Perched on a hill in Richmond’s Terrace Gardens, Hollyhock Café is like something plucked straight from a fairytale. Outside on the veranda, intrepid woodland creatures dart about beneath a roof held up by tree trunks. Inside, mismatched chairs are arranged among copper kettles, decorative birdcages and strings of fairy lights.

All year round, Hollyhock Café offers a wholesome selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes, all made from fair trade and/or locally sourced ingredients. In the winter, blankets and hot water bottles are handed out with the food, and customers are encouraged to snuggle up beside the wood-burning stove. As soon as spring arrives, the café doors are flung open, and tables start to spill out onto a terrace overlooking the Thames.

Pop by for soups, salads and freshly-made cakes. The earlier you arrive, the better! Afterwards head south across Petersham Meadows to discover more of Richmond’s hidden delights or west along the Thames Path to catch the ferry to Twickenham.