Business

Company raises a ‘wee toast’ as doors open at city centre restaurant

Co-founders Jennifer and Ron Kenna (centre) pictured with team members at the site of the new Wee Toast Kitchen. Picture: Brian Morrison
Co-founders Jennifer and Ron Kenna (centre) pictured with team members at the site of the new Wee Toast Kitchen. Picture: Brian Morrison Co-founders Jennifer and Ron Kenna (centre) pictured with team members at the site of the new Wee Toast Kitchen. Picture: Brian Morrison

WEE Toast Tours, the company that introduced high-quality group bike tours to Belfast in 2014, has expanded its customer offering with the opening of a new restaurant and retail shop in the city centre.

Wee Toast Kitchen is the latest development in the evolution of the company, whose popular bike tours are enjoyed by an average of 2,000 people every week.

A major milestone for the business came in 2019 when it launched in London to great success. It has subsequently expanded into Manchester and Liverpool.

The company’s investment into the space at the corner of Royal Avenue and Lower Garfield Street is aimed at enhancing its customer offering whilst redeveloping this part of the city centre.

The new restaurant and shop will create 40 full- and part-time jobs.

“We are thrilled to set the wheels in motion at Wee Toast Kitchen as we move into the next phase of our company’s journey,” said Jennifer Kenna, co-founder of Wee Toast Tours.

“Our whole ethos has always been about creating a charming, fun and unique perspective from which to enjoy this beautiful city, for local people, visitors and the business community.

“Having a restaurant and retail shop now means guests can grab a bite to eat and socialise together before or after their bike tour or pick up locally made merchandise, homeware, hampers or deli goods to take home with them.

“Importantly, it also means passers-by can pop in for a great coffee or tasty, local food at any time of day, in an area that has been overlooked for way too long. We are passionate about helping restore and regenerate Belfast city centre.

“It has taken a lot of commitment and determination to get to the stage we are now – with a fully functioning restaurant, shop and an outdoor eating space, which we plan on developing further along Lower Garfield Street, ultimately turning this abandoned area into a vibrant, welcoming garden courtyard.

“All parts of this city deserve to be loved and we have a responsibility as a locally owned business to help champion that,” Jennifer Kenna added.

Wee Toast Tours currently offers tours of Belfast city centre and the Cathedral Quarter, with a new tour soon to be announced.

It curates special events and bespoke tours for the public, leading employers and tourism organisations, and is regularly used by media companies to provide its premium 15-seat bikes for use in major TV and film productions.