Stoke-on-Trent: Food & Drink

I would never recommend anyone visit Stoke itself, however there are plenty of beautiful and fun things in the area! Plus, to be fair, Stoke seems to have been getting better lately. Here are a few of my favourite unique places to eat and drink – although there is always a Wetherspoons if none of these tickle your fancy!

• The Exchange, Trinity Street

The Exchange Bar & Kitchen takes its name from the historic building it is situated in – a former Telephone Exchange building on Trinity Street in Hanley. It is a lovely building. They have a great range of burgers, sandwiches and salads, the portions of chips are generous, and there is usually a 2 for 1 cocktail deal on. The atmosphere is very welcoming and comfortable – many Friday night have I popped in for “one quick drink” and ended up staying all night. They are also available on Deliveroo and Uber Eats, so we regularly get lunch delivered to work. Usually when I’m craving a steak and stilton sandwich. They regular have quiz extraordinaires the Quizzly Bears in to do themed quizzes teamed with a themed menu, which are extremely popular and sell out quickly!

https://www.theexchangestoke.com/

• Klay, Piccadilly

PIZZA. Everyone likes pizza. Pizza is Klay’s speciality. Wood fired pizza. Made and cooked from scratch right in front of your eyes. My boyfriend’s favourite is the macaroni cheese pizza, with pepperoni added on top. 10 out of 10 would recommend. The also do slices to takeaway, dessert pizzas, and have a bar. More info at Klay.

• The Slamwich Club, Piccadilly

The sandwiches here are cooler than me. The portions are a decent size, and it’s good value for money. More expensive than Subway, but 100% worth it. You get more than a sandwich. You get puns, amazing sides, and a friendly atmosphere. And of course, the sandwiches are incredible. GO HERE.

• Bottlecraft, Piccadilly

It’s a bar and a shop, filled with hundreds of craft beers and ciders. Bottles, boxes, kegs, casks – all sorts. They also have different guest beers and ciders in on rotation, so there is always plenty to try. They do wines and spirits too, if beer and cider aren’t your thing. Situated right by the Regent Theatre it is the perfect place to go for pre-theatre drinks. The guys behind the bar are really nice and very knowledgeable about the products they have on offer, so if you are unsure what you want they are great at recommendations. Find more info here – they even have a blog you can follow!

• The Quarter, Piccadilly

As you may have gathered by now, most of my favourite food/drink places in Hanley are on a street called Piccadilly! The Quarter is a cute little cafe, more upmarket than the usual greasy spoons, perfect for breakfast. Smoked salmon bagels, sourdough bacon baps, even a breakfast panini. To eat in or take out, we regularly order from here for work. They don’t just do breakfast! I have never eaten lunch here however it always seems to be busy when I walk past!

So the moral of the story is, Stoke may not be the most exciting place but it’s certainly doing its best! And if you fancy an escape from the usual chain restaurants/bars, Piccadilly is the place to be.