You really can’t beat a good cheese toastie. It’s surely the ultimate quick kitchen feast. Snatched late in the evening after a long day out. Slipped onto a plate with a few pickles for what feels like an indulgent lunch.
A new business, popping up in Ipswich this Friday (July 23), is taking the humble snack to the next level.
Piper Lilley and wife Ruth of Stacked Out will be at Arcade Street Tavern, dishing up rounds to eagerly waiting hungry customers, who can enjoy their menu alongside the bar’s huge range of globally-sourced beers and spirits.
“I’ve been working in hospitality for eight years, mostly in Brighton, but I did move back to Suffolk in 2017,” says Piper. “I worked at the Arcade Street Tavern. Me and Ruth (who works the front of house) moved back here last year and were due to travel all summer...then Covid happened. When I popped back to see the owners at the bar they asked if I’d be interested in doing some street food pop-ups and I thought ‘why not?’”
Piper says during her career in cafes on the south coast she became known for her ‘epic brunches’ and ‘mega sarnies’. “And, to be quite honest, I could eat sandwiches for every meal. The pop-up couldn’t have been anything else!”
Bread for the menu, which has something for meat eaters and veggies alike, is sourced from On The Huh, an independent café on St Peter’s Street in the town. “We tried a lot and settled on the malthouse beer bread, which is perfect for the craft beer environment.” And cheese comes from known and trusted purveyor Will of Hamish Johnston in Melton.
“My favourite sarnie on the menu is for sure the Chicken and Leek Pie. I’m a big fan of super classic British food and this just encompasses those homely flavours between bread. It can’t go wrong in my opinion. It's got roast chicken, braised cabbage and leeks, smoked streaky bacon, wholegrain mustard and Parmesan.
“Over my career I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing chefs from all over the world, but most recently on a Mexican pop-up in Brighton. That inspired the ‘elotes’ on the menu. It’s really traditional – with corn, feta, sour cream, coriander and chilli. I just had to include it.”
Other bites to get your teeth into include:
Cheese and Beer – vintage Cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss cheese and Adnams Ghost Ship onions
Spicy Boy – kimchi, smoked Cheddar and avocado
Fun-Guy – roasted portobello mushroom, smoked Cheddar and seasonal pesto
Suffolk Philly Cheese – Braised shortrib, peppers, onion, Swiss cheese, mustard
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the support of the guys at the Arcade (Ross Keough and Ross Turner),” adds Piper. They have really helped me bring my own ideas and concept to life. We have three more dates planned over the summer, but that won’t be all!”
Follow Stacked Sarnies on social media. They will be at Arcade Street Tavern on July 23, August 20, September 3 and September 17.
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