Earl's, Wolverhampton

As sandwich bars go, classy Earl's in Wolverhampton is up there with the aristocracy.

Located in North Street, close to the Magistrates Court and former Little Civic, the coffee house is a little gem.

Its exterior is painted in black with the Earl's logo in silver, making it look like some sort of trendy clothes shop. The colour combination gives the sandwich shop a certain touch of class.

Inside there is limited seating - only two stools pushed under a bench. But there is a nice atmosphere, due to the friendly staff.

There are newspapers to read and you can also listen to the radio.

At the front of the shop is a counter where the salads are displayed, and a fridge opposite with an array of sandwiches, fruit salads and drinks.

The choice of food is as you'd expect - sandwiches, baguettes, paninis, wraps, with an assortment of fillings including tuna mayonnaise, tandoori chicken and roasted vegetables, all ranging from around £2 upwards.

However, my eyes were drawn to the plastic containers brimming with freshly cut lettuce, cucumber and an array of tasty fillings including chicken or tuna.

In the end, the decision was made to go for the salad pot containing lettuce, cucumber, carrot, tomato, coleslaw and pesto-covered pasta twirls, which cost £2.90.

The shop assistant put a large dollop of egg mayonnaise on top and vinaigrette to top it all off.

The staff are always friendly, asking you how your day has been and what you are up to in the evening. It makes a refreshing change from other coffee houses where it seems all they want is your money.

The lettuce leaves were crunchy and fresh, the pasta delicately fragranced with pesto sauce and the egg mayonnaise was the best I've tasted in a long time. The taste combinations were a treat.

It didn't take long to polish off the lot and it proved reasonably filling. Money well spent.

It really feels that winter is upon us now, and given the chilly conditions of the outside world, a warm drink seemed to be in order.

The cup of hot chocolate (£1.90), with an extra dash of orange syrup, was a chocoholic's dream and full of flavour. Every sip was a delight.

While I sat and enjoyed my lunch, not too many people seemed to be doing likewise.

Perhaps it is due to the prices at Earl's being a bit steeper than most of the other cafes in the city, but given its location you would expect it to be popular with solicitors and court staff.

However, if you fancy sitting in or just taking out, the food at Earl's - especially the salad pots which burst with flavour - are worth the extra few pennies.

And the staff always make you feel a little better about yourself and brighten up your day.

1, North Street,

Wolverhampton,

WV1 1RE

01902 312700