Cofano Caffé

Sunny Stockport is fast becoming everyone’s favourite Greater Manchester borough. Luke Una, one of the region’s most outspoken musical figureheads, once quipped the Cheshire town to the very south of our metropolis was the new Berlin. People laughed, and you’re unlikely to find endless queues of nervous people wearing leather harnesses spending their weekend hoping to get in here. Thank god. Nevertheless, the sarcastic statement betrays a significant rise in hip hangouts around these parts. 

Ace restaurants, indie mag stores, listening bars and music venues dominate the historic Underbanks area. And, as Cofano Caffé proves, cool spreads much further than this. Situated in the outlying village of Poynton — which can be reached by direct rail services from Manchester Piccadilly — this part of the country is famed for the stunning National Trust stately home, Lyme Park, and, if you ask locals, one of the best coffee shops and cafes for miles around. Inspired by informal eateries and espresso stops in Puglia, one of Italy’s most stunning regions, just like the Old Country everything here is made from scratch. 

That goes for the coffee itself, which is brewed using beech wood roasted beans imported from Trieste, and the excellent, seasonal menu, with dishes prepared in a charmingly tiny kitchen by the owners. Paying homage to their own heritage and roots, this is a place where calzone for breakfast is actually a thing, and appetisers are a prelude to the full platter. And a selection of pizzettes — cute little pizzas, but not really pizzas — might be the star of the show. Established in 2007 by a passionate husband and wife team, you’ll also find a great choice of Italian wines, aperitivo such as Campari or limoncello spritz, beers and more. Two decades on and still beloved, you really can’t say much more than that.