As the newest cafe and bar in Hamilton, “Ten” is bringing a taste of al fresco street dining culture to Dundonald Street.

It has already become a popular lunch time venue that regularly fills up with office workers and others who want to sit outside (or inside) and enjoy a light meal in the middle of the day.

The cafe and bar started out as a day-only operation but now opens in the evenings for meals and to offer wines and cocktails at the end of the day.

At lunchtimes the outdoor terrace is particularly well patronised. The daily blackboard menu offering a variety of sandwiches, wraps and salads that are quickly prepared and served — an important requirement for customers from the nearby offices in Par-la-Ville Road or the City Hall area with limited time to squeeze in a bite to eat during their lunch break.

Since chef Bradley Clease returned from Canada the menu has expanded and become adventurous, particularly for evening diners, with Ten offering a tapas eating experience — where customers order up a selection of small dishes, typically five or six for a couple and more for a larger party, that are shared between the diners.

This style of eating, common in Mediterranean countries, offers a more friendly and communal style of experience.

Mr. Clease explained: “With the small plates you can come in and share a bunch of things rather than have a single big meal. You can have four, five or six things on the plates and I’d say it is a much better way of dining. It brings customers together, people are less uptight with their food and talk more as they share.

“This is the perfect place for it. We have tables of up to ten sharing a tapas meal.”

It is not just about the food. Ten offers customers the chance to be as adventurous with sampling wines as they are with ordering a selection of dishes to taste. Wine is offered by the glass so more than one can be tried during a meal.

As a business enterprise, Ten is a surprising departure. Next door to the Olympic Club, it is the only eatery in the immediate vicinity on Dundonald Street. But being first to open up in the locale has proved to be no hindrance.

Manager Christie James, who has experience of running bistros and other dining venues both in Bermuda and London, said: “There is a strong driving force to develop this part of the town. The focus before has always been on the first few blocks of the town, but we are making this area more of a neighbourhood.

“We opened in November and started serving in the evenings earlier this year. We want to push the tapas experience in the evenings and have tastings and help educate the public about tapas.”

She adds: “We wanted to open something that does not look like anything else in Bermuda. Our menu is quite health-conscious and being next to the gym, that’s a good thing. We are changing our menu regularly, keeping it fresh.”

The unique character of Ten is quickly developing and one of the cocktails it offers, called the Highbury cocktail, has become the cafe-bar’s signature drink during the twilight evening hours when the venue’s mood and lighting changes to make it a more intimate experience.

Chef Mr. Clease, who has 20 years experience and has previously run his own restaurant, said he intends to keep customers interested and coming back for more by continually refreshing the menu options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.