Currently in pop-up form, Canteen is managed by Frome Food Network: it is a project set up by, and for, the Frome community to help local people access responsibly-sourced, wholesome food in a communal setting.
Canteen is inspired by projects and concepts such as The Long Table, The Big Lunch, the comforting but somewhat short-lived British Restaurants of the 1940s, and the National Food Service.
Photographer: Peter Halpin
Step 1: Buy a Canteen token at the till, or ask for ‘a token for Joe’ to get a free one
Step 2: Turn in your token at the hatch round the corner for a meal
Step 3: Join other guests at the table, and welcome others to sit with you
Step 4: Eat and enjoy (and don’t forget to come back for pud!)
Photographer: Peter Halpin
Do you serve vegan food? Options are available for vegetarians and vegans
Can I bring my dog? Unfortunately we can’t accept dogs, unless they are assistance dogs, into Trinity Hall
Do you take card payments? We take cash or card
How can I hear about future pop-ups? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or sign up to Frome Food Network’s newsletter
The cost of a meal at Canteen is up to how much you’d like to pay for it. Even if that’s nothing.
On the day, there will be an indication of how much a single meal at Canteen costs to make. Since Canteen is not-for-profit, it only seeks to cover that cost.
The food served at Canteen is hearty, nutritious, familiar, and – most importantly – delicious. Think pie and mash, ragu, curries, stews, and so on.
Canteen’s dishes are based around seasonal fruit and vegetables. Meat is from local, regenerative, and ethical sources.
At least for the time being, we aren’t serving drinks. But it is something we’re working on for the future.
©Celie Nigoumi
Due to the fact this is a public kitchen, we cannot guarantee any food to be free of nuts, gluten, etcetera. Please ask at the till about any dietary requirements to make sure it’s suitable for you. Or, if you need to know in advance, contact Hugh via hugh@fromefoodnetwork.co.uk
Children are welcome to come and eat too, provided they are accompanied and looked after by a responsible adult. If they want to eat among themselves, there is a designated children’s table in the dining hall.
Canteen is currently at proof-of-concept stage. We’d love to help set up a community restaurant in Frome permanently, but we need to fully understand what the community wants from it first – if indeed it wants it at all.
Canteen’s next pop-up is at Trinity Hall, Frome:
5pm-7pm, Tuesday 1st April 2025
No reservation needed – pop along any time from 5pm. Food is served up to 7pm, or until it runs out.
Trinity Hall (BA11 3DE) is an 11-minute walk from Frome town centre, or a 5-minute cycle. Entrance to the venue (step-free) and limited free parking is on the Goulds Ground side of Trinity Church.
Please keep dogs, other than those needed for assistance, at home.
Canteen is the product of a Frome Food Network 2024 and 2025 residency with Future Shed, which offers practical support to get green and healthy initiatives and enterprises off the ground through building networks, funding residencies, connecting people, and start-up coaching.
Future Shed is part of Edventure, an organisation supporting community entrepreneurship in Frome.
greenhealthyfrome.org/future-shed
Green & Healthy Frome is a unique partnership of Edventure Frome, Frome Medical Practice and Frome Town Council taking action on health and climate in our town. Funded by The National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund, we’re working together on this community-led initiative to ensure there are many ways to live greener and healthier lives in our town.
