Pedro, who died last year, opened his original restaurant in Christchurch — it was destroyed in the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, in which his son, Christian, also died.
Pedro’s House of Lamb was born from the rubble and they began selling one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, shoulders of lamb, as a takeaway.
It proved so successful business partners Damian Brown and Jose Sanchez Carazos opened a second House of Lamb in the resort six years ago.
Brown, a Mexican who’s lived in New Zealand since 1995 and called Pedro ‘uncle’, says Covid-19’s opened up an opportunity for the pair to fulfill the founder’s dream of having a Queenstown restaurant, after taking over the lease of the old Patagonia store, below Absoloot Hostel, neighbouring Earnslaw Park.
‘‘We’re going to call it Pedro’s by the Lake and try to replicate a bit more of my uncle’s restaurant that we lost in Christchurch.
‘‘It’s been a fantastic six years in Queenstown, and even this year we are keeping our head above water.’’
Brown says Pedro’s has received great support throughout the Covid-19 fallout.
‘‘We had been looking [for a space] before, but there was nothing suitable … and when this opportunity came up at the end of lockdown we thought, ‘what is going to happen to Queenstown, what is going to happen to the economy?’
‘‘But it is such an iconic location.’’
A refurb’s underway ahead of the planned opening by the end of next month, with plans for seating for up to 55 people inside, as well as al fresco dining options.
In true Spanish tradition, a tapas dish will be served with casual drinks, while Brown’s also hoping to have public paella cooking sessions on Saturdays — but lamb’s still going to be on the menu.
