Down the Hatch

Down the Hatch is a premier Vegan and Vegetarian junk food diner located in the old basement of Le Bateau towards the bottom of Duke Street. ‘Seitan’s Basement’, as the team have dubbed it, is the home to gut-busting and jaw-dropping junk food, either in the form of big sharing platters, or for you to pig out and tuck into some wings, burgers, or dogs, where don’t share a thing!

The Vibe

We used to love Le Bateau, and it was weird at first to take those steps down into the old basement of the legendary club and be met with a long, bright and clean junk food haven, instead of the sticky floors, dark corners, and loud indie anthems. Down the Hatch delivers on the promise that many vegan and vegetarian establishments have failed with over the years, to provide that junk food hit that cures all hangovers and sings a tune on your tastebuds. You honestly don’t need meat to do that. The bar area and comfortable seating at the front are a great place to hang out, and the open space at the back with the busy kitchen behind it, make for the perfect place to share food with friends, to take a date, or have a big works night out. It’s an amiable restaurant that caters for everyone. The staff are engaging and feel familiar from the get-go, in the most positive way and without ever feeling like they are intruding on your night too much (which is often the case in some city centre restaurants).

The Food

The veggie and vegan junk food menu (a good three-quarters of the dishes are vegan, but the guys are always happy to assist should you have any questions) is packed full of flavour, and everything comes in huge portions. That’s probably the biggest takeaway whenever we have visited Down the Hatch – you just keep on eating and it doesn’t seem to end! The fact that you are in a slightly hidden hideaway of a basement bar, makes it even more joyous, like you’ve discovered something you shouldn’t have. To start (or to share if there is a group of you), the Cauliflower Buff Tings, Jackfruit Nuggets, and Halloumi fries are all amazing.  For mains the choice of seitan burgers are wide ranging (we particularly love the Rudeboy and King Katsu), and each one is stacked high, in a toasted brioche bun and come with the Hatch sauce and crispy fries that are just the right level of salted to make them utter perfection. The loaded fries pile up and look daunting when they arrive at your table, but it is well worth the challenge, and the main dishes, such as Mac n Cheese, the Blind Scouse, and the Jambalaya, all fill your belly, keep you warm, and provide that homemade touch to the menu. You’ll always leave Down the Hatch with a full belly and a massive smile on your face.

The Price

There are a couple of promotions on during the week at Down the Hatch, including Wing Wednesdays where you get a free portion of the seitan wings when you spend over £20, and Freebie Friday, where you get another free side with any order of bits. Burgers are pretty much all £11, whilst the loaded fries range from £4 to £7 depending on the toppings. The main dishes are nicely priced at the £8 - £10 mark.