‘El Kasbah’, situated on Castle steps, opened its doors last week. Its owner, Lauren Linares, is hoping to create a unique space that serves much more than fabulous food and drink. Her concept takes inspiration from the much-missed ‘The Kasbar’ to once again become a place where cultures come together and the community can share their creativity and talents. I met Lauren to find out more about her plans for the re-imagined venue…

Tell me a little about yourself and the team behind El Kasbah

I’m a Midwife by profession so it probably seems a little random that I’ve tasked myself with this immense project of running a restaurant. Not going to lie, I sometimes do question it myself. I’ve always had a love for Moroccan food and Moroccan culture. As a child, my family and I went on numerous family holidays to Morocco and I have some great memories there. I’ve also always been interested in Gibraltar’s connection to Morocco and our Moorish history. I just love the Arabic mosaics, structures, colours and just the general Arabic influence that I see around Gibraltar. My father Steven, retired from politics a few months back and when we found out that The Kasbar was up for sale it got us thinking. The Kasbar was such a unique space and we felt it would be a shame for our community to lose what the previous owners had started. We felt it was a project we could continue but build on to incorporate our love and respect we have for Gibraltar’s Moroccan and Moorish connections. 

Can you share the inspiration behind the concept of combining arts, food, and nightlife in your venue?

For us it’s not just a restaurant, it’s a unique creative space for more than just food and drinks to be enjoyed. A place where a mix of cultures come together and people can share their talents and art. We felt it necessary to emphasise that there are three main pillars of El Kasbah. Food, arts and nightlife are three things that I think most people will agree bring people together and are pillars that can build a solid foundation of a united and great community.

How do you blend food, art and cultures? 

The venue itself is artistic in its unique ceiling and walls, the Moroccan teapot sets, coasters and ceramics used to serve our dishes all provide for an immersive and artistic dining experience, which are all available to buy too. We are currently still building on our arts collection and decor but so far it includes an art print by Ludwig Deutsch ‘The Chess Game, 1896’, which includes two Arab men playing a game of chess, the architectural features in his work are similar to those by the Moors. Work by local artist Jesse Stone can also be found at El Kasbah as well as photography of Castle Street during different times. You will also find a great photo of an icon- Charlie Trico from when the venue was The Hole in T’Wall. Would also like to mention that El Kasbah welcomes any local artists, who would like to do an exhibition or use the space to show and sell their work, they can get in touch with us at any time. 

Could you elaborate on the concept behind El Kasbah?

Our food pays homage to Gibraltar’s Moorish history and the culinary techniques and flavours that were brought over from North Africa and the Middle East. We offer a range of traditional dishes such as Tagine, Couscous and different types of falafels and salads. 

What kind of events or entertainment can guests look forward to?

We hosted Gabriel Moreno a few weeks ago, with Daryl Pallas. This was a great and beautiful show not just musical but poetic and artistic and the whole experience was amazing. We hope to continue planning events like these and provide a space for local artists to perform, which will include all types of genres from 80s music to modern techno and acoustic performances.

Exciting! Are there any partnerships or collaborations with local artists or organisations in the pipeline?

El Kasbah is a safe space for anyone in our community to come and perform, showcase their talents and enjoy what they do. We have a few events coming up in collaboration with The Fine Arts Association, and we will also be collaborating with Kitchen Studios in the coming months. We are also in talks with other groups to plan regular meet-ups like book clubs and yoga sessions.

Contact numbers are: 20077021/ 54062484

Email address: elkasbahgibraltar@gmail.com

Instagram: @elkasbahgib