PARISIAN-style bistro Côte is to open its first restaurant in the north of England in York in June.

Côte Brasserie, a modern interpretation of Parisian bistros, will open in 49 Low Petergate, formerly Cafe Veranda, where it will employ about 40 staff.

Harald Samuelsson, joint managing director, said he always wanted to open the company’s first northern restaurant in York.

He described the city as the food capital of the north, and hoped the restaurant will be a welcome addition to the York dining scene.

He said: “York is somewhere I personally know well and have always wanted to open here. It took us a while, but we are thrilled to have found such a great location.”

Work has already begun on the restaurant, which will be able to seat more than 100 guests.

Côte is looking to employ more than 40 staff for its restaurant team in a variety of roles from kitchen to front of house.

It is also planning on working with local colleges which offer food and beverage service and professional cookery qualifications to alert them and and their students to future employment opportunities at Côte.

The company, which has about 40 restaurants in the south, Midlands and Wales, was started by Alex Scrimgeour, executive chef and joint managing director, who said he was inspired by new dining trends in Paris where diners were returning to simple bistro cooking and demanding the classic recipes of French cuisine.

Since opening in Wimbledon, London, in summer of 2007, Côte was named in the Good Food Guide as the winner of the Best Value Restaurant award in 2009.