This is a list of places that offer a free or cheap hot meal to anyone who wants one. They were found on the websites listed at the end of this document and then updated with the help of providers. There are probably gaps and inaccuracies, so please send updates to peter.bates96@outlook.com.

There is also a small section listing a few places that offer light refreshments rather than a full meal – cheap or free tea and coffee, biscuits, cake and toast. There is a brief mention of kitchens where you can cook your own food for free or at a low cost.

This list does not include any of the brilliant food banks, community gardens, allotments, pantries, fridges and other places providing cold food and cooking ingredients to people in Nottingham.

Contents

Summary table
List of providers
For specific groups
For older people
For homeless people
For women
For people already known to the organisation
Light refreshments only
Cooking Clubs and Classes
Not listed above
Closed for hot food
No response
Too far away
No sign of relevant activity
Infrastructure

List of providers

Asda cafés. Email: info@asda.co.uk. All 205 UK Asda cafés are offering £1 meals to children aged under 16 during school holidays. No minimum spend required in the shop. The meal is hot soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffee.

Assemblies of the Firstborn, 28 Palin Street, Radford, Nottingham NG7 5AD. The Feed my Sheep programme runs from 12.30 to 4pm on Thursdays. Contact Dell on 07813 597 935 or the HQ on afbnottingham28@gmail.com.

Be Merciful Café. Our Lady’s church, 90 Brooklyn Road, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 9ES. Tel 0115 927 8403. Wednesdays from 10am to 12:30pm. Last checked 21/11/2023.

Bestop kitchen, Bestwood Park Church, Beckhampton Road, Bestwood Park, Nottingham NG5 5NG. Tel: 07394 516490. Facebook. Contact Celma Gaspar at bestwoodparkchurch@gmail.com. Two-course hot meal to eat in on Thursdays 12-2pm with a suggested donation of £2.50. Also a cafe from 2-4pm where customers can socialise and play games. Last checked 14/11/22.

Bestwood Emmanuel Church. 10 Church View Close, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 9QP. Sometimes called St Albans Community Kitchen. Website. Email: revnikkibates@gmail.com, tel: 0115 920 8879. Free hot meal (soup, main dish, dessert and hot drink) to eat in or takeaway on Tuesdays, 3.45-5pm. Donations welcome but not required. Last checked 12/11/22.

Bridgeway Hall Methodist Mission, Bridgeway Centre, Arkwright Walk, The Meadows, Nottingham NG2 2JD. Website. Tel: 07979725894. Email dave.shaw1965@gmail.com. Free community meal on Sundays at 5pm, doors open at 4:30pm for The Gathering. Vegetarian option available, not halal. The Cosy Cafe warm hub is open for activities every Tues 10.30am – 1.30pm. Come and enjoy arts and crafts, community gardening and a free lunch. Also provide clothing where needed and some household goods. Free tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits available in our Community Cafe on Tues 5.30pm – 7.30pm, Thurs 10am – 12 noon and 1pm to 2pm, Fri 10am – 12 noon and Sat 11am – 1pm. Last checked 10/11/2024.

Broxtowe Community Projects. 5pm to 6:30pm on Fridays, alternating between the 3rd Chilwell Scout Hall, Inham Road, Chilwell NG9 4GT and the 1st Stapleford & Trowell Scout Hall, behind the fire station, Pinfold Lane, Stapleford NG9 8DL. Contact Marianne, Community Meals Coordinator on 07856 066482/ (mob or WhatsApp), Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BroxtoweCommunityProjects/ or at bcp.marianne@gmail.com. Last checked 11/11/2024.

Bulwell Forest Garden Lunch Club. Austin Street, Bulwell, Nottingham, NG6 9HE. Garden entrance next to house number 113 Austin Street. Email Babs Bates on admin@bulwellforestgarden.co.uk, tel 0115 779 0155. Join us from 10.30am on Fridays and volunteer to harvest food and help cook a two-course veggie meal or come along at 12:00pm to share a meal and good company – £2.50 for adults and £1 for children. Last checked 21/10/2022.

Carlton Baptist Church. 108 Station Road, Nottingham NG4 3DA. Website. Tel: 01156703307. Contact Revd. Trinity Delaney at CarltonBaptistChurch@outlook.com. A Warm Space is open on Mondays from 11:00am to 2:30pm and includes free meals. Donations towards the cost are welcome. Last checked 22/12/2022.

Carlton Community Café is based in the former Carlton Methodist Church, 88 Carlton Hill, Carlton, Nottingham NG4 1EE. Open on Tuesday and Friday 12 noon – 2.30 pm. Refreshments and home-made light snacks such as scones and hot soup. Our cafe does not charge, the focus is on providing a safe space for the local community which offers befriending and signposting. Run by Hope Nottingham, tel: 0303 040 1110, email: hope@hopenottingham.org.uk. Last checked 28/11/2023.

Carrington Community Café, St John’s Church, Mansfield Road, Carrington, Nottingham. Website. Free lunch 12-1pm on Wednesdays. Last checked 25/11/2023.

