Swedish Princess

Cinnamon Buns - the traditional Swedish treat - at new Swedish Bakery Bageriet in Covent Garden

 Princess Cake - Sweden's national cake with light sponge, custard, raspberry compote and cream

Any Old Iron

Rabot Estate (part of Hotel Chocolat) in Borough Market sports a counter faced with weathered corrugated iron.

Buy With Your Eyes

 Konditor & Cook at Borough Market - the display above was outside on the street.

Monks & Buns

The Swedish Bakery/Bageriet in Covent Garden is worth visiting.

 Cream Monk - vanilla whip dipped in chocolate.

Vanilla Bun - Cardamon bun filled with cream custard.

Dog & Donations

Dog biscuits with 20p donation to local charities at Ode Cafe, Shaldon

Born Buenos Aires; Baked Borough Market

Alfajores - both home-made and the Havanna brand - now easily found in London at Borough Market.

Argentinian street food at Portena.

 See our previous blog post http://greatcafes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/alfajor-from-argentina.html

Sustainable Inspiration

If you want to know the practical ways you can make your cafe sustainable visit the Sustainable Cafe of the Year 2012 - Ode Cafe, Shaldon in Devon.

 Coffee grounds for your garden

 Vegware cutlery

Simple wooden chairs and tables

Deluxe?

The handwritten label says: Deluxe Cream Tea Ham & Cucumber £6.95.  The chilled scone and cling film says something else.  See more at http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/cafe-howlers/

Ode to Joy

Ode is one hell of an impressive cafe - check out their menu(s)

Breakfast, Weekend brunch, Today's Special, Spring and their Sunday 19th May Birthday

Low Cost Ideas

The Eden Project's stand-alone Cafe in St Austell has surrounded a column with four customer-friendly, low cost features:

 1. Book Swap

2. Games to play

3. Retail offer

4. Details of their Big Lunch involvement

Caught Short

Guest Spot

Claire Martinsen, Founder of Breckland Orchard Posh Pop sent in these signs spotted at The Studio meeting venue in Birmingham.

Sign of the Future

 Electric vehicle charging station at Ode Cafe, Ness Cove, Shaldon

Footwash & Dry

Garsons Pick Your Own, Farmshop and Cafe in Esher had a problem with customers washing their boots and feet after being out in the fields and tackled the problem with this fancy footwash station.

Toast Local

 Eden Project cafe in St Austell has serve-yourself toast and teacake station.

 Excellent use of local suppliers as you would expect.

Cafe of the Year 2013?

GreatCafes really likes the Ode Cafe in Ness Cove, Shaldon, South Devon.  Set up by Tim & Clare Bouget it is currently the highest rated sustainable cafe in the UK.

 Smart marketing, switched on to social media and a great view

 You enter directly into the kitchen area

 Wood burner and simple communal tabling provides an atmospheric backdrop.

More to follow.

St Austell Project

 The Eden Project's free-standing cafe in St Austell has loads of features and examples of best practice.

 Central open firepit plus discreet messages on every table top

Coat Hook Cutlery

Simple and quirky cutlery coat hooks at Eden Project St Austell Cafe

Corks on nails coat hooks at Ode Cafe, Shaldon

Traces of Nuts

Not sure this counter sign helps the sale of Coffee Walnut Cake and "This product may contain traces of nuts" is a classic howler.  See more howlers at http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/cafe-howlers/

Deliciously Dorset

 Fabulous Leakers Bakery in Bridport with its Jurassic Foot bread and Cheese, Chilli and Beer bread.

 Cheese & Cider Bread

 Jurassic Slice wholemeal bar cake with caramel, choc chunks, apricots and dates

 Deliciously Dorset on the Jurassic coast