The bar opened early in the new year following a spruce-up of the interiors and its food and drinks menu. Cocktails are very much remaining a mainstay of The Vaults, and it’s still Happy Hour from 5 to 9pm. But lots of the old booze has been replaced with new, better quality bottles, and the pair have installed a brand-new sound system and lighting, as well as hiring a new head chef.
“It seemed to be a really popular place so we haven’t changed it entirely, just tried to improve what it was doing. My background is events, so weddings, parties, club nights etc, and my business partner Tunji owns a big nightclub in Manchester. We do a lot of work in Cambridge, and it seemed to make sense for us to buy a bar and do what we do best every night,” says Leo.
The new, simplified food menu launched on 1 February. Leo tells us more: “It’s a really pared-down menu with a focus on gourmet hotdogs. We’ll have five choices, all distinctly different, including a hot dog in a brioche bun with truffle butter and a Parmesan crisp along the top.”
The ‘dogs’ are priced at £6 a pop, with a range of sides includinh skin-on rosemary fries, beer-battered giant onion rings and chunky wedges with salsa. Choose between the Satan’s Whisperer – a fiery combo of extra-large frankfurter served with garlic mayo, mustard and chopped jalapenos on ciabatta – or the Vaults Classic: smoked sausage slathered in mustard, ketchup and crispy onions, served on a plump brioche roll. Pay a visit during happy hour (5pm-9pm), and you can pick up a dog, side dish and drink for the bargainous price of £10.
Leo is also hoping to develop the place as a daytime haunt for those wanting to read, work or chill. “We’ve got decent Internet and printers, and we’ve got a really cool idea to paint games on some of the two-person tables so you can play backgammon and chess.”