PEOPLE smile when they walk up the old stairs and into the colourful and inviting 1950s style vintage tearooms.

And when I say smile, I actually mean they beam and time after time you hear people say ‘it’s about time Dorchester had something like this.’ The former bookshop has been converted into a vintage shop on the ground level and a 1950s style tearoom on the top floor.

Period music, bunting and decorations adorn the walls, complete with vintage china, furniture and bunting.

Even the windows have been decorated with old maps, adding a little extra charm to the big sash windows, which offer the perfect place to sit and watch the humdrum of South Street shoppers.

The family-run cafe is the second of its kind, with the first one in Wareham being a resounding success.

The menu offers such delights as knickerbocker glories, cream teas and scrumptious looking homemade cakes. Out for a quick lunch with my two colleagues we each decided to try something different.

I went for the ‘Sort-of Eggs Benedict’, which was a savoury scone split and topped with smoked salmon, two poached free-range eggs and homemade hollandaise sauce with a side of watercress.

I can honestly say it was one of the most delicious lunches I have ever had.

The cheese scone was delicious, tasty and melted in my mouth and the topping complemented it perfectly. It was creamy and moorish, however the portion size was just right.

My colleague went for the Italian-style bruschetta, which was described as chunky bread decadently topped with tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, anchovies and cheese and served with a side salad.

This dish had been recommended to me by a friend and I can see why. The unusual dish was really tasty.

The saltiness of the anchovies perfectly complimented the mushrooms and cheese and overall it was a great dish.

My other colleague went for the vegetable quiche – watercress and red pepper, which was served with potato and salad.

He said the best part was the rich homemade pastry, almost up to the standard of Mary Berry in the Great British Bake-Off.

Although we didn’t have the time to sample the cakes, we spent the whole time gazing at them and we liked the way they were served with the traditional flying saucers on the side.

I will certainly be back, if not to sample the Nanny’s Homemade Bread Pudding then it will probably be the knickerbocker glory.