Das Bruckner Kaffeehaus, Linz, Austria

Das Bruckner Kaffehaus, Linz, Austria...

I was sitting in Riva, a 'swanky' Italian restaurant, when I suddenly realised that this arrogant establishment wasn't going to bust a gut and fetch me a menu. I decided, therefore, to simply get up, put my coat back on, don the bobble hat (without a bobble) and deprive them of my hard-earned money. I would probably be sitting there now, waiting for a menu, if the truth be known. I walked out of the front door with not a word to the silly-looking waiter and searched around for somewhere else to enjoy lunch. And how glad I am that I made that decision because I soon found Das Bruckner Kaffeehaus, an excellent café with a pleasant vibe.

The waitress service was second to none – friendly, attentive and nice – and the food offering was perfect beyond belief. The menu was fairly extensive, offering everything from daily hot specials, soups, snacks, breakfasts, hot dishes (of which more later) beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks, not forgetting a fruit tea (Julius Mienl's Organic Fruit Symphony). And yes, that's the only fruit tea they have, I was informed. Whether it's the only fruit tea they have, full stop, or whether they have temporarily run out of other brands, I'll never know, although I might try to make a return visit before heading for Vienna.

Calming classical music was doing its job of keeping customers happy when I arrived at around 1316hrs ready for something decent to eat. The place was virtually empty, but as the day wore in it got increasingly busy. By 1430hrs it was jam-packed

Das Bruckner Kaffeehaus certainly lived up to its name – it was more of a coffee shop than a restaurant, but it was licensed too and the hot food was extremely good.

Home-made apple strudel – seriously, it's really, really good

I ordered beef goulash, which came with a hot bread roll. The meat was very tender and the sauce was thick and warming and tasty and with the assistance of a fruit tea – Julius Meinl's Organic Fruit Symphony – and a Fever Tree Sicilian lemon tonic (both nicely presented) I was made up, so much so that I decided to push the boat out and order a home-made apple strudel, which was equally fantastic.

This was a bright and airy establishment with friendly and efficient staff and I loved it, so much so that I paid cash and tipped the waitress with a well-earned five Euros (well deserved in my opinion).

Lastly, this is not a small place either. It's not huge, but as I got up to leave I noticed there were tables at the far end of the establishment too, so there's plenty of room!

Chartwell House, Westerham, Kent.

Nothing better than a National Trust property if you like a bit of cake and pot of tea or if you want something a little more substantial, like a hot meal. Once you've finished stuffing your face you've always got plenty of grounds surrounding whatever property you're visiting; so there's ample opportunity to stretch your legs and burn off all those calories.

Tuscan bean soup, a roll and a mince pie!

I've been to many a National Trust property and often return to my favourites, like Sheffield Park and Wakefield Place and, if I'm really honest, I don't visit these places to admire the house and its history, I'm only there for the cake or a hot meal, accompanied, as always, by tea. Wonderful! I'm also keen on the National Trust shops because they sell relaxation and comfort, from paperweights to weighty tomes on something connected to the place I'm visiting, or picnic blankets and scented candles, it's all good comforting stuff, even if there's an element of 'old fogey' about it.

Last weekend (the weekend before the beginning of December) I headed to Chartwell in Westerham, Kent. Why? Well, because it's nearby (only 11 miles) and the plan, as always, is to indulge in some cake or a savoury snack and then walk it off around the grounds. It was lunch time when we arrived and there was a Christmas market in full swing – National Trust properties are always very festive – so after a brief look at the stalls we headed for the café where I chose a warming Tuscan bean soup with bread and a mince pie thrown in for good measure (I never used to like mince pies or Christmas pudding for that matter, but now I love them). And before you ask, yes, I like sprouts too.

The busy servery counter at Chartwell House

The café here is cafeteria style and on our visit, because of the Christmas market, it was very busy. So busy I almost couldn't find a table. But eventually I found somewhere, opposite a large and well-decorated Christmas tree, and settled down to eat my soup, which really did the job. Perfect. I followed up with the mince pie and then took a stroll around the grounds. Excellent. It's so good that I'll be back again this coming weekend as they have something festive going on, which means more food!

December is a good time to check out National Trust properties (those that are open beyond October) as they offer a lot of festive activity which can be combined with some hearty food and a decent walk – not to forget some decent cakes and pastries.