The Canal View Café is a place I have cycled past several times but never stopped for a bite.
@bingbabe brought it to my attention as it doesn’t exactly stand out unless you look for it.
A café directly on the canal side is unusual and not the kind of place I would think is good for business unless the weather is good.
Dog walkers, cyclists, and ramblers would be the target audience and that's if they even notice it.
We stopped and ordered letting the owner know that we would be back in around 10 minutes to eat.
He didn’t ask for payment up front, as people in this part of the world can be trusting. Maybe I looked that way to him?
We cycled up the canal for around another mile and returned just in time to be served.
The menu is not huge and so we didn’t take long to decide. I ordered Steak Pie, Chips and Veg at £5 and @bingbabe Chilli and Rice at £4.
There's a few places where you can go cycling while your food is being prepared. I do love something different.
The food was presented to us piping hot and I had to spill the contents all over my plate before I could tuck in.
The pastry tops tend to keep the heat in and then burn your mouth if you attempt to eat what’s underneath.
The Canal View Café is not exactly ‘Cordon Bleu’ but really, what do you expect for this price?
@bingbabe’s meal was gone before I knew it, but that is generally the case when rice is put in front of her. She was nodding in approval.
My food was good value and filled a hole, but I have tasted better Steak pie at other places. The chips were adequate but eatable.
We were not alone, and several other ‘diners’ were sitting at adjoining tables enjoying the sunshine, or in our case escaping it.
The inside of The Canal View Café is larger than is portrays with numerous rooms and even more rooms upstairs. It was at this point that I realised it did have a roadside entry point, but I had never even noticed.
The front entrance is dowdy looking and plain and likely the biggest reason I have overlooked it.
I had to cross a very busy road that was housing temporary traffic lights in order to take this photograph of what looks like someone’s house!
It’s little wonder that I have driven past it countless times without noticing.
I spoke to some locals sitting close to us about this café and they were all very positive about it.
The menu is very limited but I would visit the Canal View Café again probably ordering the ‘Teriyaki Chicken Thighs’ next visit.
Speaking of the menu, I noticed the Steak Pie now had a cross through it. It seems I got the last one.
Receipts don't come much plainer than this, but it did the job!
If I was to sum up The Canal View Café, I would describe it as ‘A good stop off point for Canal walkers/cyclists/hikers/ramblers for decent wholesome bargain food’.
The seating is plain, the décor unattractive yet is holds some charm. If you visit, then get on the Canalside and just walk into through the shutter to order your food!
Restaurant Information
Canal View Cafe
2-4 Hermitage St, Rishton, Blackburn BB1 4NL, UK
This post participated in the Tasteem contest Cheap and Fabulous? Totally possible!
