PICTURES: Take a sneak peek inside the new Mission Chicken now OPEN at the former Buddies USA Diner in Northampton

‘Mission Chicken’ has opened TODAY (Friday, May 30) at the former Buddies Diner in Dychurch Lane.

Owners brothers Matt and James Ingram – who also own the highly rated Smoke Pit also in Dychurch Lane, and Hops and Chops in St Crispin's – have been transforming the iconic site for months.

In a Facebook post, they said: “After months of graft, Mission Chicken is finally ready to open its doors. We’ve brought new energy to an iconic building, the old Mission School Room. Now it’s time to share it with this epic town.”

Matt and James say the vision for Mission Chicken is to be “between a takeaway and a restaurant,” aiming to be “unique” in a competitive market.

Mission Chicken offers wings and tenders priced between £9 and £9.50, fried chicken portions from £9.50 to £14.50, and rotisserie chicken available as half (£13.50) or whole (£25.00). Their sandwiches feature boneless fried chicken thighs and cost around £17 to £18, with “epic sides and sauces” and vegetarian options available throughout the menu.

On the building and its location, James previously told this newspaper: “It’s such a great building, we really wanted to do something with it. When it came up for rent, we jumped on it. One of the biggest things for us is to do the building justice.”

The brothers have paid tribute to Buddies, a staple in the town for 40 years before closing in 2020. They have donated original Buddies signs to Northampton Museum to honour its legacy.

They said: “We’re proud to be part of the town’s food scene with The Smoke Pit and Hops & Chops… and now, with Mission Chicken.

"One day, when we hang up our aprons, we hope to see our own signs in the museum too. For now, we’re just getting started.”

Mission Chicken is open Monday to Thursday from 12pm to 2pm and again from 6pm to 10pm. On Fridays, hours are 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm. Saturday service runs continuously from 12pm to 10pm, while on Sundays the restaurant is open from 12pm to 9pm.

Take a look around the new restaurant in Northampton with the pictures below.