I enjoyed lunch at an idyllic North Lincolnshire cafe with a view – and will definitely be going back
There’s nothing better than wrapping up warm for a brisk walk in the countryside and stopping for a mug of the good stuff and something delicious to eat. Last weekend, after reading the hundreds of positive reviews online, a friend and I decided to try Café Natura in Scunthorpe, also known as Bottesford Beck Visitors’ Centre. Situated on Messingham Road, the café is on the edge of the pretty woodland where the Beck is, and provides the perfect spot for stopping off for a bite to eat before or after a weekend walk with loved ones. We arrived late morning on Sunday, and wasn’t surprised to see that the place was absolutely packed – but there was luckily one table for two with a view available in the corner. There wasn’t a menu on the table, so I took a photo of the board behind the counter to peruse. Everything on there sounded absolutely delicious, from the traditional English breakfast options and more modern takes like Avocado on Sourdough to the wide range of hot and cold deli sandwiches with a whole host of filling options. Café Natura is situated in an idyllic spot at Bottesford Beck (Image: Scunthorpe Live) I eventually decided on the Goats Cheese hot deli sandwich (£11.45), which features a yummy combination of goats cheese, beetroot, red onions, walnuts, rocket and a drizzle of local honey on fresh focaccia bread, served alongside a side salad, a pot of homemade coleslaw and crisps. My friend went for the Caprese hot deli sandwich (£10.45), which is described on the menu as sliced mozzarella, beef tomatoes, vegan pesto and rocket on fresh focaccia bread, also served alongside a side salad, a pot of coleslaw and crisps. My Goats Cheese deli sandwich (Image: Scunthorpe Live) To drink, I ordered a large latte and he ordered a tea. The café was so busy that I did have to go up after about ten minutes and ask if the drinks would be arriving soon, and they were brought out pretty much straight away after that. The latte was perfectly creamy and just right – not too bitter and not too weak. I tend to find that the coffee ground from beans at restaurants and cafés is always a bit too strong for me – but not in this case. The food was served after about 20 minutes or so, and we dug in. I thoroughly enjoyed my sandwich – the combination of goats cheese and beetroot is always a winning one, and the portion sizes were really generous, so you do get some bang for your buck. My lemon crumble tart (below) was delicious (Image: Scunthorpe Live) But even though we were full, we still somehow had enough room to try one of the sweet treats in the cabinet at the counter. I can’t remember the exact names of what we had, but I had the lemon crumble tart (£4.45) and my friend went for the cherry bakewell slice (£4.75). I can’t fault mine at all – the lemon flavour was strong and tangy and the crumbly texture was the perfect contrast with the sweet lemon sauce drizzled over the top. I’ll definitely visit Café Natura again – the food was top notch, the atmosphere was warm and cosy and the location was pretty and idyllic. It’s the perfect stop-off during a brisk winter walk, and it’s not hard to see why it’s so popular amongst locals.