of Spring menu at three courses for £32.95, so it pays to check what is running before booking.

Kate Cooper, Restaurant Operating Officer for the North at The Ivy Collection, said at the opening that the team had created a space that "feels elegant yet relaxed", where people can enjoy good food, good company and a sense of occasion at any time of day.

Newgate Street sits in the centre of the city, close to the busy hospitality and retail quarter and the historic black and white Rows, which makes the brasserie an easy stop for shoppers and visitors. For a festive catch-up, a family celebration or an afternoon tea after a walk around the walls, it gives the city another option, and tables can be booked online.