Nothing beats enjoying a day off than doing one of your favourite things. That for me, is plunking down in a café and doing a spot of writing.
I decided to venture away from my work desk and into a local café that is the Tea Cosy in Littleover Derby. It has recently taken over by new management and it is now one of my favourite places in Littleover.
The Tea Cosy is more than just a place to eat food. It has become a real community hub.
Whilst I sipped my latte in a giant mug (kudos to the wonderfully eclectic crockery), customers could be heard conversing and having a jolly old time. There was a couple who came in, drank in comfortable silence, and left with smiles on their faces.
This, is the brilliant thing about Tea Cosy Littleover. It has a diverse appeal and everyone feels comfortable in the cute surroundings of the café.
I had an iced Bakewell Tart, which was quite possibly one of the best Bakewell Tarts I have ever tasted. Most Bakewell Tarts I’ve scarfed have the teeniest, tiniest schmears of jam on the base.
Not so with the Tea Cosy’s Bakewell Tart. The thick layer of jam came as a lovely surprise and combined with buttery shortcrust pastry, moist and incredibly light sponge, made this one of the best Bakewell Tarts I have ever tasted in my entire life.
The dessert counter is a cake-lovers dream, filled with sweet treats galore. Taking pride of place on the counter were various cloches guarding precious cakes including salted caramel cake, Victoria sponge, lemon cake and more.
There is a good menu for a light lunch that serves dishes such as quiche, sandwiches and more. All this is lovely, but what I really appreciated was the hustle and bustle of a café in a village, where I didn’t have to travel into town to experience.
One of the many benefits of working from home, for me, is that I get to spend my money locally. I very rarely venture into town now, unless I have a real hankering to visit a specific restaurant, or if I need to visit a specific store (I have to visit Next in the coming week, but more on that later).
It’s a family affair at Tea Cosy, run my mother and daughter team, Janice and Gemma. Speaking about the purpose behind the café, Janice who is head baker said: “It was just a little hobby for me.
“The opportunity come along, and that was that. People enjoy the food and it makes it all worthwhile.”
A massive fan favourite is Janice’s iced Bakewell Tart and for blooming good reason. It is simply delicious.
Daughter Gemma is keen on the salted caramel cake, whilst mother Janice likes her home-made quiche.
I am currently in the midst of making afternoon tea plans to visit soon. In the meantime, I urge you to visit this family-run café that do the best Bakewell Tart in town. Scratch that – the best Bakewell Tart in the UK, I am that confident.
Rating: (1: Meh – 10: Love)
Food: 10
Ambience: 10
Service: 10
Eatery name: The Tea Cosy, Littleover, Derby
Address: 4 Normanton Lane, Littleover, Derby DE23 6GP
Opening times:
Tuesday 9am–3pm
Wednesday 9am–3pm
Thursday 9am–3pm
Friday 9am–3pm
Saturday 9am–2pm
Sunday Closed
Caters for dietary requirements: Yes, they serve gluten-free food.
How to make reservation: Call / Message on social: Tea Cosy Facebook | Tea Cosy Instagram
Telephone: 01332 771773
How to get there: 15 minutes from Derby city centre.
Website + social: Tea Cosy Facebook | Tea Cosy Instagram