Canalside Cafe in Stafford

Visited here today for lunch. Service was efficient and staff were pleasant. Food however was most disappointing. One pie of the day (minced beef and onion) and one scampi with chips. 2 hot drinks. The pie was as hard as rock on the top and took my husband quite some force to break it open. The contents were not appetising, lacked flavour and not to be recommended. The scampi was not of good quality. On both dishes the 'chunky' chips were dry and not at all pleasant. On looking around the cafe most people had left quite a bit of food on their plates, leading us to believe that other dishes were not acceptable either. Not a good experience at a time when cafes should be doing their best to encourage customers to frequent their establishments. Sadly we will not return, nor will we recommend.

Just lovely, I had caulifour soup so tasty, great service, complimentary water very cold on tap. First time here. Well worth visit.

Visited on 31st Aug 24, around 1430, sat outside, the place was dirty, food napkins, used saches on the floor, tables had not been wiped down, no water out for dogs, no cutlery available (there where 2 knifes) condiments where mostly empty, no sugar, salt or ketchup at all. My partner went inside to order food, and the staff were eating while serving. I visited the toilets, which were smelly, no loo roll, had not been checked. Luke warm tea, given to us on a dirty tray, I had a jacket spud which they had not put butter on or asked if I wanted butter. The staff consisted of several young girls, stood around, when I asked for loo roll I was given attitude. It was busy, but there were lots of staff, poorly managed, dirty and no care, I won't be visiting again.

Such a lovely place to go. Food is fantastic. Gorgeous cakes! Staff very friendly and can’t do enough for you! Even when it’s busy staff go out of their way to help.

Called in to the farm shop which is great. Went in the cafe afterwards. Very busy as the sun was shining. Lovely cup of coffee and the wife enjoyed her ice cream

Went here the other day with my partner. The cafe was lovely with great views. The lady on till was really helpful !! Being a vegan I had loads of questions! Which sometimes can be an awkward situation including confused staff with no knowledge of what is actually vegan . But the lady made me feel really comfortable and she knew loads about the vegan food they had! She and all the other staff were really friendly! :)

What a popular place this is! Having said that, we quickly found a table. Drinks and meal arrived swiftly. The food was plentiful, well presented and tasty. The staff were friendly and helpful. Recommended!

Called in today 11/6/24 this was our 4th visit and could not fault it, very busy but was served quickly and very politely,came for coffee & cake which we do when visiting the slices of cake are amazing scrumptious, plus this time we saw the onion rings and cheeses chips which we just had to have some , they were the most tasty and amazing ones ever thanks to all the staff for a Great Service and to the lady chef for the amazing Onion Rings. The James Family

Popped in for a slice of cake & tea. Having purchased the food I turned to look where to sit. A couple of four seaters were available but as I was on my own today I spied a table for two in the corner and sat there. A waitress approached after approximately 4 minutes grabbed what I assumed to be a menu and snipped “This table was reserved, but still “ and with that sharply dashed to one of the four seat tables. I attempted to say that I was sorry, that I had assumed the reservation sign was a menu and that if it was a problem I would move. But I was not given the chance to do so. The bad attitude waitress was now instructing another waitress to “Remove the plates from my table to the aforementioned four seater table. Way to make you feel welcome isn’t it 🤷🏼‍♂️ The table that had been reserved was still vacant as I left !! More staff training advised ☹️

First and last i think. So noisy like a railway station, So busy the staff cant cope, Poor value - two (kept warm, dried up) breakfasts two teas - £32

Been trying to get in for weeks - never a table. Finally managed to get in, got the last table at 11.28am. Went up to order, at 11.31am, told the breakfast menu is now finished (one minute past last order). Then wanted to order other food and told kitchen is closed for 30 minutes. So sick of this bloody place.

The chips accompanied the egg sandwich were not very nice they seemed to be warmed up My husband had a sausage roll and chips again his were warmed up all though the people who came after us they had lovely chips my husband sausage roll was burnt .

