Refugee Café is closing - but our vision lives on.
Since 2019, Refugee Café has brought refugees, people seeking asylum and the Lewisham community together through food. What began as a group of local volunteers grew into years of market stalls, supper clubs, workshops, training programmes and shared meals that celebrated sanctuary and built real pathways to confidence, skills and employment.
After careful reflection and planning, we have made the difficult decision to close Refugee Café as an operating organisation by the end of 2025. This isn’t the end; it’s a commitment to ensuring our mission carries on where it can have the greatest impact. We have responsibly divested our remaining funds to two brilliant organisations already embedded in the local community and aligned with our values.
Our primary partner, Gma’s Kitchen, supports refugees and people seeking asylum in Lambeth and Lewisham through community dinners, vocational training and employment opportunities. Our support will help them expand regular shared meals and a structured skills-building programme, opening more routes into work for refugees and asylum seekers in south London.
We are also proud to support Plateful Café, a Lewisham charity founded by Refugee Café’s own Iolanda Chicoro. Plateful offers kitchen training, accredited qualifications, ESOL support and paid work. Our funding will enable them to hire their first Kitchen Manager - a vital step in growing their programme and helping more refugees move into sustainable employment.
At Refugee Café, food has always meant more than sustenance. It has created connection, hope and belonging. As we close, we do so with deep gratitude for everyone who cooked, volunteered, donated, partnered, learned, taught and shared a meal with us.
Thank you for being part of our table.
Who we are
Learn about Refugee Cafe's history and meet the team
Refugee Cafe will:
- Create living wage employment for a team of refugee chefs
- Provide food-and-work skills training to support refugees into Hospitality jobs
- Boost the economy by investing 100% of profits into our charity mission
- Celebrate food cultures in Lewisham with a healthy exciting menu
- Rejuvenate our borough by hosting community events, workshops and feasts
Celebrate the culinary
cultures of Lewisham
All our delicious products are made using traditional recipes by people who have asylum here. You can find our products in local shops, meet us at our markets or 'click and collect' from our online shop...
Why is this project needed?
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Unemployment rate for refugees is four times higher than the national average
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Employment is the first priority for integration
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Lewisham is offering a home to 100 families who have gained Asylum by 2022
Refugee Cafe Blog
With thanks to our supporters:
