I recently visited Lincoln to see some good friends of mine and had a fantastic time there. Not just because I get to spend time with wonderful people, but also because there is a great local food scene.

Lincoln is an island in a sea of farmland and so has access to a plethora of meat and vegetables. In fact Lincoln is not just famous for its potatoes and the sausage that bears its name, it also has a unique breed of cattle the Lincoln Red and once had its very own Lincolnshire curly-coated pig.

Despite it’s farming heritage, well known cattle market and very local food, like any city Lincoln embraces global food culture, and takes a more subtle approach to local pride than they do in places like York.

During my short time there I visited an amazing coffee shop ‘Coffee Aroma’ which fresh roasts coffee from all around the world with some exotic locations on their chalkboard making it read like a travel agents. They also serve each cup of coffee with a glass of water on the side (nice style!).

It may be a small venue but the atmosphere at Aroma was just as buzzy as the shots of espresso they serve and it could easily fit right in with the energy and pace of London or New York.

It was recommend to me by my friends and I’m glad they did, a good start to my visit as I just love finding paces like this. Places where quality comes first and attention to detail is served with a smile!

There are also lots of interesting sandwich shops offering a huge variety of fillings and breads which for me is a sign that a city takes its food seriously.

Make the simple things exciting and you can be sure the restaurants in the area will take things to another level too.

I had a really tasty and well put together piri piri chicken sandwich at ‘The Angel Coffee Shop’, and again the people working here had a happy to serve attitude. Perhaps it was the calm, leafy churchyard setting of The Angel or the influence of the cathedral that watches over city that instills this happy relaxed atmosphere, but whatever it is I’m starting to love this town!

On my final day there I met my friends at a pub ‘The Horse & Groom’ for a spot of lunch. We were looking through the menu when someone pointed out one of their special dishes, the chip shop pie. As this was apparently their own invention I was intrigued…

Reading further I learned that this wasn’t just battered fish, chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce crammed into a pie (obviously!) but it was then subtlety finished by dipping the whole thing in batter and deep frying it to crispy perfection…

This dish sounded more novel rather than delicious, but being the food adventurer I am without a though for my own well being, I threw caution to the wind and ordered it.

When it arrived the golden crusty pie was served with chips (!) a heart stopping plate of food for sure, but please note health fanatics it does come with a couple of crispy lettuce leaves. A quick poke at the top showed there was no sign of where the batter stopped and the pastry began. A slice through the crust and there was a complete fish supper crammed inside just as the menu had promised.

I chomped through the pie always thinking this a better gimmick than a dish, especially a dish which had been cheekily listed under ‘light bites’.

My verdict? It wasn’t bad and if you’re an adventurous foodie or just up for a giggle then give it a try by all means, but in future I will remember to have my fish and chips in the traditional fashion.

So next time your find yourself in the East Midlands pop over to Lincoln and check it out. It’s a beautiful city in gorgeous countryside and as for food you never know what you might find

Have you been to Lincoln past or present or maybe you live there? I only managed to scratch the surface so remember to share your thoughts on the food scene there in the comments below.

Michael Robinson

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The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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