A great spot to stop and have a quick snack or a meal to see you on your way to seeing the sites that are local very friendly staff quick service with the added option of an outside terrace to take in the fresh air. The local supermarket with local produce is exceptional something for everyone.

We found it to be overly expensive for tea and coffee, very lovely surroundings but very expensive.

The produce and service at both the café and shop used to be excellent. Sadly, over the last eighteen months the quality of the food on offer and the service has declined significantly. As other reviewers here have indicated, there seems to be an increasing attitude problem among some staff – even openly expressing frustration in response to simple requests (such as purchasing four items at the deli counter). There are several staff members who seem to see themselves as doing you a special favour, rather than as representatives of a business dealing with paying customers. This is true in the café too, where I have heard staff behind the counter complaining loudly and unpleasantly about other guests (within their earshot). As a long-time loyal customer, recent visits have been repeatedly disappointing. I am writing this review because I think the management should be aware of this decline in customer service, and the need to intervene with regard to staff attitude and behaviour.

Rarely quiet. We have been a couple of times. There are often many senior folk enjoying an acceptable meal. But not usually too busy. Just for once I tried the flatbread with pastrami and cheese. It was very good. In fact I had it again on a repeat visit. Friends also enjoyed the oatcakes and the chunky chips covered in pulled BBQ pork. We parked, some had a short walk on the canal, while others looked round the site. We had a coffee while we waiting for everyone to meet up. The downside was lunch starts at 12:00, so at 12:00 there was a long queue. Two of our party expect to return with friends. They were impressed.

Food is good, better than an average cafe, but the prices are very high. There is always a huge queue to order. Table service for customers eating would be better; especially considering the cost!

The menu stated Breakfast until 11:45. We were refused at 11:40. Very poor... i evidenced the time. The member of staff was not concerned or particularly bothered

Called in today after a lovely walk on Cannock chase, it was a bit busy, so wasn’t surprised at the amount of people at the cafe, what did surprise me was, only one person serving having to do everything on her own, while two other members of staff just wiped down the counter being very slow and looking very miserable! It was a long wait. On my turn to be served my phone wouldn’t contact for payment, and the lady on the till, looked at me like I was dirt, and made me feel very uncomfortable … I won’t be returning.

Well worth a visit. The staff were very friendly. The afternoon tea was delicious and good value for money. Nice atmosphere in a clean environment. Would recommend.

We had a fabulous afternoon tea here in a lovely restaurant. I could not fault it and was completely full by the end. Truly brilliant. Staff were excellent and attentive throughout. I will be back.

Fantastic ploughman’s lunch. Great chunky chips also. Enjoyed the White Star Titanic beer - a local ale. Would recommend for lunch.

Booked afternoon tea - had to pay deposit but had no receipt or Email etc, so tried to call on the day just to reconfirm- no one picked Up call and tried several times. I was a little worried that when we got there a table Wouldn’t be available….I needn’t have worried and we had a lovely treat- the food is plentiful and fresh with endless fresh tea made from leaves. We had 3 sandwiches each, one scone, lemon cake and Victoria sponge. Also macarons, bakewell Slice, another tray bake and petit fours and sausage roll, pork pie and scotch egg- all for £16!!! Service was fast and is in a lovely Location, great farm shop Too! Will defo return

Little gem of a place. Ideal to pop in for a coffee or drink, great cafe. Me and my partner came here for a breakfast and it was very good , also a cracking farm shop next door and various good choice , with there butchers. Great location by the cannal. Recommend big time thumbs up

Very upset how the farm shop as gone. We always visit for fruit & veg & then treat ourselves to fresh bread/cakes/cheese & jams. However, now the bakery thinks its a good idea to sell cakes and bread that isn't covered, especially when people not wearing mask start coughing and sneezing. Sorry but my family will have these now from somewhere else, because this certainly isn't hygienic at all. Please cover or serve from the counter and then others like myself would purchase these goods.

