As its name suggests, this vegetarian and vegan café bar sits on an alley and as a result is a little tricky to find. However, it is worth the navigational effort to experience the little haven that is Alley Café Bar in Nottingham. The venue has the air of a European café - relaxed, individual and with a friendly buzz.
It's a creative place with artwork on the walls and a great range of music playing. They have regular entertainment too with a lauded open mic night and parties to celebrate the launch of new exhibitions.
The vegetarian and vegan cuisine on offer is incredibly tasty and substantial enough even for the most stubborn of meat eaters. They have a wide range of sandwiches (quirkily given names like Gertie, Stavros and Mildred) with various tasty fillings: smoked tofu, peppers and coriander or brie, blueberry conserve and grapes.
There is also a selection of international food on the menu including falafel, pizzas, burritos, burgers, Italian antipasti and a tofu steak. There are plenty of smaller options on the menu too so sharing with fellow diners and trying a bit of everything is a good option. English wine, organic beers, Fairtrade teas and some amazing shakes feature on the drinks menu and tasty vegan desserts will finish a meal off nicely.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Alley Café Bar is a great option at any time of day. They change their menu and the artwork regularly so there's always a good reason to pop by.