Driving along the A6 between Junction 32 and the city centre, Fulwood features a busy high street bustling with activity. It’s along this road that you may have spotted Honeycove, a small pink venue just off the main road tucked in between a bridal shop and a row of houses.
The design is charming, and the building clearly highlights the fact that it is a dessert bar and cafe, but surprisingly, there is a lot more going on inside than one would initially think.
As you step inside, the environment is incredibly clean, bright, and beautifully decorated. A handful of tables are neatly laid out along the walls, with every table boasting a small bouquet of flowers. And while the flowers are plastic, the vibrant colors they add achieve the desired effect. On top of that, these are swapped out seasonally to enhance the overall aesthetic.
It’s clear that a great deal of intentionality and thought went into designing the interior and creating a space that reflects the quality and freshness of the food.
This intentionality and thoughtfulness don’t stop at the decor either. I was greeted warmly and very kindly walked through the available options as well as the special offerings of the day. While there are paper menus on hand, I was informed that they are currently printing new menus to reflect a recent update to their offerings, though you can find an up-to-date listing on the website, which is helpfully linked via QR code on each table.
Honeycove offers a wide array of tasty treats, with both savoury and sweet options thoroughly accommodated. From all-day breakfast options that span the usual Full English for £13 to Smashed Avocado on toast, Shakshuka, and even a premium Steak and Eggs option for £22, Honeycove offers an extensive fusion of cultures and flavours.
However, I had arrived in the afternoon, and so I was looking for something a little more substantial. Of course, Honeycove has this covered as well with a range of brunch dishes and main plates. Once again, the variety on offer spans the globe, with Korean BBQ Chicken Baos for £10.50, Chicken and Waffles for £15, or a variety of small plates that range from £1 to £3 to help satiate any appetite.
I chose the Korean BBQ Chicken Bao and went to the pastry display to plan out what sweet treat I’d be selecting to round out the lunch. The options provided here are extensive, with a wide array of cakes and treats that whet the appetite.
I ordered a slice of the Pistachio Loaf (£3.50), along with a Lotus Biscoff French Toast (£13.50), and opted to try the two flavours of Macaron on display, Lemon and Chocolate Caramel for £1.65 each. A moment later, the Bao buns arrived at the table, and I was thrilled with the beautiful display laid out in front of me.
The bao bun was the perfect texture, soft, fluffy, and light. It also housed a beautifully tender and moist piece of breaded and fried chicken thigh, absolutely dripping with Korean BBQ sauce, and garnished with fresh spring onion, carrot, and red cabbage to add a little crispness and brightness to the dish.
It worked, because this was a truly stunning bao bun and the perfect thing to satisfy for brunch/lunch. The sauce has a deep smoky richness mixed with a slight sweetness, and the combination of the bun, tender chicken, and garnish is absolutely stunning.
Moving swiftly along, I was then served up the Pistachio Loaf, which I was surprised and delighted to see had been warmed, resulting in the buttercream that adorned it becoming a soft, creamy texture.
The loaf was subtle, with the nutty flavours not coming through very intensely, but when paired with the pistachio buttercream, it was indulgent and intensely flavourful. The presentation was also lovely with the plating and individual utensils presented in a picture-perfect way that has clearly been carefully refined over time.
Next up, the Biscoff French Toast arrived and I was shocked to see what can only be described as an entire small loaf of brioche bun stacked on the plate and dripping with sauce!
Once again, the presentation was meticulous and clearly refined over time, and I was blown away by the impressive and intimidating dish before me.
As I carefully dismantled the structure with a knife and fork, I was offered more Biscoff sauce, which I politely turned down as I was already thinking I’d met my match with the full loaf on my plate. However, biting into the light, airy, and sweet brioche was absolutely delightful. Everything came together beautifully with the sauce and juicy berries, to the dollop of mascarpone on top of the tower.
A beautiful balance of flavours and a truly stunning dish overall that has me keenly eyeing the other French Toast varieties on the menu for what to pick up on my next visit.
Next up, I was presented with the Macarons, and it was around this time that the owner stepped out from the back, and I began to get a little more of a feeling for what Honeycove meant to him. The venue has been open for seven months, and it’s clear how much passion and care has gone into creating this space.
Rather than adding just another cafe along the high street, he wants to create an elevated experience that highlights talented artists creating spectacular food and pastries. It has taken time to refine the products and offerings, but with a solid team and a growing base of loyal returning customers, Honeycove is quickly becoming a staple in Fulwood.
Back to the Macarons, both the lemon and chocolate caramel boast a perfect chewy and soft meringue cookie that houses a dense and rich buttercream. The lemon was vibrant, with intense citrus flavours coming through, while the caramel was slightly more muted under the intense, rich flavour of chocolate.
At this point, I had also been enticed to try the Patisserie dishes from the display cabinet. Honeycove offers a range of sweet treats molded to look like fruits, from strawberries, and lemons, to passionfruit. Each one is packed with a flavoured mousse that matches the exterior design, along with an almost jam like core that features more of the real fruit.
I went for the Strawberry Patisseries (£8), which were absolutely divine. The mousse is sweet, fruity, and bursting with flavour, and the strawberry core adds another dimension that showcases why this is a dish worth trying.
After being thoroughly filled, I sampled the in-house Karak Chai, which is brewed fresh daily with no powders, instead opting to use full natural ingredients such as ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Once again, this was far superior to the chai you might find in a chain coffee shop, and it evidenced the incredible care and attention to detail that went into making every part of Honeycove.
Overall, there is so much happening inside Honeycove that it feels disingenuous to label it as just a dessert bar and cafe. The truth is that this is a carefully crafted experience inside what promises to be a wonderful hub for the community. I will certainly be making my way back, and I’d highly encourage everyone to drop by and give it a try.
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