What has happened to our local cafe? After being a regular customer for many years I’ve seen a sudden and drastic change for the worse. Luckily the coffee and food still have standards “depending on the day”. A lot of the original friendly faces have gone over the last serval months with only a handful remaining, a rotation of new ones coming and going from what I can assume. This was once a small slice of paradise on the canal. I can only assume mismanagement has caused the downfall. I’ve even witnessed on two separate occasions a lady I can only assume as one the managers with the name of Juana “on the name tag” how she speaks to the staff. I found it disrespectful, rude and offensive in my personal opinion. I really do feel for them. Locals in the village also echo the same opinion as I. What a sorry state of affairs.

Had a walk around Shugborough estate which was lovely even in the rain then popped into the canalside for some snacks. The Cheese and Onion panini was excellent as was the minty chocolate cake. This would have been 5 stars if it wasn't on the pricey side. However the partner said the cake was "one of the best I've have had and very generous portions" and trust me, she has had a lot of cake. So overall a nice treat now and then.

Having met a friend in town we decided on the spur of the moment to visit the cafe to the and farm shop. The shop was well spaced out and all the produce was attractively presented. Like all such places, prices were well over the normal shop prices.The coffee shop next door was very busy and we were in the queue which gave us a chance to see the menu and specials board. We both decided to choose from the board. Lunch started at 12noon and when we got to the till it was 11 50. I ordered coffees and then the French Onion soup, with the mains as Bangers and Mash. Much to our surprise the lady said we couldn't order the food before 12. I acknowledged we were a little early but said could we not order to have it served after 12. The answer was No. After out coffee I then had to join the queue again to order our meal. Very off putting. The soup was very tasty. The main course only came with cabbage so we ordered a side order of vegetables. Well, the amount of cabbage was minuscule and the side order consisted of carrots and peas. The carrots were underdone. We both commented we were in a basic cafe and not a restaurant so we shouldn't expect too much. Overall it was alright but frankly we would not be dashing back. As an aside, I had to visit the toilet and it was clearly maintained to a high standard of cleanlinesso the till

What a truly memorable afternoon tea. I am a vegetarian and often don't get catered for very well. This was different. Lovely vegetarian mushroom pastry and tomato based wrapped scotch egg. The food kept coming. Stands with sandwiches, savouries, macaroons,, chocolate bites, star biscuits, and cake. Then plates of cream scones, mince pies and Christmas cake. I'm absolutely stuffed. Would highly recommend.

Been here loads simply because we like it !!!!! Do not be put off by menus. They are very restricted at first glance but it pays to ask staff if you fancy something different. Stuff like bacon baps or sandwiches are often (not always) available although they are not listed on the menus. Quick snacks and drinks available from trailer outside with large covered marquee with seating for those days when sitting out is possible.Hot chocolate etc. Sometimes you get a truly scrumptious free shortbread with your cafe drink (until they run out !!!!) You can sometimes buy them by the box!!!Recent menu item....... soup and sandwich of the day deal. Well worth it. Try the bacon and chicken sandwich on brown .............YYuuum . Thank You CanalsidePS lovely staff in cafe and shop.... helpful

Colleague from work recommended the cafe and decided to give it a try. We walked along the beautiful canal first and then decided to pop in for lunch. We were offered a table outside on the veranda overlooking the canal due to visiting with our dog. I ordered the cheeseburger and wasn’t disappointed and the chips were to die for! My husband ordered the fish and chips and remarked that the fish was the best he had tasted for a long time. The children’s menu is quite limited and due to being a fussy eater she struggled to find anything she liked, so the waitress offered to ask the chef if he would cook her some chicken nuggets, chips and peas (which weren’t on the kids menu) couldn’t fault the food and service and would highly recommend. We were so full from the lunch that we didn’t eat any dinner on the evening!

