Castle Cottage Cafe in Rutland

Found this place by accident and had a delicious lunch with a huge pot of tea, the food and service were both excellent. It’s a shame we are from Norwich and unlikely to visit Oakham again soon

Customer service is very poor. We arrived - there is no welcome, you just find a table, pick up your own menu and then you wait, for a very long time, while being overlooked and ignored. Others orders were taken next to us, there was not even an acknowledgement of us being there, for example 'I'll be back with you in a couple of minutes' - just nothing - totally ignored. We eventually got tired of seeing other tables served and orders taken and simply left, so I cannot comment on the food or drink, as we had none. Customers appear to be the lowest on their priority list - no-one seems to have specific roles, it looks like everyone does everything whenever they want. Very poorly managed. This is the second time it's happened. We felt we would give them another chance, but got exactly the same treatment second time.

Nicely presented cafe, within the grounds of Oakham Castle. Offer a good choice of food and drinks. Staff friendly. I liked the scones. From here you can wander into Oakham Town, explore the market place, church and museum

Love this cafe and the staff are lovely and welcoming. The food is superb and in winter we enjoy the gorgeous soups and in summer the tasty budda bowls. We are now regulars and it never disappoints. If could give more than five stars would.

Called in here about 3pm on Thursday 16th May 2024. Greeted by friendly staff. Ordered tea and coffee and toasted tea cakes. These were promptly delivered and really delicious. Comfortable seating, charming atmosphere - relaxed but efficient. A gem of a place to sit and enjoy good food and drinks - friendly staff and great service. Many thanks.

What a little gem of a place behind the historic and fascinating Oakham Castle (which is free entry). We've been twice now, once for coffee and a bacon sandwich, which was OK. But at the time we saw the scone platter coming out so we returned to try it and it certainly didn't disappoint. It was delicious. Two warm cheese scones, apples, grapes, chutney along with the cheese. We decided on trying a bit of Stilton and a bit of cheddar. The Stilton complimented the scones fantastically. The cafe is very dog friendly and Billy was given a treat on both visits and loads of fuss. The staff are so friendly and couldnt do enough for us while enjoying chatting and having a lovely laugh together. The coffee is very good too. It won't be long before we are back to try the ploughmans platter which sounds great too. The soup looked delicious when we saw it being served and I think the soup of the week changes weekly. Give it a try if you are in Oakham. It is certainly our port of call now.

Such a beautiful place to sit in the sept sunshine and have one of the nicest breakfasts ever. I had the veggie breakfast of brie, blackcurrant jam with poached egg on top and it was absolutely delicious. So nice to have something different. Beautiful cafe that I would come to again in a heartbeat x

Adorable staff that are so welcoming, lovely setting and great value delicious food. Your a great time & I highly recommend you to everyone a massive thank you x

Had a super brunch with my family today. Haven’t been here for a while and it didn’t disappoint. Staff friendly and helpful although clearly very busy. Surroundings are wonderful and our little doggy was made to feel very welcome! Recommend this quirky place, oakham castle lovely too!

I ordered a vegetarian ploughmans dish. My firiend ordered the same with porknpie and ham. I got what I wanted without the meat. My dish contained such a small piece of cheese that you needed a microscope to see it. I complained and was bought two more micoscopic pices of cheese and told I would be charged extra.The waiter was rude and banged the cheese down on the table. There was a small amount of bread. It was awful bur I was charged the full amount plus my extra cheese. Under the original owners I visited a lot. Never again.

Poor. We gave up, after waiting 20 minutes for two cups of tea. The staff were standing around doing nothing, leaving tables uncleared. What a let down.

We were only passing through the cafe to get to the toilet but got distracted by the lovely cake selection! Very reasonably priced, the staff were really friendly and the cakes were delicious. The cafe itself looked clean and the decor is cute

A varied menu and great service it is located in a nice quiet spot and we were able to sit outside in the sunshine. The food we ordered was absolutely delicious.

My husband and I were given, by our two children, a Christmas present of afternoon tea with prosecco. It was excellent. The staff were attentive and polite and they asked if everything was to our satisfaction. The cakes and scones were delicious. The sandwiches were very nice, apart from the two green ones which were a bit tasteless. I’m not sure what they were. One had yellow peppers in it. The smoked salmon ones were particular tasty. The wholemeal bread ones lovely. The majority were on white bread, which was slightly dry but overall very nice. We would certainly return. I will ask if we can have more on wholemeal bread instead of some of the white.

