Truly Scrumptious - Madame Fromage, Cardiff

Having lived in Cardiff for 4 years and wandered through its arcades and market as a child, I have fond memories of the place.  And as a cheese lover I wish this place had existed when I was there.

And given my Welsh heritage on my dad's side and my mum's Breton ancestry, I wouldn't have thought it possible to find somewhere that embraced them both.  However, Madame Fromage in Castle Arcade, Cardiff, does just that!

With a daily portfolio of 150 French, Welsh and English cheeses you'll be spoilt for choice.  And their deli is also crammed full of jams, chutneys, oils, olives and sweet treats.

If you fancy a spot of lunch they have French gallettes, tartlettes and quiches or Welsh cawl and rarebit.  But even if you're only after a quiet coffee  you can experience the atmosphere of typical French cafe culture all year round in the beautiful Victorian architecture of Castle Arcade.

All images (c) Madame Fromage

Truly Scrumptious - Deli Rocks, Bournemouth, Dorset

Southbourne is developing a café society with new coffee outlets appearing almost monthly.  

Deli Rocks offers a touch of Italy in an English suburb.  Owned and run by Giovanni Dora, an Anglo-Italian from Parma, Deli Rocks is a combination of café and delicatessen with a lively atmosphere and interesting décor.

Deli Rocks offers a range of coffees as well as light lunches, which include pizzas, pasta, platters of cold meats or cheeses and foccacia – all served by a friendly staff.

The ‘deli’ section has a good range of products by well-known Italian manufacturers and at Christmas there are many gift wrapped food items.  The porcini paté is exceptional.  

All images (c) Deli Rocks

The ‘Rocks’ in the name seems to relate to the music which, while not being intrusive, adds to the character of the place.

Days Out - Priory Park, Reigate

Spent a great afternoon in Priory Park, Reigate last weekend. As well as the Priory after which the park is named, there's a lot going on. 

There is a fantastic wooden play area that will spark the imagination of would-be pirates.

A skate park and tennis courts for the more adventurous and fit or croquet lawn for the genteel.

You can wander round the formal gardens in the Priory grounds, stroll round the pond or meander through the woodland area.

And possibly something you wouldn't expect to see. The newly built Pavilion which appears to hover above the grass.  Inside the floor to ceiling windows there's a cafe and in good weather you can sit outside and enjoy the view.

Truly Scrumptious - Betty's Tea Rooms, Harrogate

Betty’s tearoom in Harrogate (with 5 others around Yorkshire) is well worth queuing for, if you have too. This graceful, but never pompous, tearoom is not even British in origin but was set up in 1919 by a young Swiss orphan.

Betty’s cooks everything in its own kitchens and stays loyal to the county of Yorkshire, refusing to allow its products over the border to towns elsewhere.

In the tea-room, smart-suited men show people to tables and traditionally-attired waitresses scurry here and there bearing vanilla slices, fruit cakes, caramel chocolate hearts and “plump and fruity Fat Rascals, with bright cherry eyes and cheeky almond grins” on silver-plated three tier cake stands.

And of course as a Swiss chocolatier, chocolates had  to feature heavily too.  So you stretch the experience by taking away a few little treats for later.

All images (c) Betty's of Harrogate

Truly Scrumptious - Hive Beach Cafe, Burton Bradstock

 

We discovered 'Broadchurch' long before ITV and even more special the Hive Beach Cafe at Burton Bradstock.

Owner Steve Attrill took it on nearly 20 years ago and started with little more than a shed on the beach. It has become an award winning cafe that employs over 50 people during the summer but remains true to his original vision.

He wanted a successful local business where anyone could come and relax and enjoy great food in a wonderful location.

As a parent himself, he wanted it to be family orientated and made sure that children and families were always made welcome.  And as a mother of three young children he has achieved his goal.

And you don't need to feel guilty as you can take a long walk along the beach afterwards!

 

 

On your bike - Bournemouth Promenade

© imagelibrary.bournemouth.co.uk

If, like me, you like cycling, but don't like to exert too much energy, being able to find somewhere that doesn't involve hills has got to be a good thing.

© www.arlingtonbournemouth.co.uk

So the cycle from Sandbanks to Boscombe along Bournemouth's sea-front is ideal.

© www.mls-college.co.uk

As long as you don't cycle during the day in July and August, you are free to ride along the prom at any time, being mindful of pedestrians, of course.

© imagelibrary.bournemouth.co.uk

You can take it at whatever pace suits you, stopping along the way to take in the views, cool down with an icecream or pause a little longer at one of the various eateries along the way.

© imagelibrary.bournemouth.co.uk

Do let us know if you have a favourite cycle route we can share.  Can't guarantee I'll be trying the hilly ones!  Wonder why I went on a cycling holiday in Norfolk!

Truly Scrumptious - Urban Reef, Bournemouth

The UrbanReef caters for all tastes!  Sorry, couldn’t resist, but it is a bar, café, deli and restaurant after all.  But I love it because it's a great place to relax and watch the rest of the family as they surf or train to be lifeguards.

You can find it at the Overstrand on Boscombe prom and sit out on the sun deck where you can soak up the panoramic views over the stunning Bournemouth Bay and to the Purbecks and beyond.

With the summer refusing to play ball, they’ve been keeping everyone cosy with their open log burning fire.

This photo of Urban Reef is courtesy of TripAdvisor

To check out their menus, take a look at their website.

Truly Scrumptious - Verdi's, Mumbles, Gower

Working today, so I'm not venturing out for coffee.  But that doesn't stop me daydreaming about where I'd like to be sitting.

With panoramic views over Swansea Bay and over 30 flavours of ice-cream, Verdi's is a must for coffee lovers too.  

This family run café/restaurant has prime position on the seafront in the quaint Victorian fishing village of Mumbles.   It's the perfect spot for sitting down with the newspapers at the weekend and indulging in a fancy cake with coffee or treating yourself to one of their amazing ice-creams which regularly feature in top 10 lists.  

In the winter you can shelter from the wind but still enjoy the dramatic weather from behind the glass and when the weather finally warms up there is plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the scenery and watch everyone else jog or cycle past.