A STALYBRIDGE bistro that is attached to a barber’s shop may not seem a likely spot for culinary excellence.
But when it comes to Sundays, Gladstone has them roasted.
For it has come sixth in a list of top 10 in the country by internet blogging page Rate Good Roasts, scoring a 90 per cent approval rating.
Every Sunday from 2pm, the Castle Street eatery plates up what is now officially one of the best dinners in the nation.
And just seeing them ranked alongside venues in Manchester, London and other areas of the country has left Yezzan Khalil and Darcey Budsworth bowled over.
Yezzan said simply: “That’s wicked.”
Darcey added: “We’d had our eye on that page for a while. Then all of a sudden they followed us and liking our pictures.
“We were like, ‘Oh my God, they’re going to come.’ But it’s unannounced, they don’t tell you when they’re coming.
“They came in, ordered, took pictures of the food – which everyone does now, then they left.
“We have the house roast on the last Sunday of every month, where we put on a DJ and out tables in the barber’s area – that’s for 100-150 people.
“We actually started in lockdown, serving it in takeaway boxes, and it took a while to get going. When lockdown came, everyone knew what takeaways they liked.”
Yezzan chipped in: “We were launching a roast dinner for £16 in a cardboard box.” To which Darcey went on: “And no-one had ever eaten it.”
But first impressions proved important as Yezzan continued: “One of my barber customers had three and said, ‘I didn’t realise the quality of it. It was worth every penny and more.’
“The reason we do it is I love roast dinners. I just love them. That recognition is nice as its completely independent – you don’t enter into it.
“But in all honesty, it wasn’t our best day! We’re that hard on ourselves.”
Gladstone has proved a huge success since opening on Castle Street about two-and-a-half years ago, on the back of the first Covid-19 lockdown.
But Yezzan admitted: “That kind of played in our favour because it gave me loads of time to get things how I wanted them.
“Before then, we were in Mossley for 10 years, just as a barber shop. So we had a bit of a running start as a lot of people knew us or had heard of us.
“But people were like, ‘It’s a barber’s that, isn’t it?’ That was good as it was a bit of a talking point – a barber’s selling food.
“However, we moved to Stalybridge because of the unit. This building looks like it should belong in a city centre.
“It was empty for so long and we outgrew where we were and most of our clients come from Stockport, where I come from, and we thought it was a better hub.
“Stalybridge is a great town with loads of potential but I live in the flats above the business. In lockdown, I was riding my bike to Manchester to get a coffee.
“I’m fine to do that but I was asking, ‘Why’ve you got to do that?’ I wanted people to come here and not remember they’re in Stalybridge. It could be anywhere.
“It’s been received really well. It’s gone better than I thought it would. Our customers are twice or three times a week.
Darcey added: “The intention was to bring a place that does good food and drinks and a good vibe.
“And I feel that if you come once, because the food is so good, then after that where would you go?”
Yezzan admits he is not one to stand still and sit back. He already has a plan for Gladstone. Opening on Friday and Saturday evenings from the beginning of February, with DJs playing.
“We’re ready for it,” he exclaimed. “And the next big step is opening in Manchester next year.”