The Drill Hall Café

Wholesome, good-value home cooking in one of the city's most beloved community spaces.

The 2019 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

A common issue faced by cafés in arts venues is that the spaces in which they are based can be a little intimidating, which makes it difficult to attract a range of customers. But at the Drill Hall it feels as though the café seamlessly co-exists with the artistic happenings taking place around the building, and that the two introduce their audiences to each other. The menu is accessible, with fairly priced dishes including soup like potato, broccoli and Stilton, which offers a hearty hug of powerful flavours; and specials like sweet potato gnocchi – an elegant plate dressed with a creamy cheese sauce to complement the sweetness of the dumplings. A slice of chocolate mousse cake is the perfect accompaniment to a coffee with its miraculously light flourless sponge and a dense chocolate flavour that somehow never gets sickly.