Is the café at Ninewells Hospital as bad as the Tripadvisor reviews suggest?

Is the café at Ninewells Hospital as bad as the Tripadvisor reviews suggest?

Segafredo Caffe has a 1.4 star rating on Tripadvisor. Food writer Jacob Smith paid a visit.

Although I have not spent much time in hospitals, I have seen enough to understand what they all have in common. Concrete and glass facades, a maze-like network of pathways, and a café with a less-than-stellar reputation.

In this regard, Ninewells appears to tick every box, not least because the Segafredo Caffe, located immediately inside the hospital’s main door, has a pitiful 1.4-star rating on Tripadvisor.

The exterior of Ninewells Hospital.
Ninewells looks like your standard hospital. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

I’ve always considered it disheartening that the food served to both patients and visitors in hospitals is of poor quality.

To me, every flaccid toastie and underfilled baguette feels like a squandered opportunity to console someone going through a tough moment.

The 19 people who have submitted reviews for Segafredo Caffe online appear to share my frustration. Many people say that they had poor food, beverages, and service.

Segafredo Caffe in Ninewells Hospital.
The café gives customers the option to sit in. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

But, given that the majority of these assessments were released years ago, I decided it was about time we gave Segafredo Caffe another shot.

What is on offer at Segafredo Caffe?

When I visit Segafredo Caffe for lunch on a weekday, the first thing I notice is that there are numerous alternatives available to consumers.

The team has loaded several shelves with hot and cold ready-to-eat foods. They’ve also crammed an assortment of baked goods, including Fisher & Donaldson doughnuts, onto a counter beside the checkout.

A range of ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads on display at Segafredo Caffe.
Just some of the salads and sandwiches sold at the café. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

The café serves everything from a tub of lentil soup (£2.95 to take away, £3.95 to sit in) to a cheeseburger panini (£4.85). Whole pizzas, a vast selection of Rough & Fraser pies, and chicken burgers are also available.

For years, there has been substantial controversy about whether such harmful foods should ever be served in hospitals. So I’m delighted to discover that Segafredo Caffe offers a variety of healthy options.

These include a variety of salad tubs, servings of fruit, and an excellent selection of sandwiches.

An array of hot food items for sale in Segafredo Caffe.
The café also stocks many hot food items. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

Upon closer investigation, it becomes clear that very little, if any, of the food is prepared on-site. Instead, the most majority of these items were manufactured by F J Esposito LTD, a Dundee-based company.

After exploring the shelves, I choose the most soothing options I can think of: lentil soup and a tuna sandwich.

What is the food like at Segafredo Caffe in Ninewells?

I start with soup. My first impression is one of relief; the soup remains hot despite being displayed on the shelves in individually portioned tubs. After a few mouthfuls, my relief transforms into ecstasy.

The soup is well-seasoned and has the distinct, homely flavour of lentils and other vegetables, particularly carrots.

A tub of lentil soup.
The lentil soup was surprisingly nice. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

The vegetables were too soft after being exposed to high temperatures for several hours.

However, this is the only fault I have of this very delicious, well-made, and comforting dinner. when with my soup, the tuna melt is still warm, and the roll crackles when I bite into it.

The tuna filling is a little scarcer than I would like, but the fish I do find has an excellent flavour, which is complemented by a generous slathering of mayonnaise.

While this sandwich may not blow your mind, it will satisfy busy and stressed hospital visitors.

The tuna melt, sitting on a table.
Whoever had made the tuna melt slightly underfilled it. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

To cap it all off, I have a flat white. At £3.45, I’m expecting something more strong than the weak coffee I got. However, this is a minor complaint.

Otherwise, my supper at Caffe Segafredo was more than satisfactory. A pleasant surprise. After reading all of the negative reviews online, I was expecting the worst when I arrived at Segafredo Caffe.

However, I was pleasantly delighted when I left Ninewells Hospital. Not only does Segafredo Caffe have a considerably wider selection than I imagined, but the things it sells are of good quality.

A number of pies on display in the cafe.
The team sell a large variety of pies. Image: Jacob Smith/DC Thomson

While the café may not provide high-quality food, it does provide solid, comforting meals to folks who are at their lowest point.

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