Beechenhurst Cafe in Forest of Dean

This cafe seems to have changed hands or been revamped. Not an improvement! Hope it’s just teething trouble but utterly chaotic today

It's rare that I rate somewhere so low but honestly this was disappointing one very level. Parking was super expensive cafe closed for refurbishment with no sign saying so till after you pay to park! Temporary food was very poor and coffee very weak! Even the staff serving seemed unhappy. Best not go at the moment!

Be warned! We went there on 30 September to find cafe shut for redecoration, hopefully opening for October half term.....but nothing on their website about it , in fact Google said it was " open but closing at 4pm". There was a temp coffee shop selling poor quality coffee, but it was hot and slightly better than nothing.

Good location for the Sculpture Trail and other walks. There's a children's playground. There is a ranger on site, though they were not there when we went, despite being advertised as being so. The cafe looked okay but is definitely not great for vegans and vegetarians or celiacs. Not one sandwich without meat in and none gluen free when we went. The staff did say some of the hot food was vegetarian but the choice was limited and (at least from the cabinet selection) sold out. So, a good base for a day trip, but I'd not rely on the cafe if you don't eat meat or have to have gluten free.

Nice setting but the food choice is very limited and some of the stuff is grossly over priced. A ham and cheese toasted ciabata roll for £7.50 is insane. The "side salad" it comes with is basically garnish and when comparing this with a chicken, bacon and mayonnaise baguette for £5.50, I felt robbed.. pricing is definitely off there. Hardly any selection other than that. Baby change toilet had seen better days. Baby changing table was disgusting and needed a serious clean. No where to hang baby changing bag either. We ended up changing our baby on a bench which was probably more hygienic. Good for a walk around the sculpture trail but you're better off taking your own food and snacks.

We stopped here before setting off on the sculpture trail for a snack. We had a couple of bacons baps, chips and a few drinks. It was all lovely but was quite expensive.

We have been walking the trails around Beechenhurst for nearly a year now. We even joined to be a member of the Forest of Dean Forestry area, so that our parking is now free, so we can take as long as we like on our walks without watching the clock. We really look forward to the wonderful soup in the café after our long walk each week through rain and sunshine. Our favourite is the Thai butternut soup with the green souper a close second. We love a good chat with the friendly staff in particular Holly and Dotty who always make us feel really welcome. Although more recently we seemed to have encountered the Manager who is not as naturally friendly as the others, otherwise we would have given the service a 5 not a 4.

Always make a point of visiting the cafe when I'm up that way, really enjoy the food

Had their avacado and poached egg breakfast, it comes on ciabatta bread (that isn't mentioned on the menu) and a fried tomato. It was all good. We'll definitely come again.

Become a member of foresty england, so can have 10% off food and drink here. The food is priced fairly, the cakes are excellent. The majority of staff members are friendly. My only suggestion is make your cups for hot drinks bigger. The price is similar to other well known coffee shops but their cups are bigger. My only negative, and no idea if are run together but the toilets are not pleasant. As a regular visitor I've never seen a cleaner in them during the day.

Overpriced coffee that was not even that nice. £3.60 for a small flat white. Did not even tried to look at the food as I knew it'll be mega expensive.

Lovely little cafe to stop at before you do the sculpture trail, would highly recommend to anyone looking for a quick bite to eat or a rest stop after a long walk!

Parking was a bit expensive. But the food, service and atmosphere was great. Well maintained site

Lovely cafe, play area & woods to walk in. Pay for carpark on app, plenty of parking.

the best service I have ever had. all the ladies are very nice, smiling and incredibly quick in fulfilling orders. I highly recommend this place for a coffee or a quick dinner.

Beechenhurst is a good place to take the family if you want the entertainment provided but not if you just want to enjoy nature or just visit the cafe. We only went to visit the cafe and it was 6 pounds to park 2 cars for 2 hours, very confusing as no ticket machine in the parking area and the information unclear. If you have a smart phone you can pay by app apparently. Cafe had a good selection but it was very disorganized and food displayed on different counters so everyone pushing past not making an orderly queue. Some items served in carboard trays thus we ended up losing some food on the floor and had to ask twice for a replacement. Food was very overpriced for what we had and not very good. Disappointing overall after cafe visits at Dean Heritage and Mallard's Pike which were over priced but much higher quality.