The cafe is very clean, the staff are excellent and very friendly, the carrot cake was out of this world best one I ever tasted.

lovely setting and really nice choice of sandwiches. the staff are really helpful, we went on a wednesday and had a very helpful waiter. it wasn't too busy but still lots of choice. then you can walk around the grounds and look in the castle for free.

Reserved a table for 3. Warm welcome, good choice on menu, attentive service from the cheerful staff and very pleasant surroundings. Enjoyed the scone, tea cakes and we all thought coffee was great. Glad we went.

My husband took me for lunch here a couple of weeks ago. We have eaten here many times over the years, before they moved to these premises, and always had a good experience but not so this time. I was wondering if it had been taken over by new management. It may have been an off day but there was only one waitress working. Although she was pleasant and friendly there clearly needed to be two. The table was dirty,menus tatty, half dead flowers and it was not nice eating next to a windowsill full of dead flies. The place looked like it hadn't had a good clean for quite a while and I am by no means a clean freak! My husband had a vegetarian sandwich which he said was very nice. I had a tuna panini and thought the tuna tasted a little odd. Come the evening, I was violently sick. Can't add much more really but I wouldn't be keen to go back.

We booked a large table for afternoon lunch, service and food was excellent. I would definitely recommend, and we will be returning soon

Booked a table for Saturday brunch, booking went through, 40min journey to get there, when we arrived we found they were closed for a wedding!

Castle Cafe Cottage Oakham Castle Rutland, is a good place for a hot drink and a light eat. Its is dog friendly, the staff are good.

This is attached to the old hall that they call a Castle. It is delightful with varied seating, including outside in the castle grounds. The staff are wonderful, cheerful and helpful. The tea was excellent, there was a selection of cakes and the gluten free...

We stopped off the cuff for a light lunch at this charming cafe in the middle of Oakham castle grounds. Really impressed with the fresh, well prepared food and lovely service from Mia and the team. Tasty and different salads and sandwiches, all prettily arranged...

A good place for a coffee and a light lunch, I like the new location within Oakham Castle. Staff of fine. It is doggy friendly.

Lovely place to meet and treat friends and chat. Great range of tasty gluten free cakes, teas and coffees. The staff were friendly and the place was clean. Well worth a visit.

We had lunch here after visiting Museum then Castle. Both had the soup and sandwich deal and on both counts they were outstanding. Unusual combinations in both soup and sandwich, a wonderful change from the standard flavours we have become used to in the majority...

We visited Castle Cottage for an impromptu lunch as its always been verygood in.the past. It was busy and we were told there was a 30 minute wait for food, fine we understand but were able to order drinks while we waited. We just ordered...

I’m not sure why it says this place is closed on here. It’s very much open and utterly fabulous! I suggest you change the status of this beautiful cafe. Wonderful as ever in their new premises of oakham castle.

Castle Cafe Cottage at Oakham Castle Oakham Rutland, shabby chic. Pleasant environment Coffee and Snacks fine

We had our wedding at Oakham Castle and the team at Castle Cottage Cafe did a wonderful job of looking after our guests. Thank you so much for such a warm and friendly drinks reception. Fabulous setting for a civil wedding, recommend it to anyone...

We had our wedding reception here back in June. Steve and Leigh were absolutely brilliant tailoring it to exactly what we wanted whilst also giving us valuable advice based on their previous experience. It was very reasonably priced for such a beautiful cafe, the personalised...

So I am a regular to Castle Cottage and despite COVID impacting on Steve and the Team they have bounced back and the new venue is in just as beautiful surroundings. The food cooked to order fresh and with good quality ingredients what more could...

I met friends and enjoyed coffee in the garden. Gazebos were blowing in the wind, but somehow managed to stay up! Staff were well organised and taking relevant precautions against the virus. Its well situated near the church and market square and has a nice...

Just went for a coffee with a good friend. Wonderful service and great coffees. The garden is a delight and social distancing was fantastic. We were on the decking and there is definitely the smell of rotting fish up there that neither my friend nor...

We had lunch in the pretty garden of this café. The food was great and the staff were very attentive.

