New Cantonese and Dim Sum restaurant to open in Bristol city centre

A new Cantonese and Dim Sum restaurant is set to open in a former fish and chip shop in Bristol city centre.

168 Kitchen will occupy the former Catch 22 premises on College Green, which closed in August 2023 after eight years.

The new restaurant will be run by George Lai, who also owns the 168 Oriential Supermarket and neighbouring Little Chinatown Food Hall on Nelson Street.

It will be a replacement for the former Little Chinatown Restaurant above the Nelson Street site, which closed on Christmas Eve 2023.

The former restaurant space, meanwhile, is being converted into a new oriental fishmonger's and butcher's.

Explaining his decision to close the Nelson Street restaurant, Lai said: "The issue was not enough income to keep all the staff.

"So what we’ve done is closed and moved some of the staff to the new smaller place at College Green.

"We informed the customers that we will open a smaller restaurant of the same type, serving Dim Sums.

"But the additional part is we will have more Cantonese cuisine, which is a bit missing in Bristol at the moment.

"168 Kitchen will be serving freshly-made Dim Sums, freshly-roasted ducks and authentic Cantonese cuisine, alongside seafood dishes."

Lai's family also runs a 168 Oriental Supermarket and neighbouring Sai Kung Cafe on Park Street.

On his new plans for the former Little Chinatown Restaurant in Nelson Street, he added: "We are also fitting out our new oriental fishmonger and butcher, alongside a Chinese bakery and section dedicated to exotic fruits and vegetables."

The new restaurant on College Green and the new area above the Nelson Street site are both set to open sometime between late February and March.