Cavendish Pavilion in Craven

stopped here for a rest and a coffee half way through our walk along the river from Barden Bridge. Delicious coffee and a lovely place to stop. A little chilly to sit outside for us, but inside was nice and warm and a friendly atmosphere. Staff were very friendly and quick to serve our coffees. However, one of the staff, a young lad, gave me some cause for concern. He had his dark hair in a pony tail (?!) , but the bits of hair that wouldn't go in the pony tail were hanging all over his face, and he kept flicking them back out of his face - while he was making coffees etc. Is this particularly hygienic, it gave me a bit of "ick" while I was standing waiting for my two coffees. Perhaps he can do something about his hair, e.g. (but a bit drastic) wear a hair net to keep all his hair out of his face and away from the food. Both the other female staff's hair was very neat and out of their faces. Sorry to make this negative remark, but it wasn't a good look.

We love Bolton Abbey and so do the children. We completed the Pumpkin Trail and the Welly Walk and had a super time. The coffee van at the end of the Pumpkin Walk was a great idea and most what we needed. However the cafe back at the main entrance was rubbish and it's such a shame. Over priced sandwiches and cakes and hardly any choice. Ran out of sausage rolls and only 1 pastry left and it was only 1pm. Very expensive too £4.75 for a small cheese pastry. Thought they would have toasties or an actual lunch menu such a disappointment as they are missing out. The building is clean and lots of space, the coffee was good and the scones went down well. We will return as love coming to Bolton Abbey but I think they could improve the cafe definitely.

Lovely spot but only worth going for coffee and cake. The sandwiches are bought in from a supplier and are awful. I had a smoked salmon and cream cheese on rye. The bread was so soggy it was falling apart. The filling tasted of nothing and there was barely any salmon. I was charged over £5 for the displeasure. Also, not family friendly as the selection for children was basically non-existent. It used to be so much better but wouldn't ever go back.

The Cavendish Pavilion cafe is in a beautiful location with superb amenities. I have been organising group trips for a local charity for several years, and the food, staff and facilities at the Cavendish Pavilion are superb and meet all our requirements. We have enjoyed a range of sandwiches of various fillings followed by delicious home-baked cakes. Our group often comments on how tasty the homemade scones are, served with clotted cream and jam. My particular favourite is the lemon drizzle cake or a new favourite, an almond slice. Ruth and Craig, two of the staff who work at The Cavendish Pavilion, are warm, friendly, and professional and look after our group well. It isn't always easy to please everyone when it's a group event but both Ruth and Craig have provided outstanding service and managed our groups various preferences with a professional can do attitude. Our group has been delighted with the recent events, and we look forward to returning to the autumn and again in 2025.

I see the cavendish are now charging for jam and butter with their scones, even if you don’t want the jam. I shall make a point of taking the jam jar and donate it to a food bank. I see the size of the scones has also decreased noticeably ☹️

A good place for a brew after an energetic walk, except for the queue to get served. It's usually the same on a popular day (such as today - Boxing Day 2023), long queue for service stretching outside the door. Past experience suggested over 30 minute wait so we gave it up and had refreshments at home - we were almost half way home, about 20miles out of just over 40 when I guessed we'd just about be getting served. Spoils what should be a really good day out. You need more people serving at peak times.

We went here for lunch, but all they had were a few dismal looking pre-packaged sandwiches. I asked if there was any soup, and they said they'd run out, "the delivery hasn't come". This was only late morning, and surely they'd make their own soup anyway? The service was very slow, even just making coffees. I'm not sure what's gone wrong with the pavilion, it used to be so good. They trade on their location which is lovely and I suppose they think it doesn't matter if they're bad because it's just tourists and who cares about them.

Staff are lovely, standards have definitely slipped as far as food is concerned, bacon sandwiches are rubbish compared to previously!!

Beautiful location but the choice for vegan food or any food for someone with a dietary requirement is pretty much zero. Not so bad in the summer when you can walk back to the village and have something in one of the other cafes but in autumn/winter when this is the only choice it really isn't good enough. It isn't difficult to take the dairy out of cake and scones and provide better alternatives for everybody. The service was lovely though and as it was quiet we didn't have to wait. Please do better with food choices!