I have been going to castle cottage for a while now, this place glows in the sunshine and is cosy in the rain! With beautiful afternoon tea, Friday live music and run by a lovely friendly family, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a vino...

We love the castle cottage cafe, such a hidden Gem. The homemade scones are the best I've ever tasted and I also appreciate that you don't just make fruit flavour scones. Cooked breakfast is delicious and high quality. See you again soon!

We come here every time we visit Oakham and are greeted by the wonderfully friendly staff. This time we had a salad and soup, followed by cream teas. All of it was utterly delicious! The special scone of the week was maple and pecan-amazing! Can also highly recommend the afternoon teas (which we’ve had on several occasions before). Absolutely love this place. Try it-you’ll love it too

Called in on a Tuesday at 1.30pm. We were the only customers. I think the decor was more cluttered mess than shabby chic but I prefer clean and simple generally. If you like lots of cushions and wallpaper with flowers and birds and artificial flowers and fairy light you will love this. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the place looks and feels like it needs a good scrub. Too much dust gathering clutter.My husband had a pot of tea and a small scone, the scone was warmed but the butter was rock hard so he had to be patient! I had the most delicious decaf Americana and a very small slice of rather nice chocolate cake. The coffee was one of the nicest tasting coffees I have had which rescued the experience.There were two staff on duty and they got the job done but were not particularly friendly. The bill was a whopping £10.50.

Wet windy horrible day so popped in around 3pm for a cuppa and decided to have an egg mayo sandwich on brown. Absolutely gorgeous. Lovely fresh bread, loads of tasty filling and a little side salad and a china cup of posh crisps. Was delicious. Also had a pot of earl grey. Such a lovely quaint cafe with lovely helpful staff. I’ve been once before in the Summer and had afternoon tea in the cottage garden. Gem of a place, definitely worth visiting. Will be going again.

I absolutely LOVE THIS PLACE, I have been several times with my nice and we love it! ❤️ The people are amazing and the place is super cozy, I also love their CAKES! 🍰

Stopped for lunch at this quirky little cafe, down an unpretentious garden path, but found an excellent little cafe. Staff are friendly, food excellent. Recommend the upstairs as it's light and airy.

A Hidden Gem in the heart of Oakham nestled right next to the old castle ruins, such a beautiful setting.Friendly staff who went out their way to help me with my pushchair. I had the most delicious beetroot and feta salad and homemade cake. The service was quick and the chef even came out to personally check all was well with our meal.Very impressed, will definitely return. Delicious food and friendly and helpful staff

I love this cafe! I visited again yesterday for lunch and the food was delicious as usual. It is a hidden gem of a place just behind the church and is very quirky inside. I have only ever been served scrumptious food and the cakes are to die for. The staff are super friendly and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Castle Cottage Cafe to others.

Gorgeous setting, relaxed atmosphere. Decorated beautifully with lovely fairy lights and Christmas decorations. Food was beautiful, restaurant standard and generous portions. Good value for money and such friendly staff. Would definitely go again and would recommend to others X

Stopped off for coffee and cake on a damp afternoon. A quaint little place with lots and lots of outdoor seating which must be lovely in better weather. Cake was very nice, decent coffee, would recommend.

in rutland for a few days away and found this lovely cafe hidden beneath the shadows of the church had a lovely and hot pot of tea and accompanied it with a delicious slice of carrot cake will return when we come back to oakham

Perfect for a light lunch. Food was devious - soup and sandwiches - with a warm welcome and pleasant service. Ideal for a brief pitstop.

Hard to find but quaint and pretty, small, quirky and quite femine.

Having read some enthusiastic reviews about this place we made an effort to seek it out, which takes some doing. It's hidden away near the church. I can see the shabby chic, quirky look they were going for; the higgledy-piggledy lay out of an old building lends itself to this. It's not as easy to pull this look off as some think. If you don't do it well, it looks like a cross between your grandma's and a second hand furniture shop. Unfortunately, this place edges towards the latter and is more shabby than chic. Wall paper is peeling off damp walls in the cafe and bathroom, every seat had a stained seat pad and the table decorations/menu had a film of grime. In fact, every surface needed aquainting with a sudsy damp cloth.

