ON a mission to introduce my sister and her other half to Dorchester, I was looking for a county town eatery laden with charm.

Taking anyone who isn’t familiar with the town to Antelope Walk would be a good idea, I thought, because it’s as close to Diagon Alley as West Dorset is ever going to get.

While lacking in wands, the Loft Cafe is full of edible curios that more than compensate.

We couldn’t have had a nicer welcome when we stepped through the front door.

We were greeted like old friends and told about specials on offer that, coupled with the array of home-made goodies on display at the front counter, made our mouths water.

Given the small amount of covers and the popularity of the place, we were very lucky to get a table by the window.

I instantly took a liking to the decor – the stripped brick dotted with quirky items gives it the feel of a hip East Village apartment in New York.

Keen to give everything a whirl, I went for the tasting platter.

What arrived was a variety of bread, olives, hummus, bulgur wheat, dipping oils, falafel and homemade sausage roll, and that’s not naming everything on the plate.

My sister ordered a chicken, pesto and pine nuts ciabatta, which looked delicious and was polished off rapidly.

Her partner opted for the homemade sausage roll and a piece of the Mediterranean tart.

Everything was beautifully presented and, to me, the variety felt a little like tapas done with a delicatessen twist.

We were so comfortable and treated so well that we felt like lingering for coffee and cake.

I was disappointed that my chocolate Guinness cake didn’t really taste of the black stuff, however the moistness and creamy white icing representing the frothy top made up for it.

It’s a shame the real flaw in the Loft is its small size, meaning that you may end up sharing a large table with another small party, and you couldn’t visit with a large group.

I also felt that the food, while delicious and changing every day, was a little overpriced, with £3.95 for a moderately sized portion of a Mediterranean tart and £3 for an albeit sumptuous brownie being prime examples of this.

However, the hook of this place is its individuality and the superb service.

The spotlessly clean and beautifully decorated toilet should also be mentioned.

This is a shining example of an on-trend establishment that helps shed Dorchester’s somewhat crusty image.

It has certainly helped in making my sibling a county-town convert!