There’s nothing better than relaxing on a Saturday morning with a hot coffee and a fresh pastry, right? Well if like me, that’s the case for you, then look no further than Tough Mary’s Bakehouse.
Described as a ‘bakery passionate about simple, good, food’, Tough Mary’s offer a selection of fresh bread, cakes, and pastries. Everything is baked in-house, and the open kitchen gives you a unique insight into life in a bakery. The menu is also ever-changing, as they like to use seasonal ingredients, as well as vary the options for customers. This means that there’s always a reason to go back for more!
The bakehouse itself reflects the description of the business – inside it is more about function than aesthetic. However, this does mean that your attention is drawn to the pastries and cakes, which take up pretty much half of the space. There is the opportunity to sit in, as there are 2 small tables, but with the space being quite small, as well as high in demand, its not the most relaxing place if you’re having a long-overdue catch up. Therefore we ended up taking our selection of pastries back to enjoy at home.
From the choice of about 15 different pastries, traybakes, and doughnuts, I sampled a ‘Copenhagen’ which was a flaky sweet pastry with icing, and also a jam doughnut. There was the usual selection of croissants and pain au chocolats there, but realistically you can get them anywhere and I fancied something unique. It was certainly very difficult to choose as I could quite happily have had most of the other things too! Both were delicious and you could tell they were homemade – the doughnut for example was absolutely massive and oozing with delicious raspberry jam, much more than the little mouthful of jam you’d get from a supermarket doughnut! At an average price of around £2.50 per item, I felt like I was getting my money’s worth. As a student, it certainly won’t be an everyday trip, but for a special occasion, or just a treat, I will definitely be returning. Plus, it is located on Derby Road, near the Playhouse Theatre, making it an ideal location for students living in Lenton, as it is walking distance, and just that bit nearer than the city centre.
So, next weekend (or weekday if you have a quiet day!), why not get a bit of fresh air with a walk to Tough Mary’s Bakehouse, and reward yourself with a delicious pastry or two? I’m sure you won’t regret it!