Worst muffin I’ve ever tasted. £3.75 for a lemon and raspberry muffin that was the driest cake I’ve had ever had the misfortune to taste.

Lovely setting and this place rests on those laurels. If you want bored inept teenagers looking at their phones and not bothering to clean up or make sure glasses are clean, or not fussed about a narrow food option, or love a long wait for your coffee while one person does the work and the others check their Insta, or if you love wasps, then this is the place for you. I’m more arsed than the staff.

Beautiful spot to sit out and watch the world go by. Great coffee and cakes etc but very expensive and small portion sizes. The service is generally ok apart from one lady who obviously doesn't like cyclists and is very curt and unsmiling. Not so when I'm dressed in normal clothing! Oh and the guy clearing tables at 5pm yesterday who made it quite clear we'd overstayed our welcome. Very miserable with my very elderly mother. More staff training needed!

Arrived here just after 1230 and the place was maybe 10% full. Bizarrely, the food shelves were only half full. Ice cream was advertised, but none seemed to be available, on a bright sunny day. Seeing nothing appetising, we just got cappuccinos. The coffees were decent.

Beautiful location, which I suspect is their only selling point. Admittedly it was at the end of lunchtime, around 2.30-3.00pm but the choice wasn’t great. A pale looking pasty which had obviously been sitting around all day was the only hot option so we went for a cup of tea and fruit scone which was very dry. Everything served on paper plates which I understand if they are very busy, but by the time we were there the rush had clearly died down but tables were cluttered with them and attracting wasps outside, lots of litter on floor and very grubby. Dog water bowls didn’t look like they had got a good wash in a while. 😞

I took my dog for a walk to this cafe, the setting is beautiful but the service and lack of dog friendly service was appalling. I was directed to the dog entrance, because no table service, I had to ask a complete stranger to hold my dog while I went to the counter to order because dogs aren’t allowed in that area. Absolutely awful situation for a dog mum or dad to be put in just to get refreshments after a long and thirsty day all and only one bowl of water to be found !!! Won’t be going back for sure the sandwich was dry also, the only thing positive was my dog’s reaction to his cold doggy ice cream

The quality and choice of food was terrible. This place used to be so nice. The pasties were pale and insipid and the sandwiches looked very sorry for themselves, I think you’d get better from a motorway petrol station! After the £15 parking charge it just felt as though all Bolton Abbey and the cafe are after is your money with not much in return. I get that it pays for the upkeep but £15 to park still seems steep. This experience doesn’t inspire me to return anytime soon to what is a beautiful area.

Having a walk round the estate, this place provided a welcome break for a cuppa and toilet stop. It , was quite busy with it being half term so little patience is required. but staff are friendly and helpful. The setting is beautiful, and the outdoor seating area is lovely on a nice day

Lovely setting with a well stocked and well run cafe. Right on the banks of the river. The staff did a great job when we were there, despite a few challenging customers. We’ll be back for spring time fayre and walks.

This is a lovely place to finish your walk at Bolton Abbey apart from one thing. The service is terrible!! Our party of 4 had a 40 minute wait from joining the queue for drinks to actually receiving them. It's a barista type service for coffee; you order and pay for your drinks then wait until they're ready. Unfortunately it takes the staff a long time to prepare and serve coffees; I don't think it's their fault, there just isn't enough coffee making equipment to process more than one cup at a time. It's bad enough to put me off going at busy times which is a pity because it's such a nice place otherwise.

The cafe used to be a great place to finish a walk. Now there is hardly any choice or fresh hot meals. Prepackaged sandwiches, drinks sometimes cool and very slow service. Add that to the £15 to park and it just isn’t worth a visit.

My children and I visited the pumpkin trail this week. We had a great time, finished off with a hot drink and cake. Even though it was massively busy the staff were friendly and helpful and great with the kids. Will definitely go again thanks

Stopped recently after a long cycle with friends. Really pleasant place to stop and refuel with lots of cake and sandwich options - and plenty of place to sit. Minimal queuing time as well.

Paid £3.50 for a stale, dry chocolate muffin. Very pricey, food terrible, impolite staff. There was also a lack of takeout options. We won't be back on our next trip to Bolton Abbey.

