The Rivals Bar & Café

Rivals Café opens daily from 12pm.
On performance days, the Café is open until the performance begins. On non-performance days, it is open from 12pm – 5pm.

On matinee days, the Café reopens after the afternoon performance and remains open until the evening show.
Opening times may vary around performances and special events.

Rivals Café serves barista-made hot drinks alongside a selection of freshly prepared sandwiches, sweet and savoury treats and ice cream.

You’ll also find a range of drinks available from our bars, including beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks.

Make more of your time at the Royal Exchange with food and drink experiences created to compliment your visit.

From afternoon tea whilst exploring our Mythic Reinvention exhibition to a sharing board before a performance, pre-order ahead and turn your visit into a whole experience.

Discover our Food & Drink Experiences. 

Join us for a pre-show drink and pre-order your interval drinks before the performance begins to save time later. Rivals remains open after performances too, so you can stay a little longer and continue your evening with us.

On performance days, Rivals Bar can also be accessed via its separate entrance on St Ann’s Square.

Located next to the cloakroom, Bar Exchange offers a selection of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks before performances and during the interval.

Cold drinks can be taken into the theatre but must be transferred into one of our reusable cups. Please remember to return your cup after the performance.

For safety reasons, glassware, ceramic mugs and plates, hot food and hot drinks cannot be taken into the auditorium.