See menu: New Toowoomba restaurant serving comfort food

It took six long months to complete the renovation of a new restaurant in the heart of Toowoomba and now it has officially opened its doors. Take a look inside the new eatery here.

Toowoomba’s CBD has welcomed a new restaurant that serves up slow cooked ribs, pasta and the classic chicken schnitty.

Rashays group general manager Sam Krayem said they planned to open their first regional store in Toowoomba but due to delays, their Bundaberg restaurant managed to sneak in first and opened in August.

Ready to trade are (from left) Jo-Anne Charles, Matilda Ratcliffe and Janet Graham as Rashays opens on Ruthven St. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“Toowoomba is one of the fastest growing regional towns in Queensland, so coming here was an easy decision for us – it was a no-brainer,” he said.

“(Rashays Toowoomba franchise owners) Asad Khan and Zahid Saddique have a lot of friends who live out this way, so when they heard we were opening a store in Toowoomba, they jumped at the opportunity … they may even end up moving here.”

The pair also own the Rashays franchise in Redbank, in Brisbane.

Rashays opens on Ruthven St. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Describing the fit-out, which took six months to complete, as modern, fun and vibrant, the general manager said the spacious 300 sqm site was perfect for large group bookings with a capacity to welcome 250 diners at a time.

“We’re very much all about bringing people and families together, so we need a large space to cater for group bookings,” Mr Krayem said.

Previously the home to Rivers and a furniture store, construction took longer than expected as they had to convert it into a hospitality space.

Mr Krayem said the menu was filled with comfort food including burgers, chicken schnitzels, pastas and 24-hour slow cooked sticky barbecue ribs, but he customers couldn’t go past the creamy mushroom sauce.

Matilda Ratcliffe (left) and Isabella White as Rashays opens on Ruthven St. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Founders Rami Ykmour and Shannon Smith opened the first Rashays store in 1998 in Liverpool, NSW, after they first met each other while working at Pizza Hut.

Three years later, they began expanding the business and now have 36 stores across the east-coast of Australia and seven stores in Queensland.

Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert, Rashays will trade seven days a week from 8am to 10pm.

The new restaurant is at 482 Ruthven St, Toowoomba.