The Ionian, a small place with a big heart, is an island of Mediterranean goodness in an unlikely...
Tebay sits amid the bracken-dabbled Cumbrian hills: the mothership of good motorway services. The...
It's curiously more satisfying to discover a surprisingly good café in the unlikeliest of places...
A pen of goats bleat for their breakfast outside Red Bank Farm Shop, while Limousin and Angus...
The Canal Quarter just east of central Lancaster is seeing some serious and ambitious cultural...
A real taste of the region awaits at the friendly Hearth Café, which is a mine of north-eastern...
Sister to glamorous Askham Hall hotel and the Queen's Head pub down the road, this low,...
Leyland’s Worden Park is a haven of mature woodlands, meadows and playgrounds. The 18th-century...
One of the new wave of services, Hog & Hedge is a breath of fresh air. Swing off the A30 on...
Above Innerleithen, in the heart of the Tweed valley, is Caberston Forest. Take a woodland wander...
Wright’s Food Emporium sagely adopted the Golden Grove Arms, a former village pub, when it...
Handsome Castle Douglas is an 18th-century market town in the heart of one of Scotland’s most...
The Crown is a proper village pub, from the spreading chestnut tree in the small courtyard at the...
Dorchester is the Casterbridge of Thomas Hardy's novels. Escape the madding car crowds to enjoy...
Zoom up the A419 towards the Cotswold Lakes (haunt of watersporters and nature spotters) to find...
For that authentic Somerset pub experience, few establishments can rival The Railway, a newly...
- Sally will reopen Thyme & Tides as Salt Deli Kitchen in summer 2024 - When some people...
The Courtyard is within a horse's neigh of Ascot. Fresh, relaxing and festooned with foliage,...
With baskets of frothy flowers at the windows and a stately Georgian entrance, the Crown and...
From the M5, Fordmore Farm is well-placed for those delving east into the Blackdown Hills or west...
Wide open spaces, lakes to walk around and an enormous adventure playground (complete with...
If you venture south off the A303 in South Petherton you'll enter a rural idyll, driving past...
Congratulations are in order - welcome to the North West's Farm Shop of the Year and the UK's...
Former city worker Deborah has waved her magic wand over Teddington Stores, transforming it from...
A sleeping beauty, restored to life after a nearly hundred-year hiatus, Annandale Distillery...
Swing off the M6 and into the Cheshire countryside to find the Ginger and Pickles tea-room at...
Very little about The Arundell Hotel has changed since the days of yore, when weary travellers on...
With a young family keeping them busy, Ryan and Lisa sought quality coffee close to home. Drawing...
You won’t regret breaking the journey for this fabulous farm shop, outside which fuzzy-headed...
A dash through leafy Cheshire towards Macclesfield leads to pretty countryside and breakfast or...
A country home tableau – wicker dog basket, newspapers, enormous exotic flower arrangement, milk...
Cairn Lodge began as a home-run business when John and Aileen MacInnes spotted a gap on the M74...
This is a handsome, red-gabled pub on the road to Hungerford. It's spirited too, as it was...
If you're ogling counters full of pies topped with birthday greetings; multi-tiered pork pie...
The authentic crêpes at Café au Chocolat are to die for – ‘as good as in Brittany’ one French...
Foodies flock to the Three Horseshoes like birds coming home to roost, drawn by its reputation...
Gilks' is not 'just another garage themed café', it's the real deal. Run by Keith, Linda,...
Middleport Pottery’s café is a nostalgic find. In this canalside spot that is true to its...
An affable café-bar marooned in a 1960s shopping precinct in the thriving market town of...
This attractive townhouse hotel stands yards from the gates of the Burghley estate. Inside,...
Lose yourself in the aisles of the gargantuan Malt House Emporium, a two-storey warehouse that...
The Green Dragon bustles with customers day round, a sure sign that Jay brothers Adam and...
Ironbridge Gorge, near Telford, is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its role in the Industrial...
The Granary's busy window is a visual vortex that draws you in with its fresh-baked scones,...
If you're venturing cross-country between the M1 and A1(M) near Northampton, factor in a detour...
Castle Combe is criminally pretty, which is why it’s awash with tour groups and selfie sticks....