Disgusting bacon sandwich thick with foul spread. I tried to scrap it off but the taste remained. Couldn't eat it. Staff saw I left it but clearly ignored me. Please ask spread or no spread. The yellow stuff on the plate is the spread I managed to scrap off.

Homemade carrot, parsnip and ginger soup fabulous!

Great place, some of the items felt a tiny bit expensive, but the quality is always good.

Not good, over priced, and not good on quality. Much better cafe down the road. Bottle of water £2, magnums £3.40, everything very expensive.

The prices in this cafe are shocking. The quality of the food is average. £6.50 for a basic kids lunch and what surprised me the most was the cost of an ice lolly. £3.40 for a magnum and £3 for a standard twister lolly. We promised our child one before knowing the price. Disgusting prices. Real shame. Outside park is ok, could do with some updating with some new things to play on.

Lovely place, a few options on the menu and great tasting food. We were initially served the wrong items but this was quickly rectified. The food is overpriced though. Spending upwards of £35 for two burger meals and 2 bottles of pepsi. If ive caught in the area i wouldnt say no to this place, however, there are others within a mile or so from this area that charge less for similar quality food

What a jewel, beautiful inside and out. Just stunning. Only had coffee but very reasonably priced and delicious. I will definitely be going back.

Beautiful "Oasis" in FoD... BUT .. Disappointed tohave to pay THREE pounds minimum to park (£2 = ok)...😱 I think DISABLED should be FREE...😱😱 Then OVER £3 for a Cornetto!! Rip-off!!😱😱😱 We'll go to Tewkesbury, next time!

Good lay out and selection of food, bit pricey but food was nice

Nice cafe but £3.60 for a latte that was out of machine is ridiculous.

The food is a bit expensive for a cafe. How much for toast? Really. No need.

Nice place to stop a break. Gluten free options available.

Sausage bap and the tea was great, staff lovely view great but the worse black Americans I have ever had. Complained and gave me an extra shot free but still awful. Prefer instant Lidl coffee. So a very mixed review.

Had a vegan sausage roll, a cake, and an iced latte. Was reasonably priced and tasted very nice. The staff were polite. Enjoyable experience

Fast, efficient, good selection

Really nice cafe situated in a beautiful area, shame the food and drink costs so much! I believe it shouldn’t cost £2 for a bottle of water or £4.00 for a sausage roll. As a forester, I find this extremely disappointing.

Really great forest café. We ate well.

Take your own lunch. The staff are polite and efficient but everything is over priced and not particularly good. If we live in a capitalist society, let's stick a couple of other options nearby to drive standards and give consumers a choice.

I visited on a rainy day with my 20 month old grandson. It was very quiet, but nice and warm. The service was friendly. The coffee good and Lemon drizzle cake good.

Ok food but very basic and over priced

Lovely, friendly atmosphere inside. Staff are very polite and accommodating. There are plenty of nearby areas to do a range of activities. Setting is beautiful, especially with the recent snowfall.

Great little cafe in a lovely, family-friendly spot. Plenty of vegan cake options. 😉👍🌱☕

Efficient service excellent food

Lovely place to stop while on walk, run out bike ride. Convenient for for a cuppa and a snack with plenty of parking and quick and easy access straight onto the forestry trails and signed cycle routes.

Beechenhurst is lovely, and the cafe was pleasant with a variety of food. Although I did find it extremely expensive. Unfortunately, I witnessed the shop assistant who was making my drinks, drop my empty paper cup on the dirty floor, then pick it up and pour my drink into it and give it to me. I pointed out that I had witnessed what she had done and she totally denied it. I am disgusted that this happened, and won’t be returning to that cafe again. Very disappointed and appalled! I have worked in the food industry and if something is dropped on the floor, I was instructed to discard it and replace it, because that is being hygienic.

Overpriced cold drinks, charge £3.25 for a YAzoo milkshake you can buy anywhere for a £1. Bring a picnic

Very overpriced. Coffee was too bitter and ridiculously hot.

Absolutely beautiful. Spotless inside and very pleasant staff

Food and drinks Very dear and can't have bbq there anymore was lovely day out but not now

Lots to choose from, staff lovely and friendly, plenty of seating area outside on hot day

Clean and tidy but hot food is not hot. When I asked if they had a microwave to reheat the pasty and chips , I was told no. So best advice I can give is if your happy with sandwiches, go with that. Coffee and tea were hot at least.

