A HEREFORDSHIRE cafe has been named the county’s best takeaway by readers of the Hereford Times.

Fran Bateman, who owns Coco’s Cafe on the Fromes Hill Industrial Estate, said it was a brilliant feeling to come out on top.

She said: “It’s absolutely phenomenal. When I found out we won I was bouncing around the kitchen and my dog Pippa thought I was having a seizure!

“It’s been a long hard few years because of Covid and some road closures near us, but we’re back up on our feet now.”

Coco’s was opened in 2015 when Ms Bateman, originally from London, decided to take the plunge and set up the cafe in Herefordshire. She had previously been a pub landlady so had experience running a hospitality business.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

She said: “To begin with I didn’t know what to name the cafe, but at the time I had an American Staffy called Coco so I named it after her.”

Ms Bateman said the menu was full of customer favourites, serving classic meals like full English breakfasts, burgers, and homemade shepherds pie.

ALSO READ:

She has lots of loyal regulars, who she has thanked for their votes in the competition.

She said: “Thank you to everyone who voted for us. We have great customers and we get amazing feedback.”

The Hereford Times search for the best takeaway in the county forms part of our efforts to support local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality sector, amid the cost of living crisis and following the impact of the Covid lockdowns.

Readers submitted their votes for takeaways across Herefordshire, with Coco’s taking the top spot followed by two runners-up, Audrey’s Fish Bar and Alfie’s Kitchen.