Well-loved chicken restaurant Roosters Piri Piri returns to Portsmouth as new restaurant pops up in North End

Roosters Piri Piri was open in Gunwharf Quays for four years before closing its doors in 2016, but is now back to feed the people of Portsmouth once again.

The new store, on London Road, North End will serve up the same much-loved meals it used to such as burgers, wraps and pittas with a choice of fillings and piri piri chicken wings, as well as mouth-watering milkshakes in a variety of flavours.

The new restaurant’s owners, good friends Saranyan Krishnapillai and Rabulan Sachithanam worked in a Roosters franchise in Bournemouth for five years before taking the plunge and bringing their very own to Portsmouth, because they felt Portsmouth needed some flavour injecting into it.

Saranyan said: ‘It was our dream to open a business like this, so we waited for a time like this because we both love Roosters. We love the food and we love the hygiene of the way the food is prepared because it is prepared in a specific way. And, of course, the taste of the food as well.'

They put up green and white Roosters-themed balloons to celebrate their grand opening as they welcomed in new and returning chicken-loving customers on their first day of opening on July 24.

The previous store, which was a popular spot for foodies in Gunwharf Quays since it opened in 2013 was replaced with Umami Street Food on Elm Grove.

Southsea and served similar meals after Roosters closed, but the chicken shop was still sorely missed by foodies in the city.

The opening of the previous store attracted some big names in Portsmouth, including Portsmouth Football Club players.

Roosters franchises make up the majority of the restaurants that have been open up and down the country for the last 16 years, since it first began.

The nearest Roosters Piri Piri was previously on London Road in Southampton City Centre.