Absolutely outrageous prices e.g. £2.25 for a small bottle of still water. £11 in total for a water, sandwich and a baguette. Very nice setup with the play park and all but if you don't bring your own food and drinks be prepared to cough up a lot to feed a family for lunch.

Always great... we go here a lot!

Restrictions for indoor dining lifted but still unable to sit indoors. No dogs allowed in cafe and with a massive increase in dog thefts no way I could leave them or order easily. Not the most welcoming of places.

Over priced cafe as normal for the average or even less earring families but that seems to be the norm in the current times. I might add the food is average & above tho, the staff are friendlier at Beechenhurst cafe than Mallards cafe which is a plus but its breathtaking views & local friendly people you’ll meet on your travels will make up for it.. It’s a must visit ‍♀️‍♀️‍♀️‍♀️

I am from the forest and love it. Moved away years ago but return regularly to visit family and show my kids the surrounding beauty. I consider myself well travelled and exposed to varying commercial situations but.... Being charged £1 for hot water was a p*ss take. I purchased £50 worth of food for my family and was still charged £1 for hot water (really) with the reasoning that ‘others’ procure hot water and then add their own tea bags. Let me say. I love this place but the inherent small minded attitude to such situations continues to leave the forest in dark ages when it’s natural beauty could allow so much more wealth to be generated. Next time I’ll take a flask and won’t buy any food. One Texan customer lost..

Called in on a walk and amazed at the service and quality . Really nice to sit by a log fire with a breakfast and coffee. Decent prices too

Usual tea & cake fair, good coffee but food so basic and unfortunately nothing special given the location and parking price. An ideal walking & cycling drop in. In the summer there are more food outlets but none run properly or beckoning to eat there...

Great well run and reasonably priced Forestry Commission run cafe. Good place to fuel up with a pastie and then relax with cake and a hot drink after your walk.

We vision a sunny New Year's Day when they were heaving. The staff coped admirably with the high volume of business, serving us, including 2 hungry children, in good time with excellent food

4 of us were on holiday for a long weekend and Visited Beechenhurst Cafe after walking the sculpture trail. We were looking to just have a drink and some cake but decided to have a meal instead so we didn’t have to find somewhere else to eat and we weren’t disappointed. We chose from the specials board and 3 of us had the pulled beef baguette with cheese served with chips and salad and 1 had the pie of the day. All our meals were absolutely delicious especially the beef baguette which was a taste sensation. The service was great, very friendly and efficient. The meals came quick and were hot, well presented and as I have already said delicious. We did make a point of telling the staff how much we had enjoyed our meals and to pass our comments onto the chef which they did. We would definitely recommend the Beechenhurst Cafe.

Might seem a bit strange to write a review about a flapjack but sometimes you just need to recognise the small stuff that really makes a difference to a place.The said Apple and Date flapjack was absolutely delicious, a king (or queen) amongst flapjacks. Fruity, wholesome and not stingy on the portion size. The other cakes looked equally tempting. Nice caramel latte to accompany it.Equally important to the 5 stars is the lady who served me (13/11) with a smile at the end of a long day as she cleaned down. Easy to be brusque when you’re trying to clean up and everyone else is leaving, but she was engaging and attentive as we chatted about the various other cake options available which I should come back and try. Great service with a smile costs nothing but makes all the difference. Thank you!

Good selection of typical café food but really good portion sizes. I had a 'panini' which was actually just a toasted baguette but tasted good all the same. My partners portion of nachos was huge! You come here for the gorgeous setting and scenic walks so a café to refuel is much appreciated!

Beautiful setting - lovely cafe good choice on menu and really friendly service. On nice days plenty of outdoor tables and one big covered area - lots of seating inside.

Fast food for children, or coffee and cake, looked good. Cooked food seems less reliable; we had to chase up our order, and it was not appetizing.

Visited here with friends and was promised great things. I had the chilli chicken panini and chips. The chips were awful, hard and overcooked. The panini filling was minimal and the panini itself was more like a hot baguette than a proper toasted panini. It was expensive too so disappointed that I paid so much for such a poor meal. They redeemed themselves on the cake though, I had a scone and it was warm and delicious. Others in my party were complimentary about the cakes too. On the whole though, I do feel that this cafe is overpriced for the standard of the food they are serving

What a busy place. There's a cafe, toilets and car parking (not free). Plenty of space to sit and have a picnic or enjoy something from the cafe. A small but good selection of hot and cold foods and drinks.

