Cafe Autisan in Ribble Valley

Quite a disappointing experience. Dogs not allowed inside - fair enough, some people would see that as a bonus but not good for us since it was chilly and breezy. Asked for and was given a menu and took that outside. Two or three minutes into perusing the menu the staff member who had given it to me came out to tell us that the kitchen was closed and only drinks and cakes were available. It was about 14:50 on a Sunday afternoon so I would have thought not an unreasonable time to be seeking a sandwich. We left in search of lunch (and found Holdens, which is excellent).

A welcome respite on a rainy Bank Holiday Monday whilst completing a Treasure Trail in Whalley. Excellent GF chocolate cake 😁

Appreciated this cafe is run by autistic people and that is invaluable but lots of people dont know that and get aggravated with long cues.....does need someone to over see and keep things running smoothly ...rather disorganised and shambolic I am sorry to say

Enjoyable place for dinner time for and drink.

Lovely cafe in a beautiful setting. Well worth a visit!

Always a friendly welcome, and freshly prepared food. A nice place to meet friends, or to just call in for a hot drink after a good walk!

Always a pleasure to visit and so reasonably priced.

A lovely place to visit, beautiful surroundings, excellent food AND amazing staff, totally perfect

Situated in the grounds of Whalley Abbey, café Autisan serves great food and also gives people with differing degrees of autism work experience in a friendly atmosphere to build up confidences. We visited in late September and had lovely carrot and coriander soup with good bread and a sausage butty. This set us up for exploration of Whalley Abbey gardens outside the café. The café was reasonably busy but we were soon served from the menu which features some delicious looking home baked cakes.

Lovely cafe with great food and ambiance. Staff are great and really friendly, they can't do enough for you. The best bit is that it's all for a great cause!! We shall be back again......

A great find within Whalley Abbey, we stopped here to refresh ourselves with a hot drink and cake. Friendly faces in a clean environment made for a nice place to stop by.

Visited on Bank Holiday Monday, 28.8.23. A lovely cafe, with a very good choice of drinks and food. We were served by a really pleasant and friendly young man with a great sense of humour; he was also very patient when I changed my hot drink selection. The cafe is very relaxed, and (this is massive for us), this is the first cafe my autistic daughter has felt able to go in and stay with us for a drink - undoubtedly the calm atmosphere and service with a smile helped! She said she liked it and the young man who served us. Wonderful, we will visit again!

Always a lovely place to visit, especially sat outside in nice weather, thanks.

Lovely food and friendly staff. Especially liked the carrot cake!

Great little cafe. Only had an ice cream. Food looked good and it was busy. Didn't look too expensive either. Friendly staff.

This is a pleasant, friendly and welcoming place in very pleasant surroundings. Reasonable prices.

Visited the cafe with family. I have a dairy intolerance and was pleased to see there were vegan options on the menu and non-dairy alternatives were stocked for tea and coffee. However when staff found out about my dairy intolerance, they advised they couldn’t serve me any hot beverages even with soya / oat milk incase there were traces of dairy in the coffee machine. Fair enough. So I asked for a bottle of water instead . However I was then advised that as I have a dairy intolerance I couldn’t be served ANY WATER or ANY FOOD - even the vegan options, due to “new legislation” as they couldn’t be sure traces of dairy wouldn’t be in my drink or food (yes even bottled water!). There exact words were “now that we know you have an allergy, we cannot serve you here.” This feels extremely risk averse to the point of discrimination. Food intolerances are classed as a disability and should be catered for in the same way as any other. What if I hadn’t mentioned my dairy intolerance? Would I have been served as normal? What if someone chosen a vegan meal for ethical purposes, only to be served something that had been in contact with animal produce? I didn’t see any written information on the menu or online explaining they don’t serve people with food allergies. I find it very hypocritical that a cafe and business which centres itself on being inclusive to neuro-diverse people, can feel so discriminatory towards others. Especially as people with autism are statistically more at risk of having food allergies themselves! I’ve never had this problem at any other establishment and feel the cafe should invest in better training to ensure better food hygiene practice, so they can cater for all. In the meantime, I’d suggest taking the “vegan” and “vegetarian” labels off their website and menus, to avoid misleading the public, and making their legal position re: refusing to serve people with food intolerances / allergies more clear.

Water features provide a nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy a coffee and cake. Coffee is from a bean to cup machine so don’t expect barista style coffee. However it wasn’t too bad and much needed after a good walk. Scones were very good though. Staff were lovely and polite and the overall hygiene was very clean and tidy.

