And there was me thinking nothing good comes out of a Monday! Today local bistro Soupchick, popular in the Devizes’ Shambles opened their second branch, transforming the Hillworth Park café. I felt the need to poke my nose in, for the sake of a tea and toastie….
A slight cooling of temperature didn’t prevent a busy opening day for the team. Owner Marc told me how customers were lined up at the doors before they opened, and supposed the cooler climate wasn’t a bad thing, as they were still finding their feet!
Hillworth Park was much the same as usual, scenic yet functional, with a sprinkling of families passing through and children playing games. This is a welcomed addition, though, as Soupchick is renowned locally for quality homemade tasty tucker, though the customer base might change slightly. What then, is different from the Soupchick of the Shambles and the new café, and what’s the same? I hear you ask!
Easy. The ethos is the same, from the hospitable welcome to fresh quality produce and homemade food, with Anya’s exceptional attention to flavours that compliment each other; it’s all sooo scrumptious!
There’s two of their delicious soups of the day options, naturally, and there’s toasties of similar variety as before. But with a view to more family clientèle, there’s simplified versions of the toastie, such as plain cheese with ham, tomato or onion, as well as those favourites at the Shambles, such as The New Yorker with pastrami, Swiss cheese, red onion and American mustard, the tuna melt, or Smokey Spanish Chorizo.
While I’m personally partial to a New Yorker toastie, the greater welcomed element will surely be the essential ice cream from Marsh Farm, and a greater concentration on teas, coffees, smoothies, milkshakes and salads. From quiche to baguettes and falafel wraps, it’s a wider variety, but everything retains the fresh quality we’ve come to love Soupchick for.
They’re open for breakfast too, with granola bowls, fruit salads, porridge, toast and wraps, and everything on the menu all day is very reasonably priced; when considering how tasty it all is; you can’t go wrong with a toastie for six pounds, or sandwiches from £5.50.
It was a shame, for years past, the Hillworth Park café perhaps wasn’t reaching its full potential, and selling chocolate bars and drinks which could be found cheaper at the Hillworth Road store a short walk up the street. Soupchick has truly turned the facility around, it offers now something unique with a personal touch, and something, while Devizes residents have become accustomed to through their time spent at the Shambles, a wider appeal than before.
Though, I must stress, Anya, Marc and the team are determined to keep both cafés open, and The Shambles one will continue as before. You could, potentially, buy a takeaway soup at one and walk to the other for a refill!!
We wish them all the best with their new venture, and look forward to the possibility of perhaps having a few events there too some sunny day and meeting you there, of course!
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