Hertfordshire, RickmansworthThe Café in the Park, a hidden gem in a nature reserve

The Setting

There’s no tricks here, this hidden gem is situated in the middle of the Rickmansworth Aquadrome Nature Reserve. It looks like a large wooden barn and on entering you’re greeted with the aroma of home cooked food, friendly faces from the staff and a whole range of local products on the shelves leading towards the till. This cozy café is packed with locals and is perfectly suited for dog walking, as there’s picnic tables outside for you and your four-legged friends. They even accommodate the dogs with water bowls.

The little things

The café clearly projects ethical and sustainable values. They have a filtered water tap in return for donations and they’ve already raised an impressive £18,500 for water aid.

The back wall displays their values- ‘Feed the mind’, ‘Ethical and sustainable produce’, ‘Health and well-being’. They  also have an adult zone at the back which contains wooden tables, cozy arm chairs and even art work from their local high school children. It really has a real local community feel..

What we ate

We ordered the falafel veggie burger which was full of flavour, well seasoned with a crispy outside and a soft middle accompanied with homemade chips.

It was presented on a rustic wooden board and filled with lettuce, pickles and a roasted bell pepper to add some colour. We also ordered the park salad which was a combination of pesto quinoa, beetroot relish, roasted cauliflower and sun-dried tomatoes all topped with a variety of mixed seeds to add a perfect crunch.

The salad was super flavourful, a generous size and loaded with nutrients.

I also washed this down with a Birchall lemongrass and ginger tea I left feeling comfortably full and very satisfied. It was all very reasonably priced.