This Hidden Cult Store Boasts Food for Only 50p – Discover the Secret Café!

A continuous beeping noise can be heard, similar to what you might encounter in a busy hospital setting.

However, the constant beeping isn’t originating from a heart rate monitor – it’s coming from an oven, indicating that cheese toastie is prepared for serving.

I’m sitting in a Home Bargains The café in West Drayton has been bustling since 1pm on a Monday, with a steady flow of patrons getting hot meals, causing that continuous beeping noise to persist non-stop for the past half-hour.

There are 16 tables in the place, and right now, 11 of them are occupied, with a queue of people still waiting to order.

Before this week, I wasn’t even aware that discount retailer Home Bargains had cafés, and for good reason – they’ve only existed for a few months, and there are only a handful of them dotted around the UK.

While there could be over 600 Home Bargains stores across the country, just 34 include a café: 27 located in England, three in Scotland, two in Wales, and two in Northern Ireland.

On the internet, the cafes have garnered enthusiastic feedback, with patrons praising them as 'incredible' and 'a wonderful spot'.

On Facebook, Sam Stratford lauded them as a 'great choice for an affordable meal,' noting that he found the scones to be 'enormous.' Some people confessed they were 'addicted' to the cheese toasties, whereas reviewer Grumpy Northern Foodie gave his breakfast a perfect score of '10 out of 10'.

Laura Melissa was equally impressed, mentioning that the cheese toasties have a flavor 'very close to those from M&S'.

Following such remarks, I decided to make my way over to check out one for myself and determine whether the lesser-known cafes truly meet the buzz—spoiler alert: they did not disappoint.

Of course, it's quite loud here, but based on what Cristian Troanca, the cafe's team leader, told me, this is simply due to my visit coinciding with one of the busiest parts of the day. He mentioned that lunchtimes and weekends are particularly busy, and mornings can also get pretty hectic as folks drop in for breakfast.

What can you find on the menu at a Home Bargains café?

I'm instantly impressed by the extensive range of options, ranging from crumpets topped with Nutella or jam to pepperoni pizza paninis and hot dogs. Nevertheless, not every Home Bargains cafe menu measures up alike.

What's available on the menu changes based on where you are. Beyond London, the selections differ," Cristian explains. "You might find items such as beans on toast, cheese on toast, and soup elsewhere. London .’

Currently, the top picks on the menu in West Drayton include the £1.99 milkshakes and smoothies, along with the newly introduced southern fried chicken wrap priced at £2.75. However, unfortunately, I couldn't sample them since they had sold out, which might be evidence of their popularity amongst savvy locals.

However, Cristian mentions that all the cafes have faced inventory problems, but he remains optimistic these will be sorted out shortly.

I enquired about other popular orders, and he directed my attention to the breakfast rolls (either bacon or sausage for £1.99), the toasties, and an array of sweet options. The cakes seem to be quite a hit with customers; typically, you’d have four varieties to pick from, yet currently, only two choices remain – cherry and almond slices at 79p each, as well as lemon drizzle cake priced at £1.49 per slice.

Cristian mentions that they prepare a variety of pastries the evening prior. These items include chocolate twists, cinnamon swirls, doughnuts, cookies, and croissants, with most priced at 89 pence each.

I chose the four-cheese toastie (£2.75) along with one of the fruit scones (99p). To accompany these, I got a pot of tea, bringing my total to £4.75 – which I verified twice on the receipt.

Less than £5 for lunch in London???! Impossible to believe.

What's the actual flavor of the food like?

To be honest, I wasn't very hopeful when I noticed the toastie was from a packet. However, the sandwich placed before me appeared more tempting than those I've had at places like Costa or similar spots. Starbucks , where you'd end up paying over twice as much.

At the peak, there was an irresistibly golden sheet of melted cheese that made me salivate, yet unfortunately, the base of the toasted sandwich was somewhat damp, likely due to having been thawed overnight and then warmed up again. (Cristian mentioned all items stored in the refrigerators are initially frozen and get defrosted the preceding evening.)

When it comes to flavor, this is often called the 'definitive' cheese toastie, yet I think that claim might be overreaching. Still, it's certainly a good cheese toastie! While there isn’t an amazing stringy cheese effect, it surely satisfies your cravings, and all things considered, I found myself quite pleased with it considering how much it costs.

Regarding the scone, it seemed somewhat tough and dry at first glance, yet unexpectedly, the consistency was just right. Inside, it was pleasantly tender, while externally it gained a subtle crunch from being warmed up. Although it's rather petite, I didn't mind much considering the price of 99p.

I must caution those who are strict about their scones — here they serve them with cream and jam, but you won’t find any clotted cream. They arrive instead with *shudders* squirted cream. I was ready for it since I had seen an image online, but I'm certain this will set off quite a few folks.

It might not be conventional, but it’s still delicious. To be honest, I was really impressed by how much I liked it.

What's the optimal time to drop into a Home Bargains Café?

You can grab something to eat from the café throughout the store’s operational hours anytime you want.

We've already been told that mornings and early afternoons are the peak times, with stocks typically getting replenished around 1:30 pm following the post-lunch crowd — so if you're concerned they might run low on your favorite treat, this would be an ideal moment to stop by.

People who wish to savour a cup of tea along with a piece of cake in a more tranquil setting should consider coming during the final hour of each day since 'it gets quite peaceful from 4 pm to 5 pm,' according to Cristian.

Another great advantage of stopping by during this period is that every day at 3:30 pm, they cut the prices in half for all items in the pastry section—meaning you can grab a sweet delight for under 50 pence.

Since the bakery items only last for 24 hours and are prepared the evening prior, employees mark them down by half price (or even lower based on what’s remaining) to prevent unnecessary wastage.

'Cristian shares that some individuals visit every day during the same hours to make the most of the discounts,' he says.

W hat’s the vibe?

On a Monday at noon, the venue is brimming with senior couples sipping coffee and enjoying bacon rolls. Also present are mothers accompanied by little ones quaffing Fruit Shoots, along with groups of buddies catching up over cups of tea following their grocery shopping.

In one of the seats near the corner, a lady is dozing off, wrapped up in her fluffy jacket as if it were a cozy blanket. There's an empty plate resting on the table in front of her. It seems she's passing the time whilst waiting for her phone to get fully charged.

While I'm there, businessmen in suits show up, but they don't linger — picking up a drink and a toasted sandwich to go.

In a matter of hours, the café will brim with children and students, Cristian mentions, noting that young people enjoy swinging by after class for one of his shakes.

'We've got our regular visitors as well,' he mentions. 'There are folks who drop by the cafe daily simply to be here, and they always seem to order the exact same items each time.'

So, what brings these folks back repeatedly? It’s the breakfast sandwiches they’re after.

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Final verdict

When people mentioned that the Home Bargains Cafés offered great value, they weren't off base at all – you could treat a family of four to a meal for just over £10, which is quite rare nowadays.

Sure, it might be quite simple, but the flavor turns out to be surprisingly good for the price.

I wouldn’t make this my usual place for lunch, but if hunger struck and I happened to be nearby, I would certainly have dinner there once more.

As budgets become increasingly tight, it's wonderful to have choices like these where individuals can enjoy dining out without straining their finances and still exit feeling comfortably satiated.

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