You’ll find lusty, home-cooked food at The Edge, a café that's celebrating its first decade on...
Romaldkirk is one of those lovely villages where little has changed in 200 years. It sits...
The Queen's Head pub has been restored by the Lowther family, of Askham Hall, whose masterplan is...
The handsome khaki-green front of Fred and Ginger Coffee stands on Kings Langley’s high street....
Once Cullompton’s family grocer as the original signwork still proclaims, the Bakehouse is now a...
There are worse things to be addicted to than great food and drink, say the four brothers behind...
You’re not imagining things if you hear the squawk of a parrot as you walk into Laggan Coffee...
The Langham Wine Estate is a wall-to-wall, grape to glass delight. Not content with being an...
If you prefer a chat-fuelled chow down to a formal meal, beeline for Bootleggers in Hopeman with...
The March Hare, smart behind a charcoal grey shopfront on Market Rasen’s high street, is lively...
Mother and daughter Amanda and Emma took over this favourite neighbourhood cafe in 2022. They've...
A friendly welcome awaits you in this village tearoom, once you have located it behind the car...
Langport belongs to Somerset’s trendy renaissance. It’s a pretty town with a long history and a...
The counter at Two Magpies is heaped with irresistible goodies, enough to satisfy even the most...
Just off the motorway in the shadow of the fairytale Castell Coch, plan2ride is a pit-stop café...
Cocoa Skye is our most northerly find, on Scotland's east-facing coast between Dornoch and Wick....
A family-run dairy farm at the edge of the Eden Valley and Lake District, people flock here for...
The magnificent 13th-century cathedral is reason alone for stopping in Dunblane, a picturesque...
Pencil in a stop at this lovingly restored Georgian estate, where coffee and fresh-baked cake...
Laid out over two floors, adorned with vintage surfboards, custom cycles, prints and memorabilia...
Sometimes in life you take a risk...and it pays off. That's exactly what happened for Kate and...
A detour into the colourful market town of Strathaven (‘Stray-ven’) will bring you to the...
Alnwick is a delectable, medieval gem, with a proud castle - dubbed ‘the Windsor of the North’ -...
Chef owners Mike and Sam run this lovely village pub on the green in Barkston near Grantham, amid...
This long, slate-roofed former stable is now a bright farm shop and deli, designed and newly...
Natural Surroundings is an eight-acre wildlife reserve and Norfolk's Wildflower Centre, with a...
A huge bar made from a single piece of Douglas fir and propped on granite blocks makes a...
"Giving back more than we take out" is a motto of the fifth-generation Bowles family,...
No.4 is a great find in the old mining village of Clowne. Andy, John and the team run this smart...
Bread and Butter is a Dolby stereo, two-sides-of-the-street treat in the heart of Truro. Kate and...
You can tell that founders Rob and Sue are sailing folk, for every spare cubic inch of hidden...
Isaac Newton made his science-enhancing discoveries at Woolsthorpe Manor (now a National Trust...
* Under new ownership. Please check opening times ahead, particularly if going out of your way to...
On the banks the River Alde, this vast complex of old Victorian maltings looks out over a...
Greenhouses, it seems, make wonderful cafés. The Applestore fills a beautifully rustic glasshouse...
Hidden down a winding tree-lined track, Norpar Barns is a vision of old-country farming. Its...
The Courtyard Craft Centre is a lovely pop-in near Poole, brimming with interesting folk and...
Doddington Hall is a grand, late-Elizabethan mansion. Completed in 1600, it hasn't been sold or...
The name for this record-spinning spot isn't there because its patrons are repenting their...
If you’re stuck in the confusion of motorways that is Manchester’s ring road system, give...
A Suffolk stalwart, Wyken Vineyards has been showcasing local and seasonal food for over 20...
Everything about Unorthodox Roasters is just that: unorthodox. Their beans are roasted and named...
If you're in the area to visit the impressive land sculpture at Northumberlandia or the market...
A light-hearted café-bar on Boston Spa’s high street, Tom Foolery is decorated whimsically with...
North Berwick has been undergoing something of a renaissance as people look beyond the expensive...
When in Salisbury, don't quench your caffeine and calorie cravings in an ordinary café: delight...
