Solo brunch: Spout Brew House, Leek

Known as the ‘Queen of the Staffordshire Moorlands’, Leek is a popular destination for shoppers and tourists. Clustered around a stone-cobbled market square, this unspoilt town centre boasts an abundance of well-preserved architecture and buildings of historical interest.

But after browsing around the period furniture shops, chic independent stores, traditional delis, and lovingly-restored Victorian Butter Market, there’s only one place to head next – Spout Brew House.

This unique café is designed with bags of personality and charm. Peek through the front window and you could be forgiven for thinking it only has seating for a handful of guests. But explore the interior and you’ll find plenty of places to sit – all the way from the cosy ‘Dog House’ to the quirky beer garden out back.

The interior décor boasts high ceilings, plenty of period features, mix and match furniture and atmospheric lighting. There are also plenty of tables ‘for two’ that are perfect for solo guests. I picked myself a spot in the tiled hall where I could soak up the ambience and watch all the comings and goings while perusing the menu.

From fluffy pancakes to eggs benedict, Spout serves all the brunch dishes you’d expect to see on a menu. But also some you wouldn’t, such as ‘Mumbai’ featuring chilli cheese and sourdough toast, and Spanikopita: a spinach and feta pie served with crispy salad.

The imaginatively named ‘Bruce’ jumped off the menu straight away. Forget crushed avocado (so last season, darling), Bruce packs a real punch with butternut smash and slo-roast tomato on sourdough toast, topped with two fried eggs, parmesan and chilli oil. (The vegan option, ‘Sheila’, features mushrooms instead of eggs.)

Bruce didn’t disappoint. The flavour of the butternut smash was incredible. Light, but with just enough kick from the chilli oil to wake up the taste buds. The tomato was bursting with flavour and the two eggs were perfect with golden, runny yolks that I mopped up with the tangy sourdough.

After I had polished off the whole plate full, I sipped my delicious latte as slowly as possible to enjoy the atmosphere. Spout was a great find – and a venue that I will definitely visit again. Maybe to sample the seasonal evening menu that they serve on weekends.

Go-solo star rating
4 ****

Let’s go!
Spout Brew House
70 St Edward Street
Leek
ST13 5DL

01538 399083 or facebook spoutbrewhouse@hotmail.com

https://www.spoutbrewhouse.com/