The old Blackbeard’s restaurant in St George’s has reopened after a major renovation.

Next to Fort St Catherine and overlooking Achilles Bay, the new restaurant, called Achilles, was officially opened by the tourism minister, Owen Darrell. It will be run by the MEF Group and will offer ‘MediterrAsian cuisine’.

Plans to renovate Blackbeard’s Hideout were submitted last year on behalf of Hotelco International, the company behind the St Regis hotel.

The plans proposed the creation of a new, expanded kitchen area, a covered terrace, a new main entrance on the southeastern side of the building and a new access ramp leading from the nearby bus stop to the restaurant.

Mr Darrell said: “This is not just the opening of another restaurant; it represents the start of a new era of elevated hospitality experiences in Bermuda and the continued revitalisation of St George’s.

“I extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has been a part of this journey ― the dedicated MEF and Hotelco teams have undoubtedly made every effort to turn this vision into a reality.

“This new restaurant plays a major part in advancing the island’s overall tourism product drawing locals and visitors into an exceptional culinary experience, especially for our hotel guests at the St Regis Bermuda Resort and the St George’s Club Hotel.”

He added: “As we cut this ribbon, let it be a symbol of new beginnings, endless possibilities, and the promise of many delightful memories formed at these tables.”

Laura Purroy, of Hotelco, said she was “very pleased to see this dream come true”.

She said the Achilles restaurant “was the missing jewel of the crown of this magnificent development that is part of St Regis Bermuda Resort, Five Forts Golf Club and St George’s Club Hotel”.

“Piece by piece, stone by stone, Hotelco has been contributing since 2015 to the revival of the Town of St George,” added Ms Purroy.

“We remain committed to the wellbeing of the community of St George by creating jobs and opportunities for Bermudians and bringing business to the old town and its people.

“With Achilles restaurant we wanted to enhance the look and feel of the area and for visitors to have a beautiful experience in the East End with the magic that MEF puts into their food and lifestyle.”

MEF food and beverage director, Guido Brambilla, a native of Italy and part of the creative force behind Achilles, has curated a menu that celebrates the best of two worlds ― ‘MediterrAsian’ fusion.

Mr Brambilla said: “We are thrilled to introduce Achilles to the vibrant culinary landscape of Bermuda.

“Our vision is to create a space where guests can gather, connect, and share in the joy of exceptional food and heartfelt hospitality.

“We look forward to welcoming you to Achilles and sharing our passion for MediterrAsian cuisine.”

For more information about Achilles, visit www.achilles.bm or follow @AchillesBDA on social media.