Cafes and Coffee Bars
Cafes and Coffee Bars
New Harrogate Café Hoping to Become the Town’s Warmest Community Space
Coffee, conversation and companionship are at the heart of a new community café in Harrogate that hopes to become a welcoming social hub for people of all ages.
The Lounge Café” at St Mark’s Church on Leeds Road has officially opened — offering speciality coffee, homemade food and a friendly place where visitors are greeted personally as they arrive.
But unlike many cafés, the focus here is just as much on friendship and wellbeing as it is on coffee and cake.
A Café Designed Around Community
Step inside The Lounge Café and visitors will find:
Comfortable armchairs and cosy seating
Bright modern décor
Fresh coffee and homemade treats
Friendly volunteers and staff
A relaxed atmosphere designed for conversation
The church’s former community room has been transformed into a vibrant lounge-style café aimed at helping people feel connected and welcome.
Organisers say the venue is especially aimed at:
Older residents looking for companionship
Parents wanting a friendly coffee stop
People working remotely
Visitors new to Harrogate
Anyone wanting a quieter, welcoming place to relax
What’s on the Menu?
The café serves:
☕ Ethically sourced speciality coffee
🫖 Teas and hot chocolate
🥗 Savoury rolls and salads
🍰 Cakes, traybakes and teacakes
Opening times are:
Tuesdays and Thursdays — 10am to 1:30pm
(last lunch orders at 1pm)
More Than Coffee: Events and Wellbeing
The Lounge Café is also planning regular:
Community talks
Music sessions
Wellbeing activities
Social events
Advice drop-ins
The first event takes place at 10:30am on Tuesday 26th May, when Police Community Support Officers Olivia Bigsby and Richard Northcott will give practical advice on:
Phone scams – Fraud prevention – Personal safety – Staying secure online
The event is particularly aimed at older residents and vulnerable members of the community.
A Real Sense of Friendship”
Vicar Mike Resch said the long-term aim is to create a genuine community hub in Harrogate.
He said: We are incredibly excited for the future of The Lounge Café. We would like it to become the hub of local life, bringing people from all ages and backgrounds together, giving older people, young mums and visitors to the town a real sense of community and friendship.”
Easy to Visit
Leeds Road, Harrogate
No. 36 bus stop directly outside
Free parking available at St Mark’s Church
Why People Are Talking About It At a time when many people feel isolated or disconnected, The Lounge Café is trying to offer something increasingly rare — a genuine place to slow down, meet people and feel part of the local community. And in a town known for its cafés, this new Harrogate venue is hoping its biggest selling point will be simple human connection.
The Lounge Café at St Mark’s Church is not just serving coffee and cake — it’s aiming to tackle loneliness and create a stronger sense of community. The new venue on Leeds Road offers speciality coffee, homemade food and regular wellbeing events, while every visitor is personally welcomed by a host. Organisers hope it will become a friendly social hub for older residents, parents, visitors and anyone looking for companionship and conversation in Harrogate.
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Harrogate’s First Fully Gluten-Free Café Reveals Opening Date Ahead of Town Centre Launch
A new independent gluten-free café in Harrogate is set to open its doors next week, bringing a dedicated dining experience for coeliac and gluten-intolerant customers to the town centre.
Café Otto, located at 34 Oxford Street in the former JoJo Maman Bébé unit, will officially open on Wednesday 20th May after weeks of major renovation work.
The new Harrogate café is being described by its owners as the town’s first “totally gluten-free” café bar, offering a full menu designed specifically for people looking for safe and reliable gluten-free dining in North Yorkshire.
The business is being launched by Jonathan Skinner and Sara Ferguson, who together bring almost 60 years of hospitality experience to the venture.
Sara Ferguson, who has worked in Harrogate’s hospitality industry for nearly 30 years, is gluten intolerant and also has close family members with coeliac disease. The couple say this helped inspire the idea behind Café Otto and their passion for creating a welcoming gluten-free café in Harrogate.
Jonathan Skinner also brings nearly three decades of experience in catering equipment supply and commercial kitchen design, helping shape the specialist kitchen and food preparation areas inside the new venue.
The transformation of the Oxford Street property has already caught the attention of shoppers and visitors, thanks to its bold green exterior, modern redesign and new outdoor decking area for al fresco dining.
Updates on the renovation and launch preparations have been shared through the café’s Instagram account, @theottocafe, where excitement has continued to build ahead of opening day.
The arrival of Café Otto comes as demand for gluten-free restaurants and cafés in Harrogate continues to grow, with many coeliac customers often struggling to find dedicated dining spaces without the risk of cross-contamination.
Further details about the menu, drinks offering and opening events are expected to be announced soon.
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New bakery opening in Harrogate next week – with free Easter treats for early visitors
A brand-new bakery and café is set to open in Harrogate next week, bringing artisan tarts, pastries and locally inspired baking to the town centre.
Gilt Bakehouse will officially launch on Monday, 6 April, from its new home on Market Place. From then on, it will be open Tuesday to Saturday, 8.30am to 3.30pm.
The café will focus on a menu of sweet and savoury tarts, alongside fresh pastries and light lunch options – with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and modern twists on classic recipes.
To celebrate the opening, the first 25 customers who buy a hot drink will receive a free hot cross bun to take away as part of a special Easter promotion.
Owner Rob Wainwright, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the food industry, is behind the new venture. His career has included working in London with renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi, as well as running his own patisserie in Sheffield and gaining experience in Australia.