Chase Café. The Chase Centre, Robin Hood’s Chase, St Anns, Nottingham NG3 4EZ. Tel: 0115 8412670. Email: Rachel.graham@stannsadvice.org.uk. Mon – Fri, 8.30am – 2pm. Monday offers a 2 for 1 breakfast and hot drink for £3. Wednesday is international day with meal, drink and dessert for £3. Friday is the saver menu, £5 gets you both breakfast and lunch. On Wednesdays, their Warm Hub will be open 9am to 8pm, with free soup on offer from 4pm (first come, first served). Last checked 05/12/2022.

Chayah. 26 Robin Hood Chase, Nottingham NG3 4EZ. Tel: 01159241244. Email: Hya Francis-Watson at info@chayahgroup.co.uk. Website. Open on Wednesdays serving Caribbean food – meat or vegan hot meals that cost £1.50 to eat in or takeaway. Can deliver if the customer helps with transport costs. Someone always available to chat too. Volunteers always welcome. Each volunteer driver receives a free meal and support with fuel. To find out more, pop in on Wednesdays 9.30 – 12 noon. Last checked 05/12/2022.

Church Round the Table, Salvation Army, Notintone Place, Sneinton, Nottingham NG2 4QG. Sunday afternoons from 1.30pm to 3pm. It usually follows an 8 week plan with a 2 week break between each series. Every week there are light refreshments (usually of the picnic- type variety rather than a biscuit) and then week 8 is Feast week when Hot food is prepared (usually Lasagne or Bolognaise. The Christian teaching is in a relaxed, informal style allowing for discussion and usually includes some craft activity linked to the teaching.

Crabtree Farm Community Kitchen. Steadfast Close, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 8AX. Wednesdays 12 noon to 6pm. Tel 0115 927 2869. crabtreecommunitycentre@msn.com. Caribbean food for adults £6, children £4.

Crocus Café, 18 Lenton Boulevard NG7 2ES. Open Wed-Sunday. Website and Facebook . Tel: 0115 950 5080. Contact Phoebe Thornton at crocuscafe@real-lives.co.uk This is a ‘community café. Community cafés sell food and drink to the public on a first come, first served basis. A community café offers cheap food to some or all customers and aims to build community rather than just make profit. It may engage volunteers rather than employ staff. Crocus offers ‘suspended meals’. A paying customer ‘pays it forward’ by paying for an extra meal for a stranger, which is then provided free to someone in need at the discretion of the manager. A couple of efforts were made around 2014 to get Suspended Coffee Nottingham up and running, but it appears to have failed as a citywide movement – see Suspended Coffee Nottingham | Facebook and Suspended Coffee Nottingham – Home (weebly.com). Crocus offers suspended vegetarian and vegan meals and drinks. Last checked 21/10/2022.

Dosti Luncheon Club @ the ICCA, Forman House, 99 Hucknall Road, Carrington Nottingham NG5 1QZ. Tel: 0115 969 3402. Email: enquiries@TheICCA.co.uk. Facebook. Dosti Lunch is open to both ICCA members and the general public Monday to Friday from 12.30pm till 1.30pm. Prices as follows for a full traditional thali. Dosti is also on Deliveroo. Contact Amardeep Singh Bhattal on 0115 969 3402 or amardeep.bhattal@nottinghamcity.gov.uk. Last checked 10/11/2024.

	Takeaway		Eat-in
	Vegetarian	Non-Vegetarian	Vegetarian	Non-Vegetarian
Adult	£4.75	£4.99	£4.40	£4.95
Elderly (over 60’s)	£4.40	£4.95	£3.85	£4.40
Children under 12	£3.65	£4.20	£3.30	£3.85

Everyone Matters. Facebook. Provides food in St Peter’s Square NG1 2NW on Sundays from 7:15pm to 8pm. Food is sandwiches, snacks, hot drinks and cup soups.

Foodcycle East Midlands. Facebook. Free community meal 6pm each Thursday from 12/10/2023 at Bakersfield Community Centre, Sneinton Dale, Nottingham NG3 7DN. Foodcycle also run at Woven St Martha’s (see below).

Food for All provides hot vegetarian meals and hot drinks on Lister Gate 5pm to 7pm on Tuesdays. Facebook. Contact Sabrina on 07533 230 553 or Hemo Krsna Bhundoo via Facebook message. Last checked 30/11/2023.

Good Shepherd Church. St Joseph’s Hall, 3 Thackeray’s Lane, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 4HT. Website. Email: goodshepherd@dioceseofnottingham.uk. Community meal (soup and cakes) on Fridays 1pm-2pm. Donations towards the cost are welcome. Email inquiry sent 12/11/22.

Grace Church, 1 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FT. Website. Contact Ceri Skinner at hello@gracechurchnottingham.org. Church service at 12 noon on Wednesdays for people who are referred to the food bank, followed by free hot meal open to all and then the food bank opens. Last checked 21/11/2023.

Guru Nanak’s Mission. Albert Street (opposite Marks & Spencer), Nottingham NG1 7DB. Website. Facebook. Tel: 07968391629 or 07472918599 or 07976595144. Email: info@gurunanaksmission.uk. Open Monday & Thursday 7.30pm – 8pm. Free, freshly prepared vegetarian meals with hot or cold drinks and puddings.

Hindu Temple. 215 Carlton Road, Carlton, Nottingham NG3 2FX. Website. Contact Vik at info@hindutemple.org.uk. Lunch club on Fridays from 1/1/23 costs £5. If you pay and annual membership fee of £10, the lunch is only £4. Sunday lunches are also available and are free. Last checked 21/11/22.