Very nice venue, either inside, outside on the decking or under the gazebo. Plenty of choice, rolls for lunch are lovely and good value for money

I had stopped visiting the cafe after numerous disappointing experiences in quality fo food service and team . This time it was the same , place was unclean there was food in the floor and on the tables . Service was slow and brusque when querying ug and also when asking for a refund as we had to go somewhere . The chicken club sandwich was not tasty and had soggy lettuce . The most disappointing thing I saw was the attitude and lack of sensitivity to customers , a family of 5 one with a disabled child approached three times to get seating , which could have easily been accommodated. They left disappointed and flat .Sorry the execution of the food is slow and poor , service is insensitive and lacking warmth . I didn’t enjoy and left half the food as I was angry I wasn’t assertive enough to demand the refund and leave .I won’t be going there again .

On 16th June 21 it was a beautiful hot day (hottest so far) four of us , myself, husband and my parents went for my birthday lunch it was our first visit here as we had heard good things. It was our first meal out as a family since Covid began, so what a treat!... or so we thought.We entered the cafe and were seated inside, without choice as it was quite busy. I saw a lady next to me have the fish and chips and it looked really good this swayed my choice - that's what I ordered! My husband had club sandwich, mom -goats cheese wraps and dad -gammon and egg. It was my dads treat to me as it was my special day.We ordered, and waited...and waited..and waited ...by which time we had turned into ICE statues longing to be outside again to thaw out. It wasn't a comfortable human room temperature - had the air con got stuck on freezer setting ???Our food arrived after a very long wait. To my absolute disappointment and shock my fish was inedible. It looked like it had been in the fryer all morning. My knife would not cut it , it was dark brown and the fish inside was like powder - had the fryer settings gone wrong like the air conditioning too? Any good cook would see this was a mistake and not send it out - but not today, I had to go up to the counter and explain my problem - no apology just a plate grab and another..... very long wait.By which time my entire family had finished their meals and my fish and chips turned up properly cooked and hot and fresh. How it should have looked in the first place. Not really the birthday atmosphere I had looked forward to , me eating on my own.As we had paid for the meal BEFORE eating it, we were at the mercy of the rude waitress who dismissed my polite request for a refund (on my meal only) by giving me a sharp sideways glance! Any good establishment would have automatically seen to this as part of their customer care in putting this situation right.My dad then spoke to a lady on the counter who refused my refund, offering random bits of cake or bottles of coke - quite frankly all very embarrassing. We had to take it upon ourselves to find the owner of the cafe somewhere in the farm shop, searching for a mystery person who we didn't know the name of of or what they look like. We found her.Dad explained the situation...again. Refund granted, no problem. But Mrs Cafe owner does this sound like a birthday meal you would have liked?Customer service should be at the core of all you do, your staff need training. Eaters.. you have been warned!

Came here for the first time a couple of days ago on a bike ride. Lovely spot by the canal but felt they could have made more of the setting. We sat inside as the outside area was full. Aircon was far too high. (Too cold and waste of energy). On to the food. I had the Ultimate chicken club sandwich which I thought was very good.My wife had the red pepper, red onion and halloumi flatbread. The flkatbread was good nut the topping needed a bit more imagination.Tasted mainly of raw onion. Needed some herbs and a good drizzle of olive oil as a minimum.Coffee was good.Afterwards wondered over to the shop which looked very interesting, but as we were on bikes we couldn't take anything. Will probably go back but not in a hurry.

Came back for a second visit and food still wonderful and freshly cooked. We visited Saturday 24th April, staff serving are again polite and extremely helpful. We had a burger & chips and a vegi burger & chips, the only thing I would ask is can we have the fresh buns back as wasn't a fan of the floured soft bun today. Can't wait for another visit.

Had a takeaway from here today, hot drinks were lovely and so were the hot sandwiches. Unfortunately a member of the public was very abusive about having to wear a mask, staff handled it brilliantly and it’s good to see them enforcing mask rules and keeping everyone safe whilst still serving top quality food and service.