Fab location - lovely coffee and cake. Milkshakes are pretty amazing too. Prettiest place in oakham - a must visit.

Well, what can I say. We chose Castle Cottage for our wedding reception because we loved the outdoor, secret garden feel. The garden is beautiful, the marquee is so pretty and I love the outdoor bar and decking. Steve was great at adapting to what we wanted, and Leigh helped us create a delicious menu for our guests. It was a hot week leading up to our wedding ... but I've never seen so much rain on the actual day in the evening! However, Steve and his team pulled our day together amazingly, despite the weather. The marquee sides were closed for us to stop the rain coming in (which made things cosy!) and we swapped the decking dance floor to the marquee. Little gazebos were popped up to provide more space and shelter which did change the feel of the open garden space but kept our guests dry. Our 3 course meal and evening buffet was carried out through the rain to our guests from the cafe but this only added to the atmosphere of everyone pulling together. The food was incredible and we had lots of compliments. Nothing was too much trouble, despite a few things not working due to the rain. Both my husband and I had a fantastic day and wouldn't change a thing! It really was a show of friends, family and the loveliest venue coming together. Thank you Castle Cottage, we are so happy to now be part of your family.

Such a Beautiful Place we fell in love with it on our very first visit We just had to choose it for our wedding reception, Steve and his team were just wonderful they all make it so special! The food is just beautiful so our afternoon/evening food didn’t disappoint just such wonderful people every single one of them we both adore the place, the people, the food and the charm of the place just is a little gem tucked away in Oakham town centre. Please take the time to give Castle Cottage a visit so they can give you that wonderful experience that they gave us on our very first visit which resulted in us spending our special day with them. We will be visiting again shortly once our baby has arrived in a couple of months to see everyone. Thank you for such a wonderful day you really did go above and beyond for us and it’s more than appreciated. Ben & Kara

I ordered a birthday cake for my daughter's 40th birthday party. By the time of her birthday I had ordered 2 more, all different flavours - and I could choose any flavourI wanted - so one was banana and chocolate! Gorgeous cakes. My daughter said the cakes transformed her party from great to awesome.

Just been to a very succesful and funfilled wedding reception at Castle Cottage Cafe. Its Shabby Chic style was quirky, fun and something different from the norm. The venue was full of character and charm. Although it was on one of the wettest days of the year, the marquees stood up to the test and the weather didn't dampen the atmosphere. The time flew by and everyone had a great time. The food was really tasty, not heavy and perfect for a wedding, the salmon was amazing and had high reviews all round. It was surprising how many people could fit comfortably for a sit down meal. A big thank you to Steve and his young friendly and helpful staff for a great occasion.

We visited Castle Cottage after our daughters christening. The setting was absolutely perfect and the afternoon tea we had was fabulous. All our guests commented on what a perfect place for the event it was and the staff could not have been more helpful or accommodating. A great place to host a private function or a spot of lunch!

What a wonderful place a little hidden gem so peaceful beautiful gardens food was great and the service impeccable thank you for a great afternoon definitely a place to visit will come back soon x

I have lived near Oakham for well over 45 yrs I new nothing about the castle cottage cafe,now we have found it we will make it a regular when visiting Oakham.

Been to a friend's 50th birthday/surprise renewal wedding vows today it was lovely very nice place nice seating arrangement ,staff very friendly ,very nice food real nice selection then 2 very tasty cakes loved the chocolate/Guinness cake very nice place to have any special occasion or a quite cuppa x

Wonderful pear and marzipan cake and strawberry and banana milkshakes worth a visit if you are in the area very impressed

Wanted a coffee in nice surroundings. Surrounding was superb but the coffee took over 15 minutes to arrived, there were plenty of waiters/waitresses but I was unimpressed. I thought it bad management to have taken so long.

Just been to an afternoon tea here for my mums birthday and the food was out this world. Would highly recommend and would definitely book again. Thank you to all the staff who worked tirelessly in such heat to ensure everyone had a lovely time.

Thank you for such a lovely evening, delicious food great music, a perfect Saturday evening It’s always good during the day, but this was the first evening do for us Really enjoyed it

We've only ever had coffee/tea and cakes here so I can't comment on the food menu. Been here a few times as it's lovely to sit in the quaint, pretty garden in the summer or sit in the cosy inside in the cooler months. So much more character than the chain places like Costa. The coffee is good and the cakes lovely. Different choices each time we visit which we like, e.g.courgette and lime cake.