The Artisans' Collective in Barrs Yard is home to Garden Art Plus, a wine merchant, a florist,...
Follow the winding paths through the leafy plant centre to find the impressive yurt that houses...
Razz is one of life's colourful characters, as you'll gather on entering her friendly,...
Wentbridge is a pretty West Yorkshire village with lovely walks and a good pub. To add some...
Walking and cycling routes abound in the Trough of Bowland, a wonderfully named Area of...
Llandeilo is one of those places you're 'sorry-not-sorry' that more people have yet to hear...
Matai and Rachael are living their very own ice-cream dream in one of Devon's prime foodie towns,...
* This place has changed hands since we last visited and is now called Nel's at The...
In a building that blends into its landscape - think natural stone walls, rugged landscaping and...
The eco-conscious will adore The Fold, a community enterprise on a rambling organic farm in the...
A long-held belief at the Angel and Harlequin is that good food and good company are two of...
Not content with being England's official Book Town (even the bus shelter has a good selection),...
In some countries, big cities are often blessed with a dedicated cookbook bookshop. If only the...
What do you do when your 18th-century village pub closes down? You buy and reinvent it, of...
Ely is worth every minute of diversion, with its glory of a cathedral and sense of peace. In the...
‘The Fitz’ as it’s known to locals, was spruced up recently, breathing fresh life into a tired...
Welbeck is a traditional, 15,000-acre estate in the heart of Sherwood Forest. The Farm Shop and...
An unusual entrance leads through a courtyard full of bric-a-brac and junk shop treasures into a...
The Pantry is such a wonderfully social and community-focused place that to hear it had pushed up...
You won’t find a quirkier place to stop than this 1850s railway carriage and old double-decker...
An utterly idyllic spot in Wiltshire where you can malinger from dawn to sundown. The café and...
Food lovers and organic crusaders need no introduction to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River...
Shropshire’s rippling hills pass through the beautiful Apley Estate – set in gorgeous...
It’s worth adding the cute seaside village of Rhôs-on-Sea to your itinerary for its charming...
Naturalists, twitchers and garden lovers may insist on making a day of it to explore the...
Tredegar House and its owners and inhabitants have played an important role in the Newport...
The lovely Stubbings nursery provides respite from the M4 and M40 motorways. The Glasshouse...
Pull in here if you’re hankering after a hot chocolate on your way through Scotland. Iain Burnett...
There's so much to say about Heron Farm Vineyard that we almost need to drop the little joining...
The combination of home cooking and crafts make this a cosy place to pause on your journey....
The close connection to wildlife is what attracted gardeners Emma and Stephen to start a plant...
The Pump is a captivating tea room alongside the mighty Bolsover Castle. Renovated brick by brick...
We had to prise ourselves away from the café and farm shop at Fenton Barns, with their multitude...
Haddington, known as 'the hidden toun' for the way it sits in its rural location, is an...
Craigie's café-restaurant, an essential eating experience near Edinburgh, has emerged from its...
Filled with a steady stream of visitors, it’s hard to believe that the Old Bank Tea Rooms came...
A short distance from Cambridge, Papworth Everard stands on the old Roman highway that once...
Dougie’s, The Cake Hole or however you know it, is a cracking place to break from the A1. “It...
The handsome market town of Moffat gathers around its broad high street. It was once a spa...
If you love glamping, you’ll love ogling Laing’s gorgeous, hand-crafted shepherd’s huts and...
It is rare to find such a delightful family-owned pub so close to the motorway. You walk in to an...
A 15th-century coaching inn in the quintessentially English village of Dedham, the Sun Inn has an...
Castle Donington's charming village centre, with its farmers’ market and Saxon history, is well...
It’s a rather unique combination, a barber and a coffee shop; owner Sue Cooper wanted to set up...
However arduous your journey the sound of wind rustling through the reeds in the lake at...
This farm and foodie hub is a destination unto itself, with staggering scenery that makes it a...
The wood-panelled Potting Shed drips with foliage and is a failsafe pit-stop on your way to or...
Food miles are so low at the Minskip Farm Shop that you can see vegetables growing in the field...
