Strawbridges Garden Centre: ‘I went to an imaginary coffee shop at an unusual garden centre’

A short journey down the M1, we arrive in Barnsley, where the welcome sign reads: "Barnsley - the place of possibilities."

Normally I'm in 'tarn' to see family or shop at The Glassworks. This time, however, I was here to visit Strawbridges Garden Centre, which I’ve been told is a hidden gem, for the Mrs Yorkshire podcast.

Through the looking glass

I visited on a cold wet day. We parked up in the gravel car park. It looked as if I had arrived at a caravan park by the way it was laid out. This is an old-school garden centre, none of the fancy stuff, just plants and peat.

To the left is Audrey's Coffee House and Deli, and to the right is Walker's Pet Cremation and Home Euthanasia services. Straight ahead are a range of sheds and outhouses.

I wanted to try the quirky cafe, which has mixed reviews online.

Melanie and Josh Strawbridge run the cafe which sells a range of hot and cold food, drinks and puddings.

It feels like you’re entering your own fairytale. You feel as if you’re inside a character’s quirky home with touches of Harry Potter magic, a wall made out of books and Alice in Wonderland style ornaments.

The wall is decorated with magical quotes and artwork, weaving Audrey’s into the magic of Alice in Wonderland.

It’s cosy, earthy and clearly popular with locals. They have a refined greasy spoon style breakfast menu with a gastro pub lunch offering as well as specials including afternoon tea. More is definitely less here.

I’d come to interview celebrity psychic Inbaal Hogman, who was born in the Middle East but has fallen in love with quirky British places since settling in Yorkshire.

She said: “It’s my first time here but I love Cannon Hall Farm and I love feeling British and eating quiche while drinking a cup of tea.”

They always have a quiche of the day on offer as well as a range of sandwiches, wraps, burgers and jacket potatoes.

We tried the home made lasagne with triple cooked chips which is £11. Prices range from £2.95 to £13.95 - which is about average for a cafe as food prices continue to rise.

The lasagne was piping hot served in a large ramekin, it was full of cheesy goodness and the chips were hand cut and chunky. There’s a range of school pudding style desserts on offer as well as cakes.

Drinks are served in fine china matching the fairytale feel of the place.

Audrey's Coffee House and Deli gave me that warmth I used to feel when visiting my nanny and devouring her homemade coconut buns.

As roadside cafes go, this is up there.