Willow's Shake Shop

We had lunch out today at Abingdon's newest cafe -- Willow's Shake Shop. We've been meaning to go here for a while, but haven't had a free Saturday until now.

Anyway, it was worth the wait. This is a lovely little place -- not only is it a cafe; it also sells vintage and shabby chic furniture and ornaments.

As the name suggests, Willow's serves milkshakes (and smoothies) in a whole array of flavours. Our daughters chose the Crunchie and the Reese's peanut butter flavours, which were both delicious. We also had panini, a scone, and a toasted tea cake, all of which were very tasty and clearly homemade.

This is a very pleasant environment in which to sit. It is beautifully decorated with lots of pretty things and pieces of furniture -- the vintage items that are for sale, in fact! There were several things that caught our eye and in the end we decided to buy a little framed picture that had been made by one of the owners of the cafe.

We will definitely be back. Lovely food, a beautiful shop and very competitive pricing, too -- we would highly recommend Willow's Shake Shop!

The Waterfront Cafe at Benson

I just wanted to write a blog post singing the praises of the Waterfront Cafe at Benson.

My friend Sally and I meet up here regularly for coffee, cakes and a chat. It is right by the river, so has a lovely outlook with lots of boats and meadows beyond. There are lots of tables inside and a large, canopied terrace outside, so you can always get a table -- including one in the fresh air and sunshine, if you wish.

The coffee is good and they have an unusual and scrummy range of cakes (we are particularly partial to the Portuguese custard tarts). They also serve a range of hot meals, cooked breakfast, etc.

The waiting staff are friendly and efficient.

What more could you want?!