Little sister to the original Ginger and Pickles in Nantwich, the Tarporley tea-room now plies...
With lawn games to borrow in the porch, flourishing gardens and a barrow selling veg and cut...
An ideal pit stop at just a minute’s drive from the A1, and a cut above your average pub food....
Relaxed and informal, there’s a real friendliness to the Berwick Inn, from the duck eggs for...
This book exists to bring you such first-rate finds as The Old Dairy, a rustic café on a working...
This magnificent house on the edge of the Lake District (the ancient family home of Lord and Lady...
These magnificent 50 acres of garden, and the house, were a neglected secret for years after the...
Roaring fires, flagstone floors, a piano, friendly Welsh welcome and home-cooked food on the...
To discover you're going to a cow shed for lunch mightn't spark the greatest joy...until you...
The universe must be thanked for entangling the life paths of Maggie and Anna, two...
If you’re searching for an award-winning gourmet destination in an historic spot, you’ve struck...
Bunting-draped Betty Berkins could hardly feel more welcoming if your own favourite aunty ran the...
The airy, family-run Farmers Fayre is found on the sprawling National Agricultural Exhibition...
Gawping koi carp, a glorious array of plants and flowers and a pergola draped with roses and...
For the warmest of country welcomes, look no further than the Hay Barn Café. The ladies who work...
The heady, scented gardens set the Hundred House apart, encircling this eclectic Shropshire...
Broom House Farm sits at the top of a hill looking out over the dip and roll of the countryside...
Opposite the conical ‘village lock up’, this listed building’s former life as a farrier’s lends...
Camped in the Tern Valley, Fordhall Farm is a beacon of organic farming, taking the bold step of...
The Plough, the modern incarnation of a classic coaching inn, is a popular dining and...
Family-owned Cammas Hall Farm, in the beautiful countryside of the Hertfordshire/ Essex border,...
Whether you want to eat, play or stay, Charleton Fruit Farm awaits. With so many strings to its...
One for the eco-minded, the Pitney Farm Café is one of just a few Soil Association-accredited...
Whether you explore the abundant display garden or farm shop shelves or simply seize a quiet...
The folk at The Bridge were so proudly independent (and keen to join The Extra Mile) that we're...
The old A30 runs through the historic village of Mitchell. The Plume of Feathers, its...
Naval battles don’t usually lend their names to farms but then battleship timbers are not usually...
Bradgate Park has an embarrassment of riches for drivers taking slight detours just north of...
One of Somerset's best local food stores, Brockley started life 80 years ago as a roadside stall...
A handsome, open-armed pub just minutes from the M6. Inside is snug and easy-going: chairs and...
Hemmed in by the Malvern Hills on one side and the river Severn on the other, this pocket of...
Swathed in Virginia creeper, you’ll find the Malthouse tucked away near the church in the heart...
Haverfordwest is Pembrokeshire's ancient county town. It's a handy journey breaker before...
Ever since the duck pond in Bredgar's village centre was restored as part of the Queen's Jubilee...
A favourite with families, the Farm Café has benefited from improvements by its new owners to...
Travellers coasting between Brighton and Eastbourne, pat yourselves on the back for discovering...
Northleach, a delightful (and mercifully comparatively quiet) Cotswold town, was once at an...
A plant lover’s paradise. The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery has nested in a former slate quarry, a...
The Lowlands are often overlooked but take some time to drop in to Kinross on your way through...
Vegetarians and vegans, hold your horses here. Jan Wise, way ahead of the curve, has been...
At the very fringe of what was once the Roman Empire, Corbridge is steeped in history. It was...
A wall of the most fantastic scent of lavender greets you as you unfurl yourself from the car at...
A bone fide all-rounder, Cobbs Farm Shop has a butcher, delicatessen, florist, cheese counter –...
If grand driveways that deliver you to handsome country pubs with latticed windows and original...
Swathed in ivy with two gabled windows peeping from the roof, The Elm Tree is a sight for...
The gateway to Swansea Bay's Mumbles headland and the Gower AONB, Swansea city itself is often...
A beautiful renovation of an ancient inn that stands a short walk from the middle of glorious...
A lovely mid-way stop if travelling between London and Southampton, the Courtyard Café is tucked...
