Boswells Cafe in Test Valley

Had to wait a while to get served. I was served by assistant manager Jo. I didn’t like how my jacket potato carried in her hands without wearing gloves. She asked me if I wanted butter in my potato, I said no but she still put butter in.

Always impressed with the service, cleanliness, prices at this cafe. Not the most salubrious establishment but simple food prepared and served well. Been visiting Boswells for several decades now and never had a bad experience. Staff always consider needs of people with disabilities and give assistance were/when necessary. Cafe always clean and tidy even though some customers seem to deposit more food on the floor than inside themselves. From experience, valid report of faults. The faults have been repaired asap without question. Think I may go back again!

I must say I have been here many times before and it’s usually reasonably good. Had the all day breakfast. Cold and hard toast, overcooked bacon which I couldn’t eat (and I’ll eat anything.) Awful.

Well done ! Superb lunch , jacket potatoes , spot on , 10 staff attending , on a very busy Saturday! Manager was orchestrating the staff very well ! All staff superb ! 10/10 I every level !

Very disappointed as I couldn't decide what to have for lunch and eventually settled on Bowells. Stood at the takeaway counter for about 4/5 minutes and no one come even tho probably 10+ members of staff were in the main cafe part, looked at me and didn't acknowledge me (some looking busy some stood around). Anyway I gave up and decided to venture inside where yet again I stood at the counter for a couple of minutes while the staff chatted to each other and wondered around behind the counter. Eventually someone came to serve me (assumed she was the manager) so I said to her it was disappointing I was stood at the takeaway counter for 5 minutes and noone wanted to serve me and of course her response was they are all busy (they clearly weren't), So anyway I said that and with a very stern facial expression she borderline shouted at me and said what do you want to order then..... So I left very disappointed with the service and no lunch!

Quick and as requested. The four others ordered before me as I was in a shop. But my order arrived first. Food was cooked ok and arrived hot. Was as requested and hot.

One of the very best consistently excellent cafe experiences I have ever had. Smart environment, delicious menu, lovely drinks and great value for money. Most importantly, customer service is first class. Well Done to everyone involved and thank you.

Had lunch here with a friend and her children while visiting the area. We were impressed by the big selection of food available. We had the nachos with chilli, kids fishfingers, chips and beans and flatbread with hummus, falafel and roasted veg. All very tasty. Chilli was particularly good. The service was efficient and friendly despite the cafe being busy. We also felt lunch was good value. Would definitely visit again if in the area.

After some nice food and service in the past was very Disappointed today ordered a sandwich each for my husband and I when they came out that's all there was on the plate no.salad garnish and a little off putting my plate was slightly warm with a sandwich with cold filling

lovely cafe - lots of choice for brunch/lunch vege/vegan all day breakfast nice jacket potatoes are perfect!

Wanted a snack meal whilst visiting the town. Called in because of its clean appearance r cafe and staff together with a wonderful assortment off various hot and cold meals all beautiful presented. We both had a Brie cheese and bacon banquet with chips and a latte coffee, Lovely fresh baguette with loads of filling Staff could not do enough to help you Recommended to all visiting this area

Stopped for brunch with my daughter, her partner & my granddaughter. Good service and tasty food and all reasonably priced.

Stopped at Boswells in Andover, just off the main road, which was half way to Devon. Glad we did. Good coffee, good food and the staff. Yes the staff are very attentive and polite, which is just what we want from a food outlet. I think the manager has trained them well. It is so nice so we also stopped there on the way home . If we are that way again then we know where to go.

I'm gluten and dairy free which can make eating out difficult. However, Boswells had a whole gluten free menu and friendly staff to talk me through the daily dessert options as well. I had one of the best iced coffees I've ever had! The food was also amazing; my partner and I had a full English breakfast and everything was delicious. We'll be return customers for sure!

We visited the cafe today. Good covid procedures.Lovely greeting by the staff and really good food at a reasonable price. Nice seating area. All the staff were very pleasant, particulary Charlie who helped us with our order. Genuinely felt that they valued our custom. Will certainly come again

Slow service one staff wearing gloves to handle food other staff member on till then handling food without gloves very poor hygiene

For what you get I would say overpriced. There are far better cafes in the area. I ordered a ham, tomato and grain mustard panini and side salad. What I got was a toasted white baguette with mountains of strong English mustard and hardly any ham. For nearly £5 you should be embarrassed.