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast with tasty bacon and takeaway coffee cups. I assume cups and crockery were in use before Covid-19 risk assessments and hopefully might return along with table service soon.

First time visiting today, service was quick and was asked if it was our first visit and explained what we needed to do for food collection. Staff were very polite and helpful especially the guy who served us didn't get his name but 10 out of 10.Food was hot and fresh and even my daughter ate her chips which is a miracle.The only downside we ended up eating in the car as not free tables which is not your fault just shows how popular this place is.Will certainly be looking forward to another visit.

A busy venue on a Bank Holiday weekend, but a poor quality experience. They have zero ability to accommodate for dietry needs bar a token "jacket potato and beans". When asked for the allergen menu, they would not provide. While waiting for the food, which took an age, our stomachs were turned by the smell of the toilets which wafted through the outdoor seating area. My family I visited didn't enjoy their food either. I wouldn't come here again, the Wimpy Burger a few miles up the road is a far better experience.

Called in for a couple of coffee's and cakes 5 miles into our 13 mile canal walk. It was a delight to have our morning coffee break here at the beautiful Fradley Junction. Great service, surroundings and most importantly coffee and cake. Great spot to relax and recharge your batteries. Also it has to be mentioned that this establishment is following the government Covid-19 guidelines and it felt extremely safe to visit. Would return and recommended a visit to all here.

Very slick operation ,all staff customer focussed and helpful A for instance when the coffee maker had finished coffees came to the counter to assist his colleagues in taking orders Well done management Food good and served well Left feeling a valued customer !

A friend of mine brought me here the first time I visited the Canalside Cafe. It is a wonderful place to meet friends, enjoy the weater on the deck (when it gets warmer), have a solo trip, or stop off when hiking along the canal. The Canalside Cafe offers an impressive selection of breakfast, lunch, and dessert menu items. They have an excellent range of vegan items - the chocolate cake is fantastic. They also offer cards that you can take with you, with directions for different walks in the area. This is the first time I have seen this, it's such a great idea. I love it. It gets a little loud inside when there is a lot of people visiting, but it's still a great place to check out, so is the farm shop right behind it.

Cold in here today - lots of people eating with their coats on.. Jacket potato ok but please stop putting salad garnish where it does not belong - it’s as if you’re trying to make a £5 baked potato look like good value.

This place is clearly popular with locals. Very busy with delicious food. Difficult to find a seat as so popular, all credit to the owners. Ideal watering hole when picking up and dropping off a narrow boat. Not the cheapest of places to go when a bottle of fruit water for children is priced at £1.49 but I suppose they have a captive clientelle.

Visited today with friends. The welcome in the cafe wss warm and the coffee excellent. The walking routes offered by the proprietor proved to be interesting and enjoyable if a little short. At the end of our 4 mile stroll we were offered high quality snacks and sandwiches with lovely locally produced bottled beer. What a great place. Helpful and professional staff, great location with plenty of parking and delightful cafe.

Great food and drink - we sat outside right next to the canal. A real treat - had a superb omelette for lunch. So you know, Ashley makes the best ones!

Had a breakfast bloomer last week and an omelette today.. Bacon was over cooked on both occasions as was the omelette today..Also - not sure that a salad garnish is best with an omelette for breakfast .. a spoon of baked beans would be better..Filter coffee is good but overall , 3 out of 5 is fair ..

