‘I dined at one of Northampton town centre’s newest foodie hotspots – here’s what I made of it’
I dined at one of Northampton town centre’s newest foodie hotspots, and here is what I made of it.
Mission Chicken was opened by brothers Matt and James Ingram at the former Buddies Diner site in Dychurch Lane at the end of May.
The pair, who also run highly rated venues The Smoke Pit and Hops and Chops, spent months transforming this iconic site at the heart of the town centre.
The vision was to create a unique chicken restaurant and takeaway among a competitive market, and I believe they have hit the nail on the head.
In my eyes, there is always room for new independent food and drink establishments in Northampton town centre and I was eager to try Mission Chicken after seeing its quirky interiors.
Though I must admit that a chicken restaurant would not be my first choice of venues to visit, there was something about the innovative flavour combinations and vast variety on their menu that I needed to try for myself.
Having grown up visiting the iconic former Buddies in Dychurch Lane, I also wanted to see what the owners had done with the place as the decor is certainly unique.
The final, and arguably biggest, selling point for me were videos of their ‘XXL Nashville Mozzarella Bricks’ on social media. You can see from the picture alongside this story that they do not play around.
Upon arrival at Mission Chicken, we were met with a smile and shown to our table. It was no surprise that there were very few empty seats and I was glad I had booked to avoid disappointment.
As a lover of boneless chicken, I ordered the ‘Buffalo Sauce, Blue Cheese, Ranch Mayo, Pickled Corn & Celery Tenders’ and as the side of mozzarella bricks comes in a pair, I shared this with my partner.
We were stunned when the food arrived at the table, as everything was well presented and the portion sizes were generous. There is no way I could have managed one of their ‘sandwiches’, which is boneless fried chicken thigh in a seeded bun and resembles a burger.
I thoroughly enjoyed what I ordered and stood by my initial first impression of the menu and high expectations of the innovative flavour combinations. It did not disappoint, and neither did the mozzarella bricks.
Though you might think £9.00 for a side is a steep price point, don’t knock them until you have tried them. I have since been back and opted for this as my main meal with a different side to accompany.
I would highly recommend a visit to Mission Chicken during your time in Northampton town centre. There are no other independent businesses that offer anything like this in the town, and it is great to support two brothers aiming to add greater variety to Northampton.
Long may Mission Chicken’s popularity continue as if custom stays anything like it was during the first few weeks when I visited, it is a very strong contender in the town’s hospitality scene.
This story is in no way affiliated with Mission Chicken, it is simply expressing an honest opinion and support for a new food and drink business.