The owner of Blofield Farm Shop has opened a food hall and cafe at Oaklands Hotel in Thorpe St Andrew and both the shelves and menus are packed with Norfolk produce.
Local businessman Marcus Pearcey was overwhelmed with the support for his village farm shop during lockdown and it has become a “totally different business” with locals doing their entire food shop there.
After seeing this renewed interest in local produce, Mr Pearcey had the idea of opening a second branch at Oaklands Hotel in Yarmouth Road, where he has family connections.
The Blofield Food Hall and Cafe occupies one of the two function rooms at the hotel and the dining area spills out onto the terrace, which has had a full refurbishment with new decking, seating and parasols.
READ MORE: 13 of the best beer gardens in Norfolk
Norfolk is the star of the show in the food hall, which is decorated with pictures of local food heroes, and it features a butchery and on-site hanging room with beef and lamb from the Holkham Estate and pork from Youngs Farm in Aylsham.
The deli is packed with Norfolk cheeses and other products include seafood, cakes, sauces and crisps and there is also a hamper room.
Mr Pearcey said: “As weddings at Oaklands will be patchy for the next 12 months, I had the idea of using this big empty space to create a food hall and cafe.
“I believe we are the only venue in Norfolk to offer an exclusive Norfolk wine list and we also have 22 different Norfolk gins.”
READ MORE: Live music returning to Norfolk this summer with Sundown Concerts
The cafe is dog-friendly and serves breakfasts, lunches, such as baguettes, quiches and jacket potatoes, and in the evening Oaklands offer options such as pork tomahawk and a whole grilled Brancaster lobster on the terrace, with all orders made through an app by scanning a QR code on the table.
Mr Pearcey added: “Come visit us as it is a chance to celebrate coming out of lockdown, to enjoy an amazing open space and support local producers.”
The Blofield Food Hall is open from 9am to 5pm and the cafe/terrace bar 8am to 10pm, both seven days a week.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here