Media EO, Jazz Jefferies, brings us an article on the high and low points of dining out in Loughborough.
Eating out in Loughborough is an odd one. There’s a wide range of chain restaurants, but also lots of independent, local establishments. This review goes over the good, the bad, and the ‘meh’ at three places I have recently dined at in Loughborough.
First up; Centro Lounge. Centro is part of a small chain, but every location seems very different. The décor consists of many random, unusual, framed photos on the walls and a mix-match of chairs and colours. This gives the restaurant a very interesting hipster-esque vibe and is often a talking-point for many first-time diners.
Usually, my experience at Centro Lounge is pretty good; the food is lovely and the staff are friendly. However, my most recent dine-in didn’t quite hit the mark. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy, but the staff seemed to be rushed off their feet. This unfortunately meant that our drinks came after we got our food (which itself took a while to be made) and on top of that, they weren’t quite what I was hoping.
I was really disappointed, as they usually have a speedy service. I would recommend giving it a visit, especially as they have the best (but also the only) tapas in Loughborough that are worth their money. However, I would only go if it’s really quiet, so that you can enjoy the experience to its fullest!
Second up, we’ve got Slider Town. This little burger place has been around for a while now, but I’ve only recently had the chance to try it out. I went with a fairly big group of friends who ordered a number of different things, yet the food came rather promptly. The main item on the menu, as you may guess from the restaurant’s name, was slider burgers. These are essentially just small burgers, so you may need a couple to fill you up. This being said, they were really tasty!
The bar offered a wide range of cocktails that you wouldn’t normally see. For example, they had one that came in a pot noodle cup and even had fake noodles on the top of the drink! Although I don’t drink myself, I know my friends enjoyed the cocktails and the staff even offered to make mocktails out of any cocktail that I chose.
So far so good, right? Well, sort of – until it came to paying the bill! Although the food tasted great, the cost was pretty high for what it was. The mocktails were the same price as the cocktails, which was disappointing considering they have no alcohol in them and therefore cost less to make. I would definitely recommend giving Slider Town a try, as the food, drinks, and atmosphere are really good – just keep an eye on what you’re buying!
Finally, I would like to tell you about my favourite place to eat in Loughborough; Cactus Café. Cactus Café is a student-friendly, cantina-style restaurant serving classic Mexican dishes and it is honestly amazing. I first stumbled upon it with my boyfriend when The Phantom was too busy and immediately found it to be a fantastic discovery. I’m a big fan of Mexican food and Cactus Café do it incredibly well.
I have also visited the restaurant with a reasonably sized group of friends and the service was spectacular, despite most people ordering completely different things. My one negative comment would be that their dessert options don’t all appear to be home-made, but maybe that’s just the options I have gone for. Other than that, Cactus Café definitely comes highly recommended and is a must-try before you leave university!
Feature image by: Leanne McCarthy
