Villette Coffee House (Haworth, England)

Villette Coffee House & Bakery is a bustling café on Main Street in the tiny village of Haworth, an ideal stop for rainy Yorkshire days.

By: Alisha Trenalone

For a small rural village surrounded by moorland, Haworth (in Yorkshire) has an abundance of charming shops and places to eat.

In fact, all the businesses up and down Main Street are independently owned, which makes this little spot really stand out among similarly sized places. It's also the world's first village to be accorded Fairtrade status.

It wasn't those things that drew me to Haworth: it was the Bronte connection. But I was well aware that we'd also have the fun of wandering Main Street and trying out as many of the local places as we could. My first stop on a rainy Sunday was Villette Coffee House for a hot drink and a morning snack!

Getting There

Haworth's Main Street is largely a pedestrian area, so plan for at least some walking to get to Villette Coffee House or any of the other shops up and down this road.

It's steep. Very, very steep. I literally saw one woman walking it with trekking poles, and I completely understood why. I started from the valley level and walked all the way to the top, and it was a cardio workout.

(The area sometimes attracts cyclists keen for a challenge, with documented gradients on this street ranging from 8 to nearly 14 percent — and on cobblestones, no less!)

If that sounds a bit much for you and you don't have a car, do what my parents did and request a ride from the local taxi service. They were fast and affordable. They can get you to the top of the hill and save you the hardest parts.

What Is Served at Villette Coffee House?

Breakfast is served until noon here, with a couple different versions of a "full English" (fried egg, thick cut toast, baked beans, mushrooms, and breakfast meats or a vegan alternative).

I wasn't in need of a large breakfast, but I did go for a substantial snack in the form of a bacon roll (served on hearty but fluffy brown bread) and a latte. Both were delicious.

My parents later joined me and had the same. It was a cozy atmosphere that was just what we needed to get our bearings on a very wet and cloudy morning (welcome to Yorkshire!).

As with many restaurants in England, you find your table first, take note of the table number, and then return to the counter to place your order.

There's also a large display case for the day's pastries, cakes, and other tempting baked goods.

If I had been staying in Haworth longer, I definitely would have returned to Villette Coffee House for more breakfast foods. They also have a wide range of lunch options, including jacket potatoes, soups, burgers, and Yorkshire pudding (a savory baked dish).

Later on in the day, after visiting the Bronte Parsonage Museum, we went to the Haworth Old Post Office for lunch — another solid choice — and then Cobbles & Clay for cheesecake and a cup of tea.