The Old Hardware Shop

The Old Hardware Shop was taken over in 2014 by Rosanna Marr, and she now runs the cafe Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, with her sister Amy, who’s mostly in charge of the cakes. In the savoury corner, you can expect breakfast plates including scrambled tofu and falafels or melted “cheese” toasties with facon, vegan sausage and no-meat black pudding, which has been described as “a revelation”. Moving more lunchwards, think homemade soups, sandwiches and salad boxes, and fast food classics like cheeseburgers you’ll have no beef with, a variety of hot dogs (no animals were harmed) and cheatball subs. Check out the specials board for the likes of pitta bread with couscous salad and soy lamb and Moroccan dressing or sweet chilli “chicken” with Sriracha mayo, red onion and vegan cheese on focaccia. There’s plenty that’s gluten-free too, including a gluten-free cake of the day, and all the cakes and bakes and biscuits and slices change regularly.

If you’re not stopping for an accompanying hot Lotus Biscoff bevvy, a pumpkin spice latte or an ice cream milkshake topped with whipped cream (all vegan), most things are available to take away – and you can even order whole family-sized cakes through The Old Hardware Shop offshoot Pretty Sweet Vegan.