Raw & Cured

Impressive health club menu, drinks and design at Lime Wood hotel in the New Forest.  The spa where you can do yoga on the roof in a herb garden. More details of their Raw & Cured food bar at http://www.limewoodhotel.co.uk/pamper/raw-and-cured/

Egg & Spinach Pot

Protein Pot from Pret - what a great way to get £1.50 for a hard boiled egg and some spinach leaves.

Daily Specials

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

Could It Be You?

The ever-creative Beach Cafe at Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk gets those dog owners eager for more.  Having established the K9 Club - 600 members to date - Manager Alan Miller now gets emails from his doggy customers.  Brilliant.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wells-next-the-Sea-Beach-Cafe/197479383652772 to see how competitors have to have a photo of their pooch taken at the Cafe to enter.

One Way to Advertise

The 'Aux Moules' Cafe/Brasserie/Restaurant in Lille specialises in mussels and advertises the fact by piling them up outside from time to time.

Get Stuck In

Yorks Bakery Cafe with their own cakes and traybakes including Salted Caramel Brownie, Black Treacle Tart, Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Blondies.

Love the 'Vote with Your Coffee Bean' satisfaction monitor by the way out and offer of a free coffee when you complete their on-line survey.

Free water available in recycled beer bottles

Artful Cafe

 The Cafe at the Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille - the easels set the scene.

 Striking food-related posters

Report from Watford

My colleague Charles went to see the revamped Tesco Watford with Giraffe (family restaurant), Harris & Hoole (coffee) and Bakery Euphorium, which changes the face of the modern supermarket and introduces food service into the same building.  He reports "It is well worth seeing - the integration of interesting design, open food displays, very clear messaging and high quality products - all of which stands out."

Sogood

 Lille's version of Pret with self-serve soup.

 and hot food to go.

Breakfast Bar None

 All you can eat breakfast bar at Yorks Bakery Cafe, Birmingham - another reason they get our Cafe of the Year accolade.

 £5 per person for unlimited porridge, cereal, fruit, toast and bagels available until midday (2pm at weekends).

Wow Display

Guest Spot

Photos from an Israeli supermarket sent in by Jane Cox, Glendoick Garden Centre Cafe & Food Hall.  
Will we see something similar at her award-winning site in Perth?

Great Cafes Cafe of the Year 2013

 I am awarding Cafe of the Year to Yorks Bakery Cafe in Birmingham.

Great coffee (from the Caravan roastery in London), good food and terrific ambiance - more reasons why they get the accolade on  Monday.

Sweet Tooth in Lille

 Sugar Tarts - the local speciality.

 Bread Pudding cake

 Artfully displayed Waffle and chocolate pommes de terre.

Miss-Match

Miss-matched china is so in fashion that Churchill China have launched a retro range which has the pluses of being vitrified and not needing to be acquired in junk shops.  Spotted by my colleague Charles.

The English Are Coming

Lille, France boasts almost no cafes such as we have in the UK and the first are just opening up.  Coffee Makers import Has Bean coffee from Staffordshire - a real export success.

 Ambient display of pastries and sandwiches

 The one small chain that does exist is called Notting Hill Coffee.

Croissant + Doughnuts = Cronuts

Now a registered trademark by the Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City. See http://dominiqueansel.com/cronut-101/

Tiny Bite

 'Tiny' cupcakes at Lola's at £1.35 to £1.65 apiece.

Woof

US burger import Shake Shack knows its customers and their best friends - treats for those with four feet - and on the main menu just under the wine section.

Seaweed Ashore

Sesame Seaweed Salad at Abokado.

Why We Have Two Hands

Slice of Lemon

Lemon meringue slices at Maison 3 Garcons cafe in Shoreditch with a slice of lime and gluten free.

Concrete & Custard

Frozen custard - Concrete - at Shake Shack, the US import in Covent Garden.