Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  and sharing cooking tips– please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

If you’re looking for a friendly and welcoming coffee shop, Folk Coffee House in Harrogate is the place for you.

As the name implies, it is designed to be the heart of the community. Whether you prefer outside seating for (rare) sunny days or a cosy interior, it is a perfect hang out space for friends, colleagues, or families.

When my boys were growing up, one of the things I looked forward to each day was meeting up with other mums for coffee. This coffee shop took me right back to that time; I could see myself unwinding there with friends and sharing ideas.

Folk Coffee House serves great coffee, homemade cakes, and light bites.

I ordered the carrot cake – as it was apparently the best cake a customer had ever had — and with such endorsement, I had to give it a go. The cake was packed full of nuts with a comforting toasty-ness and lovely plump raisins. The topping, which was made from a mixture of cream cheese, whipped cream, and icing sugar, was delightfully light.

It’s safe to say I was not disappointed!

There is also wide range of delicious gluten free options available, including a Bakewell blondie, double chocolate brownies and sugar free breakfast muffins.

Owner Sally proudly told me she focusses on balancing the cost and the quality of the in-house baked goods. She added she is passionate about zero waste and uses a daily ordering system to support this.

Folk Coffee House is proudly Yorkshire; it patronises local businesses for their produce and serves award-winning teas and coffees.

When it comes to tea, nothing but Canton Tea will do! The tea is served at many high-end venues including The Savoy, The Ritz, and The Mandarin Oriental. Now, it’s available to you right here in Harrogate! I had the berry and hibiscus tea with notes of rose hip which was delightful.

Local artists also display their work on the walls, and a new artist is featured every month. It creates a gallery-like space and no doubt contributes to the community feel.

Customers were also keen to recommend their favourites on the menu, so I will be heading back to check them out.

Folk Coffee House embraces the local community and wants people to feel welcome with a coffee in hand.

The tag line – ‘a place for all folk to meet, eat, drink, and create’ — says it all.

Read more:

• Yemi’s Food Stories: a lesson on plot-to-table cooking and food waste at Harlow Carr
• Yemi’s Food Stories: the Yorkshire distillery that makes vodka from apples

This post is sponsored by the food app Deliveree

Great food and a welcoming atmosphere make Hustle and Co one of Harrogate’s best eateries.

Jo Bradshaw and Nici Routledge set up Hustle and Co cafe to fulfil their lifelong ambition of running a sustainable and ethical café in central Harrogate.

Staff are famously welcoming and often greet regulars by their first names. If you are having a coffee to go or sitting upstairs for a meal the atmosphere is friendly and warm. The outside space at the back has plenty of seating, including undercover for those wet days. If you are a bit chilly, don’t worry, the staff will happily provide you with a cosy blanket!

Located on the fashionable Prince Albert Row on Station Parade, the café is the ideal location for a bite to eat or for a delivery to enjoy at home.

Ethically sourced food

Hustle and Co’s menu is ethically sourced from local high-quality providers. The kitchen’s offer changes often, so there is always something new to experience. Seasonal dishes are a speciality and take advantage of the freshest ingredients all year round.

Café favourites such as Golden Waffles and French Toast are served alongside Build-Your-Own Mezze Salad Bowls and Prime Beef Burgers for a menu that is as varied as it is mouth-watering.

Side Hustles

You can customise plenty of orders with added extras and “side hustles” for your perfect dining experience. For those with special dietary requirements or anxiety, staff are there to reassure and talk you through the menu.

This personal touch and a desire to make your experience as enjoyable as possible are the hallmarks of Hustle and Co’s attitude.

Get Jo and Nici’s Hustle and Co delights delivered to your door today with the local foodie app Deliveree.

A Harrogate vegan cafe has had to delay its opening due to covid uncertainty.

Vertigo, which describes itself as a “plant-based eatery”, was set to open its fourth venue for chain on Station Parade. But its opening date was unclear, with the company saying it would be “very soon”.

