Scotland
1 The Kiln Room
Pottery Bunkhouse, Laggan Bridge, Inverness-shire, PH20 1BT.
Tel 01528 544 231; www.potterybunkhouse.co.uk
Run for 25 years by the same folk, the Kiln Room consists of converted farm buildings clustered around a courtyard where you can sit out in summer on your way along the A889 from Inverness to Fort William. Inside, there's soup, scones, swanky sarnies and cakes under high wooden beams. The roomy stone barn also harbours a gift shop which, astonishingly for this normally execrable retail subspecies, sells things that you would actually very much like to be given - beautifully designed knitwear that has the happy and certainly unusual knack of making one appear to be a rich and sexy goatherd; tasty muted tartan crockery; top-notch toiletries. Should engine failure strike, there is also a bunkhouse complete with hot tub on deck.
Sophie Cooke
2 The Watermill
Mill Street, Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2BG (A826/A827).
Tel 01887-822896; www.aberfeldywatermill.com.
Something of a genre-buster, this: a fair-trade cafe in a converted mill that also houses what was recently voted Scotland's best independent bookshop - and all in the far-flung fringe of rural Perthshire, off the A827. There are more than 5,000 titles. Kids get a special room full of children's books. The cafe itself occupies a glassy flank of the quirky old stone building, with a leafy vista out to the hills. With whitewashed walls, woodburning stove and a floor strewn with rugs, it's like the ranch of a very erudite cowboy. Espressos, made from organic fair-trade beans, are massaged to perfection on a lovingly tended, impossibly gleaming Italian coffee machine. If you plump for a cafetiere, you even get an egg-timer to judge the strength precisely. Tea is always loose leaf; they're quite fanatical about this. There might not be a huge choice of main meals, but the dedication to percolated pleasures, sweetened by books, pastries and economic justice, make the Watermill a great place to stop for organic soup and sandwiches as a side order to your coffee en route across the heart of Scotland.
SC
3 Brig O'Turk Tearoom
Loch Achray, Trossachs, FK17 8HX.
Tel 01877-376267.
A possible contender for the UK's smallest tearoom, this green-painted wooden 1920s hut is an unlikely movie star, having featured in the 1958 version of The 39 Steps. It's a legend among cyclists and walkers, being a little oasis of omelette in the culinary desert of the Duke's Pass (A821). You can also enjoy scones, pancakes, baked potatoes, soup, lamb chops, smoked mackerel and peas, or the famous cottage pie. Everything here is homemade, and it's fine, honest stuff. Just look at those 1950s cyclists in the photographs on the walls for evidence of the marvellous figure that can be attained without recourse to a panini.
SC
4 Pillars of Hercules
Pillars of Hercules Farm, Falkland,
Cupar, Fife, KY15 7AD.
Tel 01337-857749; www.pillars.co.uk.
Not, as its name might suggest, a flashy Athenian nightclub, but an organic farm on the A912 near Falkland in Fife, with a slinky hippy cafe. Inside, the whimsically irregular wooden benches and tables are made by the talented farm staff. It all adds to the gorgeously trippy tree-house aesthetic. The big shop sells farm produce, local venison, honey, organic wine and beer, making it a useful place to stock up on larder supplies if you're heading off to a self-catering cottage. Best of all is the terrace cafe area where you can sit under a rampantly overgrown loggia and contemplate life with a comforting slab of focaccia. All the food is vegetarian and organic, made from the farm's own produce. So the soups, sandwiches, cake and salads are crammed with seasonal apples, beans, cucumbers, dill, endive, fennel, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, and eggs fresh from some of the most contented chickens in the country.
SC
5 Glen Cafe
St Mary's Loch, Selkirk, TD7 5LH.
Tel 01750-42241; www.glencafe.co.uk.
