The Cafe is in what used
to be our living-kitchen - still homely, and only slightly less cluttered.
Half-subterranean, light filters down from a small garden, where there are
a couple of extra tables when it's warm and dry enough. In between is the
"vineyard" or "Ivanry" with a table for about eight. Alas, Ivan and Dave's
outrageous book-pricing decisions can no longer be observed here, they have
been pushed up another floor, or out onto the Prom. Nevertheless, this is
still a cafe where lots goes on!
The food is all
vegetarian with organic produce when possible, with vegan and gluten-free
options available. Home-cooked seasonal produce provides the basis for a
continually evolving range of wholesome and
hearty meals, thick tasty soups,
interesting (even puzzling) salads and tempting cakes. In
season, eggs (foxes allowing), tomatoes, beans, spinach, beetroot, herbs
and apples are from our own garden (occasional hazardous misguided
tours).
The cafe compliments but also rivals the bookshop -spend too long in here and not enough on books and you can influence the future use of the building; an example of the Interactive Cafe!
The periodical rack, always untidy, houses a range rarely available outside major libraries. Coffee-stain these rather than the books! Stocked at present (in random order):
The table in the "vineyard" extension can be booked by groups at off-peak hours. The next open meeting of the Conversation Cafe takes place here on Thursday 20th. August 2009 from 10 for 10.15 until 12. The subject may be Charm or Whose the Elgin Marbles, the group votes on these or a newly proposed subject on the day.The next Cafe Philosophique will be the annual Evan Rutherford spectacular during September's Wirksworth Festival.
The whole cafe (with use of hor water and of the loo upstairs), is available for hire in the evenings, a Buddhist group are at present meeting on Thursdays and Wirksworth Amnesty on a Tuesday every couple of months. For more details and links, see the drop-down entries above, under GROUPS.
See The Grapevine Great British Where to Eat Vegetarian Restaurant Guide www.grapevineguides.co.uk, or for international listings, www.happycow.net, and also the BMW Drive-by Food Guide
Contents and Prices subject to Fate, Destiny the Winds of Change and an overdue website updating!
| Coffee | Freshly ground coffee in individual cafetieres |
|---|---|
| Fair Traded Organic (Medium Roast) | £1.75 |
| Fair Traded Organic (Dark Roasted) | £1.75 |
| Fair Traded Organic Decaffeinated | £1.75 |
| Tea | Pots per Person |
| Fair Traded | £1.25 |
| Earl Grey | £1.25 |
| Herbal | £1.25 |
| Earl Grey Decaffeinated | £1.25 |
| Organic Earl Grey | £1.25 |
| Organic Darjeeling | £1.25 |
| Lapsang Souchong | £1.25 |
| China Keemun | £1.25 |
| Jasmine | £1.25 |
| Drinks | |
| Organic Apple/Carrot juice | £1.00 |
| Blackcurrent Cordial | £1.00 |
| Elderflower Cordial | £1.00 |
| Nettle Cordial | £1.00 |
| Lime Cordial | £1.00 |
| Ginger Cordial | £1.00 |
| Organic Lemonade/Cola | £1.25 |
| Fentiman's Ginger Beer | £1.50 |
| Fentiman's Shandy | £1.50 |
| Mineral Water | £1.00 |
| Sparkling Water | £1.00 |
| Soup & Rolls | |
| Home-made Soup & Organic Wholewheat Roll (V) | £3.75 |
| Savouries | |
| Home-made Organic Pizza with salad or beans | £4.50 |
| Home-made Organic Homity Pie with salad or beans | £4.50 |
| Home-made Organic nut loaf with salad or beans | £4.50 |
| Mushroom Pate with Toast and Salad | £3.50 |
| Cakes | |
| Carrot Cake | £2.50 |
| Chocolate Cake | £2.50 |
| Dairy Free chocolate cake | £2.50 |
| Fruit Cake | £2.00 |
| Tunisian Orange Cake(gluten free) | £2.00 |
| Lemon Polenta Cake(gluten free) | £2.00 |
| Cheese Scone and butter | £1.50 |
| Fruit Scone and butter | £1.50 |
| With Jam and Cream | £2.00 |
| Flapjack (V) | £1.20 |