Food with Purpose — Delicious, Inventive & Planet-Friendly
Discover the ESI Café at the top of Penryn Campus within the Environment and Sustainability Institute.
Our menu changes daily, featuring fresh, seasonal dishes that creatively upcycle surplus ingredients to minimise waste and maximise flavour. Think surplus tomato salads transformed into quiches, or hearty terrines reinvented as golden sausage rolls.
Open to everyone, the ESI Café is a welcoming space for a light breakfast and lunch, great coffee, informal meetings, and hosting visitors.
Opening Hours
Monday – Friday
- 09:00–10:30 Light Breakfast
- 10:30–12:00 Coffee & Cake
- 12:00–14:00 Lunch
- 14:00–15:00 Coffee & Cake
Menu Highlights
Light Breakfast
Start your morning sustainably:
- Love-Struck smoothie – £4.20
- Seasonal breakfast bowl with plant-based coconut yogurt or Greek-style yogurt with compote & toppings – £3
- Mini Danish pastries (two) – £1.50
- Winter porridge (Oct–Feb) – £3
- Friday Special: Breakfast panini with mixed mushrooms, spiced beans or veggie sausage – £4
Lunch
Fresh, seasonal mains and sides:
- £5: Main + one salad
- £6: Main + two salads
- £7: Main + three salads
Also available:
- Seasonal soup with bread roll – £2.50
- Freshly prepared baguettes – £3.50–£4.50
- Paninis – £4.95
Hot Drinks with a Conscience
Every drink supports sustainability:
- Cornish Coffee – responsibly sourced, single-origin beans
- Default Oat Milk to lower dairy emissions (dairy, soy & almond available on request)
- Tregothnan Teas – locally grown to cut transport miles (£2.30)
Special Offers
- Afternoon Deal: 2–3 pm, Mon–Fri – hot drink + tray bake cake for £5
- Bring Your Own Cup: Save 20p on any hot drink
- Hot Drink Loyalty Card- collect stamps at any campus outlet – get a free regular hot drink or iced coffee after 10 purchases (T&Cs apply)