I found this delightful cafe by chance and so glad that I did! After a busy morning of meetings the cozy cafe allowed me to refuel before my journey home to Manchester . A very tasty ham, Brie and pear panini a a cup of steaming hot coffee was just what I needed! Beautifully presented and the service was warm and friendly 🤗 I’m especially impressed by the opportunity or work and socials skills development that this business provides! Well done to the young man who took my order (wearing a fabulous pink t shirt), for his friendliness and patience (when my electronic payment took a while) . Thumbs up to a great team!👍👍👍

Delicious scone with cream and jam! Thanks!

Quaint cafe within Whalley Abbey Gatehouse grounds ideally located serving lovely food and drink, and funds contributing to a great cause 😀

What a lovely discovery... a fabulous cafe selling a great range of foods and hot drinks and at a good price. Loved our crumpets, tea cakes and herbal tea for our mid-morning brunch. The staff are lovely as are the surroundings. We'll definitely make this our first stop next time we're in the area. Thank you to the staff on 28.6.23.

Just cappuccino for two after a morning exercise class - staff always warm and friendly and wanting to please. A good atmosphere.

Visited Whalley Abbey for the first time today and popped into the cafe for lunch. It was a lovely space indoors but also has picnic tables outside in the courtyard (parking is also available here). The service was efficient yet friendly. Coffee was good, Lancashire cheese and pickle sandwiches were tasty and served with coleslaw and salad on the side, sausage and bacon bun was also good. After looking round the beautiful ruins and gardens we went back for tea and cake before our return journey. Will definitely be back next time we are in the area.

Beautiful little hidden gem in Whalley Abbey. All home made cakes and biscuits. Soups are amazing. All run by volunteers and adults with autism. Fantastic value for money so I would highly recommend.

Hair found in food. Staff very laid back and friendly.

What a great place,A lovely little cafe located in the grounds of Whalley Abbey that employs and supports people with Autism. What an amazing place and a brilliant idea. The food, drink and the service second to none

Always call in when in whalley, lovely place and staff.

Very nice place to visit excellent service

Discovered by accident, as wanted to find the beautiful Abbey and surrounding area. Tucked away in whalley off the high street. Lovely soup and sandwich lunch with homemade flap jack, delicious. Can’t wait to visit again with my mum ! Thank you

We called in here today for a snack and drink whilst cycling through Whalley. First impressions, what a beautiful setting. I’ve cycled through Whalley hundreds, if not thousands of times and have never been here. The coffee was out of a vending machine, ok, not the best I’ve had by a long way but not the worst. The bacon barm was very good and perfectly cooked. We will for sure return, the two reasons I’ve knocked a star off is, firstly, we had enamel plates but disposable cups. That isn’t environmentally friendly at all. Secondly, they only take card payments, not good if you’re out on the bike and only have cash on you. Thankfully one of my cycling buddies paid and I gave him the cash. Otherwise, we would have been going elsewhere. Cashless payment seems to be more about the convenience of the cafe over the convenience of the customer.

Very friendly, reasonably priced coffee shop in the grounds of Whalley Abbey. We had a coffee,then stayed for lunch. My friend had a bacon butty and I had a jacket potato with Lancashire cheese and beans. The food arrived quickly, hot and plentiful. I would recommend a visit.

Really cute little place with very friendly staff. Lovely decor. Food was really nice and just what we needed after our walk. Prices good, well worth a visit.

Lovely ambience and a delightful “find” within the abbey itself. It turns out the cafe trains vulnerable youngsters thus developing their skills and improving their self-esteem. Having discovered fried eggs weren’t on the menu (for health and safety reasons to protect said vulnerable staff) I settled on a bacon and sausage barm which was very enjoyable. My excellent decaf coffee came in a cafetière and with a cup and saucer (note had obviously been taken of a previous review). Service was good and we finished off with a stroll around the abbey ruins. My first visit to Whalley Abbey and I’ll return to the cafe. Parking is available in the abbey courtyard.

The cafe is a wonderful place for vulnerable people with autism to learn new skills with a view to applying for jobs in the wider world. Situated in the abbey square the cafe has a pleasant ambience and is very handy for having a stroll around the abbey ruins (or the village) before or after sampling the refreshments on offer. We had a bacon butty and a sausage butty at the cafe. Both were good. I ordered a black decaffeinated coffee which came in a cafetière. It proved to be excellent; a second coffee was ordered with an excellent piece of carrot cake. My friend’s pot of tea was good too. Service was good and staff were very pleasant. We shall return. NB. Having read a previous negative review it is obvious the writer wasn’t aware that the young staff were vulnerable and were being trained. As he was unhappy he ought to have approached the manager and made his concerns known. Without feedback the issues he experienced couldn’t be resolved…

Lovely little place that also supports a great cause. Staff were friendly and helpful (about the local area). Food was excellent and a nice brew on top. Thanks to all.

