Hungate Reading Cafe

What it’s like

A calm café and library space where you can read, borrow books and let the kids potter over sandwiches and cake.

This one's built around books as much as food. It sits alongside the Explore library, so you can borrow a stack on the way in and settle down with a coffee while the kids flick through their own pile or swap one for another. There's wifi too if you need to get anything done while you're there.

The café side does handmade sandwiches, wraps and cakes, with vegan and vegetarian options and seasonal specials. It's free to get in, which makes it an easy one to drop into without planning around a ticket or a session time.

From what they list, there are pop-up events and family activities that run alongside the normal café hours, worth building a visit around if one lines up. Opening hours are shortest on a Wednesday, finishing at 3pm rather than 4, and Saturday starts later at 10am.

It's wheelchair accessible throughout, which matters in an older building like this, and there's no booking needed, you just turn up.

Facilities

Need to know

Food

Handmade sandwiches, wraps, cakes, hot and cold drinks

• Wednesday closes an hour earlier than the rest of the week, at 3pm
• Saturday opens later, at 10am, rather than 9.30am
• Keep an eye out for pop-up family events alongside the normal café hours
• Wifi's available if you need to work while the kids read

Plan your visit

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