Independent restaurant, wine bar & shop, Linden Stores, announces new Cheshire destination #Blog

Victoria Hayes
30th October 2023

Owners of acclaimed Cheshire restaurant, wine bar & shop, Chris Boustead and Laura Christie, have officially announced the launch of Linden Stores 3.0 in Knutsford later this year.

Linden Stores is an independent restaurant, wine bar & shop, which originated in London before owners, Chris and Laura, relocated to Cheshire in 2021 and set up shop in Audlem. Following a family relocation, their next project will see the concept relaunched in Knutsford, Cheshire this autumn.

The restaurant’s next iteration will continue to develop a passion for British and low intervention wines, alongside seasonal menus, which focus on local produce and a ‘no-waste’ approach. Owned and run by partners Laura Christie, co-founder of Oklava in Shoreditch and Chris Boustead, who previously worked at London’s Opera Tavern and Ten Bells, the new opening date is set to be announced very soon.

Commended for their laidback atmosphere and well-priced offering, the new 40 cover Knutsford site will offer a lunchtime à la carte menu and a 6-course sharing menu with wine pairings at £40pp for dinner reservations (available for adventurous under 12s for £20pp). Walk ins are also welcome at the bar for a glass of wine and bar snacks.

Designed to share, the dishes will include the likes of mackerel, fennel and Cinderwood market garden bitter leaves and apple, as well as Cheshire game bird, with turnips and leaves, wild mushrooms and quince. Each dish makes use of local availability and considers all food waste – with everything used in some way, from daily specials to cooking stock.

With wine at the heart of the venue, Laura and Chris will continue to offer a selection of notably sustainable, natural wines to grab and takeaway. As the festive period approaches, their signature branded tote bags will make the perfect gift for wine lovers alongside some of the quirky, independent labels and British producers they have available too.

Laura comments: “Knutsford is the perfect location for the next Linden Stores; it offers a great position with its proximity to Manchester but also has tonnes of gorgeous countryside right on the doorstep.  We really have the best of both worlds, which offers us an amazing array of local suppliers. We’re hoping to bring the best of the city and countryside to Cheshire with unique and interesting wines and a menu to match. We just can’t wait to get open now!”

Chris adds: “Linden Stores is all about good cooking accompanied by a good wine list in a laidback yet refined atmosphere. Our dishes will be based on seasonality, local availability and quality, with sustainability always at the forefront. With our sharing plates, we hope that some of our less common ingredients will also give guests the opportunity to try something they perhaps wouldn’t usually choose. This is going to be a really exciting next chapter for us!”

The opening date of Linden Stores, Knutsford is set to be announced very soon.

For updates from Laura and Chris, follow them on Instagram: @lindenstores or visit the website here: https://www.lindenstores.co.uk/