Festooned with fairy lights, this basic wooden roadside building has some of the best real cafe cooking going, coupled with a dreamily remote and tranquil location on the shores of St Mary's Loch on the A708. Everything is freshly made to order and of impressively high quality, in a simple but well-executed style. Big breakfasts (all under £5) include local blackheart sausage, porridge and omelettes; substantial lunches stretch from hot steak and onion baguettes to mince and tatties or filled Yorkshire puddings, which taste even better taken outside at the picnic tables. There are fair-trade organic teas and coffees, and stacks of plump, breathy, home-baked cakes. Throughout August a bistro operates on Friday and Saturday evenings, which means you can stop for beautifully cooked Scottish beef in whisky sauce for under a tenner while the road darkens behind you.
SC
6 Cream O'Galloway
Rainton Farm, Gatehouse of Fleet, Castle Douglas, DG7 2DR.
Tel 01557-814040; www.creamogalloway.co.uk.
This place is a small bucket of bucolic dairy heaven on a working organic farm in the Machars, two miles off the A75 from Dumfries to Stranraer. It's a great place to stop with children. They can stretch their legs on nature trails through the bluebell woods, or in the adventure playground (for which an entry fee applies) with a lookout tower above the treetops. There are also games and puzzles, plus a brilliant barn filled with straw in which to play on rainy days - as well as the chance to see the farm animals and watch ice-cream being made. It's basically Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with lambs. In terms of food, everything is simple and well prepared - hot and cold meals including soups, salads, toasties and baked potatoes as staples. There are 25 ice-cream flavours, including whisky, honey and oatmeal, or organic strawberry pavlova. If you're concerned about your bikini body, then try the organic elderflower frozen yogurt. Bring out the holiday coolbox to cart some away with you.
SC
7 Abbey Cottage Tearoom
New Abbey, Dumfries, DG2 8BY.
Tel 01387-850377; www.abbeycottagetearoom.com.
This pretty cafe with its garden eating area overlooking Sweetheart Abbey on the A710 hardly needs introducing to tearoom aficionados, because it wins an Award of Excellence from the Tea Council every year and is occasionally crowned the best coffee shop in the nation. The excellent food is almost all local, much of it is organic, and it's all reasonably priced. They're also really good at catering for vegetarians, diabetics, and others of restricted diet. Salads and sandwiches tend to involve Galloway roast beef, smoked salmon, local haggis (or veggie haggis) and organic cheeses. You can follow that with meringues and cream, or butter shortbread - and a glass of wine or local beer at lunchtime, because it's licensed until 5pm.
SC
Northern Ireland
8 McKee's Farm Shop
Strangford View Farm, 58 Holywood Road, Newtownards, Co Down, BT23 4TQ.
Tel 028-9182 1304.
Hidden away in the Craigantlet hills, with superb views over Strangford Lough, McKee's is a five-minute drive from the busy Belfast-Newtownards dual carriageway. It's also a convenient stop-off for commuters or day- trippers taking the alternative route from Belfast to Bangor through the hills. The farm shop has a divine selection of breads and deli produce, but it's most famous for its free-range meat, raised on site. The farm even employs a butcher so you can get the cut you want. Housed in a sun-trap conservatory, the coffee shop has restricted opening times (9am-4pm Mon-Sat), but it's worth it for the view, solid country fare (baked potatoes, salads, etc), gorgeous cakes, and friendly, down-to-earth service. Menu highlights include a "healthy breakfast" featuring poached free-range eggs, wheaten bread, grilled bacon and apple chutney. Sirloin steaks are a recent addition to the lunchtime specials.
Una Bradley
England
9 Laundry Court Coffee House
Kirkharle Courtyard, Kirkharle, Northumberland, NE19 2PE.
Tel 01830-540 362.
The landscape designer Lancelot "Capability" Brown was born in Kirkharle, and a Capability Brown cream tea is yours for the asking. Set amid a rolling landscape off the A696, this is home to handsome ancient farm buildings sympathetically tweaked by owners John and Kitty Anderson. Each building houses various local galleries and workshops whose wares are selectively scattered throughout the site for you to muse over as you enjoy the specially blended Kirkharle Pumphrey's coffee. In the summer you can sit in the stone courtyard; in winter, park yourself in the seats next to the wood-burning stoves. The regular menu is fairly strait-laced, concentrating on good home cooking - Laundry Court pâté with homemade chutney, toast and salad and daily quiches from broccoli and stilton to roast pepper and chorizo. Manager Alexis Moore plays with the soups: roast garlic and rocket or perhaps carrot, ginger and honey, and daily specials reflect the seasons - lemon and asparagus risotto give way to Cumberland sausage with mash and onion gravy.