Nice cafe next to the Abbey, lovely staff

Very nice cafe with friendly staff. Good selection of food and drinks at good prices. Plenty of seating and very clean.

Wow - I attempted to have a breakfast and a cup of coffee and it was a disaster. Initially they didn't do breakfast so I settled for a sandwich and a coffee, the coffee arrived and it looked like warm dirty water and tasted nothing like coffee. After asking it was confirmed they had forgot to put the beans in the grinder therefore I was drinking water and coffee remnants, the second cup came and it looked like dirty dishwasher water and tasted metallic, I politely said forgot the coffee. Surprisingly a third cup came out - no lie I was told "I have tried to coffee and it's nice - I drank from this side of the cup therefore you drink from this side" WOW WOW WOW!! As if providing two cups of water wasn't enough, now they actually drink from customers cups and TELL then customer, sorry this is a massive no no and has massive hygiene implications.

Cafe Autisan is in the grounds of Whalley Abbey Fantastic cafe, staff are always polite and friendly and it always looks clean Would highly recommend

Wow - I attempted to have a breakfast and a cup of coffee and it was a disaster. Initially they didn’t do breakfast so I settled for a sandwich and a coffee, the coffee arrived and it looked like warm dirty water and tasted nothing like coffee. After asking it was confirmed they had forgot to put the beans in the grinder therefore I was drinking water and coffee remnants, the second cup came and it looked like dirty dishwasher water and tasted metallic, I politely said forgot the coffee. Surprisingly a third cup came out - no lie I was told “I have tried to coffee and it’s nice - I drank from this side of the cup therefore you drink from this side” …. WOW WOW WOW!! As if providing two cups of water wasn’t enough, now they actually drink from customers cups and TELL then customer, sorry this is a massive no no and has massive hygiene implications.

Drove all the way to this cafe as was advertised as open however when we arrived at 1pm it was closed all day!! -appeared to be a staff meeting in progress, would have been helpful to know this in advance

Lovely little cafe at Whalley Abbey

Really good soup and pleasant surroundings

Is a nice cafe with nice food but they use takeaway packaging even for those sitting in. Whilst I appreciate is a social enterprise they really need to think about how much waste they are generating. I would avoid it in future for this very reason. I only drink black tea and they could not give me any extra hot water for the tea (it was a tad strong) without charging me for another cup! Couldn't take the existing one from me and top it up either. I am not sure if that is a Covid issue (which has been found not be transmitted by touch ..) or what.

Stopped for cake and tea after a look around the Abbey. The cake was absolutely delicious and the service really warm and friendly and the price very reasonable.

Nice little cafe with very friendly staff and nice cakes.

Great, friendly service, and delicious food.

I visited this cafe with my husband, today, 8 July 2022. The young man behind the counter was very pleasant and chatty. It was good coffee and we shared the very tasty scone, jam and cream. The only disappointment was that both coffee and scone came in takeaway packaging. I'm sure this would be a useful option if you wanted to eat/drink on one of the many benches and other opportunities in the garden, but as we were staying on the premises china cups and plates would have been nice. After we'd had a walk around the beautiful gardens and historic abbey ruins we had a sausage sandwich (me), bacon sandwich (my husband), both very nice. We'd definitely visit again.

This café has an excellent location in the grounds of Whalley Abbey. Parking is free for visitors in the courtyard. It is a social enterprise business that provides training for people with autism. When we visited, coffee and food were only being served in cardboard...

Arrived at 3.40 and got 2 drinks, but without a smile from staff. At 3.45 they shut the cafe door and served no on else even though a few more people turned up. My husband managed to use the outdoor toilet, but when I went...

The staff were very friendly did not hurry you we ordered our meals and they came in light cardboard boxes so you could take them out or stay in we stayed in ,we were the only ones in at that time the food was good we will go again

Nice food / friendly staff. Beautiful setting.

Came down with my missus and step daughter who has autism and the cafe was closed today. Any reason why this is?

Take out service only but on the fine sunny morning I visited, it was idyllic. Good coffee, excellent flapjack and lovely views of the Abbey. Cyclists - give it your support! I did.

Served by a very pleasant young man, we just had the tea/coffee and a cake deal which was great value for money and the cake was lovely. Would definitely visit again.

Due to Covid you can only eat in the grounds of the Abbey. I had a very pleasant cheese and pickle sandwich whilst viewing the Abbey ruins

Amazing little Gem in the beautiful surrounds of Whalley Abbey + garden and grounds. The food is cooked carefully and to perfection and is very reasonably priced. I visit here at least once a week with my 1 and 3 year old. Keep it up...

