City Tastes & Tipples: Laura never stops baking a taste of Italy

Compact coffee shop: Lauras offers traditional Italian food. Pictured is Laura Giordano.

Situated in the Art House on Drury Lane, Laura’s at the Art House has only been open since September, but the cafe already proved a hit with customers.

Laura Giordano was running a home bakery when a friend offered her the chance to take over the cafe space.

“I thought ‘why not?’,” she said. “I like home baking but I’d never tried anything bigger.”

Laura first moved to the UK from Naples three years ago, and uses her new coffee shop to bring authentic Italian tastes to Wakefield.

Alongside the Art House’s gallery, print workshop and artist studio complex, Laura’s dog-friendly cafe offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Each evening, after closing the cafe, Laura returns home, where she bakes the food she will serve the following day.

She said: “I bake everything at home. I’m here during the day and I go home and bake and bring it in every morning. I never stop.”

The cafe serves a variety of homemade traditional Italian snacks, including apple cake, pizza and handmade cannoli, filled to order.

Although the food on offer changes every day, Laura says it is always vegetarian, and she strives to cater to a variety of different dietary requirements, offering gluten free and vegan choices.

Laura’s at the Art House is at The Art House, Drury Lane, Wakefield, and is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.

For the latest news, follow Laura’s at the Art House on Facebook.

What people said:

Katie Barnett: “Fabulous little coffee shop serving the most amazing chocolate cannoli I have ever tasted.”

Tony Shephard: “The food is delicious and it’s great to have so many tasty vegan options handy in central Wakefield.”

Gareth William Lewis: “Hope to make it part of my morning commute or a regular meeting place.”