Levens Kitchen, the stylish food venue of heritage visitor attraction, Levens Hall and Gardens, has re-opened its takeaway food facility, to warm the soul during the third lockdown, whilst also bringing local people a brand-new picnic option.
What Levens Kitchen describes as its ‘heritage takeaways’ were hugely popular during the Covid-19 tier system and are now on offer again, following a scheduled winter closure, which was extended by a month.
The first-class takeaway food available has already proved hugely popular with locals taking their daily exercise around Levens Park and with local families wishing to make a mealtime easier. The takeaways range from soup, bacon, sausage rolls and cakes, to chilli, Moroccan tagine, pizzas and fries.
Firm favourites also come in the form of hand-raised pies, filled with venison and onion, chicken and ham, or cheese and potato. Meanwhile, freshly baked bread is something local families much appreciate having available for easy pick-up.
The popularity of Levens Hall’s takeaway option during the pandemic has now led to the creation of picnics, to either enjoy whilst on the permitted daily exercise walk, or back at home. These are available on a pre-order basis the day before and can add some variety to any walk, particularly if that includes taking in the Levens Park landscape and wildlife, right on the doorstep of the takeaway facility.
The new picnic takeaway option includes a choice of sandwich, salad, Greek yoghurt with berries and granola, fruit, a chocolate brownie and tea, coffee or soft drink. A children’s version of sandwich, apple, brownie and juice, is also available. Picnics can be collected between 11am and 2pm daily and can be pre-ordered at www.levenshall.co.uk
Other takeaways can be ordered, on the day, at the takeaway counter, as long as payment is by card only and if the customer follows all Covid-19 instructions and track and trace requirements.
Levens Hall owner Richard Bagot says: “We found that our local customers, who would normally come and enjoy a meal in Levens Kitchen, really relish being able to enjoy our heritage takeaways at home, even if they miss out on our unique venue’s ambience. We have also introduced an extra-special Mother’s Day Takeaway Afternoon Tea, which is something to which sons and daughters will want to treat their parents, even though families often cannot get together on this traditional day. We’ve also put our picnics and regular afternoon teas back on the menu as takeaway options too.
“We were determined to get the takeaway option back up and running, just as soon as we felt it appropriate to do so, to provide our local customers with the opportunity to enjoy delicious, well-cooked and easy to plate-up food, which they do not need to cook or prepare at home.
“When the meals they choose are those that have a link to heritage – as a raised pie or a venison dish could be said to do – or include our world-famous Moroccan Ale, brewed to a secret recipe created centuries ago, heritage seems to add another dimension to comfort food. Home diners appear to be finding solace not just in warming flavours and textures but in tradition and history too.”
With the picnic option now available, to enhance the prospect of a walk in the park, Levens Hall’s takeaway business should boom. When Levens Hall’s gardens reopen, the Levens Kitchen picnics will also be able to be enjoyed in the stunning 10-acre gardens
