Colin Blair opened it five years ago, mainly to provide food for festivals, and the café grew on, as it were.

Primarily operating during the day, there are spin-off Moroccan nights, and Mediterranean Rim food appears on the regular daytime menu.

Although selling the stock toasted tea cake and lemon and lime drizzle (not all cakes are made on the premises), it has an obvious edge over the cosy Dales tea room we all love. It's the sort of café you will find more normally in town.

Vegetarians and people with wheat/gluten intolerance are not forgotten. Parsnip soup with bread and butter (£2.95 or £3.50 if you are really serious) was as winsome and winning as the waitress/cook. Tea is served in massive pots. There is organic hot chocolate at £1.75 and a variety of proper coffees.

Feed the youngsters cheaply from the kids menu: say a peanut butter and jam sandwich, with crisps or salad and fresh fruit juice at £2.25. The café does outside functions, too, so they'll come to you. (A 60th in April is being furnished with belly dancers). Its music festival catering operates as Johnny Baghdad's.

Generally, then, this is what you might call cool or hip or groovy (as are some of the customers), an off-beat, humming, great fun, nice to be there sort of joint.

Prices are pretty OK. Cakes typically £1.85, salads all at £5, tea pot £1.20.

Return factor: Very likely.

52 Market Place, Masham, North Yorkshire HG4 4EF.
Open daily (except Monday in winter).
Tel: 01765 688809 and www.suncatcherscafe.com