Always busy here which speaks for itself and they have started a loyalty reward system which again points to mostly regular customers. We have been many times and always been happy with the food. Service is sometimes slow but at least you are warned when placing your order.Orders have to be placed at the counter but they are very efficient and even in busy periods you are dealt with within minutes and you carry your drinks away immediately. Food follows served to table when it is ready.There are 2 outside areas , one of which is canalside (hence the name).The main drawback is the noise level due to the building accoustics, especially when full.There is a shop and delcatessen on the site with the usual pricey goods that boat people seem prepared to pay for. Nice ice creams though.In season there is pick-your-own fruits and veg which is very popular.

stopped here for lunch and food was very nice. between us we had the cream tea, goats cheese & red onion panini and a cheese & ham toastie (with chips). food was served pretty quickly considering how busy it was, i don't normally comment on chips but have to say there were cooked properly and were very nice (we've been some places and found they are an after thought - need a bit more cooking, aren't crispy etc). it's just on the side of the water so a lovely setting and there is also a farm shop on site which sells some lovely things (i bought a cheese scone of later - yum!).reasonable prices, free parking and lovely staff added to the mix means we'd definitely go again when in the area.

Visited here on Friday had a really good time the food was great hot and fresh chips were gorgeous as was the fish and chips the batter best we’ve had in a long time can’t wait to return with other family and friends

Canalside Cafe offers a huge PYO strawberry, raspberry and blackberry area, grocery shop, butcher and cafe alongside a stunning canal that boasts a variety of walks after your breakfast/lunch. A must visit during the UK summer!

We love to go strawberry picking at this time of year.

Lovely food, friendly service, food arrived quickly in spite of the place being very busy. Best chips I’ve had for a long time.

We visited the cafe today at around lunchtime, the place was packed. We had a mixture of sandwiches/wraps/flat breads/chicken burger... the food and drinks were top notch and served in good time. The chips were to die for, probably the nicest chips I’ve eaten.

There can be no doubting the quality of the food that is prepared at this venue. Most, if not all, are locally sourced and are prepared in an open kitchen and is served to table. An excellent venue for a visit........always busy......especially at weekends

After visiting Shugborough Estate we decide to drop by for lunch. 4 adults, 3 toddlers. We knew finding a table may be challenging but were prepared to wait.

The whole place is an experience. It has pleasant seating and views, the food is very good in value, choice and quality. The staff do seem to give the impression that they have been told to be pleasant but don't chat to the customers though. Nothing at all to be disappointed with here, it even has a nice farm shop on site too

Been here a few times and always had a good experience but today they don't seem to have their act together. Only ordered a hot dog for my daughter and after waiting half an hour I went to enquire where it was to be told it had been sent out. At the same time, a waiter was wandering around with a plate of sausages and chips so they told me this was my order. When I said I had ordered a hot Dog, they put one of the sausages in a bun and handed it back to me. However, my daughter didn't eat it anyway as the sausages were burnt and the bread hard and mouldy. My "lemon" cake was plain sponge with no hint of lemon and i was charged for prosecco when I chose the cheaper moscato but as the server didn't know the difference he told me he had to charge for prosecco. Overall not impressed today.

Just down the road from us so we go here quite regularly. A great selection of food, from breakfasts, to sandwiches, to main meals. Plenty of tables both inside and along the canal. Try the farm shop too, it has some great produce!

The canal side cafe is a real treat.

Stopped for a snack late lunchtime at the weekend. Very popular spot even on this very cold and damp day. Good choice on the menu = some specials on the board.

Stopped for drinks & cake part way through a circular walk from Cannock Chase.

Time approx 1 30, very busy, have eaten before and satisfied, but on placing an order for gammon told sold out, this not good enough especially next to farm shop where had spent over £30. Surely could have said if you don't mind waiting, we can get some so left and went elsewhere.

It was my first time in the UK I was there to support my son as he proposed to his English girlfriend. If was a wonderful moment and shared by her parents and the remainder of my visit was to get acquainted with the family. As part of my ‘orientation’ I was taken around to several places and my first place for breakfast was the Canalside Cafe.

Came and visited today before close, enjoyed a lovely cup of americano coffee with coffee & walnut cake, absolutely delicious - spotted a beautiful waitress that works there too with dark hair too left a lovely tip there for the service and overall environment/experience 10/10.

