“WE’RE flying the flag for Yorkshire.” That’s the message from a Polish couple who are promoting local food and drink – including Yorkshire wine – at their independent eatery in York.
Milena Kochanowska and her husband Marcin opened Kawa House in Fulford Road – next to Sainsbury’s local store – in 2021 during the pandemic.
They once also ran a second Kawa House in Clarence Street, but have since sold it.
For the past four years they have focussed on delivering breakfasts, brunches and lunches, to locals and tourists alike and building up a loyal clientele in the Fulford Road area.
Kawa House in York. Photo from NQ
But from mid to late March they will be expanding to open in the evening with a new menu featuring the best of Yorkshire produce – and selling exclusively Yorkshire wine.
Milena told The Press: “We are very much focussed on local produce. Our eggs, our meat, our honey, and our wine are all from Yorkshire.”
With a new premises licence, Kawa House can now open until 8pm in the evenings.
From later next month, Milena says the plan is to offer a new evening menu.
“We will offer sharing boards with local meats and cheeses, but also dishes such as scallops, prawns, steak, and duck breast along with a selection of sides so you can create your own dinner.”
Milena visited local wineries to choose the selection on the Kawa House wine list. These were Yorkshire Heart Winery at Nun Monkton and Ryedale Vineyard near Malton.
The wine offer includes a full range including reds, whites and rosés.
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Adding another unique element to the cafe is Milena’s home made mono cakes – expertly crafted patisserie that she learned to make on a special course in Poland.
Each cake – a combination of sponge or brownie, mousse, fruit gels and decorative chocolate layer – takes three days to make and is a work of art in itself. These are available at Kawa House at weekends, and also can be made to order for special occasions such as birthdays.
They come in a range of designs and flavours; winning combinations include pistachio and raspberry and passionfruit and mango.
“People ask me if they are edible, they look so unusual,” said Milena.
