The Box announces the launch of The Little Box Cafe

The largest arts and heritage museum to open in the UK in 2020, The Box in Plymouth, is delighted to announce the launch of The Little Box,a stylish new steel and glass café just across from its main building on Tavistock Place offering a range of hot drinks and "grab and go" food for visitors with seating both inside and outside.

The Little Box serves sandwiches, cake, pastries, scooped ice cream, hot and cold drinks and a small range of alcohol. Freshly made milkshakes and bagels will follow later in the year. Like its big brother, The Box Kitchen & Bar, the menu showcases local food and drink suppliers and tasty produce from the South West.

The Little Box’s delicious selection of cakes come from the Exploding Bakery in Exeter with vegan offerings from Heyl Bakery based in Plymouth. Soft drinks come from Luscombe Drinks in Buckfastleigh, coffee comes from Voyager Coffee based in Exeter and milk and cream from Trewithen Dairy in Lostwithiel. 

The Little Box’s ice cream offering comes from local Devon ice cream makers Langage Farm – flavours available include Gin & Lemon, Blackberry & Apple Crumble, Bourbon Vanilla Pod and Chocolate Brownie. Visitors can enjoy an ice cream sitting outside on a deckchair this summer as they soak up the atmosphere in Tavistock Place – the new public square created by The Box which connects its main building and the beautifully restored St Luke’s church.

The Little Box is overseen by The Box Kitchen & Bar’s head chef Ben Mack who is also in charge of the seasonal menu at The Box Kitchen & Bar which changes monthly.

The Box Kitchen & Bar is a foodie destination in itself. Situated under the gigantic steel and glass cantilevered roof of Plymouth’s state-of-the-art award winning museum, the Kitchen & Bar is a stylish setting to enjoy breakfast, coffee and cake, freshly made lunch as well as evening cocktails and affordable fine dining. The Box Kitchen & Bar offers evening dining on Fridays and Saturdays, can cater for weddings and also runs a monthly foraged food supper club.    

The menus, devised by Mack who has previously worked at River Cottage, use fresh locally-sourced ingredients and change monthly – an example of some dishes from recent menus includes:

Breakfast

The Breakfast Flatbread: Spicy tomato salsa, cheddar cheese, fried egg, guacamole, sour cream, coriander

Pancakes: 3 American style pancakes, maple syrup with blueberries or smoked bacon

Lunch

Piquillo pepper & courgette Linguine: Ricotta sauce, fresh herbs

Lunchtime Flatbreads: Chicken shawarma, sriracha, yoghurt, pomegranate, coriander

Chargrilled squid: Red pepper dressing, dressed rocket

Fish ‘n’ chips: Battered MSC certified cod, hand cut chips, mushy peas, tartare sauce, lemon

Dinner

Miso & Mushroom Broth: Udon noodles, shiitake mushrooms, jack fruit, beansprouts, bamboo shoots, spring onion

Duo Of Pig & Crackling: Potato terrine, apple, ginger, crackling crumbs, jus

Crab & Salmon Fishcakes:, Thai scented bouillabaisse, spinach, poached egg

Cocktails

The King Louis: Tequila, Cointreau, Orange Syrup, Bitters

Made in Chelsi: Rum, Blue Curacao, Pineapple Juice, Coconut Milk

Ben Mack, Head Chef at The Box Kitchen & Bar and The Little Box said: “Plymouth is one of the most exciting destinations in the South West of England, and The Box is its star attraction. I’m thrilled to be at the helm of a restaurant that’s not only set in a stunning location, but where fresh, locally sourced produce is the focus, offering good quality, flavoursome but also affordable food. The Little Box extends our offer even further and I can’t wait to see people outside in the sun enjoying our food.”

With a passion rooted in local and foraged ingredients, Head Chef Ben Mack designs extraordinary menus that celebrate Plymouth and the South West for diners at The Box Kitchen & Bar.

Before working at The Box in Plymouth, Ben had worked from many prestigious venues, including Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar & Grill, River Cottage, And Michael Caines At The Royal Clarence. He has also assisted teams at The Gallery at The Westbury and The Grand Hotel in Torquay in gaining their first accolades.

Ben has been cooking up an array of mouthwatering, fresh, and Devon-sourced dishes at The Box. His skill for creating beautiful and delicious plates that don't compromise on flavour or staying true to sourcing within 20 miles, have made a huge impact, revitalising the food offering in Plymouth, ensuring that ingredients and flavours encapsulate his ethical and sustainable ethos.