Was really hungry after the Long wait so I ate it anyway. would have complained to them in person but I was on my mountain bike and was cold enough as it was through waiting.

What a lovely place to find during the Covid Pandemic. Delicious food and drinks served outsidein safety conditions. Well done and Thank you to the staffwho are so friendly and welcoming.

We decided to stop here after a recommendation I recieved when working with NAS. The cafe only had 3 tables available inside (I assume due to covid as it was larger inside) and quite a few outside. Inside is lovely, it's a big converted barn....

This is a lovely cafe set in the courtyard of idyllic Whalley Abbey. Within metres are the abbey ruins and the banks of the River Calder. We had delicious rainbow cake and chocolate cake with Rioja coffee. It was from a machine but it was...

This was quite simply the most delicious afternoon tea we have had in a long while, freshly made generous and very reasonably priced. The whole menu looked tempting and the most warming hearty soup was also tried n tested. Lovely setting, warm and friendly. Excellent,...

Loved this cafe which is an autism initiative cafe next to Whalley Abbey. Lovely food , good coffee and wished there were more further down south that supported autism initiatives and employment

Wandered into the abbey courtyard and stumbled upon the cafe: had coffee with one of the best scones with jam & cream I can remember eating.

After a stroll round the abbey on a very warm and humid day we all needed tea and cake. Cafe Autisan is serving drinks and food for takeaway with plentiful screens and sanitiser to keep customers and staff safe. Drinks and cakes (gluten free carrot...

While visiting Whalley with friends, we turned to trip advisor to find a lunch venue. We visited this wonderfully clean, homely Cafe with the lovely trickle of water out of two stone water falls. Three of us had the Pea and ham soup served with...

Fantastic friendly service, carrot cake is amazing and the egg nog caramel added to my cappuccino was out of this world! Highly recommend for service, great quality food and beautiful surroundings.

Quick visit to Whalley Abbey and had lunch in this lovely cafe. Food was delicious and reasonably price.All the better that this place is run by the national autistic society. Our little boy who has some AS traits absolutely loved it, one of the most relaxed lunches we've ever had. Look forward to coming back in the Spring/Summer.

Took the kids to Whalley Abbey then had a bite to eat here. Lovely interior and the food is tasty and well cooked. Even the kids ate all their meals! Scones are delicious too. Very nice staff.

Visited for dinner today, brilliant service, friendly staff always there to help. Food was delicious will definitely be returning happy customer!

In the grounds o& Whalley Abbey. Parking spaces and tables and chairs outside. In spring and summer lovely flowers. Staff are friendly and quick and the ethos of the cafe is good. I have had cakes and sandwiches there. All fine.

A Return visit to this lovely area and in particular Whalley Abbey and its delightful Autisan Cafe.Many of the cafe staff suffer from Autism and it is run as a safe environment to help them find their way in the modern world.All the varieties of coffee are delicious and one of our party especially enjoyed the Hot Chocolate.And they offer a good range of tempting cakes and pastries.You may wonder why a Hat features amongst my photographs from the Cafe. Well I managed to leave it behind, on the 'shelf' behind our table.On returning to our hotel (HIE at Preston South, see separate review) I realised I was missing my hat!We were driving back down to Hayling Island the following day, so I called the cafe and spoke to Natalie. She was extremely helpful and agreed to post my hat back to me in return for a refund of the postage and packing and a contribution to their charity.So just 5 days after visiting the Autisan Cafe I was reunited with my hat!Thank you allHayling Seagoon

Visited the cafe today with my elderly mother. Had coffee and huge slice of cake, very reasonably priced and friendly staff. The cafe is nice decorated with illuminated trees and water features giving a relaxing atmosphere. Outdoor seating is also available. The Abbey was closed but had a lovely walk around the grounds. The cafe is well worth a visit and will return again.

We hadn’t been to Whalley Abbey for a long time so we made a trip to the abbey and had lunch at the cafe with my 6 year old daughter. The cafe has little illuminated trees and waterfalls inside and lots of colourful pretty touches. My daughter absolutely loved it, she’s very visual and enjoyed the thoughtful decor.The menu is reasonably priced and the food we ordered was so delicious, my homemade mushroom soup was gorgeous and my daughter enjoyed her baked potato. Service was very good, staff were polite and very attentive. We had ice creams afterwards which were also delicious and there was plenty of choice with lots of sauces and toppings.We will definitely be returning to this lovely cafe, we had a fantastic day out and the cafe was a big part of that. Highly recommended.

