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Cafe discovers secret menu hidden in the wall from 1913 during refurb
A cafe in Liverpool, United Kingdom has unearthed a rare treasure while undergoing renovation works: a menu dating back more than 100 years that was discovered hidden in the wall.
The menu itself dates to Wednesday 15 January 1913 and pertains to the old Yamen Cafe in Bold Street, Liverpool. Staff at the same site’s current iteration, LEAF, said that the discovery had “blown their minds”.
On offer at the time were an appealing-sounding selection of “refreshments, luncheons and afternoon teas”, the menu states. These included cod, boiled fowl, ox tail and lobster patties.
LEAF, which stands on the same site, is now planning to recreate some of the cafe’s dishes as a tribute to the discovery of the menu.
Natalie Haywood of LEAF said:
“When I saw it I was staggered, it’s like a time capsule hidden in the walls.
“To see what they were doing then, how forward-thinking and creative as a restaurant, is so inspiring.
“We have always known this is a historic building but having the menu in our hands has made it all feel real, something dating back to before the First World War.”
A food historian told the BBC that the menu indicated an affluent clientele with prices far out of reach for the average working class Liverpudlian of the times.
We previously reported that a man had found a 20-year-old bottle of Scotch while renovating his home. You can read all about that here.