Frederick's Gelateria
1 Bridge Street Bakewell Derbyshire DE45 1DS
A hundred years ago and in another life, this stylish, contemporary gelateria was a greasy spoon caff called the Parakeet. Tabletops were formica, weak frothy coffee came in glass cups and it was a mecca for us 6th formers after school, who spent time here smoking and trying to look cool. If a teacher caught us in there it was detention. If it had looked then as it looks now I wouldn’t have minded. Local architect designed, it’s worn a slew of awards and rightly so: tall and narrow, it’s arranged on three floors and is all glass, steel and raw brick – with great views from the first floor over the mellow stone town. There’s more than ice cream on offer too (although you must not leave before you’ve tried the lemon ice, which is divine), and you can also tuck in to a good sandwich, agreat slice of homemade cake and an even better espresso. Chuck a brick in Bakewell and you’ll hit a café, but this is the one to head for – and I’ve been in all of them so I know what I'm talking about. What's more, there's lots to see and do in Bakewell; there's a legendary market on Mondays and you can't go home without a Bakwell Pudding.
