TWO restaurant chains will making their south coast debuts at Southampton’s Watermark development.

Hammerson, owners and operators of WestQuay, announced this week that The Real Greek and Project Pie are the latest to join the roster of restaurants at the £85 million dining and leisure complex.

The Real Greek are signed up to take a 325m2 premises on the scheme’s lower promenade. This will the chain’s second opening outside of London.

Project Pie’s 130m2 restaurant in the Long Room floor will introduce the US build-your-own pizza concept to the city.

Customers will be able to create their own pizzas which will be cooked in just three minutes inside the venue’s 600F oven This will be Project Pie’s third franchised restaurant in the UK – the others are in London and Dundee.

Sarah Fox, head of restaurants and leisure at Hammerson, commented: “Each restaurant allows visitors to enjoy a different taste from around the world, building on the vibrant mix of global cuisine that the development already promises to deliver.”

David Page, chairman of The Real Greek, commented: “We're very excited to be bringing The Real Greek to Southampton for the first time, and are looking forward to welcoming the city's diners. We look forward to serving our delicious meze and grilled dishes.

“WestQuay Watermark is an ideal location for us to open our second restaurant outside London - a new and vibrant scheme, it is well positioned on the South Coast and will be a big draw for customers from Southampton as well as the surrounding area.”

Susan Canavan at Project Pie, said; “This premium destination will allow for a wide variety of people to enjoy our authentic build-your-own pizzas. We are proud to be expanding and be able to provide more people with the chance to experience our artisan pizzas and the fresh ingredients that we boast as part of our food offering. ''

WesstQuay Watermark, which will include up to restaurants along with ten-screen cinema and a bowling alley is being developed in two phases, the first opening the end of this year .

Phase two, which has yet to win detailed planning permission, could include a tower block as high as 27 storeys packed full of restaurants, shops, offices, a hotel and underground car park.