Popular eatery makes way for 'elevated' Merivale makeover

A new eatery with a distinctly Merivale flavour will be opening on the esplanade on July 1.

What was Sumner Social will become Brigittes, under new owners Jeremy Stevens and Michael Roland Jones, who own Brigittes and Aikmans in Merivale.

Stevens said he had been looking to expand the Brigittes brand across Christchurch but had not found the right location, until now.

“We found there is definitely a demand for that elevated food offering in the Sumner demographic.

“The response from people we know who work and live out there has been very positive,” he said.

Sumner Social won Burger Nation’s best chicken burger in March, just weeks before the business changed hands.

“All of us were a bit devastated, especially after the win, but that’s the nature of hospitality,” said Sumner Social head chef Lawrence Purser.

Stevens described Brigittes as a “lifted café offering” with more of a focus on being a breakfast and brunch restaurant than a traditional café.

“That’s how we differentiate ourselves from the rest of the competition in Sumner,” he said.

The building is currently closed for major renovations which started on April 1.

“We ripped the place out – we’ve re-done the flooring and done a new layout,” Stevens said.

Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of this month, with June focused on refining the interior design, menu, and overall aesthetic.

“It’s all coming together.”

Opening the new venue in winter gives the owners an opportunity to get it right before the summer period, Stevens said.

“We want to please locals all year round but we also understand we have to deal with the summer craziness that happens out there.”