Norfolk Proud

 

 Green Pastures Garden Centre in Norwich promotes its Norfolk Pasty and Shortcake

Noise Control

Leaf patterned noise-reducing panels on the ceiling at Barton Grange Garden Centre's cafe.  @BartonGrange_GC

Gypsy Tarts

Gypsy tarts - filled with evaporated milk and brown sugar - and a Kent speciality at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre cafe.

Wyevale's Botanic Kitchen

 Check out the new thinking at Wyevale's Botanic Kitchen - the design, menu, colourful trays and interesting cakes will make some garden centre cafes have to up their game.

Courgette and Orange cake

Beetroot and Chocolate cake.

Garden Centre Roast

 In-house micro roaster at Wyevale Beaconsfield's Coffee Ground cafe.

 A smart, modern and space efficient version of a garden centre cafe.

Cake in Cumbria

Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut Cookie cake at Larch Cottage Nurseries' Greenhouse all day restaurant at Penrith

Wonderful garden setting and original Pizza Dolce cake

Walk with the Ghosts

Clever, simple idea from the cafe at Stubbings Nursery  - fiendish meal in the cafe plus guided spooky saunter round the ghostly grounds at £10 child/£12 adult.

Congratulations Chessington

Chessington Garden Centre's cafe has won joint Best Destination Garden Centre Restaurant 2014.  Owner Jolyon's passionate leadership plus manager Caroline's attention to detail is a winning combination (plus it may help being one of our long standing clients).  They have taken the Cafe Tour, use us to audit the operation every year and always strive to get from very good to great.

Save Water, Drink Wine

 Attractive branding at Squires Garden Centre cafe.

 The garden implement wall decorations are eye-catching and relevant.

Daily Specials

 Fakenham Garden Centre's cafe works hard to get the locals in every day of the week.

No Stings

Wasps - a real problem this summer but at least Steff's Kitchen cafe at Fairweather's garden centre in Beaulieu has addressed the issue.

 There is much to commend at Steff's Kitchen - Comment cards are posted with replies.

 Patrick's Patch - their community garden.

Real food for children and their Kitchen Quality Guarantee.

Garden Centre Quirky

Guest Spot

Ian Boardman sends in this photo from Hilltop Garden Centre's cafe at Ramsden, Witney.  See more cafe design hanging ideas at http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-design/

White Smoke & Red Noses

Guest Spot

Heather Borderie, Manager of the Glendoick Garden Centre cafe near Perth keeps it topical with Pope and Red Nose Muffins

Hanging Herbs

Boskke Upside-down herb growing pots look like a great way of enhancing cafe ambiance and your local sourcing.

If you attended the HTA's Garden Centre Catering Conference yesterday, welcome to the Great Cafes Blog especially written for professional cafe operators.  Sign up to receive the blog by e-mail - we put up a photo of something new and interesting every working day.

To get the most from the blog, check out the Pinterest Photoboards on the right hand side and look at our archive.

If it makes you think you need some specialist consultancy advice to start up for the first time, make more money, improve standards, bust queues or get from good to great; do get in touch.

Over a Fiver Egg Sarnie

Individual box sandwich presentation plus crisps in Kilner jar and pickle for £5.45 at Burford Garden Company.

75% Sales Increase

Haskins Garden Centre, Southampton invested £2.3 million in a new 460-seat cafe a year ago and sales have increased by 75%.  Catering sales account for almost one quarter of total garden centre turnover.

Treacle Toffee Apple Muffins.

 Apricot Scones

Lemon Meringue Muffins

Cheese Straws

Home-baked Cheese & Cumin Straws at Steff's Kitchen at Fairweather's Garden Centre in Beaulieu - worth a visit.

Cake, Cake and more Cake

The presentation may be a little corporate stainless steel, glass and chilled but you cannot fault the variety, home baking and eye appeal.

Dobbies garden centre cafe, Ashford.

Tea for Two

Afternoon tea is booming at the Ritz and Brown's hotels in London and at stately homes such as Chatsworth.  So why not at your local garden centre?  Dobbies go for it.

Platter for a Ploughman's

Dobbies version
see previous post http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2011/05/ploughmans.html