• For several years, restaurateurs have been developing ephemeral taverns and restaurants in former industrial sites.

  • This week, the Friche Gourmande opens its doors in the Montaudran district, in a former warehouse, with a concept like the Time Out Market in Lisbon.

  • These new places make it possible to reinvest disused places, without disturbing residents while allowing customers to park.

Since May 19 and their reopening, the terraces of the city center are regularly full in Toulouse.

The beautiful days also mark the return of the many taverns installed on the banks of the Garonne or near the lakes of the department.

A new kind of restaurant that has continued to develop in recent years.

Just like those installed in old wastelands or on industrial sites.

The large market (MIN) of Toulouse, our local Rungis, is at the crossroads of the two by opening this year, on June 11, its “Min-Ou” tavern close to its warehouses, focusing on local products.

But on the hybrid site side, it was La Centrale, located on a small arm of the Garonne, which kicked off this trend by investing five years ago in an old disused hydroelectric plant on the Ile du Ramier.

Since then, others have followed, not far from there, such as L'Ecluse de Saint-Michel, a restaurant which has just reopened, offering a breathtaking view of the river and dishes now concocted by chef Simon Carlier.

"Court food" concept

Some have preferred to leave the city center to invest in the outlying districts, which are more industrial and above all less inhabited, which limits nighttime nuisances and complaints from residents. This is the case of the managers of the Friche gourmande which will open its doors this Wednesday in Montaudran, in a hangar of nearly 500 m2, surrounded by an outdoor space of 800 m2, which gives many possibilities during periods of sanitary rules. . The former Vogue club, a nightclub, has been converted into a “food court”, a restaurant area that brings together several fast food brands, like the Time Out Market in Lisbon.

“We have already launched this concept in the Lille sector and we have been working for some time to implement it in Toulouse. There are three restaurants of street-food brands known to Toulouse, one for bagel, one for burgers and one for pizza and a temporary restaurant and each customer can choose his dish, ”explains Guillaume Souloumiac, one of the two co-founders, originally from of the Pink City.

With their concept, they provide the place with its bars and play areas, the restaurateurs are committed to certain points.

“We don't want to become an expensive place, it has to be accessible to all profiles.

And our concept is scalable, it also works in winter, ”continues the entrepreneur.

Open only in the evening, he knows that La Friche will not disturb neighboring businesses that are deserted at night, and he can also take advantage of the parking spaces available nearby.

A few meters away, in the same district, the XXL tavern at the Canaille club will also open on June 9, when restaurants can close at 11 p.m.

Its managers are also preparing a covered restoration project in former neighboring warehouses that were converted a few years ago.

Les Halles de la Cartoucherie, a third place for 2022

“This multiplication of places is good, if we keep a quality and that this is not done to the detriment of the city center. After the city grows and all these areas come to life, I think there is room for everyone. The advantage of brownfields is that it does not eat into existing land, especially on the banks of the Garonne ”, advances for his part Jean-Jacques Bolzan, deputy mayor for“ Eating well ”.

It must be said that further north of Toulouse, the town hall is also carrying out a vast restoration project in a former industrial wasteland.

It will see the light of day by the end of 2022 in the old halls of the Cartoucherie, whose work should begin at the end of the summer.

As in Lisbon, there are several restaurants with different flavors, but which, coupled with cultural projects, will be closer to the spirit of the Darwin space in Bordeaux, a Third Place with multiple activities.

Nantes

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Rennes: The "ideal guinguette" should open in June in the heart of nature

  • Restoration

  • Trend

  • Food truck

  • Toulouse

  • Restaurant

  • Fast food

  • Food