This is what we thought of the food from the Farm Kitchen at Sheffield's Heeley City Farm
As Heeley City Farm celebrates its 40th anniversary, we went to its Farm Kitchen to sample some of the delicious, homemade vegetarian and vegan food on offer.
The not-for-profit charity is based on a working farm in the heart of Heeley.
Since it was founded in July 1981, Heeley City Farm has helped people from different communities; and this ethos also extends to its Farm Kitchen which supports adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, young people and work experience placements.
As I stopped off for lunch on a Saturday lunchtime, families were popping in and out for drinks and ice creams while they took a short break from visiting the animals.
The light and modern-looking café had a number of well spaced tables, and a menu consisting of breakfast, lunch and weekend only dishes, along with a selection of scrumptious cakes and desserts.
With the exception of their vegan sausage rolls, all of the food is made on the premises daily, and the Farm Kitchen rotates the salads and cakes on offer from day-to-day.
As a vegetarian, it is always nice to have an entire menu to choose from, and I plumped for a halloumi hot sandwich, with hummus, tomatoes and mixed leaves, served in a brioche bun with a sweet chilli sauce.
My dining companion selected a mozzarella, pesto and sundried tomato toasted sandwich, on white bread, and we ordered a salad bowl to share.
The halloumi was well cooked, and brioche bun was fresh. The taste of the sweet chilli sauce helped to give the sandwich a bit of a kick, making for a very tasty sandwich.
My dining companion found his toasted sandwich to be delicious, with a familiar combination of flavours that more than delivered.
The large salad bowl combined cous cous, grilled courgettes and raw red and yellow peppers, with a vegan coleslaw drenched in a mint and chives sauces and lollo rosso lettuce.
It was simply delicious and made for the perfect accompaniment to our sandwiches. We devoured most of it.
Then to finish, we both ordered a piece of cake, and split it so we could sample the other’s dessert.
I opted for the vegan raspberry and almond cake, while my dining companion chose the chocolate cake.
Both cakes were moist and extremely tasty. The chocolate cake was decadent and beautifully rich, while the raspberry and almond cake was scrumptious.
I often try vegan alternatives, and while some manage to deliver on taste, plenty do not.
However I am pleased to say that raspberry and almond cake falls into the former category, and there was absolutely no compromise on quality.
We ordered a couple of cans of Coke Zero and a can of Whole Earth organic sparkling elderflower to drink as we dined.
The staff were busy while we visited, but still managed to provide a friendly and efficient service.
The entire bill for two with two sandwiches, a sizeable salad bowl, two pieces of cake and three cans of pop came in at £19.65, which is an absolute bargain.
Overall, the dining experience at the Farm Kitchen was an enjoyable one. The food and service was good, and at those prices it is affordable for most people who visit the wonderful Heeley City Farm.