Holy Trinity with St Francis church, Farnborough Road, Clifton, Nottingham NG11 9DG. Contact Rev Lydia Cartwright tel 07305 820 553, email rev.lydiacartwright@gmail.com. Wednesdays 9am to 11am drop in café, with optional prayer time at 11am.

Hope Café, The Boundary Community Centre, Boundary Road, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2RF. Tel: 0303 040 1110. Website. Email: hope@hopenottingham.org.uk.A one-stop community support café offering free breakfast (bacon cobs, eggs on toast, cheese on toast, cereal etc) and friendship to anyone in need. Open: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 9.30am – 12pm and Saturday 9.30am – 10.30am. Last checked 28/11/2023.

Hope Church, Southchurch Drive, Clifton, Nottingham NG11 8HR. Tel: 0115 824 6710. Email: admin@hopechurchnottingham.org. Tuesday and Friday 9:30am to 2:30pm Free hot meal, food bank and energy support.

Kettle’s On! Daybrook Baptist Church, Mansfield Road, Daybrook, Nottingham NG5 6AA. Website. Email James at daybrookbaptist@gmail.com. Community café open Wednesdays 10:30 – 12:30 serving a free breakfast. Once a month, they also do a free breakfast from 10am to 10:45 as a welcome to the church service that starts at 10:45 on Sundays. Last checked 23/11/2023.

Marcus Garvey Food Project, 26 Robin Hood Chase, Nottingham NG3 4EZ. Contact is cleon@cleonnelson.com, tel: 07954 147 363. A takeaway main meal with chicken or fish (Caribbean seasoned) and dessert for £6 (payment must be card only). Open on Sundays. You may be able to arrange for the project to deliver the meal – phone 07598947966 to arrange this before Wednesday to get the delivery on the following Sunday. Closed 17/12/22 to 7/1/23.Last checked 17/12/2022.

Mojatu. Howitt Building, Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 2BG. Tel: 0115 845 7009. Info@mojatu.com. Women’s skill share includes lunch on Thursdays from 10am to 2pm.

Morrison’s Supermarket, Leen Drive, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 8EP is offering a free jacket potato topped with cheesy beans to anyone who mentions the code word ‘Henry’. The offer is on for just 2 weeks from 1 to 14 July 2024 but may be repeated in the future.

Mount Beulah Apostolic Church, 4 Sherbrooke Road, Carrington, Nottingham NG5 2BE. Email: mountbeulah@zohomail.com. Soup Kitchen offers free soup, sandwiches, biscuits, tea and coffee 11am to 1pm on the first Saturday of the month. Contact 07805 170209 or 07895 130993.

New Art Exchange, 39-41 Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 6BE. Tel: 0115 924 8630. Website. Email: info@nae.org.uk. For details of the community meals, see webpage. Homecooked plant-based food selection, fresh coffee. Pay what you can afford. Run by Himmah on the first and third Thursday of every month from 5pm to 7pm. Last checked 12/11/24.

Nottingham Chinese Welfare Association, 61b Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FN. Email: enquiries@nottinghamchinese.org.uk. Lunch 12-1pm on Tuesdays. 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm. Fresh dishes cooked on the day, such as char siu, stews, fresh vegetables and Chinese tea. Members £3, Non-member: £5. Last checked 1/11/2022.

NNRF Community Café, The Sycamore Centre, 33a Hungerhill Road, Nottingham NG3 4NB. The café is run by the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum and is open to the public on weekdays between 10am and 3pm. Offers free drinks and snacks, as well as a free meal for people in need, service users and volunteers, while they sell the meal at £2 a day to staff and local community to cover the costs for the day. Mainly vegetarian meals, always halal, and (if finances permit) desserts. In the future they hope to serve meat which will be Halal. Contact Hanan Al Habach, Community Café Host on 07485 384 953 or hanan.alhabach@nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk. Last checked 21/10/2022.

Noor Café, Sneinton Hermitage Community Centre, Sneinton Boulevard, Nottingham, NG2 4FD. Facebook. Call: 07738 729 828 or email Dave Jones on davidjones103@gmail.com. Open on Thursdays 11am-1pm (termtime only) for a free Halal meal with two courses. Donations welcome. Last checked 7/10/2022.

Nourish Sherwood, St Martin’s Church, 12 Trevose Gardens, Sherwood NG5 3FU Facebook. St Martin’s Church, Contact is Chrissie Morris, email.: nourish.stmsherwood@gmail.com. Tel: 0115 960 7502. A free eat in or takeaway home cooked meal, cake and fruit to anyone who needs it, no questions asked. Food is given out from 2pm to 4pm on Mondays at our weekly community cafe. No halal or vegetarian food as we have not been asked this past year for any. Volunteer helpers needed. Volunteers are not fed unless they are in need. Last checked 23/11/2023.

NTU Help in the Community provides sandwiches, snacks, fruit, hot drinks and cup soups at St Peter’s Square NG1 2NW on Mondays 7:15pm to 8pm. Contact helpinthecommunity@su.ntu.ac.uk

Open Kitchen, 207 Mansfield Road, NG1 3FS run by Muslim Hands. Contact Imran Khan 07890 584 506 or khanimmy8@hotmail.com. Free hot food seven days week from Monday – Sunday 11am to 2pm except Friday when it runs from 11am to 1pm. You can pop into the café without booking. Last checked 22/11/22.

