Alnwick Castle in Northumberland

Great family day out A really good mix of things to entertain children (soap making, crafts, Harry Potter broomstick flying and shows) and adults (state rooms, towers and grounds). The annual season pass makes it a reasonably priced attraction. Good food options for lunch or space for picnics

Used the cafe for lunch and coffee while visiting Alnwick Castle. Suspect my pre-packaged tuna roll had previously been frozen as part of the roll was soggy. Very good coffee. Nice dining room.

Lovely day out with good activities to occupy younger and older visitors. Jesters excellent and broomstick training excellent too. Will definitely visit again

A fantastic day out at this beautiful castle and grounds. The state rooms were amazing with stunning ornate ceilings and fireplaces. Loved the library/family sitting room. There was so much to do for adults and kids alike. We joined two guided tours and thoroughly enjoyed listening to Alex who was so enthusiastic delivering her talk about how the castle has been used as a setting for a number of high profile movie and tv programmes. She went over and above in answering our questions. Well worth the money - especially as we exchanged our day tickets for an annual pass at no extra cost. We will definitely return again!

For those used to the quality of National Trust Catering offerings this was the only disappointing aspect of an otherwise very enjoyable day.. The main cooked options appear to be fried food - not I'm afraid to our taste.

Worth joining a historical walking tour.Guide was informative and funny . Rooms inside were beautiful with some stunning detailed ceilings.Guides helped to point out pieces of interest within each room

Tried the fish and ships, was very good

Brilliant tours. The state rooms are full of treasures. Wealth and opulence beyond believe. The Film Tour by Brad is good fun and informative

An insight into a border family with the added value of some Harry Potter addons .Wait for the guide to maximise your enjoyment and knowledge

Seems to be a money entrapment kind of castle . Visited today 2 adults 1 child . £3 to park car , and must pay by card , quite stern guy on gate . Great start . Visited castle which seems in awesome condition . However having to pay for every add on going is a clear sign to extract every last bit of silver in my pocket . Come on robin hood ! The attendant on the crazy golf course knows how to upset children , at 12noon apparently the course was full till 3pm ! How come ? The course was practically empty and nobody in the line to play .! So after about £50-£60 spent at castle we decided to leave and will not return . What started as a adventure turned into a farce …

Good morning visit, limited to numbers because of covid. Helpful staff and informative when asked question.

We visited Alnwick Castle recently and it was a lovely experience. We walked the grounds and listened to the talks. My youngest daughter did the broomstick flying lesson and absolutely loved it. Due to Covid we had to book in advance and parking was easy we parked in the gardens car park and paid £3 which I thought was reasonable for all day. We didn’t get to visit the gardens as that was another almost £25 for the four of us on top of the castle tickets. Overall it was a great visit.

Following a visit around the castle & grounds, we stopped off for some light refreshments, it was very busy and we grabbed the last table, service was good, we only had coffees and scones but very pleasant in a lovely atmosphere, would certainly visit again.

Plenty of space in this nicely atmospheric restaurant in the castle. A good choice of sandwiches, light bites, and chips,coupled with friendly and attentive staff created a lovely stop for lunch after a tiring visit round the castle.

Estuvimos con la familia para un almuerzo rápido durante la visita al castillo, pero hubo una camarera que dirigía a todo el personal que nos hizo pasar un mal rato; hablamos y entendemos el inglés, pero ella nos hacía gestos exagerados con las manos y nos hablaba muy imperativamente. Nos sentimos incómodos con su actitud, y vimos como trataba de igual forma a sus compañeros. Sería conveniente para la empresa que haga un curso de formación de atención al cliente.

Good service, Good choice and value for money. We enjoyed our lunch there and eating outside, and we thought it better than we had anticipated.

Stopped in for lunch after exploring the castle and grounds. Set in a timbered room in the castle that didn't feel overcrowded. Food was delicious; soup, sandwiches and cheeses were excellent. Wait staff was pleasant and welcoming. Thickest napkins I've ever seen!

We went to the Courtyard cafe for lunch. After a wait to be seated we were taken to our table and told that they weren’t serving adult main meals due to a problem with the gas. We decided to make the best of it and ordered but I wish we hadn’t. The service was incredibly slow - we waited ages even for drinks. Then another considerable time for starter and again for main course. This was pretty difficult with young children and also we had other things we were planning to do at the castle and ended up dashing to the joust. The food once arrived was fine but nothing special. The salad was completely soaked in salad dressing to the extent that you couldn’t taste the salad - I suggest that in future salad dressing is an option rather than automatically put on, particularly for children’s meals.