My husband and I decided to have a coffee and light lunch, service was good, food was awful, the toastie had the smallest bit of ham in the centre, and the cheese had not melted, there was still grated cheese in the centre. Would not recommend

We visited earlier today (my wife, 4 y.o. daughter and myself) for lunch. Boswell's Cafe is a participant in the American Express Shop Small campaign... however they do not actually accept American Express. Well, at least not at the moment. The apologetic store manager got on the phone to management to investigate after the payment processing failed. I didn't mind waiting 15 to 20 minutes for this to be resolved, despite a hungry 4 y.o. at the table, but I really didn't expect the "sorry, can't help you, mate" response thereafter. Now, I completely get that things will sometimes go awry in the hospitality business. However, it isn't difficult to proactively address a problem and offer a reasonable solution to avoid a poor service encounter. We'd hoped that common sense would prevail e.g. accepting a different form of payment whilst still maintaining the same promotional benefit. But no! We'd taken a 50 mile, 1 hour round trip, only for the manager to send us away with a personal apology. To be fair, the staff seem lovely and really hard working. In fact, I feel sorry for them having to contend with an arrogant and uncaring management. If customer service is this poor by design, one wonders about management's approach to food hygiene and COVID cleanliness. On the other hand, American Express were nothing short of excellent in resolving the matter. Bottom line: we won't be visiting Boswell's Cafe in Andover again. I'd recommend you don't either.

Breakfast for the family, something for everyone from a croissant to a full English! Lovely open area for eating and nice service.

Called in for quick lunch about 1.30pm yesterday, chilli jacket, salad and Diet Coke. Service was excellent, staff really helpful, taking great care with Covid hygiene too Food, fresh, hot and great value. Cannot wait to return.

I want to start by saying I’ve eaten before and had a good experience (please see attached photo 1 & 2). Today however was not the same. First I was told when I ordered an iced americano that such a drink didn’t exists (please see photo 1.. the iced americano you made me last week) when I said id ordered it here before, I was assured it wasn’t served here. Please refer to line above and face palm accordingly. Next I was served my food with beans ( specifically requesting no beans when ordering). Not only was i surprised by extra beans but I also got a bonus 15inch hair in my food (please see photo). In the middle of a global pandemic such a gift I will cherish. When showing the staff this I was told there was no hair in the food. Please once again refer to the line above and face palm. I also got a dirty mug which I could forgive if everything else was clean.. unfortunately it wasn’t. Also after I brought up the hair I noticed I had a staff audience while I ate.. quite disconcerting when I’m trying to eat breakfast. Verdict for the people.. the foods good but the hygiene is terrible..and the staffs reaction to Criticism is worse. Best leaving this greasy spoon alone during rona season.

Me and my family came for our usual hot chocolates and ice blast, as usual the standard of hot chocolate is exemplary however the shift manager was rude and unprofessional, customer service is your job and should be at the for front of your manner.

Nice cafeteria inside The Chantry Centre. Good soy cappuccino and cosy atmosphere. Full English Breakfast is freshly made and served all day.

Not much to comment on. It’s a lovely cafe in a convenient setting with ample seating and a varied menu. Only critique would be that I asked for wholemeal and got white toast but the waitress offered to replace, I’m easy going so I declined and it was probably a lot tastier that way! Enjoyed it

Had leisurely lunch with coffee in the 'foyer' area under a huge glass roof, watching the world go by without any distracting background music. Delightful, helpful and witty staff, generous helpings and flavours. So went back for afternoon tea.When we visit Andover again (which is a town with lovely country walks direct from the Chantry Centre), we'll revisit Boswells-no question.

Perhaps, if you are just after a good coffee, there are better places nearby, but their coffee is still ok if you'd like a quick bite or a breakfast, not a bad choice. Plenty of indoor space inside Chantry Shopping too, so best for a rainy day.

Usefully located in the Chantry Centre. Plenty of room and ideal for wheelchairs. Reasonable range of food options and drinks. Seating in the cafe & plenty opposite. Friendly staff.

India was a looker with a personality to match, will Boswells Andover ever recover. Well it's doing alright. The usual decent selection of breakfast, snacks and light meals, reasonably priced. Busy and unpretentious.

Not been here before. Lovely cafe. Nice coffee and food is very good. In the shopping centre so if it rains your ok lol

Not great value for money. Chips cooked in cheap oil and processed cheese slices in child’s sandwich box which was refused by my usually non-fussy five year old. Granary chicken baguette was anaemic and the chicken processed-tasting, which seemed to be the theme and ethos of the company. I asked for an assistant to clear up the mess left by the previous person at my table and he used a bit of blue kitchen roll and left the majority of the crumbs behind. I had to finish the job myself. A bit of staff training in attention to detail, methinks.

Stopped for a quick breakfast. Lovely bacon and egg sandwich (requested, and received crispy bacon). Great coffee and lovely, friendly staff. Thanks.

First time of visiting. We popped in for a coffee on Sunday and was tempted by the lunch that was displayed. The vegetarian wrap was really rather nice. Good service to.

Great to stop for a quick coffee. Recently visited with young family. Had a quick lunchtime meal. Children had fish fingers and chips, I had sausage roll and hubby had lasagne. All arrived quickly was lovely and hot. Really helpful with allergy information. Not amazing quality food but lovely filling cheap lunch with the children while shopping. Good service even when busy.

Excellent friendly service, food is delivered to the table promptly and friendly, and tasty. The area outside the main service area is a great place to watch the world go by and relax

We visited on a Sunday afternoon. The whole of the centre was quiet including the cafe. Nothing to write home about and would probably not visit again. Much prefer Costa Coffee.

