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.

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!

 

 

Truly Scrumptious - Byfords, Holt, Norfolk

A few years ago we were invited to our friends' wedding near Holt and took advantage of it by having a week's holiday there.  We were even luckier to have happened upon a fantastic cottage in the centre of the village (you can see it at the far right of the picture above) because it was literally a stone's throw from Byfords, an amazing deli, coffee shop, restaurant and boutique B&B.  The owners sum it up perfectly when they describe it as a higgedly-piggedly world of pleasure.  It really is.

We felt almost duty bound to make the arduous trip across the road every morning for fresh coffee and croissants, followed by a quick return to stock up on supplies for a hearty picnic.  We had brought our bikes with us (it being pretty flat terrain) but would still be in need of sustenance on our adventures.  They stocked everything and more that you could wish for in a deli, so accurately described as a culinary Aladdin's cave.  Speciality breads, locally sourced; jams, chutneys, olives and cheeses.

After a full day in the saddle, we felt justified in quenching our thirst with a glass of chilled wine, choosing to sit outside and watch the world go by.

We did venture to other places - usually at the recommendation of information provided by Byfords and were never disappointed.  So if you're in the area or fancy a weekend away, do check this place out.

PlayDays - Pythouse Walled Garden, Tisbury

A great way to pass the time of day when the weather’s nice is Pythouse Walled Garden, Tisbury.  As well as the gardens and nursery, they have a lovely farm shop and cafe, which is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy your cuppa in peace while the kids run amok in the garden.   

    

The range of cakes changes daily, so we're always spoiled for choice.  Sometimes it's coffee and walnut cake and other times it's chocolate and orange polenta cakes.  The kids love their apricot and ginger flabjacks too.  And of course, you can't go wrong with a cream tea.

   

When in season the kids can also pick the raspberries and, as a bit of a gardener myself, I love looking around the garden and nursery, where I often can't resist picking up another plant that I'm sure will find a home in my own garden.

Truly scrumptious - Deli on the Quay, Poole.

Stuck for something to do on Saturday morning, as we were unconvinced that the sun shine held any warmth, we decided to brave the coast, but in the shelter of a cafe, should it prove as cold as we had been warned it might.

Poole Quay has some lovely lanes crammed with interesting cafes, bars, boutique and art shops but the obvious attraction is the harbour and the sun didn't let us down but provided us with enough warmth to eat al fresco.

Deli on the Quay will not disappoint you at any time of day.  As it was mid morning, Shaun decided upon a pecan meringue whilst I plumped for the white chocolate and butterscotch brownie, along with our skinny cappuccinos, I know, bit redundant given the calorific content of the food!  We were not disappointed - my brownie was stunning and I will never be content with the rather mundane brown chocolate variety again.

The Deli has been open for 5 years and offers simple down-to-earth cooking and great coffee.  The selection of homemade bread, soup and famous Dorset apple cake along with all the salads, pasties and treats will cause a few dilemmas, but you won't be disappointed.