Lunch @ Café Mila

Café Mila

portion of salad

A couple of weeks ago I said there were no coffee shops in Godalming, which was a surprise as I would expect to find coffee shops in a little market town. I was corrected, and told try Café Mia. I did, and last week I had afternoon tea. Try our lunch, they said. Today I was on my way to Café Mia for lunch.

I would usually go to Guildford, hop on the bus to Godalming, then sometimes take the train back to Guildford.

Today, train to Guildford, then train to Godalming as I wished to arrive in time to have lunch at Café Mia.

On my way I noticed a lovely little coffee bar at Godalming Station, Daisy Sandwiches, which I had not noticed before, due to the fact it would have been closed.

I also passed Piggies, which I have not before seen open. I looked in. Two very bored looking women who looked as though they preferred to be anywhere other than at Piggies, dried up corned beef curling at the edges that looked as though it had seen better days. No thanks. No surprise it was empty.

By contrast, Café Mia was busy, it was packed, I was lucky to get a table. I later looked upstairs, it was packed. And all the tables outside were taken. Clearly Café Mia a very popular lunchtime destination.

I was told last week when I had afternoon tea that I would find a better selection of cakes this time of day (it was early afternoon) and the counter would be covered with lunchtime dishes (it was). Had I been earlier, I would have found an even greater selection.

I chose a salad. It looked delicious, but was a mistake. Nothing wrong with it, green leaves, a handful of cashew nuts and tiny pieces of feta cheese, ideal as a side salad, but not as main course. Or at the every least it needs to be served with a huge chunk of organic bread, a few beans and potatoes, to make it more filling.

Salad was followed by a lovely piece of carrot cake and a cup of tea. I had the last piece of carrot cake. It was delicious, the best carrot cake I have tasted.

It was easy to see why Café Mia is so popular and everywhere else empty. It also begs the question why does anyone frequent Costa when there are far far better indie coffee shops with atmosphere and quality?

• Afternoon tea @ Café Mila

Tags: Café Mia, coffee, Godalming, lunch, No to Costa, tea