Our ordes were taken 15 minutes after we were seated our drinks took another 15 minutes and we were one drink short, it took another 10 minutes to arrive. We waited 45 minutes for cold toasties and "rosemary" and sea salt chips and a cold jacket potato. The only nice thing was the pottery plates.

The food was expensive as it is served within the castle and is a convenient option for tourists visiting the castle. The breakfast pastries are very good. The dinners were good.

We were visiting the castle and wanted lunch rather than going into the town.Extremely fortunate to get a table a the place was heaving.A very comfortable setting with excellent friendly service. Menu excellent to suit all tastes. Food quality first rate.A hidden gem

Amazing Castle, lots of extra things to do for no extra price, archery, dragon quest, museums, reinactments. Broomstick training is for smaller children, my two (10&12) were too grown up for ! Food/ drink is outrageously expensive (£2.50 for a can of coke, £3.50 for a hot chocolate). There are plenty of picnic areas and sheltered areas if you are well prepared. I wish I had been because the admission charge was more than £50 for one adult and two children! It is an amazing castle and worth a visit. But not cheap!

Visited today with 2 young kids 3/5 and older kids 10/15 and had a fantastic day out. The highlights were the fighting knights and the amazing jester who was so funny we had tears rolling down our faces. Such a fab day and so entertaining. Fish and chips were amazing and enjoyed by all.

The overpowering smell of burnt chip oil,at the fish and chip show was bound to be off putting, on a whole the castle itself is very expensive,it's a shame for families as 3.00 for a single ice cream was far to expensive

very busy restaurant but we were able to purchase sandwiches and pizzas made to order, we didi not wait very long although the cafe appeared to be busy

Les plats sont bons mais sans plus pour un prix tout à fait raisonnable. Service de qualité et ambiance calme.

Great place for a day out with family and young ones. Lots to do in the summer and often events on. We love dragon quest and my 3year old insists going in even though she is terrified of the dragon. Great experience and the staff are always very friendly. Dress up costumes and broom stick experience are great fun.

we have attended several fine dining events here and they have always been good but this one was the best so far - Burns evening on Friday - we were met at the gates by a piper and piped in, everyone arrived for 7pm (usually you can go at various times) the staff were pleasant as usual, menu was excellent, I had the soup to start and husband had salmon very good, then we had the intermediate course of haggis, tatties and neeps which was bigger than expected for a middle course, it was pipped in and then he did the address to the haggis from memory and the toast, then we both had the pheasant which was lovely but a bit too much, the portions seemed to be much larger than previous meals we have had hence could not finish the main course which was a shame as the gamey pie was so lovely but we could only manage some of it, glad I had not pre-ordered dessert as would have gone for the steamed pudding but did not have room so after a rest just about managed the cheesecake which was lovely, I could not even manage a coffee to finish this time, the food was excellent but we came away feeling a bit stuffed - we look forward to the next event which I think is Valentine evening

Have been here a few times before, but a little while ago, this was a fine dining evening and we had booked in advance. Good choice of food on set menu and husbands dietary requirements were well catered for, husband had the scallops and I had the wild mushrooms for starters, we both had venison steak for mains and this was superb, cooked perfectly and with lots of flavour. If I have one piece of constructive criticism it is that the waiters could do with a bit more training in fine dining, she just plonked the wine glasses on the table together - not in the place you would drink from them and just put the bottle of wine down and did not even take the top off or pour the first glass. There was a guy singing and playing guitar which was nice - we did enjoy the evening

Stayed there for lunch. The fodd was good. Kids loved the sandwiches and soup. The staff was friendly and polite

広い広い、アニック城、更に広いアニックガーデン、ランチのチョイスはここしかありません。不味くはないし、サンドイッチから簡単な料理もあり、UKとしては価格もそれなりです。

Yesterday we sat in the courtyard and enjoyed a lovely lunch. The area was kept immaculate as the staff were constantly clearing and cleaning up after some rather unpleasant customers. There was a limited selection as we were rather late, however this was fresh and well presented. The staff were excellent.

My party consisted of four people and we all chose a different meal everybody had a feast . Great food and ambiance.

We found a variety of sandwiches and rolls, lovely coffees, seating in courtyard was lovely , lovely cakes on offer,

It is my normal experience that i am largely served over priced 2nd rate food when trapped in a captured market eg Motorway services stations. How pleasant this was to find the complete opposite here. Well done!!