Had a great lumberjacks breakfast this morning, when I asked for the breakfast with no beans the assistant immediately asked me what I'd like to replace it with. Super customer service right there, normally you just get stuff left out!

We came for a little brunch before the forest trail and wall climbing and thought the food was really tasty, the bacon was thick, the sausages had a lot of flavour, the eggs were perfect and the toast was thick and gorgeous.

Visited here after Go Ape and am glad we did. Great menu and great food. Husband and son were both very pleased with their pasties whilst the rest of us enjoyed a variety of paninis with chips. All the food was fresh and delicious.

Wonderful cafe in gorgeous setting. Superb breakfasts served quickly and hot. Can’t recommend it enough!

I was hoping for a lot more from the great reviews but the food was average at best and expensive. The park itself looks nice and I'd come back for that, but not for the cafe.

Very pleased with this little cafe in the middle of the forest. Great base for your travels around the forest.

This is truly a lovely place to eat the food is fresh and great choice.The staff all work so hard and are helpful polite and really hard working .We have been two days on the trot already .Well done all .

Went here for a family day out on sunday weather wasnt fantastic never the less we enjoyed our selves plenty out door space cafe done delious food not badly priced great little park for kids lots of picnic and bbq spaces and trail walk though woods only thing that spoilt it was the piles of logs that have been chopped down around the walk the huge gaps in the trees and large working vehicles parked up ready to chop more trees you'd think were in the middle of the forest so why right here at a tourist site but it can't be helped we will defo be back

Such a reliable place to go for good food. Lovely staff, yummy cakes and good menu. Also very interesting specials, although sometimes slightly hit and miss. Today the pork belly special was insanely good, beautifully cooked and tender. The chicken, ham and leek pie was also delicious, but serving it with overly salted bisto gravy was a mistake! (Sorry if it wasn't bisto, but it really tasted that way!) Overall a great cafe, looking forward to my next visit.

Thanks to Hayley, Lauren and their team for making our day yesterday truly lovely.

The management and staff are wonderful. Ready to help and accommodate your needs. The atmosphere at the cafe is very friendly and warm. I visit at least three times a week with my dog Teddy - he loves it there too. The food is really tasty and people watching is delight as family, couples and dog walkers appear. A very busy cafe and the staff cope really well under a lot of pressure. Well done all.

Waited over 25 minutes for two baguettes, other tables around us were having to complain to get their food. It was a busy Sunday but clearly understaffed and the food was okay, but not worth waiting that long. Staff were clearly under a lot of pressure, although remained polite and friendly.

Had a woodsman’s breakfast here before taking on the sculpture trail. The car park and location are great although I would imagine are busy in the summer. All run by the forestry commission this is a great cafe, with good facilities for walkers, families and cyclists. Defiantly worth a visit

Stopped here when we did the family cycle trail. Friendly helpful staff and good choice of food. We love the forest and most weeks cycle or walk our dog there. Our one and only gripe would be that dogs are not allowed inside the cafe which is off putting on cold days even though the cafe has two separate dining areas, such a pity when Speech house hotel welcomes them in their conservatory.

Called in here whilst walking the dog. The large breakfast was above avarage. Was impressed. All cooked fresh. All hot. All good quality. Makes a nice change from the other usuall rubbish cafes around here. Well done chef. I will be back....

Fresh and clean looking cafe with a great menu but the prices are way off. I paid nearly £9 for an average muffin, a machine latte, and a piddly portion of cheesy chips. Came to do the sculpture trail and asked for a map for which I was asked to pay a £1 for the printed sheet of flimsy A4 paper. I am all for supporting the forest but I wont be eating in here ever again and will print my own map next time and suggest anyone else does the same.

We ate on a weekend after walking in the forest. I ordered chilli con carne from the kids menu for my 18 month old which when it came was far too spicy for her.

Nice clean cafe in the heart of the woods at Beechenhurst. A good choice of food at reasonable prices, and cheaper than some other Forestry Commission cafes.

Great day out in the forest ,go ape ,walks,forest sculpture trail,back here for a bite to eat and beverage ...all in all great service reasonable prices and a lovely place to be.