Speaking ahead of the launch, he said he is “excited” to bring his creativity and passion for menu design to Harrogate.
Tucked just off the main high street at 15a Market Place, the bakery will also offer whole tarts for special occasions, with a small seating area available for customers who want to eat in.
Wainwright added that he hopes to reflect the flavours of the Yorkshire countryside in his baking, using local produce and reimagining traditional English favourites.
Bean & Bud – Visit the website here
Location: 14 Commercial St, Harrogate HG1 1TY – Phone: 01423 508200
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Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms – Visit the website here
Location: 1 Parliament Street, Harrogate, HG1 2QU – Phone: 01423 814070
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Bean Emporium – Visit the website here
Location: St James Square, The Old Malt Shovel, Church Ln, Boroughbridge, YO51 9BA – Phone: 01423 322275
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Bica Cafe & Bistro – Visit the website here
Location: 108 Mayfield Grove, Harrogate HG1 5EY – Phone: 07525 625986
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Bowe & Co. – Visit the website here
Location: 27 High St, Boroughbridge, YO51 9AW – Phone: 01423 323037
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Cafe Chez Nous – Visit the website here
Location: 12 Fishergate, Boroughbridge, YO51 9AL – Phone: 07788 152001
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Caffe Marconi – Visit the website here
Location: 2 Princes Square, Harrogate HG1 1LX – Phone: 01423 567516.
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Carluccios – Visit the website here
Location: Station Square, Harrogate, HG1 1TB – Phone: 01423 566903
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Clocktower at Rudding Park – Visit the website here
Location: Follifoot, Harrogate, HG3 1JH – Phone: 01423 871 350
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Costa Coffee – Visit the website here
Location: 11-13 Beulah Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QQ – Phone: 01423 521737
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Fodder
Location: Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ – Phone: 01423 546111
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Jakes Coffee Bar – Visit the website here
Location: 2b Albert Street, Harrogate HG1 1JG – Phone: 01423 536 606
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Johnny Baghdad’s Cafe on the Square – Visit the website here
Location: 52 Market Pl, Masham, Ripon HG4 4ED – Phone: 01765 688809
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Just Delicious Pateley Bridge – Visit the website here
Location: 9-10 Kings Cl, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate HG3 5JW – Phone: 01423 711595
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Lago di Como – Visit the website here
Location: 40 Beulah St, Harrogate HG1 1QH – Phone: 07708 995774
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Lilly’s Cafe – Visit the website here
Location: 24 Commercial Street, Harrogate G1 1TY – Phone: 01423 504017
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Marigolds Cafe & Boating Ripon – Visit the website here
Location: 16 Waterside, Knaresborough HG5 8DE – Phone: 01423 869773
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No.43 Brew Bar
Location: 43 St Winifreds Avenue, Harrogate, HG2 8LT – Phone: 01423 871458
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Palm Court Cafe – Visit the website here
Location: 29 Montpellier Hill, Harrogate HG1 2TG – Phone: 01423 566220
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Plenty Boroughbridge – Visit the website here
Location: 4 St James Square, Boroughbridge, YO51 9AR – Phone: 01423 326077
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Poppies Of Ripon Cafe Tearooms
Location: Duck Hill, Ripon HG4 1BL – Phone: 1765 605283
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Riverside Cafe Knaresborough – Visit the website here
Location: 23A Waterside, Knaresborough HG5 8DE – Phone: 01423 546759
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Slingsbys Cafe & Coffee Shop
Location: 49 Tower St, Harrogate HG1 1HS – Phone: 01423 531111
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Sweetheart Cafe and Accommodation Pateley Bridge – Visit the website here
Location: 35-37 High Street, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, HG3 5JZ – Phone: 01423 711767
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The Cambridge Cafe – Visit the website here
Location: 5 Cambridge Rd, Harrogate HG1 1PB – Phone: 01423 540523
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The Dining Room – Visit the website here
Location: 20, St James Square, Boroughbridge, YO51 9AR – Phone: 01423 326426
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The Kitchen – Visit the website here
Location: H135 Otley Road Harrogate HG2 0AG – Phone: 01423 313800
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The Lunchbox – Visit the website here
Location: 12 Market Pl, Masham, Ripon HG4 4EB – Phone: 07934 700248
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The Old Granary Pateley Bridge
Location: 17 High St, Pateley Bridge, Harrogate HG3 5AP – Phone: 01423 203597
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The Old Station Tearoom & Gift Shop – Visit the website here
Location: Station Bungalow, Station Road, Masham, Ripon HG4 4DF – Phone: 01765 689569
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Truffles Cafe Harrogate
Location: 22 Station Parade, Harrogate HG1 1UE – Phone: 01423 560327
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The Udder Coffee Shop – Visit the website here
Location: The Cud Life, Ripon Road, Killinghall, Harrogate, HG3 2AU – Phone: 01423 506385
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The Ugly Duckling Tearoom – Visit the website here
Location: 52 Bond End, Knaresborough HG5 9AX – Phone: 01423 868090
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The Wild Plum – Visit the website here
Location: 34-36 Hookstone Rd, Harrogate HG2 8BW – Phone: 01423 815320
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Platform1 Bedale – Click Here for website.
Bedale Road, Aiskew, Bedale DL8 1EW – Phone 01677 635343
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Vennells
Location: 7 Silver St, Masham, Ripon HG4 4DX – Phone: 01765 689000
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Cafes and Coffee Bars
