Mrs Bridges Tea Rooms

No argument, this is the  best café in Leicester, down a narrow alleyway right in the centre of town amongst the independent shops of The Lanes. Always busy, they rustle up an ambitious menu from hot dishes with an Italian twist – try, for example, the mushroom penne – to salads and snacks. They sell sandwiches too, some with traditional fillings, others more elaborate concoctions, like chicken, bacon, beetroot and avocado with a mustard dressing. Be sure to leave space for a dessert as the homemade cakes and tarts are out of this world. In summer, you can eat out on the patio terrace, in winter you squeeze into any one of several cosy little rooms.