Herts &amp; Beds


<p>We all love a farmshop &#8211; local, organic fruit and veg, artisan produce and homemade goodies, some even have animals and play areas &#8211; but finding one with a really great café is the cherry on the cake. Lucky for you, I&#8217;ve sniffed out some corkers that are worth making a special trip for. Just don&#8217;t blame me if you go home with a boot full of wonky veg and month&#8217;s supply of sourdough though!</p>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/discolicious.jpg" alt="cafe table and deckchairs at discolicious" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Disco-licious</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>This two-time Muddy Award winning farmshop in Lower Gravenhurst is a relatively new fresh food store and kitchen offering (it opened two years ago!) but it&#8217;s already super popular with locals and now people are travelling from further afield to see what all the fuss is about, too. Owner, Jo, has over three decades&#8217; experience in the food industry and she brings that to what she puts on the shelves and on plates. Pull up a deckchair and enjoy the view (and the food!) </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jo.disco.licious?locale=en_GB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/Pearces-farmshop.jpg" alt="pearces farmshop cafe waitress serving breakfast" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Pearce&#8217;s Farmshop and Café</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>This Buntingford beauty boasts a contemporary café (think floor to seiling windows and meadow views) with solid oak beams and big eco creds. All food is cooked fresh from the farm and shop produce. The menu is heartier than you might expect from a café, with cheese souffle, fish pie and chicken katsu joining the more familiar soup of the day, quiche and full English options. Plus there&#8217;s a huge dessert menu too. And Afternoon Tea is served from 12 for just £27.50 pp. </p><p><a href="https://pearcesfarmshop.com/cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/Meads-farmhouse-kitchen-external.jpg" alt="Meads farmhouse kitchen" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Mead&#8217;s Farmhouse Kitchen</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Another relative newbie, you&#8217;ll find it at PE Mead&#8217;s Farmshop in Wilstone, near Tring. The former offering was a small tea room and hatch for cakes and hot drinks in the farmshop itself, but this new purpose built set-up is a far superior offering. There&#8217;s indoor and outdoor dining and menus range from breakfast rolls to hearty lunches &#8211; think beef casserole and pumpkin lasagne &#8211; plus cakes and traybakes are served all day. They also do afternoon tea which you&#8217;ll need to book 72 hours in advance, but you can just walk in for food most days, unless you&#8217;re a larger group (6+), then it&#8217;s a good idea to call ahead. </p><p><a href="https://pemeadandsons.co.uk/meads-farmhouse-kitchen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/smallford-roast.jpg" alt="Roast dinner at smallford cafe" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Smallford Farmshop</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Just on the outskirts of St Albans, Smallford Farmshop and Café has a cool industrial feel &#8211; shelves stacked high with fresh produce and artisan creations, a deli and butchery AND its own DIY orange juicing machine. The Italian Kitchen has big glass panels (tinted to keep it cool on warm days), art on the walls and an mouth-watering brunch and lunch menu &#8211; from Full English to roast beef sarnie with triple cooked chips, as well as a lovely choice of cakes and pastries on the counter. Plus they do afternoon tea (pre-book) from Mon-Sat and a roast cooked with meat from the butcher&#8217;s counter on Sundays. </p><p><a href="https://www.smallfordfarmshop.com/italian-kitchen-cafe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/NOBBYS-baa-tea-room.jpg" alt="baa tea room nobby's farmshop" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Baa T-Room</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>This one at Nobby&#8217;s Farmshop in Great Billington isn&#8217;t just for tea and coffee, but is also a licensed bar (or should we say baa?!). Whichever brew you favour, you&#8217;ll find everything from loose leaf tea to local lager as well as breakfast (until 2.30 for all you late risers!), afternoon tea (pre-bookable) and daily sweet treats.  </p><p><a href="https://www.nobbysfarmshop.co.uk/services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/The-potting-shed.jpg" alt="Peach salad and cocktail at the potting shed cafe" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Potting Shed</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Based in a converted barn at Carpenters Nursery and Hertfordshire&#8217;s oldest Farmshop, in Sandridge just outside St Albans, The Potting Shed must offer some of the best views in the county. Dine out on the terrace overlooking wildflower meadows and landscaped gardens in sunny weather or look out through the bi-fold doors at the countyside expanse as you enjoy your food.  Many of the dishes are created from seasonal, home-grown produce &#8211; from eggs every way to stunning salads and duck waffle (their signature dish) as well as a kids&#8217; menu. You&#8217;ll need to reserve a table (it&#8217;s that popular!) and there are dog-friendly areas too &#8211; just mention that you&#8217;ll be bringing pooch when you book. </p><p><a href="https://pottingshedcafe.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/old-town-artichoke.jpg" alt="old town artichoke matcha latte" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Old Town Artichoke</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>This is my wild card. Not surrounded by fields and livestock but in the middle of Hemel Hempstead Old Town, the Old Town Artichoke is an &#8216;urban farmshop&#8217;. It&#8217;s still packed with oodles of fresh produce but you can also pop in for your latte and pastry, cakes and posh sarnies, too. It&#8217;s due to get new owners next month, but we&#8217;re promised it&#8217;ll remain the same sort of offering (perhaps with more of a bar and bistro twist), so watch this space. </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OldTownArtichoke" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find it here</a></p></div></div></div></div>


Fabulous farmshop cafés that are well worth a visit

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