New coffee spot from Free State Kitchen opens in Liverpool

Liverpool’s coffee scene is about to get even more exciting with the launch of Small Town Boy, a brand-new coffee and food venture from the team behind the much-loved Free State Kitchen.

Opening its doors tomorrow, October 8, Small Town Boy promises to bring high-quality coffee and homemade food to the heart of the city.

Set inside an old Victorian coach house at the bottom of Maryland Street, Small Town Boy is perfectly placed to cater to the areas university and office crowds.

The name itself, a nod to Bronski Beat’s iconic song, reflects the café’s down-to-earth, accessible vibe.

At Small Town Boy, coffee takes centre stage. The focus is on serving high-quality brews, with an ever-changing selection of coffee roasters. To kick things off, they’ve partnered with All Caps, a small independent roastery based in Chester, but expect more coffee collaborations as they rotate their roasters to keep things fresh.

But it’s not just about the coffee. They will offer a mouth-watering menu of homemade sandwiches, cakes, bakes, soups, granolas, and sandwiches.

Like at Free State Kitchen, the menu will change seasonally, ensuring there’s always something new to try.

Small Town Boy is opening with a soft launch, with the takeaway service up and running while the upstairs seating area gets its finishing touches. Once completed, the upstairs will offer seating for around 20 people, creating a cosy space for customers to enjoy their food and coffee in-house.

Kate Hughes, Co-Founder of Free State Kitchen said:

“With Free State being as much about the location as it is the food offering, we wanted to create something that can offer something else to the community around.

“A non-pretentious coffee concept that can capture the local offices, students, and those who don’t always have time to sit in and have a big burger. That’s when we came up with Small Town Boy.”

For now, visitors can expect takeaway service from 8am – 4pm on weekdays and 9am – 4pm on weekends, with a weekends focussing on pastries from the likes of The Butterholic.

The seating area will be unveiled in the next few weeks, but customers can already look forward to grabbing their morning coffee and a quick lunch on the go.

Kate added:

“All the sandwiches will be made in house at Free State Kitchen and brought down the road, so you will still get the same quality food experience that is very important to us, as well as coffee from these amazing roasters.”

Small Town Boy is the younger brother to Free State Kitchen, offering a more intimate, casual experience while maintaining the same dedication to quality food, drink, and hospitality.

The aim is to create a friendly, unpretentious space where locals can grab their daily coffee or enjoy a relaxed meal in a space that feels like a hidden gem in the city.