A contagious enthusiasm for sustainability permeates this first-rate Flintshire farm shop. Fruit...
Large Dickensian bay windows stand either side of this café's front door, one piled with an...
Starting out from humble beginnings – Tablehurst began as a social enterprise in the mid-90s –...
Willington Hall, with its intricate red brickwork and tall chimneys, is surrounded by 17 acres of...
Pigs and poultry are big news at this family-friendly farm shop in the Suffolk countryside. It's...
Owners Candida and Georgie stumbled across The Extra Mile and loved its suggestions, so we're...
Providero began life in an achingly cool Citroën van: living the free-wheeling dream. Today, its...
The Village Café is a new addition to the Bidford high street, and has been an instant hit with...
Gilbies is frequently described as a hidden gem, tucked behind the main street in the leafy...
The rambling Rothiemurchus Estate covers one of the largest remaining areas of ancient...
Known as North Warwickshire's hidden gem, the glorious Middleton Hall (a Grade-II listed...
The Yard Café is homely and community spirited. Delicious brunches and lunches are served in its...
Alice, Jack and their home-grown kitchen heroes do a fantastic job in The Orchard Kitchen, a new...
Passion before profit is the mantra at the Riverside Tap, a craft beer emporium across the river...
David and Gillian, adept hosts at The Inn at Welland, have created a muted, contemporary space...
Sustainable living is the watchword at the fabulous Cross Lanes Organic Farm, set on the...
Friends and next-door neighbours Pam and Chris set up The Station Coffee House to bring good...
When we first met Lucy she was racing off to bid at Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers. We didn't want...
The flat whites at The Hall, an inauspicious looking 1930’s Art Deco parish hall, have been...
Clare named her tea rooms after her daughter but was inspired by her mum, Eunice, to honour the...
As the name suggests, this was once the kitchen garden that supplied the manor house at Dorney...
The Rhug Estate covers 12,500 acres in the rugged Dee Valley, championing organic farming and...
A model country pub with a relaxed upmarket vibe, the Olive Branch is as comfortable as a...
Innerleithen is a beautiful town in the Scottish Borders. Wool and knitwear have powered its...
If you sense déjà vu on arrival in Blackness-on-Sea, your mind isn't playing tricks. You may well...
The Field Kitchen is a cornucopia of delights based on the Riverford Organic Farm, so you can...
Bristol's bustling Public Market farm shop is on a self-confessed mission to buck the trend of a...
Ben Watson's family has farmed Riverford's 350 hectares for 70 years, expanding into all corners...
If you crave the homely aroma of fresh-baked bread, follow your nose off the M56 and into the...
The Meikleour Arms stretches our 'distance from the motorway' a tad but, with its focus on...
Allington's cavernous wood-clad farm shop is an award-winning Wiltshire food hub at the gateway...
'Live for today, farm for tomorrow' is the raison d'être at the organic Eastbrook Farm on...
The seaside 'Artists' Town' of Kirkcudbright (kir-coo-bree) is the Solway coast's only working...
Elveden is the former home of the Maharajah Duleep Singh and the current home of the Guinness...
The Horsell Common meadows and wetlands are an enormously popular spot with dog walkers, whether...
Pyne’s is a cracking farm shop and café serving excellent coffee and exceptional food – fast. The...
Landlords Simon and Mike abandoned their high-flying management jobs in banking to take on the...
The old stone walls and wooden beams welcome you to the Flintlock Inn, where log-burners and...
Grade I-listed Renishaw Hall, surrounded by award-winning Italianate gardens, has been the...
Tori and Ben’s Farm Shop is an accolade magnet and a triumph of the field-to-fork philosophy....
The Lime Kiln Kitchen, with its deck overlooking the Kilverstone Estate's parklands, is within...
Hidden in small country lanes, Churchfields is a mecca for ice-cream lovers who are drawn to its...
A family-run farm shop brushing the A35, Millers has a snug café and enough country fayre to fill...
You can do your weekly grocery round in Udder Farm Shop, which has a deli, fishmonger, gift,...
Emmett’s has traded in Peasenhall since 1820. Do take a moment to enjoy this pretty village with...
