Finding your own personal cheeses

Quality wine and food without the snobbery

- BY YEP REVIEWER

It was the first properly sunny day of the year and I found myself in Ilkley, retreating into the shade of Friends of Ham.

With its thick curtains drawn against the heat, it felt like a secret hideaway, a place where the world slowed down as the wine flowed freely and couples gathered to gossip over attractive charcuterie boards.

I've visited before, only for a quick coffee, and had vowed to return so I could properly soak in the atmosphere - and a few wines.

That mission was accomplished earlier this week in the relaxed and unpretentious environment that I'd been craving since my first fleeting visit.

The menu here is charmingly simple: charcuterie, cheese, craft beer and wine.