Just visited for coffees and cake mid afternoon so wasn't busy. Went to the indoor part of the cafe where several tables hadn't been cleared, looked a bit unkempt for the prices being charged. Coffee was ok, scone was very dry. Glad we'd bought sandwiches for lunch!

Had a fantastic evening here. Culmination of six weeks celebrations for my birthday, husband’s birthday and retirement and finally our wedding anniversary . Menu was perfect, plenty to keep me happy as I’m very fussy. Polished off every course. Tasteful, imaginative and great waiting staff. Easy access and parking just outside the castle. Varied wine list, usual restaurant prices and varied selection of beer. Can’t wait for your next fine dining event. Thanks for a great evening

The food was excellent and the selection was amazing. We enjoyed our lunch. The staff was very friendly and we were served quickly

The weather was not the best during our visit so seating inside was at a premium but on a sunny day there is ample seating in the court yard. We only has a coffee and cake but we could see that there was a large selection of hot and cold meals available

This was our second year running that we went to the Sanctuary restaurant for our Mothers Day Meal. As always we were greeted with smiling faces off the waiting staff and made to feel welcome. This year the venue was held in the guest hall which was done out beautifully with pink and white table cloths and candles. Room was light and airy with relaxing music playing in the back round. We were shown to our table by a lovely smiley waitress called Charley, orders taken and when food came was out of this world.

The food was pretty good, the setting was pleasant for valentines weekend. Was let down by the staff who completely forgot about us, left to our own devices until marking them aware after a long absence.

Decided to try something to eat whilst at this amazing castle. The staff were excellent and were very polite. Plenty of seating for us at the time. Just had an afternoon snack of tea, juice and a few cakes. They were very good though.

Its the second time I have been here and cant say I will call again. The food is still good but not as good as it used to be. The manager was very abrupt, we were a party of 27 and asked if we could move the tables together as 'they' had moved them the last time we were here into a horse shoe shape, but was very abruptly told not to move the tables as they were numbered for the staff so that we could pay for additions to the prepaid meal.We had no intention of moving the table numbers ! The waitresses were polite but often confused by orders they had written down, but they did their best . The food is still good but not as good as it used to be.

We really recommend going to The sanctuary for a meal as the food was delicious, I had nettle and garlic soup to start with which was so tasty and then I had the rump steak, succulent and mouth watering best steak I've tried in awhile so full compliments to the chef. Staff were attentive and pleasant. Look forward to our next trip there !!

Great for a snack or a meal with a good choice of sandwiches or full cooked meals. Enjoy a sit down in truly fantastic surroundings.

My self, my mother in-law, mother in-laws mam and my 2 children all went for our mothers day meal at the Sanctuary on the 26th March.

We tried this when we visited Alnwick castle last year. The food was okay, slightly pricey as you would expect. The place seemed slightly disorganised but it could be just that this was a very busy day.

This is the second time we have attended one of these evenings at the Castle the last time was I think November, this time it was a French night aimed at Valentine's - we did book but the only time we could get was 8.30pm so it must book up pretty quickly, There was a good choice on the menu and they catered well for my husband who is lactose intolerant, There was an Oyster Canape to start with, I had the Scallops which were lovely for starters and husband has a bistro salad with poached egg, bacon etc which he said was very nice, for mains husband had the ribeye steak, I had the duck leg which was lovely and moist and fell off the bone, they gave my husband an alternative dessert of Pear and Sorbet as all the ones on the menu would not be suitable for him. I had cherries in batter with crème anglaise which were very nice, we had a bottle of wine and coffees which were extra, it is a set price menu of I think £35 per head but good quality food, well prepared and presented, the staff are very helpful, in addition there was a red rose for ladies and two heart shaped chocs at the end - a very nice evening and we hope to go again. I think they perhaps do these evenings once a month - I think there was perhaps one in January for Burns Night

We visited The Sanctuary for the first time in October of this year which is strange considering we live in Alnwick. The venue seem to only offer a set menu dining experience once every month or so but I would seriously recommend a visit to those who enjoy fine dining at a reasonable price. The room was full but still seemed to be intimate enough considering the fact that there was ample room between tables and guests. . The staff were pleasant and helpful at all times and able to offer recommendations should they be required. It is a set menu with three courses for a set price but there was plenty to choose from and a vegetarian option should this be required. The food was all superb and we both had nothing negative to say about the entire experience. Well worth a visit.

