The newly-named Core Play Café is situated in the Core building, which houses Eden’s Invisible Worlds exhibition and gallery space. Its location puts it in close proximity to Eden’s spectacular natural play area, Nature’s Playground, making it an ideal pit-stop for fun-loving families.
The permanent restaurant aims to offer up a menu of sustainable and affordable food alongside interactive activities for everyone to get involved in.
Meal choices for the Core Play Café have been specially selected to be family-friendly and include options such as jacket potatoes, toasties, organic pasta and a fresh salad bar. Every child’s meal will also include a free piece of fruit.
Ingredients used in the dishes will be locally sourced and salad offerings will be made up of produce grown at Eden’s new state-of-the-art plant nursery complex, Growing Point, where the chef team have been lending a helping hand to plant future items that will be served to visitors.
Located in Eden's outer estate, crops grown at Growing Point can be harvested on the day they are needed and delivered in minutes to Eden’s food preparation areas, allowing the team to work in food metres rather than food miles.
When ordering their food at the new restaurant, families will be able to choose from a selection of board games, card sets and activity sheets to complete together.
Children will also be able to create some unique artwork by designing their own dream playground. Finished pieces will take their place on a specifically-selected wall, linking the restaurant to the Core building’s gallery space.
The Core Gallery is currently home to the Acts of Gathering. The exhibition brings together a number of artworks that celebrate and interrogate the nature of food culture in a rapidly changing world and is open until April 14.
Mike Greer, Eden’s Head Chef, said: “Our new restaurant in the Core building, alongside our other catering outlets across the site, will provide another space to demonstrate Eden’s commitment to providing delicious, local and affordable food for our visitors. With its location so close to Nature’s Playground, it is the perfect spot for people to stop and refresh when enjoying that area, whilst having some fun together at the same time.
“The chefs have had a fantastic time at our Growing Point nursery, working with Eden’s Horticulture team, in an effort to bring our visitors the freshest, most sustainable produce possible from within the Eden site.
“We’re excited for families to experience this revamped location as part of our food and drink offering at Eden, and look forward to welcoming our first visitors to the Core Play Café for February half term.”
Taking place from February 10-18, half term at Eden is set to be a jampacked week of explosive science experiments and weird and wonderful technology.
Throughout the week, kids under the age of 16 go free and the spectacular programme on offer includes activities with the UK’s favourite science show, Ministry of Science, and popular YouTube channel, Kids Invent Stuff.
It is also the last chance for visitors to enjoy their final glide of the season on the ice rink, with sessions available to book online.
For more information on February half term at Eden and to book tickets see www.edenproject.com.
