Well, there’s no escaping it folks, deadline season is well and truly here and with the end of term fast approaching there seems like no better time to escape my impending essay doom than with tea, food and good company. This week I decided to shake things up a bit and chose to take a break from the classic coffee shop type places I’ve been visiting so far and opted for something a bit more ‘foody’.
Did you know that making sure you eat properly while you’re studying helps you to maintain concentration? Taking a break and making sure you don’t skip any meals will actually help you to get through those essays you probably need to be doing right now, which means that there is every reason to treat yourself to a quick lunch break out of the house. So, with that in mind, Jess and I made our way to South Street Standard to take a look at their lunch menu.
The Visit
The first thing I noticed when we walked in was how spacious it was inside. The ceilings were very high and the whole place has a very industrial feeling about it, with bare ceilings and visible filament light bulbs. However, the neon signs and graffiti wall prevents it from feeling gloomy, and there was some gorgeous artwork dotted around for sale, which (if I wasn’t a strapped-for-cash student) I would genuinely consider buying because it was so nice.
The split layer floor means that sitting at the back if the café gives a great view of the cathedral, and as it was so quiet when we went, we got our pick of tables. After a very long look through the menu, we finally settled on a large ‘Dirty Mac N Cheese’ to share, with a pot of tea for me, and a coffee and blood orange San Pellegrino for Jess.
Now, ‘Dirty’ was probably the best way to describe this Mac N Cheese. It was huge and absolutely loaded with pulled pork and thyme crumb. Mac N Cheese is usually one of my favourite things to eat, and while the BBQ pulled pork on top was amazing, the thyme crumb was so overpowering that we ended up scraping most of it off. Nonetheless, that didn’t stop us from polishing the whole lot off. The drinks were great too, and while you can’t exactly mess up a San Pelly, the tea was loose leaf and absolutely incredible.
The Verdict
Price: This trip cost us more than our usual coffee shop expeditions, but obviously you get a lot more for your money! South Street Standard is by no means expensive for what they serve, and we got enough food for the two of us plus three drinks for just over £15. To make things even better, the lovely people at South Street offer 15% student discount, so there really is no reason to not treat yourself.
Range: Whatever you’re looking for – lunch, brunch, a quick snack or an evening meal – South Street Standard probably has something for you. They offer a great range of mac n cheese, burgers, steaks and small plates, and their breakfast menu looks so good that I would go back just to try it. While I didn’t actually see a drinks menu when I was there, I do know that they also offer cocktails in the evening, but if that’s not your thing they do a great range of soft and hot drinks, including a big range of teas.
Location: South Street Standard is located on (you guessed it!) South Street, just down the road from McDonalds. The end of the site backs on to the corner of Cathedral Yard, providing a lovely backdrop. This might the most central of all the places I’ve visited so far for this series, is pretty much in the perfect place if you find yourself anywhere in the High Street or Fore Street.
Overall?
If you could take away the thyme crumb debacle, this place would have almost been perfect in my eyes. While it wouldn’t be my first choice for a quick cup of tea, if you’re looking for somewhere different to try for food, South Street Standard is ideal. As it was so quiet when we went in, we even stayed for a couple of hours to do some work, so this is also a great spot for anyone looking for a good study space in town. Also, anywhere that does student discount is an immediate winner in my opinion, so I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking to try something a little different.
Check Out South Street Standard:
Website: https://www.southststandard.co.uk/