Anglet sees the revival of the famous restaurant La Concha, eager to regain its former glory. Under the guidance of Laurent Salles, this iconic place is transforming to offer a friendly experience, merging the charm of a morning café with the liveliness of musical evenings. Through ambitious renovations, La Concha aims to redefine its identity while maintaining a strong connection to the neighborhood and its culinary traditions.
What changes will generate new enthusiasm for La Concha?
The restaurant La Concha, located at La Barre, is at the center of a vast transformation. Once renowned for its refined cuisine and warm atmosphere, the establishment has undergone a prolonged closure due to a court-ordered liquidation. Today, Laurent Salles, a visionary and passionate entrepreneur, has acquired the business. With renovations worth nearly two million euros, he aims to offer a vibrant living space throughout the day and evening.
This thorough renovation will restore La Concha’s status as a reference point. Since 1970, the restaurant has witnessed numerous moments of conviviality and gathering. Craftsmen are at work to completely rethink the premises, which have not been modernized since 1991. Natural light will soon flood the space thanks to a large bay window that will offer breathtaking views of the Adour and the ocean. These changes aim to attract not only former customers but also new regulars, drawn by the renewed atmosphere.
What will be the specifics of the new menu?
Once the renovations are completed and the restaurant welcomes guests again on April 1st, 2025, Chef Benjamin Besson, drawing on his experience at Ducasse, will take charge of the kitchen. He will support an approach based on seasonality, with a carefully crafted menu that includes varied options, notably fresh fish, seafood, and succulent cuts of meat. The financial aspect of the proposal will also be considered: dishes starting from 16 euros and accessible lunch formulas.
This new menu aims to be attractive and aligned with the expectations of today’s consumers. Guests can also expect a sharing experience, with round tables accommodating up to 12 people. The convivial aspect will be reinforced to promote exchanges and reunions.
How does La Concha integrate into the neighborhood?
Laurent Salles envisions a restaurant that is not only a gastronomic space but truly a lifestyle place accessible to all. The return of La Concha to the La Barre neighborhood responds to a need for social connection, particularly strong in such shared spaces. The idea is also to include outdoor areas to fully enjoy sunny days. For this purpose, a removable space with 200 seats will be available for informal events such as cocktail dinners and outdoor dinners.
This commitment to becoming a true meeting point for families, young parents, and seniors helps strengthen the local dynamic. In this perspective, La Concha aims to collaborate with other actors around quality activities.
What will be the impact of La Concha on the local community?
By partnering with neighboring establishments and participating in neighborhood life, La Concha aspires to become a partner of the Hormadi, the local ice hockey team. Like its past initiatives, this could attract supporters and create enriching interactions before or after Ligue Magnus games. This type of synergy with other businesses and activities aims to revive the community while bringing a touch of gastronomy to the local sports culture.
Laurent Salles not only desires to renovate a building but also to contribute to building social bonds. He hopes that La Concha will be a place where laughter, conversations, and reunions blend around good meals. The cuisine will be a means of expression to bring people together and celebrate precious moments.
What facilities are planned to host different types of events?
In addition to the rearrangement of the ground floor, which will cover approximately 750 m², La Concha also plans an upper floor of 250 m² intended for organizing private parties and professional seminars. This last space will offer ideal flexibility for various events, enhancing the establishment’s capacity while optimizing its use.
This diversified strategy includes the idea of comfort and adaptation. Thus, groups of any size will find an adequate ambiance. Partners and professionals can meet away from the daily hustle and bustle, allowing participants to exchange in an inspiring setting. This event dimension will promote the notoriety of La Concha and attract clients looking for an atypical place to celebrate various moments in life.
What measures are in place for ecological management?
Aware of current environmental issues, Laurent Salles has also steered his project towards increased sustainability. From energy-efficient renovations to the use of less polluting materials, every aspect of La Concha’s development is designed to have minimal impact on the planet. This approach is all the more notable when one knows that the restaurant sector is often criticized for its energy consumption.
The future developments aim to reduce energy needs through better insulation and wisely chosen equipment. By prioritizing environmentally friendly alternatives, La Concha will seek to inspire other players in gastronomy to follow this responsible path. The restaurant thus wishes to place ecology at the heart of its concerns while delighting its guests.
The restaurant La Concha at La Barre is preparing to regain its nobility after a prolonged closure. Under the direction of Laurent Salles, the establishment is committed to offering guests a high-quality culinary experience in a completely renovated setting. The craftsmen are working hard to transform this iconic place, with a reopening scheduled for April 1, 2025.
This ambitious project includes a significant investment aimed at reinventing the restaurant while preserving its soul. The implementation of round tables encouraging sharing among guests promises unforgettable moments of conviviality. With a menu revisiting seafood classics and meats, the establishment intends to appeal to all palates.
Beyond the interior, the exterior will not be left out with a modular terrace ready to host summer evenings under the stars. The goal is clear: to make La Concha a crossroads of meetings and exchanges, while remaining an active partner of the Hormadi, thereby strengthening ties with the local community.
