From the moment I walked into The Bradbury Bar & Bistro I felt at home. I was greeted by Olivia and Michelle who instantly made me feel welcome and valued. The décor is rustic and current - yet timeless, it’s both classy and casual. You could hold a 40th birthday meal here or just pop in after your morning run for a flat white and a well-earned breakfast, of which I have had three in just two weeks!
The Bradbury Bar & Bistro came to life when local couple Craig and Kirsty drove past the empty unit on Chatsworth Road back in August 2020. A flippant comment of 'that would be a great coffee shop' turned into reality and thus the bistro was born. Within weeks of the drive-by, the owners Craig and Kirsty had snapped up the unit and their new adventure had begun.
They certainly didn’t hang around and with Craig’s construction company (Bluehawk Construction Ltd), his contacts and determination and family support from their kids Joel and Olivia it was ready to open for Christmas!
Sadly, Covid had other ideas.
Kirsty is no stranger to hospitality having worked in the industry for over 32 years. She always had aspirations of owning her own coffee shop and now she feels like her dreams have come true.
Craig and Kirsty's younger years have had a major influence on the Bistro, from historic pictures of the Bradbury Club and Esso garage on show on the staircase, to naming their business after the local night club we all loved, The Bradbury Club, showing my age here!
I was lucky enough to catch up with Kirsty for a quick chat and a flat white, of course!
Kirsty, I’m a lover of good food and so my most important question is - what’s your favourite dish on the menu? "That’s a tough one, Craig’s is without a doubt the Nutella stuffed French toast with caramelised banana, coffee cream, hazelnut coffee crumb and fresh raspberry, it really is a sweet tooth's dream! Mine would be the Omelette, it’s roasted beetroot, pickled walnut, goats' cheese, rocket and balsamic glaze. It’s a super omelette!"
Wow, both sound amazing, I’ll take one of each! My partner Simon loved the breakfast sliders and said 'these are the best sausages I have ever had.' High praise indeed, as he is the fussiest eater I know. You worked for other people for many years, now you’re your own boss, what's the best thing about running your own business? "Without a doubt it’s the ability to embrace your creativity and put it into practice. I have lots of ideas and love that I can simply make a decision and action it. We are launching our themed nights next month and have Kirsty Celik hosting a Psychic night, this came about from my love of what Kirsty does. I love to embrace my teams' ideas and suggestions."
"They are the heart of all we do at the Bistro and they are just brilliant!"
It’s 2026 what does the Bradbury Bar & Bistro look like? "I see lots of success and happiness. We all really love what we do here and I’d like to think that this will continue and that we'll have a well-loved Chesterfield business. I’d also like to see the Bistro giving back to the community, whether that is hosting events or simply being available for coffee mornings. Supporting our community is extremely important to us and we have already made contact with the local church (New Life) to see what we can do to get involved and make a difference to our local community."
What do you do to wind down and switch off? "This is possibly the only downside I would say to having your own business, I don’t switch off. I am fortunate enough to look after my beautiful seven-month-old niece on Fridays, I usually spend the day worrying that I should be at work and checking in with the team, despite them all being fine without me. As much as I would like to take time out and wind down it's hard when the Bistro doors are open, in some ways it’s like having a toddler again! As soon as they’re closed I enjoy family time with Craig, Joel and Olivia, dog walks with my Frenchie Isla and the odd glass of wine."
Finally our readers are advocates of local independent business, who’s your favourite? "To name a few; Lombardis, Roy Peters Estates, EZ Nails, Il Mondo, 360 Wellbeing and The Look, they are all hugely supportive, fantastic local businesses."
From morning coffee with friends, a breakie with the boys, tapas and champagne evenings with the girls to night time entertainment, the Bradbury Bar & Bistro has got it covered. Open 7 days a week, I am already looking forward to my next visit.
The Bradbury Bar & Bistro is a great addition to 131 Chatsworth Road, upstairs along from The Look, and I have no doubt they will be here for many years to come.
Go check them out and as always mention where you read about them, S40 Local!
The Bradbury Bar & Bistro
131 Chatsworth Road S40 2AP
01246 938778
FB @TheBradBarBistro
IG @the_bradbury_bar_and_bistro
Words: Simon Paterson
Images: Bradbury Club
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