Our Lady & St Edward’s Catholic Church, Gordon Rd, Thorneywood, Nottingham NG3 2LG. Website. Email Diane Williams at ccen@dioceseofnottingham.uk. Open on Wednesdays 12 noon to 3pm for free soup, roll and refreshments. Last checked 11/11/2024.

Pakistan Centre, 163 Woodborough Road, Nottingham, NG3 1AX. 0115 958 2973. Email: admin@pakistancentre.org.uk. Website. Contact Zeb Khan on 0115 958 2973. Community restaurant open to the public for eat in or takeaway. Vegetarian meals £5, meat meals £6. Open Mon – Thurs 12 to 2pm and Friday 11:45 to 1pm. Last checked 05/12/2022.

Parkgate Community Kitchen. Parkgate Community Centre, Chamberlain Close, Clifton, Nottingham NG11 8RX. Tel: 0115 984 8065. Facebook. Contact Tracy on 07907602533. Fridays 12-4pm, no vegetarian or halal food, fully staffed with volunteers and fully booked for diners at present. Last checked 29/12/22.

Phoenix Farm Methodist Church. 6A Wollaton Avenue, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 4HY. Website. Email Dave at phoenixfarmchurch@outlook.com. Tel: 07916 625928. Mental health and wellbeing café on Monday 11am – 2pm with hot dogs, soup and a roll, tea and coffee. Donation welcome, not essential. Last checked 28/10/22.

Queensberry Baptist Church. Community Hall, Queensberry Street, Nottingham NG6 0DG. Website Email: hello@qbc.org.uk. Warm space, warm welcome and a hot meal (vegan, vegetarian or meat). Doors open at 4pm every Tuesday, so grab a drink, have a chat, play a board game, do a jigsaw etc and then food is served around 5pm. Last checked 11/11/2024.

Refugee Roots – see Tiger CiC

Rumi’s Table. Sponsored by Muslim Hands Open Kitchen. Rumi’s Table | Facebook is in addition to the Open Kitchen entry above. Serves free hot food at 6pm on Saturdays in Trinity Square. Last checked 2/11/22.

Sacred Heart Church, 91 Carlton Hill, Carlton, Nottingham NG4 1FP. Website. Email Diane Williams at ccen@dioceseofnottingham.uk. Warm Space and café from 12-3 on Thursdays for free soup, roll and refreshments. Last checked 21/11/2023.

Sash Kitchen, The Bridge Centre, 49A Gregory Boulevard, Hyson Green, Nottingham NG7 5JA. Website and Facebook. Contact Jo Boulton at jo@salaamshalomkitchen.co.uk. A weekly, free, hot vegetarian meal to eat in or takeaway on Wednesdays from 5pm to 6:30pm. Info about allergens is available. Anyone who turns up is served. Also free groceries and veg to take away on a first come, first served basis. Volunteers welcome. Last checked 27/11/2023.

Sewa Day Community kitchen, Sai Dham Community Centre, 75 Egypt Road, Nottingham NG7 7GN. Tel: 0115 912 8088. Facebook. Email: info@saidham.org.uk. Free freshly cooked takeaway meals to anyone in need, every Saturday between 9am and 11am. They also offer hot food, drinks and snacks on Lister Gate NG1 7DD on a Sunday. Last checked 22/11/22. Street Support has the following information on 21/11/2023 – hot meals available at 215 Carlton Road, Sneinton NG3 2FX on Fridays 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

SFiCE Foundation Social Café, SFiCE House, 75a Raleigh St, Nottingham, NG3 3LJ. Tel: 07961 648 185 or 07941378265. Website and Email: Contact the Director, Parminder at info@sfice.org. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4pm to 5.30pm free of charge for homeless and vulnerable people from any postcode. Includes tea/coffee, cooked meals – Vegetarian, and nonvegetarian but not Halal meat dishes. Also a mini food bank and clothing bank. Regular volunteers get free meals too. SFiCE also offers ESOL classes, health checks and casework. Last checked 21/11/2023.

Sharing Sherwood. Sherwood Methodist Church, 4 Devon Drive, Nottingham, NG5 2EN. Book via Facebook. Email: Richard@nnemethodist.org.uk. Monthly community meal at 6pm on a Sunday evening. 3 course vegetarian and vegan meal. Voluntary minimum donation of £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for kids, with all profits going to Nottingham food banks. Pay by card or cash and if you’re not able to pay you are very welcome. We will also have leftover food and produce available for a donation. Last checked 9/10/2022.

Shunter’s Café. Netherfield Forum, St George’s and LOCO Centre, 91 Victoria Road, Netherfield, Nottingham, NG4 2NN. Tel 0115 911 3302. Website. Contact Tina Simpson at netherfieldforum@hotmail.com. Café open Monday to Friday 12 till 1pm selling meals £1 to take away or £2 to eat in. Meat and vegetarian dishes and sometimes halal chicken. Volunteers receive a free meal if they volunteer for 4 hours a day. Free meals are provided to individuals in need, but occasionally rather than every day. Resource Centre for advice and photocopying 8:30am -2pm. Last checked 21/11/2023.