Bev Stephenson
10 Corbridge Larder Cafe
18 Hill Street, Corbridge, Northumberland, NE45 5AA.
Tel 01434-632 948.
Set above the foodie mecca of the Larder - an institution for the past two decades in this stunning, unspoilt village near the junction of the A68 and A69 - the cafe is clean and uncluttered, despite sharing the space with the Larder's impressive range of local produce, from Olifera rape-seed oil and Gilchester's organic flour to Wylam beer. Ginormous cheese scones are baked fresh every morning along with homity (cheese, potato and onion), ham and egg and corned beef pies. Try the Italian antipasti for £4.95. The coup for owner Dave Robinson, however, has been the deal with Newcastle's Cafe Royal to supply their phenomenal cakes and bread. Try the bread basket for 99p (there's eight to choose from, including rosemary, rock salt and sultana, and sour dough), then pop downstairs and buy some to take home.
BS
11 Hartside Top Cafe
Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3BW.
Tel 01434-381036.
Who could resist a stop at England's highest cafe, way up on the A686 between Penrith and Alston? It proclaims its immodest title on a large sign, so it's often busy. But the cosiness amid vast moorland landscapes makes for friendliness between truckies (the main base of the famed Eddie Stobart wagons is not far away), holidaymakers and occasional biker meets. Good, simple food, strong tea and views of Skiddaw, Helvellyn and the other Lakes giants are to be had. A coast-to-coast cycle route comes past, and riders often pose beside the two thought-provoking signs: "Hartside Summit, 1,903ft" and "Hartside Top Cafe, 1,904ft".
Martin Wainwright
12 Lakeland Pedlar Wholefood Cafe
Bell Close Park, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5JD.
Tel: 01768-774492
As well as housing a wonderful wholefood cafe, this is a bike shop. The Lakeland Pedlar lies just off the A66 and the cafe is especially worth remembering if you are a vegetarian. The Pedlar also caters for vegan and gluten-free diets. Best of all, the food is homemade, and tastes it - the hearty soups, fresh organic bread and excellent salads are all worth investigating. The specials board is regularly updated and the cafe is open seven days a week throughout the year. There's a range of organic wines, beers and ciders - and for the designated driver, fresh lassis and milkshakes.
Andrew Shanahan
13 Tebay Services
M6 (junction 38), Old Tebay, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 3SS.
Tel 01539-624505
Since 1971, Tebay services have been confounding motorists' expectations of what a motorway service station should be like. These are the only services to be built and run by local people rather than faceless corporations, and it shows. Both north- and southbound services provide access to a farm shop and self-service restaurant full of local produce 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The grounds of the service station are relaxed and tastefully built, with many of the tables in the restaurant looking out over the surrounding Howgills and the small lake full of inquisitive ducks. Tebay Services has regularly won awards for best service station, but it has also garnered food awards including Best Local Retailer in the Radio 4 Farm and Farming awards, Breakfast Champion of the North West, and even two stars from Egon Ronay.
AS
14 Millstones & Mill 67 Bistro
Skipton Road, Felliscliffe, Harrogate, North Yorks, HG3 2LT.
Tel 01423-770672.
The A59 route to the Yorkshire Dales from Harrogate has a couple of excellent stop-offs. Millstones, bang next to the spooky radomes of Menwith Hill spy base, is an old carmen's pull-up cafe that has curiously mushroomed into one of the north's biggest venues for older folk's club outings. While they sing second world war hits and do the quickstep in two special suites, you can have morning coffee or some fine lunchtime sandwiches - poached or smoked salmon, beefsteak with caramelised onions - in the Mill 67 mini- bistro alongside. Family-run by the local Peel dynasty since 1963.