I was given a couple of hours off from my work nearby and found this place served me just right when peckish . I studied the menu which apart from pannini's , lasagne and cous cous , I would describe it a a very British style menu with choices such as ham , egg and chips , sausage ,beans and chips , bangers and mash ,etc . There was also a good choice of coffees , snack type rolls and salads . I chose fish and chips with a choice of either baked beans or peas . Salt , pepper and vinegar came in sachets which I wasn't too keen on but still was happy with polite staff and cleanliness of the place . Very happy to call in again ! Plenty of room between tables for prams as well and I noticed an area outside but within the mall with free wi fi users .

Great place to buy lunch, brunch and take away foods. There is a wide selection of light bites and meals as well as juices, drinks and sweet treats. You can sit inside the restaurant or outside under the cover of the Mall high glass windows.

This is a great little stop for a great tasting cup of coffee. We had two sandwiches which astounded us with the choice on offer as it is great to have a variety that is a little different from most cafes.

Muy decepcionado - 2 patatas al horno con pollo de la coronación. Muy sabroso pero patatas eran difíciles de haber estado preparado para algo de tiempo me imagino. Guarnición de ensalada, olvídalo - bordes marrones en pedazos de lechuga vieja. Ellos pasaron de vuelta a la gestión que se disculpó y nos dieron una bebida gratis para la próxima visita! Hmmm. Regresaría - mmmm...

Lovely tasty coffee and a quiet place to sit down even though it's in the shopping centre in Andover.Clean tidy tables.Staff friendly and helpful

Friday lunchtime, met mum for an unexpected lunch, fast, friendly and good food, in a pleasant environment

Metimos en para una taza de café esta mañana. Tomamos té y una sandwichera y no costo del mundo. Bonito lugar para entrar.

Paramos aquí para un aperitivo. Entra en el anuncio del chocolate caliente! Que era delicioso. El personal era muy agradable. Fuera de una zona de estar limpio y cómodo.

Nos visita aquí a menudo para un almuerzo rápido y nunca un problema, pero hoy me sirve una pequeña ensalada de lechuga y algunos de los que tenía barro en donde no se ha lavado correctamente. Mi preocupación aumentó con un asistente y no volvimos a discutir mis inquietudes sobre lavado ensaladas correctamente. También en esta visita no me ofrecieron un recibo.

We decided to eat here today as a backup to somewhere else that failed. Staff were very nice, food an drinks were served quickly and it was all very tasty.

Visited this cafe a couple of times. The food is always prepared fresh and delicious. Its fairly priced for what you get. Would definitely recommend it for a quick bite at lunch time.

Loving my latest favourite lunch stuffed jacket potatoes with bacon cheese and ham. Very tasty. Staff are really friendly and helpful. HAlf portions are available for those with smaller appetites

Not a bad snack overall, but it was a little bit on the cool side for for a hot wrap, yes the chips were just hot.

Random find in the Chantry Centre breaking the journey home from Devon. Definitely a good choice for a quick snack and lovely sunny seating on the atrium.

I usually meet up with my wife here for lunch. Staff are so friendly and I love to eat out in the atrium. My favourite place for lunch in Andover.

We probably nip to Andover town centre about once a month and always go to Boswells for lunch. The tomato soup is amazing and would definitely recommend it. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I am pregnant and they offered to help me over to my table with my tray. Will definitely keep returning to Boswells when we visit Andover.

We usually visit here when we are with friends who have children with us. There is plenty of room with lots of tables and they have extra seating in the middle of the Chantry Centre too. There is plenty of choice on the menu for snacks, lunches and drinks and all fairly reasonably priced.

A good place to go in Andover for lunch (especially if you work within the town centre). Brie and bacon panini was good but if it's busy, you'll have to wait a while for service

Friendly staff, inside the Chantry Centre, plenty of seating, lots of snack choices. This is a popular meeting place and the food and drinks are always lovely. It is always busy with regulars. Good value.

Lovely staff , nice location , good cafe menu choice.However we had the jacket potatoes , they were yellow and mushy inside and at £5.35 each we expected more.Try something else on then menu !

I quite often eat here for lunch when myself and my family are in town shopping. Tasty food and a good selection on offer. I only give 4 stars because I feel it's a smidge pricey but other than that it's perfect.

We are local to Boswells so eat there on a regular basis. The food is always piping hot and brought to your table in quick time. The coffee is really nice (as nice as Costa or Cafe Nero) and it isn't too expensive either!

A cafe with plenty of choices - all the usual hot and cold drinks plus sandwiches made to order and soups, even an all-day breakfast! Good service staff too and clean toilets. Seating indoors or in the arcade area (nicely laid out with tables under umbrellas so you feel outdoors even if your not)! A separate counter for a fast take-away service, again offering sandwiches made to order. Family friendly with high chairs for the little ones. Free WiFi for the adults.