ARC Culture Kitchen​ Stockton-on-Tees

Pay What You Decide café inside ARC Stockton turning surplus food into fresh, hearty meals with real social impact.

A Tees Explorer Feature by Tees Vision Media​​​​

Stockton's Pay What You Want Cafe. Captured by Tees Vision Media.

ARC Culture Kitchen ​​– Stockton’s Pay What You Decide Cafe

I’m a sucker for good value food, and recently I tried Culture Kitchen inside The ARC in Stockton. What caught me off guard? They take food that would otherwise get binned and turn it into fresh, proper meals every single day.

The menu shifts around based on what comes in so you never know exactly what you’ll get, but it’s always spot on. On my visit I had steak pie, chips, and peas. Hearty portion, tasted spot on, way better than you’d expect from rescued stuff. They always do veggie, vegan, and gluten-free too, plus fresh pastries or quiches depending on the day.

Pay what you decide​​​​​​

The real winner is the pricing: pay what you want. No fixed bill, no awkwardness – most people chuck in £3 to £8. It means anyone can grab a solid lunch without stressing the wallet, while cutting down waste.

More than just a  quick bite​​​​​​

Grab your meal in the bright, friendly space (volunteers and staff make it feel welcoming), then make a day of it at ARC – live shows, films, comedy, music – I’ve been for film club, gigs and especialy love the comedy nights like ”Beat The Gong”.

Where to Find ARC Culture Kitchen

Some more details on Culture Kitchen including google map location and more.

  • Address / location: ​​​

    Culture Kitchen at ARC Stockton Arts Centre
    Dovecot Street, Stockton-on-Tees,
    TS18 1LL

  • Opening Hours: ​​ Wed–Sat: 12:00pm–2:30pm
    (closed other days) – Open during stockton events

  • Food & Drinks: ​​Daily-changing menu from rescued surplus food – hearty mains, pastries, always veggie/vegan/gluten-free. Pay What You Decide.

  • Parking: ​​Public car parks available across from ARC and nearby in Stockton town centre.

  • Nearby: ​​Close to Stockton High Street, market area and waterfront spots.

Inside ARC Culture Kitchen cafe

Aerial drone photography of The Arc venue illuminated at night in Stockton-on-Tees

The Vision Behind Tees Explorer

I’m Jamie Kenley, founder of Tees Vision Media.

My journey began right here, documenting interesting places and cool things to do in Teesside. Today, I use that same passion to provide professional video production, photography & Social Media for businesses across the region.

Tees Explorer is my way of giving back, using my media production skills to highlight hidden gems like Retro No. 9 and helping more people discover what’s on our doorstep.

If you’d like to be featured, get in touch!