MW
15 The Red Bus Cafe
Shaw Wood layby, Kiddal, nr Thorner, West Yorkshire
The Red Bus cafe is a famous sight on the A64 Leeds-York road, parked in a woodland layby opposite Flying Horse Farm, about 10 miles east of Leeds. It has just enjoyed one of its big seasonal rushes, catering to hundreds of Leeds Festival fans who streamed down from their sun-drenched encampment in nearby Bramham Park. "The best bacon and egg butties the world has ever tasted," says one festival blogger, accurately. "And all served from a bus." Usually, the old double-decker is quieter, but it's always friendly and excellent value. The only drawbacks are the fact that the road runs right past, noisy and busy, and that Shaw Wood is plagued by litter-dumping and can block the sun.
MW
16 The Fisherman's Retreat
Riding Head Lane, Shuttleworth, Ramsbottom, Lancashire, BL0 0HH.
Tel 01706-825314.
Close to both the M66 and the A56, the Fisherman's Retreat is worth a detour for its chips alone. The Magnall family who run the pub also own the surrounding Twine Valley, home to many of the animals, including award- winning Charolais cattle, which end up on the menu in dishes such as the £35 mixed grill called "the Farm on a Plate". This is a destination for devout carnivores. The valley has a lake that keeps the restaurant stocked with trout, which can be served simply baked. Families are welcome, but notices caution that "runners, kickers and screamers" should be kept under control. Views over the valley make this an excellent roadside stopoff, but avoid the 500 malt whiskies for sale in the shop if you're planning to continue your journey by car.
AS
17 Wizard Restaurant
Macclesfield Road, Nether Alderley, Cheshire, SK10 4UB.
Tel 01625-584000.
If you're driving on the A34, the magical Wizard Restaurant can be found by a short detour at Alderley Edge. This former coaching inn is pretty much on the buckle of the Cheshire stockbroker belt but prices remain reasonable, with a lunch menu offering £10 for two courses. Most of the produce is sourced locally, including some excellent Cheshire potatoes, and they have held a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2001. The menu displays an accomplished international mindset, with dishes such as Thai green curry and coriander and chilli linguine with fresh crab and king prawns. The restaurant is happy to tailor dishes to suit children.
AS
18 The Olive Branch
Main Street, Clipsham, Rutland, LE15 7SH.
Tel 01780-410 355.
Just a few minutes from the A1 lies the peaceful village of Clipsham and the Olive Branch pub, which manages the seemingly impossible task of pleasing everyone with a menu that satisfies the traditional diner (excellent local Lincolnshire sausage and mash, £11.75) while offering dishes rooted in a grander tradition of dining, such as the pan-fried skate wing with an almond and caper butter sauce. Stock up on good local produce as the pub has its own shop selling local honey and chutneys. Since Sean Hope took over in 1999, it has become only the second pub to receive a Michelin star, but it remains warm and welcoming. The blackboard menu has a two-course lunch for £13.95. If you find the Olive Branch booked up, then it's worth investigating its sister venue, the Red Lion at Stathern.
AS
19 Route 46
Cheltenham Road, Ashton-under-Hill, Evesham, Worcs, WR11 7QP.
Tel 01386-882685.
With the right light breaking through its large glass windows, you could be forgiven for thinking that Route 46 was Philippe Starck's take on a roadside cafe - in the transport eatery scheme of things, its minimalist style makes it look positively futuristic. Thankfully, Route 46, named after the A-road by which it sits, also has bags of personality. Its food policy would shame many mainstream restaurants - fresh produce from local suppliers and lovingly home-cooked specials every day. It's classic traveller's fare - chips, well cut and chunky, and various fish and meat, all carried off incredibly well. Go for eight-quid gammon or rump steak options. There are also good kids' options (£3.50) and an excellent bar area with comfortable leather chairs, which opens on to a patio.
Antony Jones
20 The Farmcafe & Food Market
Marlesford, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP13 0AG.
Tel 01728-747717.
