Cafe of the Year: Great Food Club Awards 2022/3
Winner
Chosen by our judges:
Rustic Kitchen & Deli, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Shortlist
The top public vote-winners:
The Blonde Beet, Stamford, Lincolnshire
The Harley Cafe, Welbeck, Nottinghamshire
The Hay Barn, Kneesall, Nottinghamshire
Rustic Kitchen & Deli, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
The winner is Rustic Kitchen & Deli in Mountsorrel – a stunning cafe and deli created by Lee Harding and Tom Bower in 2020.
Lee and Tom have worked together as professional chefs for over 10 years and have built an exceptional, unique destination in Mountsorrel. To achieve this, they’ve used every ounce of their considerable ambition, energy and vision to transform an old wool shop into a stunning cafe/deli.
Rustic Kitchen & Deli has a lovely interior and inviting alfresco seating front and rear, but most important of all, it serves food full of quality and invention.
The other finalists
Stamford’s Blonde Beet is a plant-based café and bistro in Stamford, offering a delicious menu of pies, salads, main meals and cakes that will delight everyone. It is set in a gorgeous 17th building, which oozes charm and character. It is only a year old but already has many loyal fans.
The Harley Cafe is situated opposite Welbeck Farm Shop on the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire. It offers a superbly varied and vibrant menu packed with highly original dishes made with often locally sourced ingredients. It really is a must-visit.
The Hay Barn Cafe is located in a 250-year-old converted barn at Kneesall near Newark. It provides a traditional menu and a warm welcome from owner Lindsey and her team. You’ll find a glorious array of cakes such as lemon meringue pie, ginger crunch slice and black forest cake. The savouries are excellent, too: the likes of chicken and ham pie, goat’s cheese and fig tart, and smoked haddock and cheese gratin.
