Sovereign Centros has announced that much-loved restaurant chain, wagamama, is set to arrive this year at Merry Hill. Serving its iconic menu of pan-Asian-inspired favourites, the restaurant will take a 4,000 sq ft space on the destination’s Upper Mall close to the upcoming Hollywood Bowl, adding to Merry Hill’s culinary line-up.
wagamama Merry Hill will serve its classic range of katsu curries and signature ramen bowls. Also on the menu will be the restaurant’s selection of donburi bowls, teppanyaki noodles, and curries, as well as an extensive variety of sides, sweet treats, and a number of vegan options. The Merry Hill space will adopt wagamama’s trademark pared-back dining format, with a combination of long communal-style tables, as well as smaller seating areas. The new restaurant will also feature the classic wagamama open kitchen, allowing diners to view their meals being prepared.
The announcement comes as Merry Hill reports a 17% increase in F&B sales comparing January to April 2023 with the same period in 2022, and follows a successful community initiative recently rolled out by wagamama across the country. The restaurant chain pledged to support children and families by giving away free meals and open a series of community hubs.
Jack Gordon, senior asset manager at Sovereign Centros, commented: “wagamama has enduring popularity, and is therefore the perfect addition to Merry Hill’s dining offer. We have seen the hospitality offer at Merry Hill evolve significantly over the past year, and the arrival of wagamama bolsters the diverse culinary line-up established at the destination. It’s another great option for our community, who we know increasingly value the role restaurants play in creating a full-day destination experience when they visit.”
General manager, Deen Mohammed at wagamama, added: “We are so excited to open the doors to our brand-new restaurant in Merry Hill. Our benches will soon be welcoming the local community and visitors to the shopping destination, we can’t wait to serve up some of our fresh favourites to all. Our fantastic new team have been working hard to ensure we can bring our much-loved wagamama service to guests and they are so excited to land in their beautiful new restaurant once works are complete.”
The news follows a series of F&B announcements in 2022 for Merry Hill, including the opening of German Doner Kebab in the destination’s dining hub, Eat Central. Merry Hill’s leisure offer continues to go from strength to strength, with the recent signing of Hollywood Bowl, the UK’s largest ten-bowling operator, also joining later this year.
