As well being a treasure trove of literary works, a well known Northumberland book shop is also home to its own ‘best kept secret’ – a cafe that has a near perfect score on Trip Advisor and is open every single day of the year, apart from Christmas Day.
If you are a book worm, or just fancy checking out a place that has been posted about endless times on social media, Barter Books in Alnwick is an absolute must. While it looks very much like an ordinary shop from the outside, once you step into Barter Books, you’ll realise that you have entered a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of both fiction and non fiction.
A big hit with both locals and visitors to the region for decades and decades now, Barter Books, one of the largest secondhand bookshops in Britain, has held launch events for famous writers, life music performances and even has its own model train track, which runs right beneath an eye-catching mural on one of its walls. And, if you fancy taking a load off whilst reading a book, the store also has the Station Buffet – an eating sport that serves up food and drink all day every day, other than December 25; with sausage and bacon sandwiches, bangers and mash and hot beef sandwiches adorning its menu.
And just like Barter Books itself, the Station Buffet has also come in for plenty of positive feedback online. At the time of writing on Monday, February 17, it had an impressive average score of 4.5 on TripAdvisor, putting it at number 4 on a list of places for ‘a quick bite’ in Alnwick, based on 737 reviews.
One of the most recent reviews for the highly rated cafe reads: “A firm favourite will return and highly recommend the books and location” as another satisfied customer declaring that Station Buffet was ‘a great find’ and a third enthusing: “This is a first class location to get a bite to eat. Lovely staff, good food and right in the middle of a wonderful bookshop!!!!”
Last month, Alnwick was named as one of the best places in the UK for solo travellers, with booking site Holiday Cottages describing it as ‘a wonderful base for solo travellers wanting to explore the North East of England and all of its beauty’
Giving the town and the wider Northumberland area high praise, it added “While the town itself boasts attractions like Alnwick Castle and the beautiful Alnwick Garden, the true gem is the nearby Northumberland Coast, offering miles of unspoiled beaches, scenic hiking trails, coastal views and incredible wildlife. Bamburgh Beach, with its dramatic views of Bamburgh Castle, is a perfect spot for quiet reflection, while the Farne Islands can be explored via boat trips, where solo travellers can spot puffins, seals, and other wildlife.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/barter-books-alnwick-station-buffet-31022230