Last Wednesday 5th October, arrived walking from Bolton Bridge. Asked for a pot of tea for three. One tea bag in a small teapot, three cups and saucers. Very disappointing!

Had a coffee and curry cauliflower pasty, which I enjoyed. By the river, and there's a small pirate ship playground there. You are also close to the end of the welly walk, so can easily access some of the play equipment towards the end of...

Nice coffee shop / restaurant in great setting down side car park is exorbitant £15-00 !! I suppose it gives you access to the Abbey grounds, but it's still expensive

Service slow though friendly. Not much healthy food or for vegan. Not dog friendly. Parking £15 even at 4pm. Shop is good lots of interesting stuff.

Agree with all the negative comments. This used to be a great spot with lovely food. Now as others have said, it's got a few bought in sandwiches which wouldn't be out of place in a petrol station. Confusingly they sold beer but no wine,...

Paid £15 for the car park and had a lovely walk around the estate . Decided to have afternoon tea at the pavilion cafe . The scone did look pale and flat ( no wonder it hadn’t risen ) when we came to cut into...

The Pavillion used to do lovely lunches, pizzas all freshly prepared and all day long fresh from the oven tasty scones. Was very disappointed today, at 11.15 no scones left, only awful pre-packed sandwiches and cakes, drinks in paper cups and all expensive. Still in...

After walking here from the abbey fond a couple of comfortable seats and enjoyed a cup of tea and flapjack.

The setting is lovely though understandably busy. The coffee and cake was nothing special but was nothing to complain either. More what you would expect though a bit on the pricey side.

Stopped here for a cup of tea during a walk. It's a cracking cafe in a lovely spot. We didn't eat, but the food looked great.

What a fabulous place for a walk WITHOUT a dog. So pleased this cafe does not allow dogs where customers can sit & get a hot drink in comfort either before the walk or for refreshment after. Keep up the great work - you are...

Set in magnificent wharfdale the stunning scenery is certainly not matched by the worse than motorway service station food , pre packed Dy sandwiches , with pretend to be home made cake that was so dry and stale you wound not of fed it to...

This place makes the cafe at my local Morissons supermarket look like the Ritz. The review in November 2021 by vinent says it all. The only thing I would add is the cost of parking at this place which is a whopping £12.50,

OK if you need a stop but if you can keep going to Tea on the Green you won't regret it. Surprised to see they are still using single use plastic and disposing of all waste into black waste bags. Service was very slow on...

Tea in paper cups, scone on a cheap paper plate, and a plastic knife for spreading jam and cream on the scone, no atmosphere, just like a staff canteen, and the prices were steep, I was looking forward to the trip, but it was so...

Only £3.10 for a coffee in a paper cup - 4 folk stood behind the counter but took an age for it to be made - they are in a different time zone I think. For a place so popular with dog walkers it’s not...

Well its been a while since I have been to the 'Cav' and I shall say its my last. Expensive for a coffee in a takeaway cup and the selection of food is poor. Plastic cutlery, single use paper cups but hey, its not like...

Most cafes and hospitality venues have returned to normal service. Not so here, Very little and poor choice of food and only cardboard cups for your coffee. As the prices are still sky high I do not see how they can justify such poor service.

We always visit for the pumpkin trail which is well done and we always enjoy. We decided to get a coffee from the Cavendish Pavillion for the trail and for this I queued for half an hour! I actually couldn’t believe that the staff did...

I took my daughter and friends to do the annual Pumpkin Trail which is always great. We stopped in the Pavilion for what we hoped to be a quick drink. 30 minutes later I was still in the queue! My advice is to take your...

Lovely location but one of our sandwiches was soaking wet and had to be exchanged which was no problems. Quite expensive for what was on offer. Not a huge selection

We expected to get something like coffee and cake, well we got coffee and something but other than that there was very little to be had and the coffee and tea were below par. Such a shame as this has such potential, I just don't...

Visiting Bolton Abbey, we planned to eat at the cavendish pavillion. First of all, it is quite a characterless self service. Worst of all there were about 5 sandwiches in the fridge with two choices. The choice of sandwiches was vegetarian cheese or one other....

