Marisco Lounge: Scarborough's new seafront restaurant and bar opens its doors for first time

A national bar and restaurant chain has opened its newest venue on Scarborough's seafront.
Scarborough's new Marisco Lounge opened today on Sandside.Scarborough's new Marisco Lounge opened today on Sandside.
Scarborough's new Marisco Lounge opened today on Sandside.

Marisco Lounge opened its doors for the first time on Sandside to welcome guests to the "eclectic-style" venue on Wednesday morning (July 7).

The restaurant, which now occupies the town's former Pizza Express building, had been met with excitement online ahead of opening and has created 25 full-time jobs.

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Loungers have transformed the vacant site into a "family-friendly retro-inspired cosy retreat" which features artwork, oversized vintage sofas, bench seating and painted table tops.

The new bar and restaurant has vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus.The new bar and restaurant has vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus.
The new bar and restaurant has vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus.

Stuart Eaves, Loungers' Operations Manager, said: "The team have eagerly awaited opening the doors to Marisco Lounge.

"As well as providing Scarborough with an inclusive food and drink offering, the team will also revolutionise the way the area thinks about the word community with ongoing fundraising projects for Andy’s Man Club."

'Everybody Welcome'

The new bar and restaurant has made particular efforts to accommodate families with a selection of games, books, colouring pencils and pads available as well as a full menu for children and high chairs and baby-changing facilities.

The venue features oversized vintage sofas, bench seating, and artwork.The venue features oversized vintage sofas, bench seating, and artwork.
The venue features oversized vintage sofas, bench seating, and artwork.
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A community noticeboard is available for those wanting to publicise events and a book swap area will be kept well stocked. The team will also be holding regular fundraising events as part of their commitment to making a difference in the community.

The bar and restaurant is dog friendly, has vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free menus and serves takeaway food.

The all-day menu features Loungers' "famous authentic tapas", Hero Burger, Tin Pan Louie's beef chilli, paninis and "the best mac and cheese you've ever tasted" as well as a changing specials menu.

The company were granted a licence to sell alcohol seven days a week between 10am and 00.30am by Scarborough Council in February.

'Scarborough A Target Venue'

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Pizza Express closed its Scarborough branch in August last year, five years after opening.

Speaking in December 2020, Loungers property director, Tom Trenchard, said the company had targeted the town after the building became available.

Mr Trenchard said: “Scarborough is a town we have admired for a long time and you have what we think is the best unit in town so we were like ‘okay, we can park the operational distance for now and we will take that one’.

“Scarborough is definitely on the hit list and has been for a long time but the whole thing was accelerated by that site coming up.”

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Mr Trenchard said that Lounge would offer more throughout the day compared to the building’s previous occupant.

He said: “I think our offer is much more of an all-day offer [compared to Pizza Express] and it has something for absolutely everyone. In the morning we do a fantastic breakfast for allcomers, great lunch offer, afternoon tea and cakes and then become probably one of the best restaurants in town in the evening.

“So it goes from first thing in the morning to closing time and hopefully we can get a little bit of outside seating as well. I think it will make a big impact down there.”

Marisco Lounge is open Sunday to Wednesday 9am-11pm and Thursday to Saturday 9am-Midnight.