By
BaxterStorey
Posted 5 days ago
Wed 11 Jun, 2025 12:06 AM
We're proud to be taking home the prestigious Café Concept Award at this year's U Dine Awards – a recognition that celebrates great coffee and design, but also innovation, sustainability and student experience at its best.
It is an honour to receive this award as we want to make our cafés more than just a place to grab a coffee (although our coffee is barista-standard), we want them to be creative, welcoming and thoughtful spaces for our students and staff to study, collaborate and simply unwind.
The wider BaxterStorey and UAL Catering Team around a table holding their U Dine award.
So what makes Chelsea Café special?
1. The history and design
Chelsea Café actually used to be a historic reptile house of the former Royal Army Medical College, and now it's design combines the past and present thanks to one of our graduates, Luca Beckerson, who designed the space.
When you visit, try and spot how the design has been inspired by Chelsea College of Arts ceramic studios, from the industrial shelving to the glazed ceramic surfaces.
A corner of Chelsea Café showing a table, chairs, plant and side counter.
2. It's sustainable
As soon as you step inside the café, there's so many upcycled elements that give the space a unique character. The main coffee counter? It's made from a reclaimed 1970s teak bar, salvaged from a former members' club in Soho. The poseur table? It was once a travertine-topped salad bar table, and the food container slots have even been converted into indoor planters.
3. The coffee (of course)
Not just at Chelsea Café, but all of our cafés serve up outstanding coffee, made by fully trained baristas using ethically sourced beans from our incredible award-winning supplier Extract Coffee Roasters.
Enjoy a quality brew with one of our fresh sandwiches, pastries or snacks, there's options for everyone.
A close-up of a barista's hand holding a milk jug, steaming milk using a UAL coffee machine.
4. It's built for community
The café reflects our diverse and creative students and staff, regularly hosting exhibitions that feature alumni and guest artists to create an opportunity for emerging artists to get their work out there. So even your coffee break can double as an art fix.
Whether you're looking for a quiet space to study and reflect, want to collaborate with others or need a new catch-up spot, Chelsea Café has got you covered.
We're incredibly happy that Chelsea Café has been recognised on a national stage, but the best part? Seeing you use and love the space every day.
The café is open over summer, so drop by, grab a coffee and experience the space for yourself.
Contact:
Follow us @ualcatering for more updates.
