Bailgate Deli — Restaurant in Lincoln

Visiting Lincoln with my partner and some family. Stopped for a well-needed lunch before heading into the castle. Walked in, the staff said „hello“ pretty much immediately, we sat down and perused the menu, had a bit of a chat, we asked the staff some questions about the soup of the day and some other menu bits, then they took our order.

We ordered some rosemary fries and some ciabatta, and my partner got an iced coffee whilst I grabbed a can of soft drink from the fridge.

I will say, I had no idea this was a vegan deli. I usually tend to avoid vegan restaurants as I am slightly apprehensive of the food and flavourings, sometimes it can be hit or miss. But I say with confidence, the food HIT. Big time.

The rosemary fries were cooked beautifully, dressed gorgeously, and tasted phenomenal. It felt fresh, and was properly hearty without feeling fatty or heavy. The dressing was delicious, the flavour was top-notch and really solidly rosemary, but in a much more aromatic and comforting way than I think I’m used to. I hope they keep it on the menu, it is so worth a try.

The Ciabatta was just as good. Topped with some obviously fresh and tasty tomatoes, and the dressings were really lovely. The bread was clearly recently made, and the whole dish was demolished by my partner and I. Zero complaints.

The iced coffee was amazing, tasted delicious, not burnt, and they added a little hazelnut syrup on request. One thing I really didn’t expect though, was that they also offered cow‘s milk alongside the vegan options. Which I think is really cool. Some places I’ve been to before have flat out refused to do so - as is well within their rights, no complaints whatsoever with those places - but sometimes a coffee just hits properly with a bit of cow‘s milk. And it really did. So major kudos to them, as a vegan restaurant/deli, for giving the customers that option.

The vibe of the shop was awesome, I loved it. Quaint, rustic, and pretty put-together. Staff knew what they were doing, and we didn’t mind at all waiting a couple of minutes to be served.

Overall, if you‘re in the area, you really can‘t go wrong. Not for these prices, and especially not with the quality...

Very bad experience at this café. Don't risk going if you're vegan or have a dairy allergy!

I asked if they had oat milk and the owner assured me they did so I ordered an oat milk latte, and went to sit outside. 20 minutes later I asked the owner when he came out to clear a table if my oat milk latte was coming and he went in and brought it out, having obviously forgotten. I thought it tasted strange, but assumed it was just a different oat milk brand to the one I was used to. After drinking it I went in and asked to pay, reminding him I'd had an oat milk latte. After paying for it, I was just about to leave when the owner said, "it wasn't oat milk!". I asked him if he was joking. He said "I wouldn't joke about something like that!". I was horrified, since I hadn't had dairy for decades. For me it was an ethical issue. For someone with a dairy allergy, it could have meant a severe reaction, or worse. The owner made no attempt to apologise or even refund me and I was so shocked I didn't know what else to do other than leave. This happened last year, but I was moved to write a review today, having heard in the news about the woman in Wiltshire who tragically died having eaten a supposedly vegan wrap, which in fact contained...

Looking for a healthy option for our lunch I opted for this little cafe off the Main Street, delighted to see tables outside on a hot day so we could make the most of the sunshine. When we sat down next to a couple who instantly exclaimed they had just had the best salad ever, so excited by their enthusiasm we ordered a mixed salad and focaccia breads topped with hummus and romesco sauce. I also ordered the freshly made fruit smoothie. Food arrived and was absolutely gorgeous, we ended up fighting over the food and in hindsight should have ordered a dish each as it was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend this place food is vegan but don’t be put off as you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Everything was homemade including the hummus and the salads were amazing and full of flavour and interest. Just wish I...