An explosion in café culture in Northern Ireland in the last decade or so has really elevated our tastes when it comes to sweet things.
Bun hybrids like cruffins (a cross between a croissant and a muffin) and cronuts (a croissant and doughnut in union) have become de rigueur on coffee shop menus all over Northern Ireland.
However, sometimes you crave the traditional option of a scone with your tea or coffee. Yet prices can vary wildly for a scone to take away or sit in.
We’ve surveyed five coffee shops around Belfast, both standalone venues and chains, to find what’s what.
Our first stop is First Avenue on Ormeau Road, formerly known as Boden Park. It’s a really popular neighbourhood cafe, particularly on a Saturday when runners who have completed parkrun at Ormeau Park drop in for a coffee and a natter with friends.
First Avenue really can’t be faulted on their range of scones. There are cherry scones, plain ones, fruit scones, a blueberry and chocolate variant, a lemon and white chocolate offering and — an option which sounds virtuous, even if it’s not — apple and cinnamon. All cost £3.50 each, whether you’re eating in or taking away, and butter and jam is included.
There are branches of Caffé Nero all over Northern Ireland and it’s a popular pit-stop with many of us. Here you’ll find fruit and plain scones on sale for £2.35.
One of Caffé Nero’s biggest competitors on the coffee chain front is, of course, US giant Starbucks. And it offers a reasonably good value scone, with a fruit one on sale at £2.25 to sit in or £2.15 to takeaway.
But it’s a tiny independent deli in east Belfast which offers the best value. At Belmont Larder on Belmont Road, a plain scone to take away will set you back £1.50, and a flavoured one, £2.
And in the city centre, Jamaica Blue, which also has a store in Forestside, is charging £3.10 for a blueberry and lemon scone.
Note, too, that many independents will offer you a deal for a scone and hot drink. But you should venture outside Belfast for the best value on combos.
I’m reliably informed that at Woodlands Café in Crawfordsburn Country Park, a flat white coffee, tea and two raspberry and white chocolate scones, will cost a total of £11.50 — a price that’s unlikely to be beaten in Belfast.