I’ve explored Bishop’s Stortford’s cafe scene across this bustling East Hertfordshire market town near the Essex border. From South Street to Potter Street, these 10 cafes deliver exceptional all-day breakfast, homemade food, and sweet treats with fresh ingredients. The Italian patisserie, Greek deli traditions, and street food traders create diverse options where friendly service and sourdough bread focus define every visit.
The Toaster
Best For: Best Breakfast in Bishop’s Stortford
I’ve visited The Toaster at 82 South Street countless times (formerly Sourdough of Eat 17) for Bishop’s Stortford’s best breakfast experience.
Their Belgian hot chocolate with toasted marshmallow fluff is absolutely game-changing, while my favorite dish remains the Halloumi, Avocado, Rocket and Chilli Jam on sourdough.
The Full English comes in both meaty and vegan versions, with free-range eggs on toast featuring smoked salmon or streaky bacon accompaniments.
Don’t skip the hash brown nachos addition. Open Tuesday-Sunday, this family-friendly spot provides toys, coloring, and high chairs in a homely atmosphere with well-trained staff. I’ve seen similar welcoming approaches at the best independent café Oxford venues.
Atmosphere: Cosy, family-friendly brunch cafe with exceptional service, toys for children, and welcoming community feel.
Menu Highlights:
- Belgian hot chocolate with toasted marshmallow fluff
- Halloumi, Avocado, Rocket and Chilli Jam on sourdough
- Hash brown nachos
- Full English (meaty and vegan versions)
- Free-range eggs on toast with smoked salmon or streaky bacon
Peach
Best For: Exceptional Burgers and Creative Cocktails
I’ve discovered Peach at 5 Church Street as the brainchild of a lorry driver and hairdresser, delivering exceptional burgers alongside creative cocktails and all-day brunch.
Their house cheeseburger and nduja burger are flavor-packed standouts on charcoal sourdough, while the vegan hero burger impresses as a plant-based excellence option. The kind of quality burger offerings I’ve noticed at top coffee shops In Guildford establishments are now embracing.
Truffle fries with fresh truffles complement French martini and decaf espresso martini drinks perfectly.
Open Wednesday-Saturday 8am till late and Sunday 9am-9pm, this dog-friendly venue offers vegetarian, plant-based, and takeaway options at £3.50-£15 pricing with a welcoming 4.7 OpenTable rating.
Atmosphere: Welcoming modern cafe with dog-friendly policy, creative cocktail menu, and exceptional burger-focused dining.
Menu Highlights:
- House cheeseburger on charcoal sourdough
- Nduja burger
- Vegan hero burger
- Truffle fries with fresh truffles
- French martini and decaf espresso martini cocktails
The Coffee House
Best For: Extensive Menu and Sweet Treats
I’ve enjoyed The Coffee House at 35 South Street countless times for its awesome cafe atmosphere with extensive menu and genuinely friendly service.
Their all-day breakfast, pancakes, light bites, toasted wraps, bagels, toasties, and salad bowls provide something for everyone’s preferences and dietary needs. The extensive menu variety reminds me of what you’d find at the best coffee shops in Amsterdam.
The Poke Salad Bowl and Harissa Chicken and Halloumi wrap both deliver filling, tasty experiences with ample sized portions at competitive prices.
Their sweet treats are literally blocks of deliciousness you absolutely must try. The recent refurbishment creates an open, light-filled design perfect for relaxation, while great oat milk caters to coffee lovers.
Atmosphere: Open, light-filled cafe with peaceful friendly vibe, quick service, and recently refurbished comfortable seating.
Menu Highlights:
- Poke Salad Bowl
- Harissa Chicken and Halloumi wrap
- Full English breakfast
- Salmon avocado bagels
- Sweet treat blocks
Eat 17
Best For: Street Food Variety Under One Roof
I visit Eat 17 at 23 Potter Street as my favorite place for lunch in Bishop’s Stortford, offering London’s amazing street food culture within this independent Spar foodie utopia.
Multiple food traders rotate regularly under one roof with seating inside where you can enjoy drinks from Spar with small corkage fee.