An excellent lunch in a Cafe superbly located in the grounds of the lovely Whalley Abbey. It is also a social enterprise with a clear focus on Autism. The food is 'hearty' and 'wholesome' providing excellent 'value for money'. A walk through the beautiful grounds of the Abbey after lunch is strongly recommended.

Excellent location in Whalley and for a post brunch wander around the Abbey. The service was friendly and attentive, the food was delicious and the inside was bright, colourful and clean! I would definately recommend this place for brunch or ice cream or both!

We always stop here for a coffe and scone before our walk.

Excellent value coffee and hot chocolate in a beautiful location. Service was prompt and staff very pleasant nothing was too much trouble. Didn't have a meal but the food looked fresh and well presented.

I really enjoyed my banana ice cream and my banana milkshake too the staff was very helpful and I would recommend autisan cafe to everyone u all would enjoy coming the food is excellent and the services is excellent so I say again autisan cafe is an excellent place to meet or have a meetings and please tell ur friends about autisan cafe please they also make there own fudge and sells them in the cafe and the price is reasonable

Great little cafe in the Abbey grounds. We sat outside and had great views. Our tea and cakes were tasty and very reasonably priced. Friendly staff.

The Autisan café is run by the Autism charity within the ground of Whalley Abbey. It has a good and reasonably priced menu but strangely it quotes prices for tea/coffee with a cake but not for tea or coffee on their own; also, the kitchen wasn’t open when we visited which made 50% of the menu unavailable. We chose coffee and a buttered scone- the coffee was very weak but the scone, butter and strawberry jam, was excellent. One complaint though, our table was extremely sticky, sadly something I really dislike in any café,

Just stopped off for coffee.. the surroundings are beautiful, the service is outstanding. We were served by a very friendly young man who absolutely loves his job and made our day by making time in his busy day to talk to us.

Stopped off today for lunch with friends. I’m new to the area, and had heard good things so we decided to give Cafe Autisan a try.

We visit this lovely little cafe 3 -4 times per year. It really is one of my favourite places to eat in Lancashire.

Our strolling group stopped off for afternoon refreshments recently.

This cafe sits in the grounds of Whalley Abbey and is good for a bite to eat. It is small with only a few tables inside. In good weather there’s tables outside.

Chose this place for lunch. On Waddington main street in this award winning village.

Turned up on a whim luckily got the last table. Ordered the afternoon tea it was a delight fresh sandwiches lovely chutneys, cute cakes and some of the tastiest scones I’ve ever had! This is a hidden gem in whalley exceptional food incredibly priced with lovely staff would highly recommend! Can’t wait to return.

Lovely place, very warm and welcoming. Decor is lovely. My scone was scrummy. My husband had a panini. Reasonable pricing.

This place is tucked away on the grounds of Whalley Abbey near Clitheroe. The decor is quirky and cool at the same time. I had a Ploughmans which was lovely and possibly the biggest portion size I've ever experienced! Nice staff and definitely worth a visit

After a very interesting but rather cold and wet walk around the abbey ruins we called in to the cafe for lunch. The staff were very welcoming and the cafe was warm and cosy. We both ordered homemade soup, wild mushroom and pea and ham. The soups were excellent, piping hot and very reasonably priced. Highly recommended!

We had afternoon tea here whilst visiting the abbey and are very jealous of the locals who have this on their doorstop. We have experience of Autistic family members so where more than happy to help support an organisation that is giving training opportunities to local people on the spectrum. Kids had ice creams out in the sun and we had coffee and cakes - all really nice and very good value.

Lovely cake great little cafe situated in the abbey at whalley staff were very friendly and offered advice about different cakes biscuits etc well recommended

Encouraged to try this place out, and glad we did. It is unusually decorated, and perhaps does not have the comfiest of chairs, but the place grew on us. Food was simple but good, coffee delicious. Staff were friendly and attentive, and it's obviously a source of pride for them being able to work here in an environment in which they are accepted and can feel at ease. Great idea and great little place.

A delightful cafe in the grounds of Walley Abbey. I have to say I had never heard of the Abbey, but it, the associated town and this lovely cafe are all worth a visit.

Had afternoon tea here and it was amazing and really good value. There was so much food and it was delicious. Thankfully they're more than happy for you to take a doggie bag home! The staff are very friendly and helpful. Really lovely cafe. Highly recommend.

The food is high quality, service and setting superb. Those are the main reasons we return regularly.

A lovely cafe - bright and friendly. Food freshly made and delivered to your table with a smile. Food was delicious. Surroundings are beautiful. A great place to spend a lunchtime.

Friendly service, very clean and tidy. Serves excellent coffee and lovely scones. There is a menu if you want something more than a drink and a snack. Would visit again.