We have stopped at this cafe a few times whilst out on our bikes for either a coffee and cake stop or a full on lunch stop. Either way we have always had great service and the food is very nice.

I like going to Canalside Cafe because it is a lovely location and the cafe itself - apart from few niggles is quite good. I generally go there for English breakfasts. So let's go through the breakfast. Bacon and sausage both good quality and nicely cooked. Hash brown and mushrooms fine, half tomato not really cooked enough, I've never been a fan of them anyway, a few tinned tomatoes would go down much better in my opinion. Baked beans always served luke warm. The fried egg is served with the white going bubbly and crispy, the bottom half of the yolk hard whilst the top of the yolk is uncooked and glutinous, sometimes with gluey uncooked white on top as well. The answer is simple, just cook the egg at a lower temperature and splash some hot oil on top, although maybe the eggs are cooked on a hotplate. Dunno, but anyway they're poor as they are. The 'hot' drinks are served barely hot so by the time you've paid, picked up your utensils etc, got to your table and had a couple of sips you're drinking a warm cup of coffee or tea. Again it need not be like this, there are ways of serving hot drinks hot. So, all things considered, it is not good value as lots of other breakfast cafes in the Rugeley area are serving 'perfect' English breakfasts at very competitive prices and I don't mean greasy spoon joints either. The staff are generally polite and helpful albeit in a somewhat matter of fact kind of way. This report is not on the basis of one visit but many. So it's not a knee jerk report, my findings are consistent and predictable. So once again, I like going to the Canalside cafe but please owners address these points?

Cant fault food to date but especially like their soups. Only disappointment that it is served with a slice of white bread instead of preferred chunky rustic roll or similar.

This used to be a lovely quiet cafe where you could take visiting friends or family for lunch or brunch. You would get a great meal with good friendly service.

A sandwich dinner was had, which was lovely cut of meat and well filled. The side salad was also lovely, although maybe serve the dressing at the side or maybe use slightly less? However, it does not detract from the meal at all & we’d have this again. It’s good that we could look across at the canal, watch barges passing by.

Popped in for lunch on Sunday afternoon but they were overwhelmed. Relatively simple cafe menu with cakes snacks jacket potato and panini. Nice location but nothing special in itself.

Stopped here for coffee, was very busy and people were queuing for food, always a good sign. The farm shop is very good, lots of local produce.

We ate a breakfast here while on a canal holiday. I had eggs on toast and my sister had a full breakfast. It was very nice, freshly cooked as we were amongst the first customers. Coffee and juice were good. WiFi was useful.

Just has a lovely lunch. Food fresh and tasty, very good quality. Lovely setting by the canal. Will come again!

I have just walked from Weston to the canal side cafe with my dog. Great walk and was really looking forward to a nice coffee. You Sat on the terrace & asked a passing member of staff if they offered table service. The guy didn’t even look at me just barked an unpleasant “No” Not everyone can just leave their dog whilst they go to order a drink. But manners cost nothing. We use the farm shop, plant centre & cafe, but not anymore. What a shame the Lock House is closed you were always assured of a smile there.

My daughter and I went for lunch at the cafe. As udual it was busy but we found a table. I chose a small all-day breakfast with locally made sausages, and my daughter had oat cakes. I ordered at the counter and had my loyalty card stamped. After a brief and totally acceptable wait our food arrived. It looked good, was hot and tasted great. We were very happy, as always.

We had brunch here, sitting outside alongside the canal. Lovely food, very clean, good value and friendly staff. We had the oatcakes and coffee - about £5 a head. There’s plenty of choice on the menu. And once we’d eaten in the cafe we went to the farm shop and picked our own fruit (raspberries) to take home with us.

Fantastic for the family. We had a morning of strawberry and raspberry picking followed by lunch and an ice cream. Portions were a good size and good selection of food and drinks available. Would recommend.