Those heading from the south-east to the Suffolk coast have but one road to take: the A12. How fortunate, then, that their single route to the sea takes them by a jewel of a roadside cafe. Paul and Linda Thomas's Farmcafe keeps the balance of convenience and ponciness just right: you can have a fry-up, but you can also select from a range of pastas, salads, sandwiches and assorted cooked meals, all freshly made and usually with locally sourced ingredients. You're only paying the same price as you would in a greasy chain, too - a hot roast beef baguette or crayfish baguette are around £4 each (and one is big enough to split between two children), with more substantial meals all coming in at under a tenner. It doesn't look madly promising from the road - the cafe is a converted petrol station - but it's spacious, with an outside terrace at the back, and a field where kids can run off car-journey stiffness. When you're done, pick up farm-produced goods at the neighbouring shop for your journey on.
Michael Hann
21 Hampers
Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxon, OX20 1TH.
Tel 01993-811535.
Hampers serves lovely light-to-medium-heavy bites, has a fine range of hot and cold drinks, is very family-friendly and, perhaps best of all, has a first-class deli attached, so you can stock up on delicious treats for the rest of your journey along the A44. Come on, can you get roasted onion and garlic chutney for the road in Little Chef? There are various Middle Eastern platters - top-notch falafels, hummus and tabbouleh with salad at £6.25. The ploughman's is top quality. The menu also offers reasonably priced, flexible sharing options, and the sweets, though not as consistently great as the savouries, are reassuringly comforting.
AJ
22 Lockside
Brunel Lock Road, Cumberland Basin, Bristol, BS1 6XL.
Tel 0117-925 5800; www.lockside.net.
Lockside, situated near the A4, opened in 1962 and enjoyed a colourful life as a 24-hour truckers' and bikers' favourite, doubling as Sid's Cafe in Only Fools and Horses. Transformed with restrained pastel hues and tasteful retro furniture, it reopened in 2004 and now attracts diners from nearby Hotwells and Southville plus binmen, dockers, drivers and young mums. Breakfast remains at the heart of things, but besides a large full English at £6.50, there's salmon, bagels and scrambled eggs (£7.75), Greek yoghurt with fresh fruit and honey (£4.95), or French toast with apple and wild berry compote at £4.25. Floor-to-ceiling windows with views over Bristol docks and Clifton make it an attractive evening destination, when chef Gary Bruton lets rip with more exotic offerings. How about a starter of beef carpaccio with parmesan shavings (£6.50) followed by a main of sea bass fillet with a summer Tuscan salad (£13.50), with maybe a chocolate fondue with raspberries, pears and marshmallows (£4.75) to finish?
John Mitchell
23 Square Deal Cafe
Bath Road, Knowl Hill, Reading, Berks, RG10 9UR.
Tel 01628-822426.
The Square Deal does good, honest, unpretentious food at a very good price. There's nothing fancy about this place - sitting just off the A4, it's a quintessential truckers' and professional drivers' stop-off. And you'd be hard pressed to find the Square Deal anything other than bustling. The early-morning crowd know which way their three rounds of toast are buttered: the fry-ups are excellent, particularly the two-of-everything mega-breakfast for less than six quid. Hearty is the word, with quality bacon and sausage. There are also fine veggie options, and kids are well catered for - all for the same money you'd have to stump up for a BLT sandwich in stop-offs not far away.
AJ
24 The Pineapple
Lake End Road, Dorney, Berks, SL4 6QS;
Tel 01628-662353
Wouldn't it be great if there was a family pub with a large beer garden that served nothing but sandwiches - say, maybe, something like 1,000 variations, with light-hearted names such as Chicken Licken and Fisherman's Friend, all at £6.25 and made by staff who take pride in the establishment's award-winning reputation? Welcome to the Pineapple. This popular pub is a five-minute drive from the A4 and a 15-minute detour from the M4 (junction 7) - ideal if you are going to or from Heathrow and want some respite from claustrophobic corporate catering. Highlights include the Porky and Best (hot pork and stuffing with apple sauce) and the Zorba (slices of tender lamb layered with hummus).
AJ
25 Port and Starboard Cafe/Fish and Chip Shop
Chapel Road, Indian Queens, Cornwall, TR9 6JZ.
Tel 01726-860270.
