Carrot & Wine

For a small shop Carrot & Wine packs one hell of a punch. One of a group of three stores across Hereford, it’s a tremendous reimagination of the traditional village shop and supplies everything you could need from a local store, emphasising low food miles and nearby producers. This is the food revolution in full swing.

The shelves provide everything you need for the store cupboard, with decent organic, vegan and gluten-free ranges. Bottles can be refilled with wine shipped directly from France, vegetables are loose in crates and the deli counter stocks delicious olives, scotch eggs and cheeses. Croissants are delivered daily, the coffee is rich and bars of Hereford chocolate are a tempting pick-me-up. Staff are friendly and can be relied on to tip you off on the best products.

It’s near the upper part of the gorgeous Wye valley (looped walks start from Hoarwithy, about 9 minutes’ drive away), so consider a restorative riverside walk while you’re out of the car.