Soul Food Café. All Souls Church & Community Centre, 197 Ilkeston Rd, Radford, Nottingham, NG7 3HF. Facebook. Email: soulfoodcafecc@gmail.com. Call: 0115 978 1612. A social eating event is run once a fortnight on Friday lunchtime and on the intervening weeks food parcels are offered. Last checked 13/11/22.

Streets 4 Christ, All Souls Community Centre, Ilkeston Road, Nottingham NG7 3HF. Tel: 0115 824 0287. Email: Contact: Minnie Traynor at minnie@streets4christ.com or Website. Threecourse free meal open to all at 7pm on Mondays, 52 weeks of the year. They also go into the City Centre every Wednesday evening, providing a pack up, consisting of a sandwich, container of pasta, crisps, chocolate bar, and hot drinks. They also provide clothes, sleeping bags, food parcels and advice to those in need. Last checked 23/11/22.

St Aidan’s church. 47 Arnold Road, Old Basford, Nottingham NG6 0DN. Revd Fr David Gill 0115 962 2351 or Christine via Facebook or info@wearewoven.church. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:45am to 2pm – eat in or takeaway. £4 for jacket potatoes and toasties.

St Barnabas, Inham Nook, Barn Croft, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 4HU. Website. Email: office@ccchilwell.org.uk. Free tea, coffee and breakfast cobs (including a vegetarian option) every Monday, 9 – 10.30am.On Fridays, lunch is offered free of charge, including a vegetarian option. Last checked 28/11/2023.

St John’s, Graylands Road, Bilborough, Nottingham NG8 4FD. Website. Email: stjohns@wearewoven.church. All-age community meal at 5pm on Wednesdays offering takeaway as well as eat in, provide both meat and vegetarian options and ask for a donation. On Thursdays the Toddler Group includes a hot breakfast 10:00 till 11:30 and the Renew Wellbeing Cafe runs from 1 – 3pm. Last checked 5/12/2022.

St Mary’s Church. Church Lane, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 8HJ. Website. Email: admin@stmarysarnold.org.uk. Kitchen led by Karen Price 0115 920 9153. Open 12:15pm to 1.30pm on Saturdays. Donations welcome. Free afternoon tea for seniors on the first Saturday of every month starting at 2.30pm. Newcomers welcome. Last checked 18/11/22.

St Paul’s, Boundary Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7DB. Website. The Café on the Corner (Facebook) is open six days a week (not Sunday) and also runs a social supermarket. Email St.Paulschurchcafe@outlook.com. Last checked 22/11/2023.

Sumac Sunday Brunch, 245 Gladstone St, New Basford, Nottingham, NG7 6HX. Text: 07870 861837 or 0115 960 8254. Email: sumac.centre.uk@gmail.com. Sunday brunch 11am to 2pm, suggested donation £5 but pay what you can. Community Food Hub, Sunday 11am & 2pm. Website and Facebook. Kitchen available for hire too. No meat, politics or religion.

Tiger CiC, 19-21 Listergate, Nottingham NG1 7DE. Email: team@tigerprojects.co.uk. Website, Facebook. Email Adam at info@refugeeroots.org.uk. Phone 0746 2092 732. They host Refugee Roots who run a community café there on Tuesdays called The Sharing Table which offers a free lunch from 12noon to 3pm for refugees and asylum seekers, while the public can buy lunch. Last checked 6/11/2022. The lease runs out in December 2023, so Tiger is making a temporary move to Lenton until they can secure new premises in the city centre.

Trinity Church, 192-194 Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG1 3HX. Email: info@trinitychurchnottingham.org. Home Space: Drop-in Every Wednesday, 1-3pm. A warm and welcoming space. Join our community for a lunch – meat and vegetarian soups are served, cake and hot drinks. Including games and crafts and great chats. Last checked 21/11/2023.

William Booth Memorial Halls, 7 King Edward St, Nottingham NG1 1EU. Tel: 0115 950 3827. robert.jepson@salvationarmy.org.uk. A warm space open on Wednesdays 10am-1pm with Soup served at 12 noon. Also 6pm to 8pm on Wednesdays for SAFE[1] – Hot takeaway meals for those in need. Last checked 6/11/22.

Woven St Martha’s Church and Hope Centre, 137-139 Frinton Rd, Nottingham NG8 6GR. Email: info@wearewoven.church. Foodcycle East Midlands (Facebook) host a free vegetarian meal and good conversation from 6pm every Tuesday. Last checked 27/09/2023. Foodcycle also do a meal at Sneinton (see Foodcycle above).

For specific groups

For older people:

Age Concern Tearoom, 352-356 Carlton Hill, Nottingham NG4 1JB. Tel: 0115 940 0421. Email: otageconcerncarlton@gmail.com. Low cost drinks, snacks and cake available Monday to Saturday 9am to 2.30pm. Behind the shop is Mayfield Social and Activities Centre which offers 3-course lunch for £10 if you pre-book with Suzy Layton 07754 266444..

ASDA. Customers aged 60+ can get soup, a roll and unlimited tea and coffee for £1 in November and December. Also a ‘Kids eat for £1’ offer.

