Authentic food and coffee served with a smile at Hustle and Co

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.

Five independent Harrogate cafés to visit for a coffee and festive treat

When the weather outside is frightful, nothing beats a decent coffee and a festive treat to get you in the mood for Christmas.

There are some amazing independent coffee shops in Harrogate, which blow the chains out of the water.

And after trudging round the shops, there is nothing better than seeking sanctuary in one of them – and indulging on a bit of cake while you’re at it. It would be rude not to at this time of year.

I spoke to some of the teams behind some of the town’s indie coffee shops about getting festive and asked them to pick their favourite Christmas bake.

No. 35, Cheltenham Crescent

Established in 2017, No.35 is a popular choice for coffee aficionados in the town. It’s small, cozy vibes are perfect for that festive feel. The baristas are some of the friendliest in town and their latte art is always impressive.

Coffee: North Star No.35 Honduras blend, with notes of honeydew melon, rum and almond

Barista Chris Pang’s favourite festive bake: Gingerbread cookie

He said:

“They are really Christmassy and there aren’t any other places that do them. They have an amazing gingerbread filling and you can stick them in the microwave as well.

“I love working here at Christmas as everyone is in good spirits and the atmosphere is always really festive.”

Barista Claudia Norris’ favourite festive bake: Christmas fruit loaf

She said:

“A customer actually said it’s better than Grandma’s Christmas cake and you can’t really go wrong with it at this time of year.”

Barista Elliot Lee’s favourite festive bake: Christmas Bakewell slice

He said:

“It’s our bestseller and it’s basically a mince pie in a Bakewell sponge. It’s small and sweet and just enough.”

Baltzersen’s, Oxford Street

The Scandinavian’s do Christmas with style and so does the Scandi-inspired Baltzersen’s, which has been a staple of Harrogate’s independent scene for almost a decade. Check out the quirky Christmas tree decorations that have been painstakingly individually hung across the whole café.

Coffee: North Star Baltzersen’s blend, with notes of milk chocolate, plum and hazelnut

Barista Brontë Madeley’s favourite festive bake: Christmas gingerbread cookie

She said:

“Our in-house baker makes all of our biscuits downstairs. I love how much time she spends on the little decorations.”

Chef Lukaz Maszczyk added:

“I love working here at Christmas. It’s very homely and inviting and we have lots of regular people coming in every day.”

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Bean & Bud, Commercial Street

This one is a bit of a different escape from the festive shopping, as the owners, Phil and Helen Dolby, refuse to play Christmas music. So if you’re sick of Shakey, Bean & Bud is ideal. However, they couple aren’t anti-Christmas by any means and you’ll still be able to choose from a selection of single origin coffees – they have several – and a festive treat.

Coffee: Campbell & Syme’s Brazil Mauricio Barbosa, with notes of milk chocolate, caramel and melon

Helen and Phil’s favourite festive bake: Christmas pudding flapjack

Helen said:

“I like to have the lights up and it’s always a nice festive atmosphere at this time of year.

“We like the Christmas pudding flapjacks as they are locally-made and are a bit different.”

Paul added:

“We are a sanctuary from the same repetitive Christmas songs you hear every year. You can come to Bean & Bud and you will never hear a Christmas song.”

Hustle & Co, Station Parade

The healthy eaterie Hustle & Co celebrated its first birthday this week and has managed to keep going strong, despite launching during a worldwide pandemic. Lots of the cakes here are vegan and gluten free, so everyone has a chance to get their festive bake fix. It always has a warm, friendly vibe in here and the twinkly decorations are lovely.

Coffee: York Emporium Peru Cecanor Cafe Femenino, with notes of milk chocolate, almond, honey and apricot

Co-owner Jo Bradshaw’s favourite festive bake: Peppermint slice 

Jo said:

“Our peppermint slice is vegan and gluten free. It’s reminiscent of a candy cane and treats during the Christmas holidays. It’s a little bit indulgent at this time of year. It has a chocolate oaty baste, peppermint fondant and dark chocolate topping.”

Front of house team leader Victoria Coltman said:

“I love the positivity and happy vibes that come from every customer who enters the doors at this time of year.”

No. 43 Brew Bar, St Winifred’s Avenue

Located in the heart of the community on St Winifred’s Avenue, a stone’s throw from The Stray, Brew Bar is another friendly independent on the scene. The selection of cakes is always impressive and the festive treats don’t disappoint. It’s hard not to feel Chrismassy with their twinkly decorations, and they also do little gifts so you can shop while you drink coffee.

Coffee: Lonton Coffee Company’s No. 43 Brew Bar Blend

Barista Elliot Dodson’s favourite festive bake: Reindeer tiffin

He said:

“We are a community coffee shop and we want to have fun and give something back. We have a lot of families come in and the reindeer tiffin is the kind of cake that shows our values.

“I feel great working here over Christmas. It’s always nice to see the core values of Christmas and the spirit of people, the togetherness, the community and the love. Customers are very festive and we have people come in and dress up. We also have a visit from Olaf and Buddy the Elf every Saturday at 1pm until 1.30pm.”

Top bonfire night foodie treats from across the Harrogate district

Remember, remember the Fifth of November, toffee, parkin and ale…

Yes bonfire night is here! It’s time to wrap-up warm, dig out our hats and gloves, light the sparklers and watch fireworks illuminate the sky. 

With events more or less entirely called off due to covid last year, 2021 is a chance for families to make up for lost time.

And that also includes all the amazing food and drink that comes with the celebrations.

Here are some of our top food and drink picks for bonfire night from across the district:

Farrah’s Harrogate Toffee

Farrah’s Original Harrogate Toffee.

