There isn’t a more reliable lunch spot for cheap, quick, and tasty food near your next lecture theatre than the Students’ Union. Corridor provides an array of affordable and inclusive options for any sustenance you need throughout the day, be it a quick chicken wrap, a £1 filter coffee to fuel the gruelling library session, or now, a filling, comforting breakfast. Welcome to Barm & Spud, the new spot for warm breakfasts and hot potatoes, keeping you going from eight a.m. to five p.m.
The mornings bring a full range of breakfasts, all of which are nutritious and generously portioned, with veggie or meat breakfast boxes or ‘barms’ (breakfast rolls) from just £2.75. I went to visit Barm & Spud at a reasonable ten a.m., on the way to labs, and was met with a friendly smile and chat. With the wide range of choice posing a difficult question for my pre-caffeinated brain, I settled for a vegan breakfast box; my effort to contribute to Veganuary, having been essentially a carnivore for the first 20 days.
Served in a handy takeaway box, a generous serving of mushrooms, two veggie sausages and a couple hash browns is placed on a bed of baked beans; frankly the perfect start to the morning. The veggie sausages are an enjoyable alternative, and the hash browns are delightfully crispy and warming, without being seeped in oil. The meat version is similar enough, replacing the veggie sausages with classic ones and a cheeky rasher of bacon.
If the concept of a whole box early in the morning is unappealing, you can grab a barm to go, with sausage, egg, and bacon loaded into a bread bun and drizzled with ketchup. Of course, there is a veggie and vegan option to enjoy as well. That way, if you need to run straight to a lecture, or just need a breakfast ready for when you feel hungry, you can pocket it until later.
Barm & Spud doesn’t close at 11 a.m. though, it simply transforms for the latter half of the day. In rolls an SU classic, the jacket potato. With a variety of toppings to choose from, the hearty baked potato is available from £1.50, with toppings such as cheese, beans, or even coronation chicken for £1-2.50 extra. This provides a fully inclusive and customisable lunch that can cater to everyone. Not to mention, it’s cheaper than a meal deal, which is a rare gem nowadays.
Nevertheless, for those of you who, like me, suffer from a food-based decision paralysis, there are four ready-made options, starting at £4 and covering a range of dietary requirements and taste buds. For the cheese-lovers, the Cheesy Bean Dream Spud tops a classic baked bean spud with three cheeses, while the Spicy Bean Chilli Spud provides a refreshing kick. Vegans can enjoy the Sun-Kissed Spud with roasted veg and guacamole, and the Spud of the Sea caters to the tuna-mayo obsessed.
So next time you wake up for your nine a.m. with no motivation to make or eat breakfast, and the Owen’s Park bus stop queue miraculously clears in time to get you on campus ten mins early, swing by Barm & Spud for a warm and filling breakfast for half the price and half the time. Alternatively, head over later in the day for a loaded jacket potato, to enjoy in-between lectures or during catch-ups with friends.
All profit from Barm & Spud goes directly into the SU.