Held my Hen Doo at the castle cottage cafe’ ... Nothing was too much, they served afternoon tea for 52 people with no hiccups at all, the garden was set out beautifully (see photos) and they even created a perfect vegan friendly afternoon tea for one of my guests. Staff all friendly and helpful.

What an amazing hidden gem. Castle cottage is superb. Waitress- delightful, couldn’t have been more helpful. The food arrived very quickly & was fabulous. I could highly recommend the apple and caramel scones- yum!!!

Me and my girlfriend came for a late lunch, the staff were very welcoming and friendly, very pleasant garden and seating area. The food was well priced, and absolutely delicious, the best club sandwich I have had in a long time, probably ever! Do come here for lunch, you won’t regret it.

Had a beautiful afternoon tea at Castle cottage In Oakham the marquee in the garden is a beautiful asset and very very pretty, Castle cottage is well worth a visit the food is delicious and very reasonable the staff are very friendly and nothing is too much trouble we would definitely go again

This is a great place for tea and cakes, especially in the summer months when you can sit outside in the garden. Brilliant

My new work colleagues and I decided to have a back to work lunch at castle cottage as we could sit under the pretty marquee on a big table. What a lovely lunchtime we had! Food was delicious, surroundings very pretty and service was excellent. Thank you!

Lovely to find somewhere with its own ambience. Friendly staff who were also efficient. Enjoyed our coffees and scones in the sunshine.

Clearly on my own on this one looking at reviews so sorry about that. The shabby has overtaken the chic and the garden is scruffy with tables, chairs and cushions in need of a jolly good clean. Garden needs weeding and planting and a bit of TLC to make it more appealing. Bit embarrassing to take visitors here having looked at reviews. On the other hand food is gorgeous, staff are lovely although service very slow. Cant help feeling if chic overtook shabby abit more prices could go up proportionately but there we are I'm a customer not a business.

Visited the Castle cottage cafe on Tuesday with my best friend and our 3 daughters aged 9,8 and 6. Fabulous setting with very well presented outside area, beautiful, traditional with a quirk menu and lots of options for my gluten free daughter which was a big plus. Service punctual, professional and with a great handsome smile from whom I presume to be the owner.

Beautiful garden setting with shaded areas, full sun areas and a quaint summer house with a table for 2. Also tables inside.

Long wait after ordering and not worth the wait. Cold tea and a very slim piece of lemon cake. Not worth the money.

Castle Cottage is the most beautiful, quirky and charming place to have a meal, coffee or glass of bubbly. It was my birthday and Steve, the owner, was fab! Somehow he had worked out it was a special day for me, and along with greeting me with a ‘Happy Birthday’ he also gave me a piece of cake with a candle in it. Castle Cottage is a very special place, and I always feel happy when I’m there.

On a summers day what better than to sit in a quaint tea garden with a choice of eating in a potting shed or under canvas! Excellent service and surroundings. We have also in the past hired the venue for a family event and found the owners to be most helpful.

Visited today with family on a random visit, food was really nice and reasonably priced!!

My boyfriend and I visited the cafe at the start of March. We had their afternoon tea which was priced as £12 per person. But there was huge amounts of food! 5 sandwiches (1 per person so 10 in total). You chose your own sandwiches which I thought was great as I’m a fussy eater. We chose egg, cress and bacon, mango and chicken, the club sandwich (ham, chicken, avocado and salad), salmon and soft cheese and tuna and cucumber. All were delicious!!! We then had 2 slices of cake each, a piece of ginger and chocolate tiffin and a blueberry scone. All with a large pot of tea. If you ask me, this place is lovely, and so pretty too. The guys that work their give great customer service.

Very disappointed to see how run down the outside seating area has become. The summer house in a very poor state of repair with plants growing through roof and walls, curtains and furniture in need of restoration, a hanging basket full of dead flowers outside. The garden is in need of major tidying, pots of dead flowers on table.

We aren’t sure that Castle Cottage often opens for dinner - but they did for Valentines this year, and it was a spectacular success. The upstairs was set with three or four cosy tables for two in each of the two rooms, and we were met with an enthusiastic and friendly welcome.

