Member Article

New Portuguese restaurant creates 30 new jobs on Middlesbrough’s Linthorpe Road

Portuguese piri piri restaurant Frango’s has brought 30 new jobs to Middlesbrough as investment continues to pour into Linthorpe Road.

The restaurant, which specialises in piri piri dishes with an African and Portuguese twist, is the brainchild of former owner of Bahia Bistro, Eddie De Melo, who was convinced he could produce tastier, healthier cuisine at better value than the competition.

Alongside his partner, Iffy, Eddie has invested £500k and worked with local craftsmen AD Property Maintenance, KJS Woodwork, Wainwright Upholstery and artists Alan Morley and Steve Badger to get the 130+ seater venue up and running.

Born in Mozambique, Eddie was brought up in Brazil and then moved to South Africa, where he jointly owned a Mediterranean restaurant.

He said: “Middlesbrough is very multicultural, so it was the perfect place for me to settle. I bring with me a unique insight into Portuguese cuisine and my experience of African atmosphere, which has influenced things such as including a space for customers to put their names on the menus.

“No matter where I have lived throughout my life, I have learned there is nothing more important than the best, traceable ingredients, and that is why we stress the need for the freshest produce, like our British chicken.

“As a concept, Frango’s will deliver great tasting Piri-Piri cuisine, served in a relaxed and informal environment at affordable prices. We have even installed a state of the art kitchen to ensure speed and efficiency for every order.”

Partner Iffy said: “There is a gap in the market for fresh, tasty food that isn’t mass produced, and that’s a gap we plan to fill. Unlike the larger chains, we’re not restricted to a particular format and as such, the food we serve at Frango’s will evolve over time.

“Anyone who visited Eddie’s previous venture, Bahia, will know he’s renowned for serving excellent food, so pulling off dishes that he’s grown up with should be a piece of cake!”

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