The cafe is set to be based in the former Stevie’s Bar unit under the Everyman Cinema on Station Parade. However, it seems there has been no further work done since the initial advertisement was placed in the windows in July.

In a statement the eatery said:

“Due to ongoing uncertainty with covid we can’t fully comment on when the site will be opening sadly. We’re trying our best to get a timeframe.”

Read more:

• Shops that opened and closed in 2021
• Sainsbury’s sets opening date for Harrogate town centre store

When open, the new venue will have 55 seats and be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It is also believed that it will be the only dedicated vegan restaurant in Harrogate, with other restaurants including vegan options on their menus.

This article is sponsored by Fashion House Bistro

With a delicious seasonal menu serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, fresh coffee and fine wines, there’s plenty to love about Fashion House Bistro.

David Dresser’s dream of opening a restaurant was born whilst he was in sixth form, growing up and working in his father’s pubs.

He put his dream on hold to become a successful fashion photographer, working all over the world with the likes of All Saints, Sonneti Jeans, Lewis’ and Laura Ashley.

Then in July last year, David decided to return to his childhood dream and channel his passion into creating the Fashion House Bistro on Swan Road.  The walls pay homage to David’s photography career and other artists regularly host their work.

“Opening a restaurant has been something I’ve been contemplating for many years, in fact ever since a sixth form classmate at Granby High School suggested it!

“Working for my father as a teenager gave me an early insight into the hospitality trade and what was needed to run a successful business.

“It also taught me that to achieve this you need a number of key ingredients, namely the right product at the right price, and a great team to deliver it.”

The Food & Drink

The most important part of any restaurant is the food, and the Swan Road venue is no different. Head chef Richard Fagg has cooked up a spectacular breakfast and brunch menu, which includes classics like the FHB breakfast and beans on toast, and customer favourites like steak & eggs, eggs benedict, and American-style buttermilk pancakes.

The main menu offering includes quality burgers, freshly made pizza, and a new ‘small plates’ menu which includes Cajun Buttermilk Chicken, Spicy King Prawn Skewers and Szechuan pepper squid.

Experienced baristas are on hand to ensure your caffeine fix is perfectly attended to. Or, if you’re looking for something a little stronger, the bistro boasts an extensive menu of international beers, fine wines, and cocktails.

Get £25 worth of Fashion House Bistro’s delicious food for just £15 with our special offer!

Events

From Halloween costume competitions and Christmas party packages, live music sessions to Caribbean tasting sessions, the Fashion House Bistro team certainly know how to throw a party.

You can find details of the latest events on the Fashion House Bistro website.

Visit Fashion House Bistro on Swan Road for breakfast, lunch or dinner – and enjoy a drink or two in between! Open 9am-late Tuesday – Sunday.

An Italian independent café has opened on the top floor of Next in Harrogate town centre.

Caffe Masserella opened to the public for the first time on Wednesday. Next Harrogate is the fourth retail shop Caffe Masserella has moved into in Yorkshire.

Jake Earnshaw, Store Manager at Next, Harrogate said:

“Next were looking for some independents, mostly it’s chains in Next stores so they thought in Harrogate it would be nice to have an independent. It has been really busy, they exceeded what they needed to take on Wednesday. It has been buzzing.”

Caffe Masserella has a history dating back over 150 years when Giovanni Massarella and his brothers arrived in the UK from Italy.

Giovanni’s family downline used their Italian heritage to start an ice cream business in the 1950s before opening cafés across the UK.

Read More:

• Harrogate bars want alfresco drinking and dining to be permanent
• Plans for micropub at Knaresborough train station

Aiden Gambles, Manager at Harrogate’s Caffe Massarella said:

“The opening was meant to happen post-lockdown but now the ball’s rolling. I like to make everybody happy spending time in my cafe. It’s slightly different with covid procedures but we’re getting used to it. It’s an exciting time for me and the team I have here.”

Caffe Masserella’s menu includes a variety of artisan sandwiches, sweet treats and hot drinks.