Petrucci’s Pizza delivers stone baked pizza with homemade dips, The Yeerologist serves huge Greek portions, Chicken Hatch creates massive buttermilk chicken burgers, and Smokyy Egg offers brunch, lunch, and Sunday Roast with delicious buttermilk pancakes.
Potter Street Fishmongers provide fresh fish while Perky Blenders coffee and Stortford Bakes brownies complete the experience alongside 24-hour proved sourdough and award-winning Bacon Jam.
Atmosphere: Vibrant food hall inside Spar with rotating street food vendors, craft-beer range, and casual communal seating.
Menu Highlights:
- Petrucci’s Pizza stone baked pizzas and homemade dips
- The Yeerologist huge Greek portions
- Chicken Hatch buttermilk chicken burgers
- Smokyy Egg buttermilk pancakes and Sunday Roast
- Fresh fish from Potter Street Fishmongers
Nostimo
Best For: Greek Deli and Mediterranean Products
I’ve experienced Nostimo at 1-3 Market Square as a family-run Greek deli with incredibly friendly service from the husband and wife duo who make every visit special.
Their traditional English full English, Italian sandwiches, and amazing Greek platters showcase authentic homemade food excellence alongside delicious omelettes that customers rave about.
The wide range of Mediterranean products includes wine, herbs, tea, coffee, and olive oil, while il Gelato Di Ariela gelato provides sweet relief.
Opened in South Street in 2015 before moving to Market Square, this 4.9-rated gem serves chocolate brioche, biscuits, baklava, and Nostimo’s Eggs Royale with smoked salmon.
Atmosphere: Family-run Greek deli with warm hospitality, clean wholesome environment, and authentic Mediterranean market feel.
Menu Highlights:
- Amazing Greek platters
- Nostimo’s Eggs Royale with smoked salmon
- Full English with gigantes beans
- Greek salad with chicken
- il Gelato Di Ariela gelato
Rindio
Best For: Mediterranean Breakfast and Quality Eggs
I’ve tried Rindio at 12a South Street for its particularly great breakfast and brunch options featuring Clarence Court Old Cotswold Legbar eggs with distinctive pale blue shells.
Their Italiano baguette with parma ham, mozzarella, pesto, and sundried tomatoes delivers delicious taste, while the Mediterranean Breakfast showcases olives, tomatoes, roasted vegetables, and Turkish cuisine influences like gozleme.
This independently owned cafe deli serves lovely spiced food, fabulous patisserie and desserts using La Marzocco coffee machine with multi-award winning Square Mile Red Brick coffee.
Home-style breakfast, brunch, and lunch run till 5pm with vegetarian and vegan options earning a 4.5 Google rating.
Atmosphere: Independently owned South Street cafe-deli with calm relaxed vibe, Turkish-Mediterranean influence, and friendly service.
Menu Highlights:
- Italiano baguette with parma ham, mozzarella, pesto, sundried tomatoes
- Mediterranean Breakfast with olives, roasted vegetables
- Clarence Court Old Cotswold Legbar eggs
- Turkish gozleme
- Fabulous patisserie and desserts
Rosey Lea
Best For: Traditional Afternoon Tea and Scones
I’ve visited Rosey Lea at 12 Market Square since Leanne Gregory founded this traditional tea room in 2012 with customary floral tearoom decor and exposed beams.
Their cream tea with scones, clotted cream, and jam remains delicious, while my favorite is the Halloumi, Chicken, Chilli Jam, and rocket bagel alongside the Salt Beef sandwich option.
The outdoor terrace overlooking the square provides perfect seating for loose leaf teas from Char of Winchester, including Rosey Lea Blend full rich malty Assam and Earl Grey Supreme with bergamot oil.
All-day breakfasts, lunches, afternoon tea classics, sandwiches, bagels, jacket potatoes, and salads use homemade dishes with locally sourced Hertfordshire-Essex ingredients earning a 4.2 Google rating.
Atmosphere: Traditional floral tearoom with exposed beams, outdoor terrace overlooking Market Square, and very friendly staff.
