Just off the busy A525 Denbigh to Wrexham road is the peaceful village of Llandegla. The quaint Denbighshire community, with a population of much less than 1,000 people, is part of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) but could soon be part of Wales' newest National Park.
Llandegla is on the Offa's Dyke path and is part of the area the Welsh Government has commissioned Natural Resources Wales to evaluate the case for a new National Park. Based on the existing AONB, it would become the fourth in Wales if given the go-ahead.
As I was on my way to explore various other areas of the AONB, I did my research on where to find a good breakfast, and online reviews and anecdotes suggested that the Llandegla Community Shop & Cafe was the place to go. I arrived in the village on a sunny Thursday morning and was able to park across the road from the cafe in the centre of the village.
As I stepped into the building it was like a time warp - this is how I imagined a 1960s or 70s Welsh village shop and cafe would have looked. The shop itself was packed full of all the modern essentials but also a healthy amount of local products and the shop has a rustic feel.
READ MORE: We visited North Wales beauty spot and can see why it could be part of the UK's newest National Park
The other side of the store was the cafe area which was populated by mainly elderly locals having a natter in both Welsh and English. The friendly staff greeted me warmly and took my order.
I felt as if I wanted to stay and sample my food in the lovely surroundings of the cafe but this feature is called Tommy's Takeaways not Tommy's Dine-In's and the devil is in the detail after all. After a short wait, I was able to settle up at the old-fashioned till in the shop and bade farewell to the lovely staff.
Now, the breakfast wasn't cheap at £7.95, but let's be fair - at a rural village cafe in beautiful surroundings I think it's a reasonable enough price. Also the portion size was pretty generous.
![The Llandegla cafe and community shop was a 'pleasant throwback'](https://i2-prod.dailypost.co.uk/incoming/article27726552.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Llandegla2.jpg)
Taste-wise, it was pretty good. I can't honestly say it's the best breakfast I've ever had but I was more than happy with it and the sausages were almost worth the price alone. The bacon was slightly overcooked for my taste but if anyone enjoys their bacon a bit more on the crispy side then they're in for a treat.
The eggs were sublime however and the hash browns and beans were a tasty addition. Overall it was good quality at a fair price - you might be able to find better value in the more urban areas but for me, given the picturesque surroundings, friendly staff and beautiful community building I'd recommend Llandegla community shop and cafe to anyone.
Have you visited the cafe in Llandegla before? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section
Prices
The Village Breakfast: £7.95
Latte: £1.50
Total: £9.45
Opening times
Monday to Saturday: 9am - 5pm
Sunday: 10am - 4pm