Sycamore Dining, Foxton Gardens, Frampton Road, Beechdale, Nottingham NG8 3FR. Website, Facebook, Email: dining@nottingham-scouts.org.uk or chris.flewitt@nottingham-scouts.org.uk. Tel: 0796 703 4276. Run by the Scouts. Runs luncheon clubs at a dozen or so independent living schemes as listed by AskLion. £3.50 per meal.

Oasis Christian Centre, Willoughby Street, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2LT. Tel: 0115 925 5463. Website. Roast dinner for £3.50 on Tuesdays at noon.

For homeless people:

Blind Eye Soup Run See Home | BlindEye Soup run. Contact Darren Lightfoot on blindeyesouprun@gmail.com. Hot drinks, porridge and snacks on Lister Gate NG1 2NW 7:30am to 9:30am on Sundays.

Emmanuel House Support Centre, 53-61 Goosegate, Nottingham NG1 1FE. Tel: 0115 950 7140. Free and low-cost meals Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri from 12.30 to 1.15pm for people who are homeless, rough sleeping, have no recourse to public funds or are in crisis. Last checked 19/11/22.

Nottingham Souprunners. Students providing necessities to Nottingham’s homeless population, twice a week, all year round. Outside M & S at 22-26 Lister Gate, Nottingham NG1 7DD or at 1 Albert Street, Nottingham, NG1 7DB. 7:30pm onwards on Sundays. Email: souprunners@gmail.com.

The Friary, 6 Musters Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7PR. Website. Rough sleepers only – takeaway breakfast on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Streets4Christ – see above.

Tracy’s Street Kitchen. Website. Serves food at Trinity Square NG1 4AF on Fridays from 5:30pm to 7pm.

Trent Vineyard members walk around the city centre on Thursdays and Friday between 7.30pm and 9pm to offer snacks and hot drinks.

WalkersNotts. Facebook. Hot drinks, food, clothes and a friendly ear. Every Tuesday from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at Sneinton Market, Nottingham Contact dee.walker@hotmail.co.uk or tuesday980@googlemail.com.

For women:

Afro-Caribbean lunch club. Queens Walk Community Centre, Meadows, Nottingham NG2 2DF. Website. Tel: 0115 915 9253 email: qwca@hotmail.co.uk. Open: Thurs. Lunch costs £3.95. On other days the café is open to all.

St Peter’s Church St Peter’s Gate, Nottingham, NG1 2NW light food/refreshments on Wednesdays.

Women’s Centre Café, 30 Chaucer St, NG1 5LP. 0115 9411475. www.nottinghamwomenscentre.com Wed 11am – 2pm for hot and cold food.

For people already known to the organisation:

ArtSpeak, 25 Prospect Street, Nottingham NG7 5QE. Contact Hannah Stoddart, Project Coordinator on tel: 01159786133 or mobile: 07579067442. Email: Artspeak@radfordcaregroup.org.uk. Meet Me at 25 Prospect St sells a whole day of art sessions on Wednesdays to people aged 50+. Lunch for participants costs £3.50 and consists of soup or a jacket potato, a dessert and a hot drink.

Salvation Army, Meadows, Nottingham. Email: nottingham.meadows@salvationarmy.org.uk. An afternoon club for families which will include a hot meal. As we have to limit numbers to 30 people though we are restricting this to families already connected with the various groups the Salvation Army run.

Ukrainian Centre. Clawson Lodge, 403 Mansfield Road, Sherwood, Nottingham NG5 2DP. Website. Only people with the right to reside in the UK may be members! Tea, coffee and cake is free at 1pm on Thursdays for members and host families. Last checked 9/1/23.

POW Nottingham offers meals and other support by appointment only to sex workers. Based at 16 Independent Street, Radford NG7 3LN. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Website: http://pow-advice.org.uk/.

Light refreshments only

Coffee and Chat. St Ann with Emmanuel Church, Robin Hood Chase, St. Ann’s, Nottingham NG3 4EY. Website. Email Maureen Collins at ChurchontheChase@gmail.com. Open every Tuesday 9.30 – 11:30am as a Place of Welcome/Renew Wellbeing centre offering toast/biscuits and hot drinks all for free. Join in with jigsaws, board games, colouring/crafts, or if you prefer just have coffee… and chat! Optional short prayer time at about 10.30. Last checked 10/11/2024

King’s Church, Shirley Drive, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 7JX. Website. Community café open Thursdays 10:30 – 12 noon. Tea and biscuits. Suggested donation of £1.

Renew Community Café. Every Wednesday 11 – 1pm. Basford Road Baptist Church, Basford Road, Nottingham NG6 0JL. Email Phillip at enquiries@basfordroadbaptist.org.uk. Serves hot and cold drinks, cake and toast. They ask for a voluntary contribution of 50p per person but plenty of regular customers are not able to pay and that is fine. Last checked 30/11/2023.

Places of Welcome. Every Place of Welcome offers free light refreshments. Check the online list of more than 450 Places here. The local area coordinator is Julia Terry on julia@transformingnottstogether.org.uk. Last checked 24/11/2023.

St Jude’s Church hall, Woodborough Road, Mapperley NG3 5HE. Email office@stjudes.church tel: 0115 9856131 or 07483 131011. Warm space on Monday mornings 9.30am to 12.00 noon. Free activities, tea, biscuits, cake and toast. All ages very welcome. Last checked 21/11/2022.