Very good food and very friendly service in a lovely country setting. Our dog was welcome outside and water bowls provided. Only disappointment was the use of plastic spoons and plastic straws - I would have expected environmentally friendly alternatives from a Forestry Commission cafe.

We visited after a walk on the Sculpture Trail. I can recommend the BIT, proper thick cut bacon, it was delish and worth a visit if you are in the area.

Called in here on a very busy, sunny, day during the Easter holidays. The car park was very full, the cafe extremely busy and the playground mobbed. However, despite the huge numbers of visitors around, we found a table for 6 people and the service was efficient and pleasant. The food was of good quality and delicious, with a good range of choices. We thought that the cafe coped very well with the numbers they were serving and provided a excellent quality lunch.

Stopped off here after a long walk around the Sculpture Trail, cafe was almost empty and was served really quickly. Coffee was really nice! Dogs aren't allowed inside the cafe so we sat outside but there is plenty of seating and all undercover too.

I visited today with my family and despite a lovely walk in the forest, I was very disappointed with the cafe. It was crowded when we arrived and tables and chairs very close together. When you consider this is going to be largely a family venue with children that is not helpful. Also one side of the cafe was closed off with a few members of staff chatting there, this area being opened would have provided much more comfort for customers. The food was overcooked and poor, do not have the beetroot and goat's cheese tart! It was as hard as a rock. It's good to have a cafe provision there but I'll bring a pack lunch next time and just get a cuppa.

5 of us had a really good and reasonably priced lunch with some very smooth coffee in a restful setting in the Forest Of Dean, Gloucestershire. Good choice of food on the menu and if you need to walk off a big lunch there is the fascinating Sculpture Trail.

We arranged to meet friends here for a quick coffee before going onto another event . A long drive through the forest,compulsory pay parking, reasonable menu but not cheap, food when it arrived was mediocre,coffee ( Americano) was nondescript. Left wishing we had chosen somewhere else!

A pleasant airy cafe in the middle of the forest plenty of parking Well presented and tasty selection of food and drinks friendly staff

Best place in the forest to take a break and have a coffee and cake. Whether winter or summer this cafe is the perfect stop off, can be busy at times, but thats expected during high season.

After walking some distance in the hunt for The Gruffalo the cafe was a very welcome pit stop. Fresh sandwiches , hot drinks and cover outside so sitting with a dog is easy.

Great place to visit once you have experienced the activities on offer close by, sculpture trail, go ape etc. Very friendly and helpful staff set in a wooded location. Good tea but the cakes were a bit dry.

On arrival we were told that half the seating area was closed, the chiller cabinets were virtually empty and they dont do a cream tea :(

My wife and I visited the Beechenhurst Cafe after our 2.5 hour forest walk along The Sculpture Trail with 17 individual items to look out for along a 3.5 mile walk through the forest. We selected a freshly made sandwich and a toasted tea cake plus two pieces of delicious lemon sponge cake together with the obligatory pot of tea for 2 ! This cafe has lots of tables and chairs available indoors together with outside bench seats overlooking a large children's play area on a balcony as well as many other bench seats dotted around the grounds. There is plenty of car parking on site and although there are Forestry Commission car parking charges they are very reasonable at £3.00 for up to 4 hours. The start & end of The Sculpture Trail is within a 100 metres of the cafe and an ideal choice for a light snack before or after your forest walk and great for the children as well with a big play area.

Lovely little cafe with plenty of choice on the menu for both food and drinks. Also a good amount of seating which these places sometimes lack. We sat here for a couple of hours while the children played and had drinks and cake. The children had ice lollies as well.

Have eaten breakfast here on a number of occasions. The breakfasts are freshly made and use good quality ingredients. The setting is beautiful and well worth considering as an altenative.

Good coffee Excellent coronation chicken sandwich Delicious coffee and fudge cake Good value Friendly staff What's not to love? Loos nearby, plentiful parking and a great adventure playground for kids

The cafe meals are good on the whole but the salad was old and brown on the stalks. kids boxes were excellent and the loved them. Walks are brilliant with plenty to do. Also a good stopping off point if doing the cycle trail.

Great breakfast reasonably priced and friendly helpful staff who were all local and knew the area well so could advise about the various Trails we could follow in the area