COUNTER CULTURE

Becky Jones raises a toast - and cake - to five of our county village cafes

BRRR, it’s feeling chilly now, isn’t it? One thing that is sure to put a smile on your face on a wintry day is a trip to a lovely, cosy café for some delicious freshlymade food, a warming cuppa, and perhaps a catch-up with friends, too.

There are a great selection of cafés in the city and county, but for this particular feature, we have picked out some of the county’s hidden gems - Leicestershire village cafés you may have never heard of, but are well worth a visit...

The Yard Cafe, off Main Street, Cottesbach

You will really have to look hard to find The Yard - but it is well worth it.

The charming café is tucked away, along with a collection of other independent businesses, in the stable yard at Cottesbach Estate in this leafy village.

The old building has lots of character, and the slightly slanted floor adds to the rustic charm!

There is a wide choice of food, which is made using locally-sourced produce.

The impressive breakfast menu (served 9am to 3pm) includes The Full Yard breakfast, The Veggie Full Yard, the Mini Yard Brekkie and posh poached eggs.

There’s also eggy bread and roasted tomatoes, “eggs the way you like them”, breakfast sarnies, creamy porridge, fruit and toast.

Then there’s a lunch menu (served noon to 3pm) which includes Cottesbach quiche and salad, soup, sandwiches and salad plate.

Drinks include coffees, teas, milkshakes and hot chocolate.

I decided to try The Veggie Full Yard (£8.50) and it was delicious. It was an interesting combination of flavours and textures, with grilled halloumi, mushrooms, Cottesbach chard, crispy potatoes, a fried egg, homemade baked beans and a slice of hot buttered toast.

My cappuccino (£2.70) was also very good.

The Cook In The Nook, The Nook, Cosby

In the centre of Cosby, this is a gorgeous spot, with great variety of food made using local produce (including bacon and sausage from village butcher Russell Smith and free range eggs from Evergreen Farm in Kimcote).

The breakfast menu (served 8am to 11am Monday to Friday, 9am to noon Saturday and Sunday) features dishes such as The Full Cosby, under-12s breakfast, The Full No-Meat Nook, buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup or fruit compote, and toasted English muffin with toppings such as bacon, poached egg and crushed peas, or smoked salmon and poached eggs.

The lunch menu (served 11am to 2ish Monday to Friday) includes the likes of grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni cheese and homemade soup.

You’ll also find a selection of amazing-looking cakes on the counter!

I went for The Full Cosby (£9.50), which I was very impressed with. It was made up of grilled bacon and sausage “from next door” (Russell Smith), “chakalaka” (spicy vegetable relish), mushrooms, black pudding, homemade hash brown, beans, local free range eggs “as you like them” (I chose a poached egg and it was spot on) and toasted sourdough.

The cappuccino (£2.70 large/£2.40 regular) – made with coffee from St Martin’s Coffee Roasters – was also lovely.

Toast Office, High Street, Fleckney

In the centre of Fleckney, this is a great little café in the village’s former post office.

I’m a big fan of the name, which is a nod to the building’s previous use, and the interior of the café has a cool, modern style, with chunky wooden tables, exposed brick walls and a clock incorporating cups as each of the 12 hours.

Freshly prepared and made using locally sourced ingredients (including meat from Dave Williams and Joseph Morris Butchers), there is a good selection of food, which is served all day.

The menu includes muffins, sandwiches, ciabattas with popular breakfast fillings such as egg, sausage, bacon and avocado.

There are toasted sandwiches, ciabattas, served with vegetables, houmous and crisps, which are ideal for lunch. Fillings include three cheese blend, home-cooked ham and three cheese, chicken, bacon, Emmental and tomato, and tuna melt.

Among the other menu options are cheese on toast, toasted teacakes, scones and homemade cakes and tray bakes.

Drinks include a variety of coffees, teas, plus hot chocolate and milkshakes. I enjoyed a lovely cappuccino (£2.90 large, £2.40 small) and a bacon and egg sandwich (£4.80) on white bread.

You can have brown bread if you’d prefer, and you can have it toasted if you like. The bread tasted lovely and fresh, and the bacon was nice and crispy. I’ve got to admit, I prefer my egg runny in the middle, but this was still a very good sandwich.

It is worth noting there’s also free water provided for humans and dogs!

Cafe Dales, Leicester Road, Narborough

This cosy family-run village café opened in the summer, serving a range of food and drink in lovely surroundings.

There are well chosen design features, like the coffee sack cushions on the benches, and cute little plant pots on the tables.

You’ll find a good selection of cakes and cookies, plus breakfast baps, sandwiches, toasties, paninis and jacket potatoes, served all day.

I had a (generously-sized!) slice of delicious homemade chocolate cake (£2.50), plus a super cappuccino (£2.20), made with coffee from Clumsy Goat coffee roasters.

The Hare Pie Cafe, Eastgate, Hallaton

In the beautiful village of Hallaton, The Hare Pie Cafe can be found next door to The Bewicke Arms pub – which is owned by the same people.

There is no hare pie on the menu, but you will find a good range of homemade cakes and a comprehensive breakfast menu, which is served until noon (for lunch, we were advised to head over to the pub).

The café has a welcoming feel and looks good, with paintings (which are for sale) hung on the exposed brick walls.

There are about a dozen tables inside, plus a terraced area to the rear and some seating at the front.

There’s also a shop within the café, selling the likes of eggs, fruit juice and biscuits.

I enjoyed a slice of delicious homemade carrot cake (£3.20), plus a very good cappuccino (£2.35).

It’s a lovely area to enjoy a walk before or after your café trip. We paid a visit to the village pond where there were lots of friendly ducks!