A new environmentally friendly café promising comforting dishes with minimum impact on the planet has opened its doors to customers.

Diss Mercury: Environmentally friendly café Hug in Diss promises hoem cooking, ethical produce and biodegradable packaging. Picture: Simon ParkinEnvironmentally friendly café Hug in Diss promises hoem cooking, ethical produce and biodegradable packaging. Picture: Simon Parkin (Image: Archant)

Hug on Market Hill in Diss is offering freshly cooked homemade food and drink, including vegan options, on constantly changing seasonal menu sourced from ethically, environmentally friendly and socially responsible produce.

The concept is the brainchild of chef James Richardson-Thacker, 39, who grew up in Long Stratton and who is already well-known locally as owner of the Fox & Hounds pub in Great Moulton.

Diss Mercury: Environmentally friendly café Hug in Diss promises hoem cooking, ethical produce and biodegradable packaging. Picture: Simon ParkinEnvironmentally friendly café Hug in Diss promises hoem cooking, ethical produce and biodegradable packaging. Picture: Simon Parkin (Image: Archant)

He said: "I'm confident that Diss will embrace the concept of Hug and our great range of comforting food. Although environmentally friendly and seasonal food is now very topical, in many ways what we are offering is very traditional with a modern twist.

"We've taken great care in looking at how we can reduce the impact on the environment so there is no single use plastic, we're reducing packaging to a minimum and it's all biodegradable."

Diss Mercury: James Richardson-Thacker outside new environmentally friendly caf Hug in Diss. Picture: Wendy AikenJames Richardson-Thacker outside new environmentally friendly caf Hug in Diss. Picture: Wendy Aiken (Image: Wendy Aiken)

Open from 8am to 3pm Monday to Saturday, dishes on offer will include early morning treats like eggs cooked anyway you like on sourdough toast with accompaniments such as bacon, smoked salmon or portobello mushroom and slow-cooked porridge with a choice of toppings, pancakes or a hearty breakfast butty.

Later in the day, the ever-changing menu will switch to fresh soup with homemade bread, hot and cold sandwiches in bloomer bread and a healthy salad bowl.

Hug is also hoping to put something back with Three Chocolate Elephants - hot chocolate drinks where 50p from every one bought will be donated to a charity involved in saving elephants.