It’s described as a 1950s American diner with a twist
Dorothy’s Diner signage has appeared on Park Street(Image: Paul Gillis/Reach Plc)
A brand known for its drag events looks set to open a diner in central Bristol soon. Signs have appeared on a building on Park Street advertising ‘Dorothy’s Diner’.
The new store frontage contains dressing room style bulb lighting, with a purple and pink diner-esque logo, adorned with pink high-heeled shoes.
Through the window of the venue, more branding and decor can be seen, including what looks like branded backdrops for photos.
Dorothy’s is a brand that has had venues in Liverpool and Swansea, with either diners or ‘showbars’ in each location, according to their Instagram pages.
The Dorothy’s Showbar in Swansea is described as being open seven days a week, with various events and drinks deals on offer – from happy hours, to Pride and bank holiday events and more.
The Liverpool venue, which opened in 2020, described itself as a ‘popular haunt for some of the world’s most famous drag queens’. It is currently listed as ‘temporarily closed’ on Google.
The Liverpool Echo reported back in May 2024 that mystery still surrounded its closure in the previous July, and locals were left wondering if it would reopen again.
There was hope of it reopening when sister site, Dorothy’s Diner, opened just a few doors down. It is described as a ‘drag diner’ serving ‘mouth-watering American classics with a side of drag’.
The diner version of the business is described as a 1950s American diner ‘with a twist’, offering up everything from burgers and fries to pizza and milkshakes, all while being waited on by drag artists who will act as hosts and interact with guests throughout the evening.
According to the Liverpool venue’s Instagram page, they have hosted ‘Butler in the Buff’ events, themed bottomless brunches, and plenty of drag events so far. Locals have even been able to order from Dorothy’s via Deliveroo.
There’s currently no confirmed opening date for the Bristol venue, and the Dorothy’s website is currently undergoing ‘a fresh new look’.
According to images taken of the soon-to-be Bristol venue, it looks like Dorothy’s Diner Bristol is to be situated in what was previously The Garden of Eden at Bristol’s Illuminati venue.
Illuminati reopened in June 2024 following several months of being closed, situated at Number 9 Park Street.
Boasting a bar, dance floor, and cafe, Illuminati sits in the former home of Java and is known for its stunning floral walls and ceilings, as well as wild and wonderful cocktail concoctions and chunky oak tables.
It announced that it would be opening on Fridays and Saturdays only, rather than its previous seven days a week, with more of a focus on R&B and Afrobeats.