Loughborough may be, on first glance, not the kind of place where you might expect to find great food. Well think again! Despite being a small town, Loughborough boasts some quite interesting as well as culturally influenced places to eat. Of course there are the obligatory takeaways, of which you can take your pick after your many nights out in town. But if you’re looking for something a bit more fancy than greasy chips, sick of your own attempts at cooking or can’t bear to see another potato (catered students you’ll know what I’m talking about!) then just head into town and take your pick from Loughborough’s wide range of great restaurants and cafes;
Cactus Café – Fancy treating yourself to what the Mexican cuisine has to offer? Then look no further than Loughborough’s Cactus Café. Open since July of 1990, its exceptional food, cheap midweek menu, open friendly atmosphere and live jazz music have kept it going for more than twenty years.
Croma – Opened in January of 2013, Croma provides great quality Italian inspired pizza and pasta at reasonable student prices. What’s more, Croma works in partnership with the ODEON cinema group and has its restaurant on the Cinema grounds, meaning that you can drop in for a bite to eat before or after the pictures.
Fernando’s Grillhouse – Loughborough’s answer to Nando’s. This restaurant caters for both the meat-eaters as well as the herbivores and can offer you a choice of flame-grilled chicken and steak as well as grilled vegetarian options. To top this you can also choose your spice level, so the question is will you stick to the Plain or will you be brave enough to try Volcano Hot?
Moomba – If you’re feeling adventurous and up for something new, then Moomba is the place for you. Describing themselves as being ‘deliciously different,’ their Australian cuisine of crocodile, kangaroo, boar and squid will leave your mouth watering and craving more. Don’t be put off by the unusual meats and don’t leave Loughborough before trying out the kangaroo burger!
Revolution – As well as being a top location for a night out, Revolution also serves as a great spot for a nice dinner. With attractive décor, an appealing and varied menu as well as, as you can imagine, an extensive drinks menu, Revolution is the perfect place for both a casual dinner with friends and a romantic dinner for two.
Salim’s – If you love authentic Indian food, then make sure you pop down to Salim’s for your alternative Sunday meal. They offer students a brilliant deal of four courses and drinks for only £9.95 and to top it off the food and service is exceptional. So, korma on down!
Tarboush – Looking for an escape from the norms of British cuisine then make sure you head down to Tarboush. The tastes of the Eastern cuisines are no better reflected than here, with foods ranging from falafel to the most traditional of lamb dishes. To top the exceptional food you will also be swept away by the brilliant decorations that leave you feeling as though you’ve taken a trip to the Middle East.
The Basin -The Basin brings together all the best types of Asian cuisine in one relaxed and modern setting. Does one person fancy sushi, the other fancy prawn fried rice and the other fancy beef udon? The Basin does it all and does it all well at a reasonable price. I would recommend the Chicken Katsu Curry washed down with a cheeky cosmopolitan (yep they also do cocktails).
Other places to check out include: Peter and that’s Enough, a newly opened and very popular pizzeria, The Baobab Café that stocks many South African goodies, Varsity and The Griffin are also two great places if you’re looking for cheap pub grub, The Orange Tree is another favourite with great food and comfy surroundings and lets not forget that all important Sunday Roast, which can be found at the local Toby Carvery.
Vignette O’Bryan and Ella Stanbrook
