The Wilde Story Café

Lavender fields, a kitchen garden and panoramic countryside views sit behind this tipi cafe near Sherborne, where the whole operation leans on living off the land. The tipi moves inside the barn from the end of October through to March, open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am, and there is a large cafe space with room to spare. James and Melissa also run lavender masterclasses covering varieties, growing, planting and distilling the essential oil.

Charlotte, born in Sweden and trained as a chef with time spent in Paris, does the cooking. Her Swedish cinnamon buns have a following of their own, and the savoury side runs to proper Scotch eggs, sausage rolls, breakfast brioche buns, quiches and salads picked from the garden. The small farm shop stocks goods from makers you can see from the view. Go at a weekend in winter for the barn, and ask what the garden is giving.