St Margaret’s Aspley run a foodbank in the Phoenix Hall behind St. Margaret’s Church on Aspley Lane, Nottingham NG8 5GE. Contact is June Robinson. The food bank includes a warm space offering tea, coffee and biscuits at no cost on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am to 12noon. Last checked 05/05/2023.

St Martins Church, St. Martins Road, Bilborough, Nottingham NG8 3BH run a Community Café offering coffee, cake and conversation. Contact: Rev Denise Watkinson. Costs are low or a donation can be made. Open every Tuesday from 10.30am – 1pm. Last checked 12/05/2023.

Cooking Clubs and Classes

A place where people who do not have access to a kitchen or kitchen equipment can go to cook.

Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens, Kirkby Gardens, Nottingham NG2 2H. Monday to Thursday: 10.00- 3.00 pm. Arkwright Meadows Website. Fully equipped kitchen is available for hire at £15 an hour. Bottomless cups of teas, coffee etc £1.50 per person. BBQ, including gas (and use of gazebo if rain) £15 per session. Our traditional tandoor oven at £5 per 3-hour session. Contact gardens@amcgardens.co.uk.

Sheila Russell Community Centre, St Martin’s Road, Bilborough, Nottingham NG8 3AR. A series of four free Caribbean cooking sessions for people with low mood, anxiety or depression. Arranged by Jason Ferguson, Social Prescriber. Contact sheilarussellcentre@gmail.com.

YMCA, Shakespeare St, Nottingham. The Canal & River Trust has funded free cooking classes to teach the community how to cook healthy affordable meals. Organised in partnership with Himmah. A Michelin star chef will teach participants to recreate cheap, nutritious meals. Starts 28/6/2022 and runs weekly from 1pm -3pm until 11.03.2023. Inquiry emailed 21/10/22 and re-sent on 15/11/22.

Not listed above

Closed for hot food:

Arnold Methodist Church confirmed on 29/12/22 that their café has closed.
Bake O’Clock.
Bangladesh Centre lunch club closed 2013.
Charlie’s Coffee Bar, Archer House, Castle Gate used to work alongside St Nic’s to offer suspended coffee. Other places that used to do suspended coffee but have now closed include Flavours of Hockley, (now serving from a van – see Website) and Philo’s, 7 Wheeler Gate, Nottingham NG1 2NA.
Greenway Centre.
Growing Spaces at St Christophers and Sneinton Hermitage.
King Edward Park Pavilion.
Long Meadow Day Centre used to hold a Gujerati lunch club but the City Council website no longer lists it.
Nkono Street Food.
Polish Special Needs at the Polish Catholic Church.
Remar community kitchen is not providing hot food due to lack of food donations and volunteers. They can We provide a food parcel every Tuesday from 9am. Last checked 22/11/2023.
Snacks & Ladders at St Christopher’s.
St Augustine’s Catholic Church, 47 Westville Gardens, Nottingham NG3 4QF. Website. Email Diane Williams at ccen@dioceseofnottingham.uk. Community café ran in winter 2022-23, now closed (last updated 21/11/2023).
Tea Trolley.
The Kiosk in Sherwood.
The Square Meal at Thomas Helwys Baptist Church was run by Himmah.
The Vine, Café 100.
Wired Café Bar.

No response:

ACNA café, Caribbean Lunch club, 31 Hungerhill Rd, ACNA Centre, NG3 4NB. Mon-Fri 12-2pm. 0115 969 1364 mob: 07505 100 458. Email: No longer admin@acna.org.uk. ACNA has closed.

Connexions Club. Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1 Ragdale Road, Bulwell Nottingham. Contact: Mrs Mary Johnson, email info@bulwellsda.co.uk. Open: Mon. Nothing on the website about food. Email inquiry sent 25/10/22 and re-sent on 15/11/22, Facebook message sent 29/12/22.

Eden Café, Stonebridge City Farm, Stonebridge Road, St Anns, Nottingham. NG3 2FR. Telephone: 0115 950 5113. Mon – Sun, 10am – 3pm. Website. Email info@stonebridgecityfarm.com Website. Inquiry emailed 22/10/22, re-sent 15/11/22 and tried volunteer@stonebridgecityfarm.com on 29/12/22.

Fresh n Tasty. Albany House. This is not the extra care place run by pahousing on Pym St but is the city council day service at Orby Close, St Ann’s, Nottingham NG3 2FP. Open to all 9-2pm Mon – Fri. Emailed 22/10/22 and again 29/12/22 – ref FS474621310.

Hope Hut, Gordon Road, St Ann’s, Nottingham NG3 2LE. Mums get together weekly for a hot drink and time to relax after the school run on Mondays from 8:45am to 10:30am. Facebook. There’s plenty of free coffee and food and you are welcome to bring your pre-school kids. Email to hello@hopehut.co.uk on 05/12/22 was undeliverable so tried their online form 29/12/22. Still not working at 22/11/2023.

LAPS Social Action Project, Sri Guru Singh Saba Gurdwara, 26 Nottingham Road, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham NG7 7AE. Contact: Mr Amrik Singh Mahil. Open: 1 day per week. Same website and contact details as the Sikh lunch club below, but no response.

