New global-inspired restaurant opening in Torquay tomorrow, replacing Bianco’s

A new restaurant is opening on Torwood Street in Torquay on Thursday, 1 May, offering fresh, locally sourced cuisine inspired by flavours from around the world.

The Globe, located in the former premises of Bianco’s—sister restaurant to Amici—is the first independent venture by husband-and-wife team Milan Lackovsky and Emily Ward Lackovsky.

The pair bring plenty of industry experience. Milan has worked as a chef for 15 years, while Emily spent nine years in a management role at Amici.

Although opening a restaurant has long been a shared ambition, they jumped at the opportunity to take over Bianco’s due to its prime central location—on a street that’s fast becoming a bit of a foodie haven.

Between them, Milan and Emily have visited 55 countries over the past nine years. Describing themselves as "food travellers", their vision is to bring a global palate to Devon using local, seasonal produce.

“We want to bring different cuisines to Torbay,” said Emily. “For us, the main concept is to serve completely local, seasonal produce from the farm, fishmongers and local suppliers—but with a world fusion twist.

“We’re turning Devon produce into world cuisine.”

Practised at avoiding tourist hotspots, the couple say their favourite food experiences have come from exploring backstreet restaurants abroad.

“We want to bring those elements here but then also mix different elements together to create different fusions,” Emily explained. “It could be a Moroccan dish with a Mexican twist.”

Their eventual ambition is to introduce a new menu item every week so that diners can try something new each time they visit.

“You can eat here five days a week and try each dish,” Emily said, “but I promise you, by the time you come next Monday, there’ll be at least one different dish you haven’t had before.”

A global approach also extends to drinks. The beer on tap is from Prague, while the wine list includes bottles from countries such as Austria and Romania. They also plan to serve organic cava.

Despite only getting the keys on 1 April, Milan and Emily were determined to open in just four weeks—a turnaround they admit is unusual in the industry.

“Everyone told us we were crazy. No one opens a restaurant in four weeks,” Emily said. “But we knew we wanted to open on the first of May.”

The journey to opening has been bittersweet. Emily’s father, a builder, was due to lead the renovation but sadly passed away unexpectedly eight weeks ago. A photo of him now sits beside the till, watching over the restaurant’s transformation—completed by the couple and their family.

The booths that once lined the restaurant have been replaced with tables and chairs, and the interior has been given a contemporary facelift. An upstairs dining area also remains in use.

Although the past month has involved 14- to 15-hour workdays, Milan and Emily say they’re excited to welcome guests.

The Globe opens on Thursday, 1 May.