York Day 2: Mannion & Co Cafe

For breakfast the next day I headed to Mannion, a cafe I had heard of and walked past quite a few times staring lovingly at their cakes and pastries, but never managed to make it in. They are right next to York Cocoa House and their brownies usually get me before I even have a chance to check out Mannion. The times I have tried to get cake here they were all gone by the time I got there! The sign of a good cake I feel.

A deli counter at the front lures you in with gorgeous home made bread tumbling out of baskets and an array of cakes, pastries and enormous meringues and also cured meats and cheeses of nearly every kind you could ever wish for.

Extremely friendly staff greeted me and saw to it that I was well looked after. I ordered a much needed coffee that came in lovely china. I'm sure I've seen this in John Lewis. Or a market stall in Germany. #ChinaFiend. It also came with a lovely little cardamom biscotti! One of the nicest things I've ever been given free with coffee.

I ordered the perfect hangover cure: Yorkshire rarebit - oh hell yes with bacon - on sourdough.

The bacon is hiding under all the melting cheese.

They were not stingy with their portions, this managed to fill me up for the entire day. A tomato chutney on the side was tangy and strong, a great accompaniment to the smoothness of cheese and bacon. I just wish I had a bit more of it than what was in the tiny pot!!

I still remember this amazing plate of food. So simple, yet honestly one of the best things I've ever eaten and all for the incredibly low price of £7! I felt so gluttonous but it was homely and delicious. The cafe itself had a great buzzing, bustling atmosphere with the exposed kitchen (I love seeing chefs work) and cosy interiors.

As I left I finally ordered my cake to go, a very hard task seeing as I wanted a piece of EVERYTHING on display. I went for 3 - yes 3 though I did share them!! - and they did not disappoint. I wish I had been in there many more times now! The brownie was exquisite. It was so fudgey and moist and I was so shocked and delighted to find they had raisins inside!! My absolute favourite. I bake my own brownies with raisins and have never come across a brownie from a cafe with them. People are too afraid I think that punters won't like them. Cafe's of Britain, it's ok. I'll eat them all instead if I have to. It's the right thing to do.
The flapjack was unlike any flapjack I have ever tasted before! The texture was more dense and cakey than a standard oaty one. Which was fantastic! Different levels of flavour was created with the different dried fruits and whole nuts inside. And it was all topped off with a slice of rhubarb that had been caramelised, or something similar. I'm not usually a fan of rhubarb but this was so sweet with a punch of sour coming later.
The blackberry and almond tart was yummy too. My least fave of all 3, or maybe I should say that for me it was not as incredible as the other two because that makes it sound like I didn't like it. However, I did feel the pastry was a little dry, but then tarts aren't usually my thing. The filling was delicious though.

I enjoyed all this so much, I brought my friend and her sister along the next day for a spot of cream tea. Needless to say the scones, jam and cream were all amazing and the tea I chose was very interesting, one of a number of interesting speciality loose leaf teas they do.

On my last day, I headed there to grab one of their sandwiches I had noticed on their blackboard from previous visits. I got the fennel salami and tallegio cheese on fig and walnut bread. I'm not sure if the bread came as standard, or I was given fig and walnut because they didn't have any other kind left, but I was very impressed. Needless to say, I think you can guess it was incredibly delicious. It was also HUGE, I might add. To take-away, this came to a whopping £3.50!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S THE PRICE OF AN M&S SANDWICH!! Now don't get me wrong, I do love my M&S sandwiches, but for the same price I can get a homemade sandwich, with much more interesting and high quality fillings, that is double the size and all on artisan bread! It is unthinkable I that I have wasted all my time lusting after M&S goods when I should have been here all along.

I am honestly so disappointed that I didn't discover this place sooner, it had been right under my nose for so long. Had I stepped into this cafe sooner I'd probably have many more great memories in York and would have eaten a lot more great food!!