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• Farm animals but not on your plate

If you’re looking for somewhere interesting to take the kids, or just want to spend some time in a relaxed urban oasis, this small café is for you. Strawbale Café is in the middle of a city farm – the only one in the UK with a non-slaughtering policy. The animals aren’t bred for consumption, but the farm does produce eggs, honey and (I assume) milk. Cheese featured in most of the dishes on the menu, so as a vegan I had a choice between falafel and vegetable chilli (without cheese). For vegetarians, there was also soup, sandwiches, feta cheese salad, and there are a few children’s dishes. The chilli was very tasty and full of chunky vegetables, and came with salad as well as whole grain rice. Cakes included beetroot brownie, chilli chocolate cake and apple flapjack, which all looked very tempting but unfortunately weren’t vegan. Although choices were limited, the food was great and the atmosphere welcoming and relaxed. You can sit in the lovely plywood-lined interior, or outside in the garden, listening to the ducks and birds. There are books to read and when it’s not too busy it’s a nice place to linger, with or without kids in tow. I didn’t get a chance to interrogate anyone about the dairy cows, or the farm’s education policy relating to meat. But they do teach kids about gardening and cooking, and encourage them to think about where their food comes from, which is definitely a step in the right direction – and something you can support whilst enjoying a meal in this charming café.