A couple of weekends ago, me and my boyfriend were in Nottingham babysitting his nephews. The next day before we caught the train back to Sheffield, we were after some food and after a quick google, my boyfriend found this vegetarian and vegan restaurant in the town centre.
The Alley Cafe is situated up one of the many alleyways in the town centre and the fact that it is tucked away makes it an even more hidden gem than it already is. Also having the alleyway to themselves means they can have some tables outside which is perfect for summer time eating, drinking or chilling out with friends in a little haven of quiet in the busy town centre.
We went in and even though it is small inside and busy, we found a seat quickly. The menu is quite extensive and is absolutely full of awesome vegetarian and vegan fare so as usual when I go to a place that is specifically veggie/vegan I was way too overwhelmed by the menu because there was just so much choice for me for once. The all day breakfast, plenty of salads, sandwiches and more including omelettes and 3 different burgers, it has something for everyone and is a gem for veggies/vegans fed up of the same options in chain restaurants.
Me and my boyfriend both opted for the falafel burger with extra halloumi because well, halloumi. They were also more than accomodating when asked if I could swap the mint yoghurt on my burger to pesto, something most other restaurants are never usually happy with. Like I said it was busy on that Sunday afternoon but service was quick and our food was with us in around 10-15 minutes which definitely helped with our building hunger.
The burgers arrived and it was a great plate full of awesome fresh food. You could tell that the falafel pattie had been made fresh in their kitchen that day, it was so lovely with such great flavours running through it. The halloumi on top along with lettuce and that pesto and on the bottom, sheddred cabbage and houmous made for an absolutely killer sandwich full of all of my favourites. It was all served on a ciabatta style roll making it was all pretty perfect as all the flavours from the salty halloumi, to the creamy houmous and earthy pesto complimented that beautiful falafel pattie.
The burger came with paprika covered wedges which were honestly so nice I would gladly order just a plate of them if I ever go back, it was just spicy enough with such a delicious flavour. Also, the portion of wedges was just right, not too big or too small and they also came with a tomato and onion chutney, not sure if it was homemade or not but it was utterly delicious.
My boyfriend, who isn’t vegetarian, also loved his burger. He’s a pretty big falafel fan anyway so a falafel burger is always a good veggie shout for him. His only criticism was that the burger was a bit dry for his liking and he would have preferred some more mint yoghurt on his burger, though for me it was perfect so I guess that is more down to personal preference than anything else. He also loved the chutney and for the great value for money, he would happily eat there again.
For the two burgers and my pineapple juice, it came in at under £20 which is great value for money for the amount of fresh food you got and I left that place truly stuffed. This place is perfect for veggies and vegans out there looking for something a little different with its great menu full of the best foods. But this is also a good place for meat eaters who are up for trying some delicious veggie fare. The cafe is also a bar so it would be the perfect place to catch up with friends over food or just a couple of drinks in the relaxed indoor and outdoor setting. A great value for money meal in a little veggie haven in the centre of Nottingham.
Alley Cafe is located at 1A Cannon Court, Long Row West, Nottingham, NG1 6JE
To find out more about Alley Cafe visit their website, their Facebook page or you can follow them on Twitter – @AlleyCafeBar
Mixtape Couture 