Hidden Leicester city centre café has meals which start at £2 and your money helps people in need
It's inside one of the city's oldest buildings, close to one of our best-known landmarks
WHAT'S ON
BY Becky Jones What's On Writer
17:20, 4 FEB 2023
I tried lunch at The Chapel Café (Image: Becky Jones)
It's always good to discover somewhere new, isn't it? Especially somewhere that you can nip to on your lunch break and enjoy a meal that won't break the bank. My latest discovery is actually right in the middle of the city centre and first opened 10 years ago. But, until a few days ago I hadn't actually stepped inside The Chapel Café at Bishop Street Methodist Church. Well, I'm glad I finally did because I soon discovered that this is a great little place!
What tempted me in was a quick look at the menu which revealed that the cafe serves meals from just £2. Particularly now with the cost of living hitting many people hard, this struck me as an amazingly low price. So, how good is the food and is the café an enjoyable place to spend your lunch break? Here is what I reckoned.....
Bishop Street Methodist Church (Image: Becky Jones)
Well for starters, the café is in a lovely location. It's housed inside Bishop Street Methodist Church which overlooks Town Hall Square. Once inside the café, you can look one way through the large arched windows to see the Square, and look the other way to see the beautiful Church, complete with impressive pipe organ.
According to an information board outside the building, the chapel was built in 1815 by Methodist minister Rev William Jenkins and is one of the oldest buildings to survive in this part of the city, pre-dating the Central Library (1904) and Town Hall itself (1873). The board says that the organ case was made by 'Father' Smith, organ builder to Charles II, and is around 100 years older than the Church itself. Well for starters, the café is in a lovely location. It's housed inside Bishop Street Methodist Church which overlooks Town Hall Square. Once inside the café, you can look one way through the large arched windows to see the Square, and look the other way to see the beautiful Church, complete with impressive pipe organ.
According to an information board outside the building, the chapel was built in 1815 by Methodist minister Rev William Jenkins and is one of the oldest buildings to survive in this part of the city, pre-dating the Central Library (1904) and Town Hall itself (1873). The board says that the organ case was made by 'Father' Smith, organ builder to Charles II, and is around 100 years older than the Church itself.
Inside the café (Image: Becky Jones)
The Chapel Café is now run as a social enterprise project by the Zinthiya Trust to help unemployed people get back into work. Profits generated by The Chapel Café support people suffering hardship and disadvantage in Leicester. According to the charity, the café is "a warm, friendly and welcoming café in the heart of Leicester city centre". I felt immediately welcome as I was greeted with a smile from the two people behind the counter, before going to find myself a table. The Chapel Café is now run as a social enterprise project by the Zinthiya Trust to help unemployed people get back into work. Profits generated by The Chapel Café support people suffering hardship and disadvantage in Leicester. According to the charity, the café is "a warm, friendly and welcoming café in the heart of Leicester city centre". I felt immediately welcome as I was greeted with a smile from the two people behind the counter, before going to find myself a table.
Inside the historic Church (Image: Becky Jones)
As well as the views, it's a nice place to be thanks to the comfy seats and the simple yet pleasant decor including faux flowers on the tables. Plus, there's plenty of warmth from the heaters, which has surely been welcome during the recent cold snaps. There was also a good soundtrack in the background when I visited. I mean, you can't beat a bit of Shakira, can you?
What's on the menu?
The menu offers a selection of simple breakfast and lunch items, including breakfast options such as a bacon or sausage bap for £2.20, or toast and jam for £1.60. There are light meals of beans on toast or cheese on toast for £2 each and you can get soup and a roll for £3. If you fancy a jacket potato, you can have it with one filling for £3.50 or two fillings for £4, and there's also salad bowls priced from £3.50. There's a choice of sandwiches from £2.25, with 'plain' versions such as ham or cheese 'classics' such as cheese and pickle and egg mayonnaise, and 'favourites' such as BLT and chicken salad.
Paninis are available with vegetarian fillings for £3.50 and meat or fish fillings, such as bacon, brie and caramelised onions, and tuna and cheese melt for £4. Special deals include a hot or cold drink with a slice of cake for £3.50, plain or classic sandwich with crisps and tea or Americano coffee for £3.75 and bacon or sausage bap with tea or Americano coffee before 11.30am for £3. I decided on one of the vegetarian paninis – filled with mozzarella, tomato and pesto (£3.50). I also ordered a cup of tea (£1.50). My cuppa was swifly brought over, along with a cute little pig-shaped milk jug, where the milk came out of the snout!
My panini (Image: Becky Jones)
A few minutes later, and my panini was delivered to my table by a cheerful waitress, who checked I'd got everything I needed. I had, and I was ready to try the tasty-looking lunch which lay before me. As well as the panini, there was also a side salad- with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, peppers, carrot and onion – which looked and tasted fresh. The panini itself was very good, being nice and hot and packed with lots of lovely mozzarella cheese, which oozed out of the edges in all its molten glory, along with slices of tomato and a smearing of pesto.
Verdict
What a lovely little café this is. I enjoyed my food, which was freshly prepared and tasted good, and it was a pleasant spot in which to spend my lunch break.
It's not a place you'd go if you want something fancy, but The Chapel Café delivers simple tasty food, service with a smile and low prices that most people can afford. And the best thing is you know your money is going to a worthy cause, helping local people suffering hardship and disadvantage.
Our rating: 4/5
10a Bishop Street, Town Hall Square,
Leicester, LE1 6AF