Joseph Benjamin
Price guide: Mid-range
140 Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 2HT
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#4 of 19
expert-rated restaurants in Chester- Recommended for:
- Business travellers, Foodies, Special occasions, Trendiness
Expert review of Joseph Benjamin
With a focus on home-cooked food and personal service, this is a Chester favourite.
Brothers Joe and Ben (Joe in the kitchen and Ben front of house) offer the warmest of welcomes at their restaurant baby – and their love of hosting and offering up delicious food is keenly felt. This is how family restaurants – in fact most restaurants – should be run.
If you can’t get a table for dinner – and it’s tricky, this place is both popular and small – get a taster during the day when it’s cafe-style, or take your pick from a wide selection of goodies at the deli.
Food and drink:
Hearty, local and done to perfection – the boys and their team know their foodstuffs. And locals, and local celebrities, know it. The menu is short but very sweet, with a varied offering (usually two meat dishes, one fish and one vegetarian), plus a selection of "JB staples" - like chicken and chips or Caesar salad. They may not do a lot, but what they do, they do well. Expect to salivate over the thought of a slow roast blade of beef, or scallops, or a goats cheese tart, or lemon sole...I could go on.
Ambience:
Pleasantly minimal decor is lit by candles at night and surrounded by an agreeably calm and contented clientele.
Service:
Top notch. From the welcome to the coffee, nothing is too much trouble.
Location:
Tucked just inside the City Walls at the “top end” of town on Northgate Street – it’s an easy walk to anywhere else in the centre (if you should so desire to be anywhere else).
Price advice:
This isn’t the cheapest joint in town, but you won’t find me complaining about value for money as the quality of food – and the produce used – justifies the price tag. Expect, on average, to fork out £15 for a main course and £6 for a starter. The warm freshly-baked bread (with varieties like walnut and raisin), if you don't want to fill up with a starter, is a snip at £2.50.
More information on Joseph Benjamin:
- Price guide:
- Type:
- Deli, Restaurant
- Food:
- British, Traditional
- Address:
- 140 Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 2HT
- Telephone:
- 01244 344295
- Website:
- http://www.josephbenjamin.co.uk
- Serves:
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Opening times:
- Mon closed, Tues & Wed 9am-5pm, Thurs-Sat 9am-midnight (last bookings 9pm, last food orders 9.30pm), Sun 10am-5pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Reservations:
- Essential at peak times
Community comments (2)
A restaurant with the premise of 'keep it simple' and resultantly offering good value service and well-cooked food. If you don't like your dining pretentious, then this is the place to try. It's a bit like a bistro restaurant, with a cosy feel (it has seating for up to 36 people).
Joseph Benjamin is my favourite restaurant in Chester!