Address: Moor Lane, Clitheroe, BB7 1BE.

Phone number: 01200 444174.

Lancashire Telegraph review by John Anson from May 15, 2010.

THERE are some establishments which are difficult to categorise.

There are just so many terms – bistro, gastro pub, pub-restaurant or wine bar.

But few throw in the added confusion of being an interiors store.

The Emporium has to be unique with its buy-as you-eat philosophy. Virtually everything apart from the pumps at the downstairs bar appear to have discreet price tags on them which adds to the experience.

The Emporium fulfills many criteria being somewhere you can order everything from a coffee to a full blown meal or simply a drink.

I enjoy using it as a break from wandering round the shops.

So it was mid Saturday afternoon that the better half and I found a sofa and perused the menu.

For somewhere so vast, the Emporium manages to retain an intimate feel.

It’s easy to hide yourself away but the good news is the staff seem to know where to find you. The service was first rate and very prompt.

We had one of the specialities of the house, a pate and cheese board to share which came with four different types of cheese, two pates and toast and fresh bread.

Add to that dishes of pickles and Branston and you have a genuine feast.

With coffees the total came to just £12.55 which represents great value for two.

And on the way out you can size up a chair or wall hanging.

Not a lot of places offer that!

Lancashire Telegraph review by Kimberley Hall from January 20, 2009.

Stepping into a different world, this brasserie, cafe bar and interiors shop is an experience like no other.

The Emporium is a popular, well-established eaterie, and it’s easy to see why after dining there.

Uniformity is left at the door with the mish-mash of furniture that covers three floors in a charming yet random arrangement.

I’m not sure if it’s quirky or uncomfortable to know that even the table and chairs that you eat your dinner from are for sale.

We sat on the top floor which has more of a restaurant feel than the other floors with their coffee shop style arrangement, although food can be ordered to any table.

The brasserie menu boasts an eclectic mix of modern cuisine, from bangers and mash to roasted pheasant.

We decided on garlic bread with mozzarella to start, followed by scallops for me and sun-dried tomato linguine for my friend.

The garlic bread was perfectly cooked, light and tasty with enough mozzarella to melt in your mouth, and left us wanting more.

It was early on a Monday evening and therefore very quiet.

There wasn’t long to wait before the main courses arrived.

My scallops were served on mashed butternut squash with pickled fennel on top and a balsamic reduction drizzled along either side with a touch of fresh pesto.

The flavours went together well and the scallops, which are often overcooked and rubbery in restaurants, were just right and had a smoky taste like they were fresh from the barbecue.

The linguine was fresh and light, if a little lacking in flavour.

We also ordered some buttered seasonal vegetables and Lyonnaise potatoes, both of which were tasty and the vegetables crunchy.

Along with a small glass of red wine and a pot of Darjeeling tea, the bill came to £29.20, which I thought was reasonable for the amount and quality of food.

Lancashire Telegraph review by John Anson from January 20, 2009.

UNIQUE is a much overused word, but in terms of a dining experience I think it's applicable to the Emporium.

For the uninitiated, this large converted church in the centre of Clitheroe offers everything from tea and cakes to full blown meals.

It is set on three floors amid surroundings that are part colonial club and part your Auntie Nelly's spare room.

Virtually everything you sit on and eat off is for sale and the style of décor includes ornate carved screens, stone pillars and battered leather armchairs and it all comes together to create a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

A large stack of newspapers and magazines is available for you to read and you could easily lose half a day watching the world go by.

The good news is that the standard of food matches the ambience.

The better half and I went for what I suspect is the Emporium's signature dish, the cheese and pate board to share.

Basically you get to choose from half a dozen cheeses and pates.

With the standard platter (£6.95) you get one cheese - blue stilton for us - and a pate (our choice was Ardennes) but we added another cheese, the Snowdonia truckle, for a further £2.50 and a selection of chutneys and pickles for a further £1.20.

A veggie brother-in-law went for tuna salad at £7.50.

Make sure you're hungry when ordering the platter because on top of your cheese and pate you get several rounds of toast, fresh bread, grapes and salad - marvellous.

The tuna salad was infused with chilli and was a major plateful.

That didn't stop us from indulging in sticky toffee pudding with ice cream and vanilla panacotta for afters.

With various drinks the total bill for a very full trio of diners came to £41.

The great thing about the Emporium is that you can have as little or as much as you want, but the standard remains the same.

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