With the perfect blend of traditional British cuisine presented in a modern style makes it no wonder that this cafe has always and will always be the talk of grange-over-sands and a favourite among any true local! Situated in the heart of grange just opposite the duck pond, the handsome row of Victorian shops gives you an idea of how this cafe will look inside. Adorned with classic and stylish furnishings, artwork and general decor, it is difficult to not fall in love with the dining room.
personal, I have been coming here since before I remember. When living in north Lincolnshire, every time me and my parents came on holiday to the lakes we would set off from home to arrive in grange exactly at lunchtime so as to have the first meal of the holiday at the Hazelmere. Despite having dined here numerous times since moving to the lakes, just stepping inside and hearing the door close behind me brings a tsunami of nostalgic memories of being on holiday, lunching with close friends and enjoying every second of the school summer holidays! With this in mind it is no wonder this is one of my favourite cafes in the lakes. However if you have never been, it won’t take long to love the spot as much as I do.
I recently popped in to have a breakfast with a couple of friends before one of them went back home. Having only ever had lunch at the Hazelmere I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but new it wouldn’t be a disappointment. While waiting for my friends to arrive I ordered a latte. I love coffee so no one appreciates a good quality coffee more than I do, and this was more than acceptable. The milk was perfectly steamed to give a nice creamy texture and the ratio of milk to espresso was just right for a latte. The coffee was smooth, sweet, with notes of hazelnut and vanilla and a nice long linger on the palette. What more could you want!
After everyone arrived and pleasantries had been exchanged, we looked through the menu….there is so much to choose from! I felt so sorry for the waitress as she had to visit twice before we had all made our decisions. Myself and a friend had eggs Benedict (classic), while another associate had the vegan pancakes which I sadly did not get a picture of as it soon disappeared! I was told however that the pancakes were ‘delicious’. My associate is not vegan but gave here opinion that any vegan food is excellent if you are not able to tell it is vegan; which I fully agree with. In order to make anything vegan there are numerous ingredients which must be swapped, often with new ingredients with strong (occasionally not pleasant) flavours. To be able to bake pancakes where you cannot tell the difference is incredibly impressive and I’m sure it is what any vegan would be looking for.
One friend had the Turkish apple tea and was incredibly impressed by it. I did not try this tea (though I certainly will next time I visit) however, the aroma was very reminiscent of a freshly baked apple pie. There is a nice amount of theatre on how to serve the tea which soon drew attention from neighbouring tables and it wasn’t long until other’s ordered the same. A warm cozy companion I was told best describes this tea.
Now the eggs Benedict. What can I say really, every component was flawless! Eggs Benedict I have felt is almost like an impressive tall building, a feet of architectural engineering. In this case the foundation was a fresh lightly toasted brioche bun. The lobby was comprised of lightly smoked streaky bacon, crispy but still tender. The penthouse of course being the star of the show, perfectly poached eggs with just a little wobble and filled with a gloriously runny yolk. The shard at the top of this figurative building was a perfectly mixed hollandaise sauce, and copious amounts too. To finish it all of like sculptures on buildings were decorative bursts of greenery strategically placed around. To highlight how well all these components came together my associate polished the plate clean in just shy of ten minutes….I still don’t know how!
lastly of course is dessert. At this point I was more than satisfied and couldn’t really eat anything else, so I just sat back with my still warm latte. My associates however shared a bee sting bun (off menu but can be purchased in the bakery next door). If I hadn’t been so full I would have ordered one too as they are nothing short of heaven! I think the picture illustrates this well enough to be honest. A sweet, soft bun filled with thick confectioners custard with a refreshing air of fresh vanilla, topped with almonds and cherry’s. This is my favourite treat to have in spring and summer due to its refreshing notes, I think half is more than enough for on serving personal. If you can manage a full bee stain in one sitting then please tell me and I will send a medal or trophy in the post!
after having been to the Hazelmere for year I can quit confidently recommend e thing on their menu. They always execute dishes perfectly with excellent portions and never scrimp on quality or presentation. Intolerances to food…no problem, the friendly staff are always happy to help. If going at lunch I would say the Cumberland sausage if a must and you have to have Morecambe bay potted shrimp as a starter. Whenever in grange this place is worth a visit and I will be back again very soon. Please do comment below on if you have been to the Hazelmere before, your thoughts, what you ordered, I would love to hear from you.
I will be writing more about my picks from the bakery next door and the tea shop ‘Dorothy’s teas’ upstairs in the future. Until then though, enjoy your next meal out!