December 31 2020
Lockdown Larder #3: the essential guide to food and drink shopping in Bath
Food First (for Takeaway/home delivery, Cafes, Treats & Gifts, Drinks and Community Initiatives, scroll down the page):
Thoughtful Bakery: dairy, pantry and larder essentials, ready meals and, of course, the most fabulous bread and associated sweet treat delights for miles around available ‘live, (the shop will remain open throughout lockdown) or click’n’collect/home delivery. KLAXON! As well as those legendary pizzas available for click’n’collect every Friday and Saturday evening, look what’s been recently added to the Thoughtful Bakery menu: Thoughtful Brownies in gift box form (gift yourself, or somebody else – they’re available to collect from the bakery and/or order for delivery throughout the UK), classic Afternoon Teas with an add-on Prosecco or G&T option (Saturdays only; collect from the bakery and/or order for delivery to BA1/BA2) and – ta-daa! – Doughnut Selection Boxes (also for collection from the bakery and/or order for delivery to BA1/BA2, Fridays and Saturdays only).
Larkhall Butchers: Top notch, marvellous meat alongside fish, dairy produce and pantry goodies IRL at Larkhall Butchers (paying full respect to social distancing rules, of course) or via doorstep delivery
Lovejoys: delivery services to takeaway kitchens, farm shops, care homes and schools will remain unaffected. Meanwhile, a box delivery service will be available to the general public via the website
Goodies Deli (Larkhall): open for everything delicious deli-related, including Hobbs House bread (and related bakery products), chic charcuterie, charming cheese and much, much, much more, plus fabulous fresh soup of the day, every day. Home delivery service available; also hosts one of the most wittiest, most uplifting Twitter feeds on, erm, Twitter (@GoodiesDeli)
Darling Deli: home cooked fresh and frozen meals-to-go plus bread, fresh meat, coffee, cakes and more, including a fresh curry every week (available to collect from Wednesdays)
Newton Farm: home delivery service for those over 70 or those who are self-isolating as they (or someone they live with) fall in to the vulnerable category, plus those who are self-isolating as a household and NHS frontline workers
Ma Cuisine: French gourmet frozen meals in fresh and frozen format, all available for doorstep delivery or click’n’collect from their Larkhall HQ
The Warmley Bakehouse: the shop will remain open and retail, wholesale and home deliveries services are available
Arthur David: home delivery of all kinds of everything to domestic customers in the BA and BS postcode areas
Avellinos Italian Deli: an abundance of pasta, passata and tinned tomatoes lining the shelves, alongside pestos, jams, oils, Italian eggs, Italian sausages, ’00’ flour by the scoop and much more. Gloves and hand gel are available for every customer (no more than two at a time)
Nibbles Cheese (Guildhall Market): open 9am-4pm Monday-Saturday. Click’n’collect/delivery service (free over £50) and fabulous Cheese Gift Boxes also available
The Fine Cheese Co: fabulous fromage, chic charcuterie, wonderful wines and more. UK-wide mail order delivery services available too, free to orders £50+. See also Cafes.
The Refillable Shop (Cleveland Place East, London Road): stock up sustainably either ‘live’ or online at this big-hearted emporium of indispensable foodie fun on. Take your own container, grab a complimentary recycled brown paper bag or buy a glass jar to fill at your leisure – but whichever way you choose to do it, just do it: this is sustainable shopping at its very, very best
Bath Farmers’ Market (Green Park Station) will remain open every Saturday morning from 9am-1.30pm, just like it did throughout the first lockdown. Shop from myriad local traders all gathered together under one weather-proof roof in a super-safe environment
The Kingsmead Square Stall will remain open for business with the usual fruit and veg supplemented by eggs, pasta, etc. Current opening hours are Monday, Friday and Saturday only (8am-2pm) but proprietor Daniel Weisberg is happy to take click and collect/next day delivery orders via text on 07872 574513. Meanwhile, New Stokes (Moorland Road) are offering a next day delivery service (minimum order £20; £3 delivery charge) – and, as legions of Stokes supporters are aware, there’s a heck of a lot more than fruit and veg available; email bath@newstokes.co.uk or call 07838 943056 for details
Takeaway/home delivery
The Scallop Shell: reverting from eat-in only back to takeaway for the duration of the current lockdown. Hoorah!