Castle Cottage was the perfect venue for a romantic and cosy valentines dinner. The upstairs was decorated beautifully, with lovely table linen and fairy lights everywhere. There was just the right amount of tables to make for a great atmosphere without it feeling too busy or too quiet.

If you were to describe the ideal small cafe this would probably be it. Excellent food, very friendly staff and the most interesting decor and crockery you are likely to see anywhere of this kind. It also has pretty outdoor areas to sit in when the weather permits. We always go there when we visit Oakham.

This little cafe was packed with charm, chatter, and scrumptious fayre. Cakes were a delight, especially the chocolate and Guinness, and the basement room was decorated beautifully for Xmas.

Visited Castle Cottage Cafe today after hearing about it on Facebook. Took a friend with me and it was truly lovely. Food was delicious, service incredibly friendly, decor was very cute. Would definitely revisit next time over that way. Thanks to the owners Steve & Karen for making it such a worthwhile visit for us.

We had our wedding at castle cottage cafe in September 2018. The day was perfect and everything we could have wished for. The staff at castle cottage were amazing and really went the extra mile with all of the special extra touches. Food was brilliant, and the setting was lovely. We were very pleased with everything and will be back for more scones soon. Would recommend highly to everyone for a visit and lots of our friends and family will be going back for a visit. Thanks for everything, Lisa and Dan

During our first proper wander around the town we cut along a walkway along the side of the church and saw a sign pointing off down an even narrower alley to a team rooms and decided to take a chance.

Lovely breakfast, went for the vegetarian , scrumptious! Have also had the non vegetarian and always lovely. Freshly cooked and plenty of choice.

We had our wedding reception at castle cottage in September with 60 guests for a three course meal. The food was delicious and the Mediterranean plater in the evening was superb. Castle cottage was the most perfect venue for our wedding reception; whimsical cosy, quaint and magical. Steve and the team were so helpful and attentive right from the very start of planning to the moment we left; we didn’t want it to end. Thank you so much for everything, you guys really made it special. I will be highly recommending Castle cottage to friends and family. See you soon for more yummy food

Really lovely cafe serving a nice selection of uncomplicated food. Great service and a friendly atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

Fantastic service as always,lovely fresh food,highly recommended to anyone living or visiting Oakham!

The location is just wonderful, a courtyard and walled garden with gazebos and bunting. A very English tea garden. The food is lovely, whether it be a bowl of soup or a larger meal. The service is good, friendly staff and reasonable prices. The cakes are delicious. A great place in a great situation.

Visited here in the summertime. Had the ploughmans meal which was ok. My friends had the soup which they said was very good. Particularly enjoyed being in the quirky garden!

Lovely garden, quirky, friendly, good value and in a lovely position. Just as nice inside or out in the garden.

We had never been to this area before and decided to take a look down the back streets near the church and stumbled across this place. Well the sun was beaming down so we sat in the garden area which had an open tent in it as well as lots of seating and a great atmosphere.

This is a hidden gem. Beautiful English garden to have lunch in. I had the feta, beetroot and pea shoot salad which was fresh with the mint dressing. My wife had the cheese scone with cheese piece and chutney. Divine. Would definitely recommend and return. This is worth the find!

My wife and I got married at Oakham Castle and we had our reception at Castle Cottage Café. We couldn’t have been happier with the reception venue and the service we received. Steve, the owner, made our day extraordinarily special and we can’t thank him enough for that. There were 35 guests including us and we received so many compliments on the reception being just what a wedding reception should be.

My daughter and I had a fabulous afternoon tea here last Saturday. We sat in the beautiful garden and were served gorgeous sandwiches and cake on old fashioned cake stands. The tea pot was beautiful too! Service was great and we didn’t feel rushed, despite us being a little late in the day. Fortunately for us we were a bit late, as the beautiful garden bar opened whilst we finished our tea. Perfect... onto the Prosecco!. What a great vibe..The music was great, Jenga was out for the children to play with, so I could enjoy my drink in relative peace! Highly recommend this place!

The quaint cafe is tucked away, through the archway near the church a short walk from the market square. The cakes were delicious and the staff very customer friendly

We had tea and cake, teapot had a large chip in the spout ( germs ) although staff were friendly cake was a bit dry, probably wouldn't go again.