Ramgharia Sabha. 31 Percy Street, Basford, Nottingham NG6 0GF Contact: Mr B S Sokhi 0115 979 1595 or 07803 889969. Open: Tues. Same website and contact details as the Sikh lunch club below, so wait for a response from there.

Sikh lunch club. Sikh Temple, 36 Church Street, Lenton, Nottingham NG7 1FF. Contact: Mr B S Rathore or Mr Singh 07723 324235. Open: Wed, Sun. Inquiry form completed at Nottingham Sikhs on 26/10/22 and re-sent on 15/11/22 and 3/1/23. Text inquiry sent to Mr Singh 22/11/22.

The Village. Asian Women’s Project Limited, Chapel House, Noel Street, Nottingham NG7 6AT. Tel: 07817 555511. Email: Villagecatering@mail.com. Delivers culturally appropriate food across the city for the Asian community. Email inquiry sent 6/11/22 and 3/1/23. Also Asian Women’s Project. 412-414 Radford Road, Basford, Nottingham NG7 7NP. Contact Iffat Iqbal 0115 978 3945 or 0115 844 0047. Open: Tues, Fri. Facebook last used 2018, but active file with Companies House.

Too far away

Rumbletums. 2a Victoria Street, Kimberley, Nottingham NG16 2NH. Tel 0115 9384953. Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am – 3pm. www.rumbletums.org.uk. A not-for-profit café offering supported training and work experience to young adults with learning disabilities.

No sign of relevant activity

Cafe 118. 118 Burton Road, Carlton NG4 3GP. 0115 9879799. Facebook. Mon – Sat, 8.30am – 3pm. Was on a list of community cafés but seems to be an ordinary café.

Gruppo Aziani Lunch Club. St Bernadette’s Church, 308 Sneinton Dale, Nottingham NG3 7DN. Contact: Mr Azzini 0115 920 3702. Open: Wed. It appears from here that the church was sold in 2017. Inquiry sent to paul.bodenham@dioceseofnottingham.uk 18/1/23.

Hopkinson’s Gallery Café, 21 Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3AJ. Tel: 0115 924 1440. Facebook. No website or email address. Open 9-5pm Mon-Fri. 10-4pm Sat.

Nottingham Vietnamese Centre. 30 Wiverton Road, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham NG7 6NP. No sign of NVC online. Contact: Phuong Thiet Dam 0115 969 1289. Lunch club used to run on Wednesdays. Nottingham Vietnamese Community Project has been removed from the register of charities.

Over 60s Club. Nottingham Central Seventh Day Adventist Church, St Anns Well Road, St Anns Nottingham NG3 1EJ. Contact: Mrs Anderson 0115 871 4714. Open: 10 am to 4 pm on Tues. Nothing online about the church since 2021. Blind Eye has the Seventh Day Adventist Church offering snacks, toiletries, hot drinks and a hot meal on Fridays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the city centre.

Polish Senior Citizens. 29 Poplar Avenue, Nottingham NG5 1DJ or 8 Broad Walk, Basford, Nottingham NG6 0GF. Contact: Ms Grayna Zamorska 0115 854 9386 or 07816 563677. Open: Thurs. No evidence online that this address is still used as a community venue. Inquiry sent to mobile 3/1/23.

Infrastructure

Blind Eye maintains an up-to-date diary of food offers for homeless people which is used by city centre PCSOs. Contact Darren Lightfoot.

Directory Categories | Notts Help Yourself

Environmental Health Team. Projects involving cooked food must be registered with their Local Authority’s Environmental Health Team and inform them of any significant change in food operation.

Find a social eating space (socialeatingnetwork.org)

Find a Warm Welcome Space Today

Foodcycle

Himmah are at info@himmah.org or tel: 0115 837 6116. Contact Shoana Qureshi-Khan, Deputy Director.

LeftLion

Nottingham City Council no longer provide a list of lunch clubs on their website and instead recommend the AskLion list of Sycamore Dining lunch clubs here. A lunch club may have eligibility criteria, a fixed membership who attend every time and a waiting list. Nottingham City Council lists lunch clubs. There may be other lunch clubs that are run independently and without council subsidy. The Council regulate food hygiene and other compliance requirements for community kitchens for homeless people[i]. Contact Kimberley Pike, Rough Sleeping Initiative Coordinator at Kimberley.Pike@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Nottingham Community Cafe Network (wordpress.com)

Nottingham Good Food Partnership

Renew Wellbeing – East

Places of Welcome. Email: info@placesofwelcome.org.uk . Places of Welcome are run by local community groups who want everyone in their neighbourhood to have a place to feel safe to connect, belong and contribute. They are run in various Locations Across Nottingham. Tel: 0203 752 5655.

Search Results | Ask Lion – Nottingham City Directory

Street Support Nottingham. Online resources to combat homelessness, including a listing for Nottingham. Email Paul Scotting at nottingham@streetsupport.net. Website. Last checked 05/12/22.

Warm spaces – Gedling Borough Council

Warm Spaces – Nottingham. This list is maintained and updated by the Domestic Energy Efficiency Fuel Poverty subgroup (DEEFP), working together with Community Partnerships Resident Development team. Benita.stacey@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

[1] Supporting Arms Feeding Everyone – see S.A.F.E (Supporting arms feeding everyone) (blindeyesouprun.com)

Free and cheap hot food outlets in Nottingham, UK