The Oyster Shell: the ultimate comfort food available for home delivery/click’n’collect
Yak Yeti Yak: utterly fabulous home delivery service available for click’n’collect every Friday-Saturday between 5pm-8pm; read the menu here, call 01225 442299 from 5pm every evening to order
Thoughtful Bakery: legendary pizzas available for click’n’collect every Friday and Saturday evening
The Peking Restaurant: takeaway and home delivery service 6pm-10pm, 15% reduction on restaurant menu prices on website
Yum Yum Thai: open for takeaway yum yum yumminess – order by phone or click’n’collect. Free prawn crackers with every order!
Seafoods Fish and Chips (etc!): both branches (Kingsmead Square/Combe Down) open for takeaway
The Longs Arms (South Wraxall): the most amazing burgers (fact!) including The Raymond, The Kenneth and The Gandhi; proper fish and chip suppers every Friday; pie and mash on Saturdays; veggie options available; all £14. Orders must be placed the day before collection – email info@thelongsarms.com or call 01225 864450
The Mint Room: home delivery and/or click’n’collect – call the restaurant direct on 01225 446656
Pies by Plate (The Bird, Bath): Plate Head Chef Leon Smith has created three beautifully-crafted pies (Chicken and Tarragon, Fish Pie and Sweet Potato and Spiced Lentil, all home made from locally-sourced ingredients, all accompanied by mash and veg, etc) available for click’n’collect on Friday and Saturday evenings – oh, and there’s Winter Berry Cheesecake with Chantilly Cream up for grab on both nights, too. All pies cost £15 per person (or choose a pie and that pud for £20); pre-order by 5pm the day before and collect between 5-8pm on Friday or Saturday. To book, call 01225 580438 or email plateathome@platebathwick.co.uk
Olio at Home, Homewood (nr. Freshford): drive-through click’n’collect service every Saturday from 5-8pm. Current menu includes fish/burger and chips, Chicken Malay and Halloumi Massaman curries. Preorder every Friday before 5pm to collect from the front door of Homewood, without leaving your car; call 01225 723731 or email reception@homewoodbath.co.uk
Ping at Home: freshly prepared ready meal extravaganza curated by MasterChef winner Ping Coombes – order by 6pm on Tuesday, collect from Larkhall Butchers on Friday afternoon/Saturday morning. Email athome@pingcoombes.com for full details and/or read our review here
Noya’s Kitchen: Dishes to Go available for collection every Thursday and Friday
Schwartz Bros: Saw Close open 12noon-9pm – click’n’collect via the website or order by phone on 01225 461726/07791 806717. Walcot Street open Sunday-Thursday 5pm-9pm; Friday-Saturday 12noon-9pm – click’n’collect via the website or order by phone on 01225 463613/07791 747264
The Pizza Bike: “The Smallest Pizzeria in the World” is poised for click’n’collect/home delivery from their mini HQ in the the back garden of The Bell (Walcot Street) every Friday/Saturday, 4pm-9pm
The Bath Pizza Co: click’n’collect (visit website for opening hours)
Simi’s Kitchen: unique (and super-tasty) virtual Supper Club for up to 25 people every Friday evening (£25pp) – the sociable part (via Zoom) is optional; the eating isn’t!