First visit to The Sanctuary, I previously read mixed reviews, so wasn't quite sure what to expect, however, the experience was unequivocally first rate. I am a discerning diner, and have frequented many of the top restaurants in the world, including Burj al arab, and the Star at Harome closer to home, & I can say hand on heart that the chef here produced sensational food, extremely well presented, and each mouthful was an absolute pleasure. Seasonal ingredients, occasionally delicate flavours, and robust where needed. Top Marks to this outfit, I wholeheartedly recommend. The Chef really has something special here. Congratulations to all of the restaurant staff for a very memorable evening.

My Husband took me for a surprise meal on Saturday evening and I did not know where we were going until we arrived at Alnwick Castle. We had a lovely evening and the meal was truly excellent and really fine dining. The room was nice and peaceful with different coloured candles scented candles on each table - most tables had been occupied, as our table was booked for 8.15pm there were some people more or less finishing their meal and I think they only booked one or two tables for each time slot. The staff were pleasant and helpful, husband has dietary requirements and these were accommodated. It is a set menu with three courses for a set price but there was plenty of choice I had the soup to start with and it was excellent, husband had the duck starter which he enjoyed and there were two other choices, one being a veggie choice. I had the Venison for mains and husband had the pork, the meat was so tender and the flavours superb, dessert I had the cheese cake which was lovely and husband poached pears which he enjoyed, we had a bottle of wine and two coffees and really enjoyed our evening and would return. Not sure if these meals are regular or just being done on a monthly basis so you do have to book.

ok but alittle bit pricey. There are several places to eat within the castle and restaurant so choose from

Perfect place to eat while visiting the castle! Very good choice of food and excellent service to boot!

Great day at Castle and Gardens with amazing food, where the staff were friendly and helpful. Whole family enjoyed and will be definitely going again. Thankyou Sanctuary staff :-)

Cafe com algumas opcoes de lanches e sanduiches. Nada demais,o usual de um cafe. Precos dentro do usual.

Eating in a real castle where the food is good and locally soured and the history of England is surrounding you had a great impact on a fun meal.

6 hungry men working at the castle doing a early conference install. Lunch time approaches and we decides to have a go at the restaraunt. Served very quickly, but my pint of orange turned into a half. We waited for around 20 mins for the food, which all came out together, my bread was dry because it must have been under the heater, anyway this is not the Ritz, but the food was brilliant, moist and very tasty, lamb burgers brilliant. Will be back.

Having seen many advertisements for this restaurant we were looking forward to our visit there last weekend. The interior decoration though pleasant did not really make the most of the building's potential and the chair/table height was uncomfortable for both myself and my husband - we have 12" height difference between us and usually find chairs suit one or the other but previously never neither. The food was only average - the castle's other eating place the Treehouse does better but it is in the level of service that there is most room for improvement. Staff forgot to offer us any bread, forgot to bring a side dish we had ordered then tried to deliver out coffee to another couple who were half way through eating their main course. Overall view is that we would probably not rush back and one suggestion for the management, the plastic table numbers should be removed as they are very transport cafe and not really in keeping with the tone they are trying to set for the evening, there are not that many tables so i would expect staff to be able to cope without the plastic.

We walked in off the street and the restaurant welcomed our large family party with welcome arms. The food was FANTASTIC! And I had no complaints about the service. They were also great about my 2 small kids that were with us. The decor was beautiful and it was a perfect ending to a long day.

I'm not in the habit of posting negative reviews because anyone can have a bad day but our experience was so poor I feel I have to warn others. Our party consisted of 5 adults (including one wheelchair user) and a child.

This is the third time I've eaten at the Sanctuary, but on this occassion i couldn't believe how slow the service was - pleasant but slow. On a Friday evening in May there were only 3 tables being occupied by other couples - so 8 people to attend to and 4 waiting on staff with fancy pdas to place the orders. They seemed to forget to give us the bread and dipping oils that other tables got and we had to keep catching the eye of the staff to order more drinks following course etc. The food however was fantastic - so come on front of house pull your socks up and don't let the side down.

This is a fantastic restaurant with lovely decor and great service, the food we had was fabulous - every course. The waiter was attentive without being pushy. Could not fault this restaurant and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Been twice and love it. Pretty amazing location at Alnwick Castle. Fab food, mostly locally sourced, excellent service. Went on my birthday and got a special dessert with Happy Birthday on plus candle and waiting staff sang Happy Birthday (cheesy but sweet). Valentines Day Special included a rose, and champagne - only criticism was that the service was a little too quick - would have like to linger more between courses. Menu changes, but particularly like the Baileys creme brulee, the chilli ice cream and the fresh tuna caesar salad. Yum!