UPDATE: This café is now closed.

The Moringa Tree, a small but perfectly formed café owned and run by Nilu Karun, is a welcome new addition to the village of Haslingfield, just south of Cambridge. Nilu named the café after a beloved tree in her native Sri Lanka.

This child and dog friendly café offers a warm welcome, friendly service, free wi-fi, great hot and cold drinks as well as light lunches and homemade bakes. There are potted plants for sale and books to peruse on site.

Every detail in the stunning space has been conceived with care, from the soothing pastel pink and green colours to the beautiful plant arrangements that adorn the shelves. It’s like stepping into a leafy oasis. The café is a real Instagrammer’s paradise and I couldn’t help taking photos. It’s just so pretty!

The Moringa Tree is not merely style over substance though. They have great coffee, Hot Numbers specialist coffee to be precise, and they know how to make it properly. Paulo’s cappuccino was excellent.

I was delighted at the variety of Bluebird teas available, including some interesting ones named Spiced Pumpkin Pie, Gingerbread Chai and Nearly Nirvana jasmine spearmint tea. I opted for a loose-leaf Earl Grey, which was served in gorgeous crockery.

Foodwise, in addition to the fresh cakes and bakes on display, the menu consists of breakfast items such as sourdough toast and granola with yogurt & fruit as well as homemade soup and sandwiches (on bagel or sourdough as well as toasties) for lunch options.

I chose smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel, nicely presented as an open face sandwich. A fresh side salad complemented the meal.

Paulo chose the ploughmans with sourdough and all of the ingredients were high quality. I may have nicked a few of the pickled onions from his dish!

The homemade cakes and bakes were too tempting to pass up. The bakes that day included energy balls, mincemeat flapjacks and chocolate orange cupcakes. Paulo opted for the victoria sponge and I had the carrot cake – both fresh and delicious.

We enjoyed our experience at The Moringa Tree. Although it’s a small building we didn’t feel cramped even when the place was full. There is additional seating outside at the front with benches and tables. The back garden is the perfect place for kids to play and for cyclists to park their bikes. Wheelchair access is provided. This delightful boutique café has something for everyone and is well worth a visit.

UPDATE (03.04.2018):
The Moringa Tree have added dishes from Nilu’s native Sri Lanka to the existing menu. This is the food that Nilu grew up eating and she wants her customers to experience it too. There is even a Sri Lankan cook in the kitchen, making a variety of aromatic curries for the daily specials.

The day’s special was Sri Lankan rice and curry plate with lentil or chicken (my choice), served with cashew rice, poppadum and veggies. I took up the option to add a fried egg, which complemented the dish perfectly.

The fragrant curry was beautifully presented and its wonderful aroma had me salivating. I piled all the ingredients into the bowl so they could soak up the succulent sauce. I preferred this way over spooning the curry onto the rice and egg on the plate. Whichever way it’s done, it’s the same delicious result.

No chilli was added to the curry so it wasn’t spicy, just really tasty. The poppadum provided a crispy texture and the fried egg practically melted into the curry, absorbing all of the delightful flavours.

The other exciting update is that The Baking Jin has been supplying The Moringa Tree with his amazing chiffon cakes. I had a slice of orange chiffon cake with orange buttercream, which was just heavenly. I could have eaten the whole cake! It takes a lot of skill to make chiffon that light and airy… and springy too. Watch it pass the ultimate booiiiinngg test!

Paulo, who can be picky about coffee, asked Nilu to make his flat white stronger and it was spot on. Nilu knows her coffee and is a good listener so if you have specific tastes, she will gladly take that on board.

It’s heartwarming to see The Moringa Tree flourishing and doing so well. Nilu puts a lot of hard work and dedication into her little café and it shows. There is a great team in place, all contributing to making this place the gem that it is.

I was invited by The Moringa Tree to sample the lunch menu. Although the food and drinks were complimentary, all views are my own. My curry was complimentary on my second visit. I did not receive compensation for my review.

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