If you’re wondering what to do next weekend, why not spend a day exploring Boroughbridge? You could even treat yourself to coffee and a slice of cake in one of its cosy cafés. This pretty North Yorkshire town can easily be reached using East Yorkshire Buses’ No.82 service, taking around an hour from York or just 20 minutes from Ripon. Here are some of the best local food businesses to check out during your visit.
Plenty
Right next to the bus stop as you arrive in Boroughbridge you’ll find Plenty: a popular spot for breakfast that also offers a changing range of homemade bakes. This includes specials such as carrot cake muffins, Mars bar rice crispie cakes or a gluten-free chocolate and banana loaf – there are even dog biscuits here for your four-legged companions. The café’s coffee is brewed using fair trade beans from Newcastle-based roasters Ringtons and a decaf option is available. Alternatively, you can enjoy one of Plenty’s delicious hot chocolates, which come in flavours like mint, chocolate orange or banoffee.
Havenhands
Just across the road from Plenty in St James Square is Havenhands, a family-run bakery where everything is freshly made on the premises. Here, you can pick up savouries like steak pies and sausage rolls, both of which would be perfect for a picnic. Havenhands also offers a wide range of sweet treats, from flapjacks, fruity tarts and crumbles to cute decorated biscuits for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or Easter. These can be enjoyed with a hot drink on the outdoor seating when the spring weather arrives.
The Dining Room
This licensed café is often described as one of Boroughbridge’s hidden gems. The Dining Room, which is also in St James Square, has a country chic feel with timber beamed ceilings and courtyard garden, as well as lots of indoor seating. You can tuck into warm fruit scones with jam and clotted cream here, or traybakes like tiffin, rocky road or caramel shortbread. The Dining Room also offers ice cream sundaes and indulgent frappuccinos during the summer months.
Hideaway Kitchen
Situated on Church Lane in the heart of Boroughbridge, Hideaway Kitchen is a modern café that offers all-day brunch, lunch and small plates inspired by different global cuisines. If you’re just seeking coffee with a light bite to eat, you can choose a scrummy treat from its counter, which is filled with crisp pastries and wedges of cake, including some gluten-free and vegan options. The café’s staff are serious about their coffee and serve their own 40/40/20 house blend from Lonton Coffee. This perfectly balances the bitterness you’d expect with a sweeter note that makes it particularly moreish.
Bowe & Co.
This traditional deli and café can be found on Boroughbridge’s High Street and it’s a firm favourite among locals. Along with all kinds of tempting deli counter goodies, you can try such delights as a gluten-free orange and almond cake, triple chocolate brownies or raspberry and amaretto cake here. There are also new special creations that appear on a daily basis. Bowe has its own coffee blend, which you can enjoy straight away in a drink of your choice or buy in a packet to take home with you.
The Coffee House @ The Crown Hotel
If you’re looking for a refined dining destination, this is just the place. Located in the 3-star Crown Hotel on Horsefair, The Coffee House has recently been refurbished and it now boasts velvet sofas, glittering chandeliers and walls decked in art. You can enjoy a cup of tea in its stylish surroundings, or try the hotel’s house coffee, which is blended for it by expert roasters Lincoln & York. This has a buttery toffee sweetness and cream-like mouthfeel that’s complemented by subtle citrus fruit and a lingering milk chocolate note. If you don’t fancy indulging in an afternoon tea, why not just enjoy a pastry with it.
