Good food, good books - good mood

MY grandma always told me it was bad manners to eat and read at the dinner table.

But I think she’d have made an exception for visit to the delightful Barista @ The Hub Café nestled at the back of Worksop Library.

The social enterprise eaterie is enjoying a new chapter after undergoing a revamp in recent months - now boasting a welcoming seating area and new menu packed with many tempting treats.

After a hectic week at the office, I wanted some peace and quiet so I grabbed myself a magazine from the well-stocked selection before sitting down to leaf through the menu.

It was well-thought out and attractively presented, with a varied range of bloomer sandwiches, paninis, baguettes, jacket potatoes - all with a delicious choice of fillings.

Also available were children’s meals, hot dishes and home-made soups, cakes and pastries, not to mention the daily specials board.

When I spied the café offered oven-baked jacket potatoes I instantly knew what my choice would be.

Their microwaved counterparts can too often be unevenly cooked and as disappointing as a badly-written book.

So I was disappointed when the friendly server told me they had sold their last spud - they are obviously a popular choice with customers.

I had a Plan B, however, and ordered a slice of home-made vegetable quiche from the special board and returned to my seat to read my magazine.

It soon arrived, accompanied by an attractively-presented side salad and coleslaw.

I thought the quiche would have been served warm but it was cold - it would have been nice to have been given the option.

This was only a minor quibble, however, for what was a really delicious lunch. The quiche was packed with tasty vegetables and delicious pastry and had a wonderful home-made flavour.

Coleslaw is the kind of accompaniment I’d put in Room 101 any day but the café’s serving was yummy and went really well with the quiche and salad.

For afters I had a cheeky Rocky Road cookie from one of the giant jars on display which brought my lunch hour to a most pleasant finish.

My meal, with a drink, came to £6.70 which I thought was a great price to pay for what was great food - much of it home-made and all the more delicious for it.

The Barista café has a great concept behind it and shows how a place which helps the community can also give something great back.

It’s a great place to catch up with friends or while away the hours with a good book and I will definitely be returning.

by Chantal Spittles

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