Found within the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Cafe Saramago is a casual, homespun cafe which takes its inspiration from the food of the Mediterranean and which is open to all. The dining room here is a simple affair, featuring an open-plan space flanked with bare wooden tables and potted house plants dotted around the room. Guests can order from the bar at the front of the cafe, where they will also spot the daily specials and highlights written up in chalk on black boards.
Although Cafe Saramago is casual in feel and its menu is simple, the venue is serious about its food and the menu reads like a love letter to local produce. The kitchen team lay out home-baked bread and cakes every morning and make the majority of their dishes from scratch, with the chefs here priding themselves on using local and seasonal produce whenever possible, sourced from ethical and reputable suppliers. Because of this, Cafe Saramago’s food offering changes with the seasons, which means it can be difficult to know what dishes to expect when visiting. Despite this, you are always sure to find a selection of sandwiches, small plates, main courses and desserts.
On your visit, you might start out with a helping of baba ghanoush served alongside a garlic flatbread, before moving on to a main course of tagliatelle in a creamy sauce, topped with mushrooms, cavolo nero, walnuts and a herb pangrattato. If you like, you can add to your meal with side dishes such as a Greek salad, hand cut chips with aioli or even the soup of the day with a helping of fresh homemade bread.
On the pudding list, you might come across the tempting likes of chocolate, tahini and walnut brownie served with a scoop of ice cream, before washing it all down with a bottled beer or cup of coffee.