A landmark in mid-Cornwall and a welcome staging post for travellers to the far west for more than 50 years, this is a taste of the sea in a sit-down restaurant just seconds off the A30. The captain's set menu - cod and chips, a slice of bread and butter with mushy peas, beans or curry sauce and a drink - is good value at £6.75. Otherwise, try the Cornish crab ploughman's or the smoked fish platters. Salads, jacket potatoes and children's meals are available too. Hot pineapple or banana fritter is a speciality for dessert; they also have a drinks licence and a decent wine list.
Steven Morris
26 Haldon Grill
Telegraph Hill (A380), Kennford, nr Exeter, Devon, EX6 7XW.
Tel 01392-833700.
Andy and Lisa Harvey took over the self-styled "Grill on the Hill" seven years ago and have tried to retain its welcoming, familial atmosphere, which gives a West Country twist to the 50s American diner. Customers are a mix of holidaymakers, cyclists, bikers and walkers exploring the nearby Haldon Ridge. There's a range of freshly cooked specials such as chicken curry, cottage pie, veggie bakes and lasagne (all £4.95). Fresh filter coffee with hot milk is 80p and desserts include Lisa's sensational gooey flapjacks (chocolate, cherry or mixed fruit) for 90p. Nods to healthy living include a range of fresh salads from £4 to £5, plus jacket spuds with a range of fillings at £4.30.
JM
Wales
27 Rhug Estate Organic Farm
Corwen, Denbighshire, LL21 0EH.
Tel 01490-413000; www.rhugorganicfarm.co.uk
Approximately halfway along the A5 between the Midlands and Holyhead lies one of the largest organic farms in Wales. Alongside the 4,000 lambs reared each year, the estate produces wonderful beef from award-winning Aberdeen angus cattle. It is thanks to these animals that travellers can enjoy the organic burger bar at Rhug - burgers that have barely generated food metres, let alone food miles. As well as the roast of the day, there is a retail shop and butcher where you can stock up on a range of organic produce, including more of the excellent beef.
AS
28 The Quarry Cafe
Maengwyn Street, Machynlleth, SY20 8EB.
Tel 01654-702624.
The Quarry Cafe, near the junction of the A487 and A489, is a vegetarian and vegan cafe and shop affiliated with the Centre for Alternative Technology a few miles away, which in itself makes for a brilliant detour. The cafe promotes wholefoods, locally sourced, and seasonal produce. For 28 years now, customers have enjoyed a range of homemade soups and breads, alongside freshly prepared traditional cafe dishes such as veggieburgers and wholemeal pizzas. Prices are reasonable and don't rise with the arrival of the tourists. The cafe remains open throughout the winter and its commitment to the local community won it an award for food action locally from the Food Standards Agency in Wales.
AS
29 Something's Cooking
The Square, Letterston, Pembrokeshire, SA62 5SB.
Tel 01348-840621.
If you are taking the A40 to the west Wales coast or the Fishguard ferry to Ireland, plot a course through Letterston. Some consider Something's Cooking the best fish and chip shop in Wales. Whether it's the cured rolls of salmon in honey and mustard or the seat-filling battered cod, people drive from miles around to eat it. There are dishes for the more adventurous fish fancier - halibut, skate - but the cod and chips sells like crazy, because it's superb. Meaty chunks of cod, flaking perfectly on the fork, wrapped in a light, crunchy batter - and all for little more than a fiver.
AJ
30 Gwalia Tearooms
Museum of Welsh Life, St Fagans, Cardiff, CF5 6XB.
Tel 029-20573500.
Located near the A4232 in Cardiff, the Gwalia tearooms are an ideal stop-off for a light bite where you can sample traditional Welsh savouries and sweets in a "ye olde tea shoppe" setting. The cafe occupies the first floor of the museum's Gwalia Supply general store and ironmonger, dating from 1880, which in itself will be a draw for regular viewers of the History Channel. There are some lovely, well-cut sandwiches, such as the ham with Welsh whisky mustard, and also a superb "traditional y fenni", Welsh rarebit served with roots chutney. There are also excellent home-made cakes - try the Welsh cake with Bethesda butter or the coffee and walnut cake. Prices are pleasingly keen: a family of four can fill their boots for less than £30.
AJ
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