We met up here for an early dinner, and found the food & drinks tasty, hot, well-presented.... great to sit outside on the decking / patio, under the trees and watch barges go past.

Lovely cafe using a lot of locally sourced food. Farm shop and pick your own(seasonal)onsite. Really recommend.

Very busy on a sunny Sunday. No scones left but cake and coffee lovely. Managed to get a seat by the canal. Outside area well done and will not be slippery. Walked to Slugbough by the canal and came back for ice cream from the shop. Also bought strawberries. Yum.

My local cafe and it's always great food whether it's breakfast, brunch or lunch. All food freshly made so you may have to wait in busy times but that doesn't bother me. A lovely place to relax outsidde by the canal.

Th cafe is well positioned for walks around the canal and through Shugbrough Estate, and is justifiably popular. The shop has a brilliant butchery section, as well as fruit, vegetables, cheese, savouries - fabulous sausage rolls. On my most recent visit I discovered that they also have an excellent fish section tucked away at the back, that receives daily deliveries from Manchester Fish Market.

Dinner time visit on a busyish day. The meal was wonderful, well presented & well cooked. The staff are attentive and helpful. The view of the canal & adjacent area is occluded as the café is built too far above it for a good view, which is a pity given that’s the main feature there. Seating layout indoors also prevents good visibility of the canal, in preference for an excellent view of the car park (yawn).

The food and the menu are good with the sort of things you would expect and a few more unusual choices, we call here every few weeks and it’s consistently above average, the service is good but the queues are sometimes fairly long

Reasonably priced food ideal for lunches. Interesting farm shop on site with strawberry picking in season. Ideal for walks along the canal.

Have been for breakfast on several occasions and always found it to be very tasty and good value...

My wife and I are regular visitors to the Canalside Café where the atmosphere is always bright and cheerful, bright and chatty staff who note you're elderly and immediately say "I'll bring your tray over". Good menu, only thing missing is fish and chips. Cake portions are generous and chips are to die for. Will be there again next week.

Received a voucher as a present, really looked forward to my visit but a let down.

Ok for that lite lunch or quick snack, cup of tea and a cake, comfortable with nice views. Then the farm shop with lots of nice goodies

Decided to go for breakfast and what a treat , freshly cooked which makes a lot of difference to food ,lovely ground coffee and toast which is good sliced bread. Staff were friendly and the seating is in a lovely environment!!!

A great place to go and rightly popular with walkers and cyclists being right on the Trent & Mersey Canal. Lovely modern cafe with open kitchen area and a very comprehensive menu both for breakfast and lunch. I had soup and a sandwich....huge portions so go prepared! I was offered a “doggy bag” but managed my lunch anyway. I had two issues with the way it was served which I took up with the staff who gave me a “comments” form to fill in. The shop is very tempting and was offered “tasters” of some of the unusual cheeses they have. Also bought some Norwegian trout, not available everywhere! Will definitely return as they had a huge map on the wall with several walk options....nice touch! For gas guzzlers they do have a large Car Park!

It has a lovely setting by the canal. Food is varied and freshly cooked, which is nice. We only go...

Excellent. Oatcakes with cheese an bacon,brilliant. Good service, nice an warm.Canal shop good,fresh bread etc..

Have visited several times using Brit stop . Shop is very good for meat pork pies excellent veg good. café...

Not the cheapest café but the food is excellent, the coffee is good, the crockery is Churchill and the loos...

Great food!! Just what we needed after a long morning in the canal!! Then I to the farm shop for food for dinner and an added bonus of strawberry picking (which were delicious)!! Fab place, fab view, will definitely visit again!!

I am a regular customer and this experience is certainly not the norm but has left a doubt in my mind as to whether we will frequent this cafe as often.

A member of the kitchen staff was self administering eye drops in full view of queuing customers. What is more concerning is that he didn't wash his hands. I informed the assistant on the till but it was not acted on. Put me off my breakfast.