In the futuristic age of online gaming, one business is bucking the trend with an underground lounge where good old-fashioned fun reigns supreme.
Reporter James Pallant checks out The Long Rest, where decent booze and old-school board games meant the two-hour wait for sandwiches didn’t matter.
Down one of the many cobblestone capillaries of Canterbury’s city centre sits a themed cafe bar where the alcohol in your cup depends on the tumble of your dice.
The Long Rest is a board game cafe. Guests are invited to choose a game from the library (or bring one from home), grab a table and settle in for a round or two, ordering drinks and snacks as they go.
Big fans of wholesome fun, my wife, sister and I arrived for our pre-booked three-hour slot with high hopes last Sunday afternoon.
Stepping inside the centuries-old building on Butchery Lane, we find a quiet, thoughtfully decorated space with tables, chairs and a display shelf of Warlord miniatures.
A knitted head mount of a dragon looks across the room at a traditional tapestry and decorative shields hanging on the wall opposite, and an ornate rug covers the hardwood floor.
There is nobody in sight, but a gentle rumble of laughter draws us down a spiral staircase to an underground lounge where we are welcomed and shown to a table.
The basement feels cosy. Thick black beams cross low-hung ceilings, and warm light illuminates a corner library of board games.
It’s an impressive collection – special editions of traditional classics, role-playing games, family favourites, and lots of games I’ve never heard of.
There are references to Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) – a fantasy role-playing game with a cult following – everywhere one looks.
Even The Long Rest’s name is a nod to the franchise.
A board near the bar explains the “Tavern Rules”.
“Dwarf tossing is not permitted,” it said.
“No regeneration spells allowed on food and drink. The barkeep has initiative.”
We pick out Dixit – a French board game similar to Pictionary – take our seats at one end of a long wooden table, and read through the drinks menu, where the fantasy references continue.
My competitors select a Cherry Wastelander – a moonshine cola beverage, and The Trickster – an aromatic G’n’T, but I’m intrigued by the Wild Magic Sorcerer.
“Chilli tea lemonade, lemon juice, and a small shot of Tabasco, then roll a d6 (six-sided die) to decide the alcohol!”
A friendly bartender takes our drink order, but informs us that we’ll have to wait a while to order food as the kitchen is very busy, so we get a slice of vegan chocolate cake to share in the meantime.
A few turns into our game, our cocktails arrived, and the gods of fate had served me well. My gin-spiked chilli tea lemonade was delicious, and so was the cake.
There’s a relaxed, familiar vibe at The Long Rest, and I get the feeling most of the other gamers are regulars.
Chatting with the staff, they confirm as much and tell me the cafe’s community game nights, and ‘Learn to play Dungeons and Dragons’ series have been a real hit.
In a world where more and more entertainment activities take place online, it’s refreshing and encouraging to see a business trading in analogue, face-to-face fun doing so well.
The food menu is homely – paninis, jacket potatoes, naan bread pizzas and a daily waffles special.
After my satisfying victory at Dixit, we switch to Marvel-themed Monopoly and order sandwiches, chips and mozzarella bites.
Unfortunately, it was only two hours later, just as our time slot was ending and we were ready to go home, that our food arrived.
To be fair, it’s not a restaurant.
First and foremost, it’s a place to hang out and play board games, and if the price one pays for the laidback atmosphere is slow service, then fair enough.
I regret not carving out a longer period of time to spend there.
Still, two hours to prepare a few sandwiches and chips seemed a stretch.
We packed up, got our food to-go and paid the bill.
Three cover charges, three cocktails, three sandwiches, sides and a bottle of beer came to £79.
For hours of entertainment, plus food and drinks, the price point seems about right – I imagine you’d spend about the same for that at either of the Curzon cinemas in town.
Re-heated at home, my £5.75 bacon, brie and cranberry toastie was tasty, nothing to write home about, but solid snack food to fuel a D&D campaign or Monopoly marathon.
The cocktails were £8 a piece, whereas a cake slice and grilled cheese sandwiches came in at £4.50 each.
A three-sides-for-£11 deal sorted us with two portions of chips and some mozzarella bites.
The cafe charges an initial cover of £6.50 per head for three hours, with the option to purchase additional hours thereafter for £2.50.
All in all, I’d gladly recommend The Long Rest for a weekend hang with friends, family outing or quirky date night. We certainly had a great time.
Although the service could have been better, I get the feeling the place is run by a small but passionate staff who are trying their best.
One note of caution for those with mobility challenges – it is not the most accessible building. Two slightly dodgy staircases separate the main seating area below ground and the toilets on the first floor.
Going against the grain of online socialising and digital entertainment, The Long Rest pays homage to good old-fashioned fun in a stylish and cosy setting.
Throughout the afternoon, the people all around us seemed to really be enjoying themselves.
Maybe it was the being underground, but I felt somehow that we were part of a niche, secret club – if that’s not a hidden gem, I don’t know what is.