Demuths at Home: order by midnight on Thursdays and pick up an exciting, freshly prepared vegan meal on a globally-inspired theme (plus all the relevant sides and trimmings) from Demuths’ Terrace Walk HQ on Saturday afternoon (£20pp)
Bath Fish and Chips: click’n’collect/home delivery services (via Deliveroo) Tuesday-Wednesday 4pm-9pm; Thursday-Saturday 12noon-9pm
Cafes/Delis
Best of British Deli (Broad Street): open 9am-3pm Monday-Friday for takeaway coffee, tea, hot chocolate, bespoke sandwiches, freshly baked cakes and bacon butties
Mús Coffee Shop (Widcombe): open for takeaways, pick-me-ups and general bonhomie from 7.30am-2pm Monday-Saturday
Widcombe Deli: Widcombe, Larkhall and Abbey Green (city centre) branches all open for takeaway coffee and hot drinks, delicious deli-delights and all kinds of tantalising treats to-go every Monday-Saturday 8.30am-2pm
Larkhall Deli: open for takeaway Monday-Saturday 8.30am-2pm
Fox & Kit Cafe: open for takeaway toasted ciabattas, soup, sourdough rolls, children’s menu, cakes, hot and cold drinks etc Friday-Sunday 10am-3pm. Family friendly Lockdown ‘Kids’ Survival’ Boxes for local delivery and/or click’n’collect in the pipeline
The Good Bear Cafe (Bear Flat): takeaway sandwiches, cakes, drinks and more, Monday-Saturday 9am-2pm
Rosarios: takeaway soup, panini, arancini, coffee, cakes and more. Monday-Saturday 9.30am-3pm
Juicy Orange (Weston): open for takeaway hot drinks, milkshakes, smoothes, treats and essential foods Monday-Saturday. Coffee and other hot drinks at special rates for litter pickers every Saturday
The Fine Cheese Co: cafe open alongside the shop for takeaway coffee and related cafe-counter scrumptiousness-to-go
Treats, gifts and pick-me-ups
Thoughtful Bakery: Thoughtful Brownies in gift box form (gift yourself, or somebody else – they’re available to collect from the bakery and/or order for delivery throughout the UK), classic Afternoon Teas with an add-on Prosecco or G&T option (Saturdays only; collect from the bakery and/or order for delivery to BA1/BA2) and – ta-daa! – Doughnut Selection Boxes (also for collection from the bakery and/or order for delivery to BA1/BA2, Fridays and Saturdays only)
The Fudge Factory: mail order service available via the website
No 3 Cafe: Lockdown Boxes including Posh Ploughmans, Afternoon Tea, Vegan Grazing and Sweet Dripping Dipping selections for just £10, available for collection or free delivery to BA1 Monday-Friday; message @SarararaCoffee to order
Sugarcane Studio: open for superb, unique, supremely pretty sweet treats to takeaway, plus weekly selection box delivery
Sweet Little Things: daily afternoon tea deliveries and celebration hampers within a 15 mile radius of Lower Borough Walls; order online or email mail@sltbath.co.uk
The Wheat Free Kitchen: open for bespoke gluten free cake orders and deliveries throughout Bath
Cheers!
Chapter One Brewpub (also home to an independent onsite microbrewery, Verse Brewing): online shop offering a pre-order click’n’collect service including a Wolf Wines Refill Station from 3pm-7pm every Tuesday-Saturday, available to pick up from their London Road HQ **CURRENTLY SUSPENDED**
Abbey Ales: free delivery to addresses within a 10-mile radius of Bath every Monday-Friday
Novel Wines: free delivery (no minimum order) to BA1/BA2
Great Western Wine: wine (obvs) alongside spirits, veggie/vegan/low or no alcohol selection, plus great gifts (UK-wide delivery), olive oils and vinegars too
Independent Spirit: Independent Spirit is an Aladdin’s Cave of alcohol-based treasure – and their website is the Genie’s Lamp
Wolf Wines: exciting wines you’ll wanna wolf down, including fabulous vegan, organic and natural varietals, beers and ciders too
Community Initiatives
The Bath and NE Somerset Third Sector Group 3SG has bought a host of local partners, charities, residents, students and businesses together to create a Compassionate Community to support everybody during difficult times. On the food front (just one element of the incredible work that 3SG is doing), the team have collaborated with the Sustainable Food Partnership to generate a regularly-updated list of local providers offering food services to people across Bath and north east Somerset
FoodCycle Bath offers a free, nutritious, freshly-cooked meal for collection from Nexus Methodist Church (Nelson Place) every Wednesday between 7.30pm-8.30pm
Age UK B&NES are offering a lunchtime delivery of a hot meal for people living in B&NES direct to the person’s door, seven days per week. A main course and a dessert costs just £6.50; click on this link for the daily menu. Specific dietary requirements can be accommodated, including low sugar, gluten free, and textured meals for those who find it difficult to swallow. To order, email communitymeals@ageukwiltshire.org.uk or call 01793 687017
Bath Foodbank centres are closed until further notice, but e-vouchers are allowing people in need to have food parcels delivered to their homes via a contact-free delivery service. The service is currently in dire need of cereal, baked beans, tinned tomatoes/vegetables/meat/fish/soup/fruit/rice pudding, packet soup, pasta and jars of pasta sauce, UHT milk, long life juice, chocolate and biscuits, instant mash, coffee, hand wash, soap and shower gel