A real British classic, the jaw-breaking treacle toffee, known as bonfire toffee, dates back hundreds of years.

And Harrogate certainly knows how to do toffee with style, with the famous Farrah’s blue tins selling in shops all over the world.

Farrah’s was established in 1840 and the Original Harrogate Toffee was designed to clear the palate of the putrid taste of Harrogate’s Sulphur Water. Fortunately we can now just eat it for pleasure – and it’s perfect for bonfire night!

Natalie Smith, manager of Farrah’s Olde Sweet Shop, said:

“Our world famous Harrogate Toffee has often been comparable to the delicious taste of bonfire toffee. It’s brittle, butterscotch, treacle-like texture is full of flavour and the perfect accompaniment to a bonfire night feast.

Whether it’s the Harrogate or bonfire toffee you’re after, at this time of you they are both a guaranteed sell-out. Be sure not to miss out and visit the shop to grab yours now.”

Betty’s Yorkshire Parkin

Betty’s Yorkshire Parkin.

In Yorkshire, parkin is as much a part of bonfire night as sparklers, toffee apples and hoping that the rain stays away. It’s a real warm, cosy scarf of a cake, deliciously sticky and with a fiery ginger kick.

Like bonfires themselves, the tradition of eating parkin here at this time of year is much older than the Gunpowder Plot. The origins are unclear – they could be pagan or linked to All Saints’ Day – but for centuries it’s been enjoyed at the start of November, usually on ‘Parkin Sunday’.

We have the brisk Yorkshire climate that favours oats over wheat to thank for parkin. Over time the recipe has been sweetened and spiced to become the treat we know today.

And we all know Bettys does a fabulous Yorkshire parkin.

A spokesperson for Bettys said:

“Parkin has been a Bettys favourite for almost as long as Bettys has existed. We love making it because it’s so perfectly suited to its season – sticky, warming, hearty. It’s hard to imagine bonfire night without it.”

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Hustle & Co’s Bonfire bagel and hot spiked apple cider 

Hustle & Co’s Bonfire bagel.

Hustle & Co, on Harrogate’s Station Parade, will be opening a little later on Saturday for those who are on their way to the Stray Bonfire.

And for those who fancy something a little different this year, the independent healthy-eating cafe has created a special bonfire bagel and lots of amazing drinks to keep you warm, including a hot spiked apple cider.

Spiked apple cider at Hustle & Co.

The bonfire bagel is gluten free and features dill cheese, seasoned spinach, scrambled egg, smoked salmon and caper crisps. As well as the cider, which will definitely warm the cockles, drinks also include flamed orange mocha, peppermint hot chocolate and a gingerbread latte with ginger spice crunch topping.

Nici Routledge, owner of Hustle & Co, said:

“We’re always doing something a little out of the ordinary at Hustle & Co and this month’s festivities are no different. We’ve got lots of specialty warming hot drinks.

On this week’s specials board we’ve got some great treats, like our bonfire bagel stack, Mak Tok curry bowl, roasted root soup, sharing boards and lots of sweet treats with autumn spice.

“We look forward to welcoming our lovely guests on their way to the Stray Bonfire on Saturday. We are staying open a little later until 6.30pm and we will have out hot spike apple cider ready for you on your way over to the Stray.”

Taylor’s of Harrogate Apple and Cinnamon Tea

Taylors Apple and Cinnamon Tea.

Fancy something warming, but without the alcohol, while you enjoy this year’s bonfire night celebrations?

Taylor’s of Harrogate does an awesome apple and cinnamon tea. It might not be an actual toffee apple, but the inspired flavour still totally conjures up those childhood bonfire night memories.

Abigail Sawyer, brand PR specialist for Taylor’s, said:

“Inspired by apple strudel and toffee apples, this caffeine-free treat is spicy and sweet. It is made with real apple pieces and a warming cinnamon spice blend, making it the perfect bonfire night brew.

Turning Point Brewery’s Heavy Dreams Barley Wine

Turning Point’s Heavy Dreams Barley Wine.

For those who do want something with a bit of a kick, Knaresborough’s Turning Point Brewery does an English-style barley wine, hopped with Godiva, First Gold, and Bullion.

This classic sticky sweet barley wine, with notes of figs, caramel, ripe blackberries, and almonds, is a nice warming drink to swig whilst watching the fireworks.

Aron McMahon, co-founder of Turning Point Brewery, said:

“I guess you could say it is the perfect bonfire or autumnal warmer, for ideally sharing with a friend, or family, before heading out to your favourite bonfire display, or celebrating this date at home.

“It is also a very popular style at this time of year as many folk use barley wine as one of their ingredients for making Christmas pud, in advance of those festivities.”

Sneak peek: New health cafe opens in Harrogate

A new cafe is opening in Harrogate today to serve up healthy foods and drinks despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Hustle and Co is based on Station Parade and takes over the unit once occupied by Filmore and Union until last year.

Nici Routledge and Jo Bradshaw are behind the new cafe, which has created 15 new jobs for the area.

Jo told the Stray Ferret ahead of the opening:

“I think people will see it is quite different and in a very nice way and I do believe we’re offering things you can’t get anywhere else locally.

“We will be serving up smoothie bowls which will be really pretty and also really good for you. That’s the important thing for us, that it’s full of goodness.”

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The cafe will also serve up matcha waffles, gulten-free banana bread, fresh juices, coffee and more from 8am until early evening.

Nici also told the Stray Ferret that the latest lockdown was not going to stop the cafe:

“We both think that there are opportunities through challenging situations. If nothing else through this year there’s been a shift of mindset.

“I think more people want to support local. I think people are really buying into that now so that’s positive.”