THE owners of a top restaurant in Southbourne have launched a second venture next door.

Matt Betteridge, who owns Sobo Fish in Seabourne Road, has opened a new wine bar called Sobo Sommelier.

Sobo Sommelier is operating from the unit next door to Sobo Fish, and focuses on wine and tapas style dishes.

Its first customers were welcomed on February 14. Matt said: “It was supposed to be a soft opening, so we didn’t do much advertising, but it was absolutely heaving.

“We had a mixture of new customers, lots of local people coming to support, and then customers booked to go into the fish restaurant came in for drinks before or after their meal.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Matt has launched the Sobo Sommelier business with two other partners, who include Sommelier expert Mauro, who has been described as the ‘showman’ of Sobo Sommelier.

Matt said: “One of the owners, Mauro, is a wine expert. He meets and greets the customers, talks to them about the wines on the menu, does the wine pairing with the tapas that we serve, and just goes round to keep everyone happy.”

The concept of Sobo Sommelier was first announced on Sobo Fish’s social media in November last year.

The post described the venture as “a wine bar showcasing not only beautiful wines from around the world, but fine wines direct from our wine suppliers family vineyard in Asti, Italy, Guasti Clemente.”

Bournemouth Echo:

It was announced Sobo Sommelier would be opened next door to Sobo Fish, in a unit which was previously used as the lampshade shop ‘Clair de Lune’.

Speaking at the time, Matt said he’d had wanted the property for “a while” and felt it would “compliment the restaurant” during busy periods in summer.

Now open, he has already formed more exciting plans for the future of the bar. 

Matt said: “The idea is that we can start wine tasting evenings and a wine school. Our first wine tasting evening is Tuesday, March 7. That will be Italian wines.”

For more information visit https://sobosommelier.com/