Nordish.Saltaire

In Saltaire, a lot stays the same and a lot changes... The property on the corner of Victoria Road was, for a long time, a shop and then became a café, which has been through numerous incarnations. For the past couple of years it has been run by a couple of young entrepreneurs, Beth and Sam, as Nordish, a Scandi-influenced restaurant. They started small and gently, as a pop-up and now open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They serve Fika (coffee with small Swedish-style cakes and buns) and Smørrebrød (elaborate open sandwiches) and have recently expanded into early evening opening, serving 'small plates'. They make a point of using local suppliers and make all their produce on the premises, including the sourdough bread and pastries. They even, I understand, cure their own fish. (I walked past the other day and wondered why the area smelled a little like the shellfish stalls in Whitby - a whiff of vinegar and fish. Not unpleasant.) They have recently decorated the windows with bundles of dried herbs and sculptural plants, which I couldn't resist taking a photo of. They also use the upper room for classes and workshops. I've seen life-drawing and calligraphy advertised.  Their vision seems precise and ambitious, though also, by being organic in their menus and approach to growth and minimising waste, they are very much, it seems to me, in tune with the zeitgeist and with Saltaire. They seem to work hard, often to be seen in there even when it's closed, and they seem a very pleasant young couple. I've only personally been in for coffee, as they don't (yet?) serve gluten-free cakes.  

Read a review HERE, which describes it all much better than I can.