The village of Shirehampton hugs the river Avon near Junction 18 of the M5. Just off the green is...
Romsey vies for the title of England's 'prettiest market town'. Encircled by rural beauty and...
Walkers of the Hadrian’s Wall path often miss this little gem of a café as they track the Tyne...
Ashburton is a delightful town on the southern slopes of Dartmoor in the heart of the South Devon...
You'll find this prettily named place on the high street in Uddingston, a small town near Glasgow...
A magical combination of books, gifts and food, and a previous winner of Britain’s Best Small...
An emporium of enticing wine, Scarlet Wines makes a fantastic pit stop when Cornwall’s crowds...
It’s hard to beat ‘The Hairy Barista’ as a coffee shop name, and the same goes for the coffee...
This 'miniature empire' is going from strength to strength at the heart of the pretty village of...
Just off the A7 and a short but beautiful moorland road away from the A68, the Cloudhouse Café,...
A handsome, 16th-century country pub at the edge of Somerton’s octagonal market square, The White...
To escape the traffic of Somerset's A303, pop into Priory Coffee for a mood-lifting cake and a...
Originally opened as an alehouse in 1847 this rural inn was recently bought and refurbished with...
If you seek a friendly café as you leave the M1 for Derby or Nottingham, head to Fintons, where...
If you find yourself in the quaint, rural village of Cawthorne - perhaps after visiting Canon...
History buffs will be spoiled by Farnham, a Georgian market town with fascinating buildings and...
This rustic, family-run café is surrounded by the flowers of Russell’s Garden Centre on the edge...
Westerham Brewery and Tap Room may be a relative newcomer to the scene (est. 2004), but brewing...
Carved into the hillside, this quaint farm shop and café will fill your lungs with Dartmoor air....
If your route doesn't take you to or through any of Scotland's traditional centres of culinary...
Bruton, Somerset's arty enclave, is the perfect backdrop for At the Chapel. This converted...
Arrive early and you can watch – even help! – the beautiful Jersey cows being milked in this...
Hooks in the window and a marble counter turned breakfast bar hint at this wonderful coffee...
When the owners' cute and curly dogs get their own intro on the menu, you know you've found...
The A4019 from the M5 brings you almost to the door of this café, whose smiling staff have hearts...
For those heading for the Suffolk coast, Friday Street Farm Shop has to be one of your grocers of...
- - - Temporarily closed (winter/ early 2024) and reopening with new owners and in a different...
The Puffing Billy is a relaxed country pub just beyond the end of the M5 at Topsham. It’s more...
Please note: Farm and Field's café no longer operates in its previous form. Please visit their...
For delicious, freshly baked goodies, look no further than the Three Hares, run with love by...
Cholderton is a handy halfway between the South West and The Big Smoke. It's a fully organic farm...
In a 15th-century former Almshouse on Axbridge's medieval square, this tea shop radiates charm....
No quick roadside stop-off, Glenwhan Gardens and Arboretum are worthy of a half-day diversion if...
If you're crawling south in holiday-bound traffic fear not: Strawberry Fields Farm Shop awaits,...
This cosy deli is a proper treat just seconds from the main road. It’s located in the intriguing...
Set on the edge of the Earl of Plymouth’s estate, this fab farm shop is a microcosm of the foodie...
On our roving research trip around Wales we stumbled across the Little Valley Bakery (and its...
A lot has changed since Charlotte and Anita took over the Council’s former canteen in...
An 18th-century beer house turned coaching inn, The Swan is a bustling and much-loved pub at the...
Incongruously located on a small industrial estate, the Almond Thief has earned a fearsome...
Sometimes, you're cruising along a rural country road and come across a hive of activity. Who are...
A lovely farm shop and café in an old stone barn across the road from the village croquet green....
The 7stanes are a collection of mountain-bike trail centres in Forestry and Land Scotland...
The succour of this Georgian coaching inn, set at the edge of the Marlborough Downs, is not to be...
As her name portends, Daisy the new manager has brought a splash of vibrancy and a fresh feel to...
The Smiddy Farm Shop stands on the site of the old village blacksmith’s, now transformed into a...
A local landmark, The Speyside Centre peeps out of a pine forest in the Cairngorms. Once nearly...
