By Bernie Bell

 For some reason, we’d never eaten in the Pomona Café, Kirkwall

It’s taken us a while to get round to checking it out, but we did so, eventually!

Inside, it’s light and airy

There’s an image which encapsulates Orkney life since the cafe first opened, and includes a drawing of the Pomona’s juke-box.  It was among  the first premises in Scotland to boast a privately-owned juke box which was installed in the 1950’s by the cafe’s then owner, Loretto Celli, known locally as Peedie Charlie – note the drawing of ‘Charlie’s’

Today, the juke box is in the Orkney Wireless Museum…..

http://gb2owm.org.uk/about-us/

The images of Orkney landmarks lining the walls, were in the original café…

including one of The Pomona itself……

I also noticed that one of them shows the ‘Cromlech’ which was part of the Stones of Stenness at one time…

Destruction and reconstruction at the Stones of Stenness

And now to the food – the Pomona is a real, old fashioned café with a straight-forward menu including fish & chips, macaroni cheese, patties (both cheese and meat), and lots of veggie options including a full veggie breakfast with a tattie scone and porridge! 

Mike had Fish & Chips and I had Mac Cheese and Chips.  Mac. cheese can be very variable – and this was the real deal!

The Pomona is the real deal – and what’s more – dogs are welcome.

We’ll be back!