Conveniently located at 5 Butter Market, independent café Picnic is a real gem offering the perfect spot to take a break in the centre of bustling Reading. Specialising in organic, ethical and local food and drink, the café is always bright and cheerful, even in the drab winter months. The seats are reminiscent of park benches and while it can get crowded inside, on sunny days you can sit outside under their canopy.

I love digging in to their hearty Picnic Box lunch which includes delicious feasts such as smoked mackerel and sweet chilli salad served with couscous and leaf salad – fresh from the fields of Hampshire, of course. People watching from under their canopy is always a lovely way to while away some time, perhaps sipping an Arabica bean coffee and snacking on a slice of delicious cake made by local baker Mrs Long.

All of their food is prepared fresh daily, and if you don’t have time to sit in and enjoy, you can get their food to-go, including a whole cake or even a picnic hamper, if you’re so tempted.

Photo courtesy of Picnic