FOLK cafe gave me a feast - but I really need to stay away from those buns, says Barry Peters
Singing along to Long Haired Lover from Liverpool in 1972, it was pretty clear that music would shape my life.
Thankfully, the high-pitched Jimmy Osmond hasn’t had the longevity he once threatened, so good things do happen.
And one of those happened in a particularly hard week when I popped along to FOLK café for a drive-through lunch.
FOLK, like a lot of the hospitality industry, was hit by the pandemic but has bounced back and is looking forward to a life post-pandemic.
Owner Ali Barker first experienced the café culture in New Zealand in 2017: “That was the time I realised I definitely wanted to give it a go,” she told me and so opened at Fornham Business Court in early December 2018.
Added Ali: “I started with a team of five including myself which has now grown to a team of 17 with each person offering a unique character and set of skills to the group.
“Our menu has developed significantly as have collaborations with local artists and our retail offering. There has been an extension added to create a Covid-friendly outdoor area that can be usable all year round with removable metal cladding allowing the space to be completely open during the warmer months and closed during the winter with a log burner to make it cosy. It’s a bit Alpe d’folk! We are now getting into the swing of our own deli offering, which we plan to expand over the coming year and we are all very much looking forward to the return of events with some exciting provisional bookings in the calendar.
“Most recently, like many other businesses, I have taken things online with a click and collect platform where customers can choose to collect by coming into the café or by using our very much homemade drive-through from our takeaway hatch. Walk ins without preordering are still very much welcome and as always, our loyal customers have been brilliant at adapting with us, we’ve had some lovely feedback.
“My hopes for the future are to continue to support and celebrate the people and produce of Suffolk whilst having fun as a team, hosting more events, more collaborations and maybe one day, another location in Suffolk.”
FOLK has captured that rare essence of moulding the countryside with great food and a great setting. The drive-through is safe and quick – we ordered online, set a preferred time for pick-up and arrived to collect. Payment was swift and contactless and service friendly
and polite.
My partner went for the Banana and spelt flour pancakes with fruit, Greek yogurt and maple syrup, pictured, (£5.95) while I plumped for the Coronation chicken and mango chutney toastie (£5.75). Both were presented nicely and tasted divine even sat at the same kitchen table we’ve eaten at for almost a year.
In the interests of *research*, I opted for Lemon drizzle cake – lovely and tangy and moist (£2.85), while my partner opted for the £2.75 FOLK cookie – a coming together of hazelnuts, coconut and oats with a ginger cream filling. Simply yummy.
FOLK offer Butterworth’s tea and coffee, Wooster’s pastries – you get the idea. Don’t go if you (a) don’t like proper coffee or (b) have a desire to lose a few pounds. The Wooster’s Morning Bun (£2.95) looks amazing and tastes doubly indulgent and will leave you craving another.
In addition to the normal coffees, we tried a Turmeric Tisane loose leaf tea from Butterworth’s (100g for £9). The flavours of vanilla, blackcurrant and ginger will blow your mind.
FOLK, we’ll be back – please hide the Morning Buns.
FOLK cafe, Fornham Business Court, The Drift, Fornham St Martin, Bury St Edmunds IP31 1SL.
Call 01284 705099
Visit folk.cafe
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