Piazza Cafe

You wouldn’t naturally think to visit the Piazza Café, on the corner just before the large, grand steps up to the Metropolitan Cathedral. It isn’t a place that is known that well by many of us locals, and to some it might just be that it is naturally assumed to be part of the Cathedral tourist experience, but there are merits in giving it a go. For one, they have a large and varied salad bar, some great light bites and options, cakes, and a relaxed, slow and casual vibe that welcomes the tourists venturing back down the steps for a rest after visiting the Cathedral, locals and students.

The Vibe

You know that peaceful feeling that all Cathedrals and beautiful places of worship have? That sense of hush and quiet, the reverence that descends over everyone that enters the building? Well, somehow the designers have managed to capture that in some small way, despite the layout of a canteen at the Piazza. It is relatively quiet in here, no matter how busy (maybe because the clientele are on average a little bit older in our experience), but the space is pretty big, the layout easy to navigate, and the deli counter and salad bar simple and effective in showcasing the great British food on offer. The staff are busy, yet helpful, and the service pretty fast to bring hot food to your tray. The Piazza Café is a pretty peaceful way to have lunch in one of the busiest parts of the city centre.

The Food

There used to be this giant chip butty, with massive cuts of crusty bread, loads of butter, and giant, fluffy chips. It was just under a tenner in price, but worth the trip up the hill to the Cathedral steps every once in a while. The current menu item that most resembles this is the chunky sausage roll at a similar price. A lighter selection of breakfast items are around in the mornings, with a big salad bar and deli counter to pick out different items at lunch, and big hearty meals on the boards too, including soups, stews, cottage pies, and quiche. What we can say with certainty is that whatever you choose to eat, you’ll be served hot, homemade dishes that are made with plenty of love and care, and will leave you full and happy by the time you leave.

The Price

The prices are a little on the steep side for the bigger dishes, but the food is always delicious and the portions massive. Homemade soup changes daily, and is priced at £5.65, with the big main dishes such as Scouse, Chunky Sausage Roll, Cottage Pie, and Quiche of the Day, are all priced between £8.95 and £10.75.The big toasties and jacket potatoes are a little cheaper, priced between £7.95 and £8.95, whilst you can get a range of small breakfast items for under a tenner.