Menu Highlights:
- Cream tea with scones, clotted cream, and jam
- Halloumi, Chicken, Chilli Jam, and rocket bagel
- Salt Beef sandwich
- Loose leaf teas (Rosey Lea Blend, Earl Grey Supreme)
- Afternoon tea classics
Pasticceria di Leo
Best For: Authentic Italian Pastries and Gelato
I’ve discovered this lovely Italian patisserie at 8 Florence Walk, owned by Alessandro di Leo, a professional pastry chef who worked with renowned restaurants in Italy and London.
Their cream and pistachio croissants feature generous helpings of filling, while the Choux Craquelin is absolutely heavenly alongside plenty of fresh pastries and desserts.
Everything is made on-site by this family-run authentic Italian pasticceria, including mini rum Baba stuffed with chocolate and Nutella, pizze fritte fried pizzas with mozzarella, and torta gelato chocolate vanilla icecream cake.
Perfect cappuccino, gelato, Italian style hot drinks, custom cake designs, and gluten-free pastries are available in this small seating area inside Florence Walk.
Atmosphere: Charming Italian patisserie tucked in Florence Walk with small indoor and outdoor seating and authentic Italian ambiance.
Menu Highlights:
- Cream and pistachio croissants with generous filling
- Choux Craquelin
- Mini rum Baba stuffed with chocolate and Nutella
- Pizze fritte fried pizzas with mozzarella
- Gelato and perfect cappuccino
Home & Eat
Best For: Quirky All-Day Breakfast Experience
I’ve enjoyed Home & Eat at Unit 3 Birchanger Industrial Estate on Stansted Road for its quirky venue combining restaurant, homeware, and hot tub showroom with parking available.
Their famous cooked breakfasts, fresh salads, burgers, and daily specials run with hot food served until 3pm daily, while homemade cakes and scones with fresh leaf tea or coffee continue until 5pm.
Traditional Sunday roasts with all the trimmings are served between 12pm-3pm every Sunday, alongside locally roasted coffee with best-in-town reputation.
Hang out in the restaurant in front of woodburning fires during winter with loose leaf tea, creating a cozy atmosphere Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 9:30am-4pm with vegetarian and vegan options.
Atmosphere: Quirky combined venue with homeware showroom, cozy restaurant area featuring woodburning fires, and unique shopping-dining experience.
Menu Highlights:
- Famous cooked all-day breakfast
- Traditional Sunday roasts with trimmings
- Fresh salads and burgers
- Homemade cakes and scones
- Locally roasted coffee and loose leaf tea
South Street Pantry
Best For: Fluffy American Pancakes and Afternoon Tea
I’ve experienced South Street Pantry at 70 South Street as a popular café that’s always busy, offering this vintage style tearoom with modern twist under Oliver Colman’s ownership since 2022.
Their pancakes are incredible – large, fluffy American style with maple syrup, fruit, and bacon, plus banoffee, millionaires, or lemon meringue variations that impressed me immediately.
The sourdough with smashed avocado, chilli jam, rocket, and bacon or sausage showcases locally sourced ingredients delivered daily with every item made on premises by specialist chefs using free-range eggs exclusively.
Well-loved Afternoon Tea commended as better than The Ritz, homemade cakes, expert baristas with dairy-free alternatives, and the floral courtyard with hanging baskets herbs and edible flowers await.
Atmosphere: Vintage style tearoom with modern twist, always busy atmosphere, floral courtyard for summer, and welcoming family environment.
Menu Highlights:
- Large fluffy American pancakes (banoffee, millionaires, lemon meringue)
- Sourdough with smashed avocado, chilli jam, rocket, bacon/sausage
- Quirky Afternoon Tea (better than The Ritz)
- Homemade cakes and specialty coffees
- Locally sourced breakfast and lunch items
Final Thoughts
Bishop’s Stortford’s top ten cafes showcase rich independent cafe culture where family-run establishments maintain locally sourced ingredients commitment and homemade food philosophy from breakfast through afternoon tea.
Independent cafes with expert baristas drive Britain’s specialty coffee quality standards, evident across these venues’ loose leaf tea offerings and free-range eggs standards.
From Italian patisserie authenticity to Greek deli Mediterranean traditions, street food innovation to vintage tearoom charm, these cafes deliver pancake excellence, cream tea scones, and afternoon tea experiences in floral courtyard outdoor spaces with dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian accommodations ensuring inclusive community gathering spaces.
