AN OUTDOOR café has transformed into a ski themed winter wonderland with s’mores, hot chocolates, festive toasties and kinder donut balls.
Picnic Park Deli, located just off Christmas Tree Wonderland in the Lower Gardens, transforms each season, taking customers from the tropics to the alps.
I attended the café’s festive theme, ‘Picnic on the Piste’ where we delved into the warm treats, live local music and took pictures in the classic photobooth.
We began by escaping the cold and indulging in a s’mores flavoured hot chocolate, topped with cream, a Grahams cracker, chocolate sauce and a giant toasted marshmallow.
Despite being tempted by the gingerbread latte and white choc mocha I had to give one of their cocktails a go, and who can say no to a Kinder Bueno espresso martini?
Made with Kahlua, Frangelico, chocolate liqueur, chocolate sauce, fresh espresso and topped with a bar of Kinder Bueno, it was decadent and had me buzzing to try more of their menu.
We sipped while enjoying live music from Olivia Sebis, a 16-year-old local artist who was discovered by Picnic Park Deli a year and a half ago and regular performs at the café.
Diving into the food, I was dying to try one of the festive grilled cheese melts and settled on ‘The Eddie Eagle’.
A toastie stuffed with emmental swiss and cheddar, ham hock, stuffing, port and cranberry sauce, each mouthful tasted like Christmas and had an iconic cheese pull.
After eyeing up the dessert menu since stepping on to the site, we tried the kinder donut balls.
Four warm mini chocolate filled donuts topped with white and milk chocolate and crushed biscuits, made the perfect way to end our evening.
The outdoor café also boasts numerous photo opportunities and backdrops, including a photobooth with props that can be turned into keychains or photo frames.
Owner, Adam Richardson, set up the site seven and a half years ago with best friend, Marta, growing from a kiosk with a few tables to a ‘whole village’.
This year marks the sixth year of ‘Picnic on the Piste’, with the venue growing each season.
Adam said the aim is to create an inclusive space where locals and visitors can bring their granny and little ones or visit as a date night.
Picnic on the Piste is open from 10am until late and is based opposite Westover Road.
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