Queued for 15 minutes to be served nice coffee in paper cups in a chaotic manner! Really need some organising. The food ( sandwich’s) looked unappealing. The cakes looked a little better. Beautiful location on the Bolton abbey estate. My advice….take your own.

It is my first visit back since the lockdown and i am in utter disbelief. The Riverside Cafe or should I say takeaway! Serves nothing but garage style sandwiches in packaging that looks like retro wallpaper!! No hot food anymore!! Nothing is homemade like it...

Could not even eat the pasta salad, tasted so bad. Sandwiches looked really cheap but actual bill quite expensive. No hot food available. Avoid.

We just had our wedding reception at the Cavendish Pavilion on the Bolton Abbey Estate. I can not praise the staff and the venue enough. Everything was perfect. The food was fantastic, the venue about as good as you can get, and the service from...

British Rail at its distant worst would have been ashamed of the miserable catering on offer at the Cavendish Pavilion on my recent visit. I'm a local but the catering was easily bad enough to discolour the memory of a tourist's visit to God's own...

I realise that Covid restrictions make things difficult for venues like this but absolutely no effort or thought has been out in to the limited menu on offer. If you have a small child who can’t eat a rather bland and soggy sandwich or a...

£3 .30 For a poor tasting latte in a paper cup that was too hot too hold as was the tea that had been made then left on the side as the assistant disappeared. Dont bother take a picnic

What a shame. Incredible location, beautiful grounds and walks but the food in the Pavillion is AWFUL. Little variety and sandwich BREAD was stale. The chocolate cake was OLD. The eccles cake was dry. We were a party of 8 and after a walk we...

The coffee here is poor. The food available was limited and not at all tempting. The staff were trying hard but it was not somewhere I would go again. Bring your own or visit one of the other nearby venues.

Only drinks and sandwiches on the menu. 5 or 6 different sandwiches and not a single one suitable for vegans. Thankfully, for my hungry belly, this is getting rarer nowadays but was still a total disappointment for such a well known tourist attraction. We spent...

Very poor facilities & rude staff. Food overpriced and tasteless. So many better cafés in the area. Avoid.

Very disappointed to find the Cavendish Pavilion still isn’t serving hot food despite outside dining now being allowed. We ended walking to the Abbey Tea Rooms for some decent food which was lovely.

Just finished a 2 mile “Pumpkin Trail” walk with 5 grandchildren ranging from age 1 to 10 7 adults and 3 dogs. A great Sunday walk, enjoyed it. But we were all cold and hungry and were not at all pleased to queue 40 mins...

We walked from Bolton Priory to the cafe and back along the other side of the river. The Pavilion looked inviting and as it was a sunny day we decided to sit outside. I decided on a ginger biscuit which was the size of a...

We called in on a beautiful crisp cold sunny Sunday after walking around the estate with our dog. I asked if dogs are welcome "yes - outside" which was a shame on such a cold day. However I ordered a pot of tea and 2...

Nice place but the whole area is very unfriendly to dogs. Cafe was nice and coffee decent. Dogs not allowed inside which is fair enough but the whole estate is grumpy about dogs. Signs everywhere and restrictions all over. I get it in some areas...

The location of this restaurant is ideal to rest weary limbs and satisfy health appetites after a bracing walk on the many paths and trails sprouting from this establishment close to Bolton Abbey. Without wishing to be too critical I felt the food was average...

I am a a member of Bolton Abbey Estate so like to go frequently. I just think the Pavillion is so disappointing in it’s offerings. It is such a beautiful position by the river and for the life of me can’t understand why oh why...

All we had was fresh and tasty. Prices not over the top and the tables were cleared and cleaned quickly. Good half way stopping point when doing the circuit.

Excellent service by friendly staff. Very spacious inside and outside with a good range of food and drink and right by the river.

Ate here today. Looked a nice place although prices seemed steep. Ordered minute steak and caramelised onion ciabatta with chunky chips and salad. Oven chips, tiny piece of unseasoned steak and steamed onions, definitely not caramelised!! No dressing on the salad so very plain. We felt totally underwhelmed and decided we wouldn't waste anymore money on a cake. Love Bolton Abbey but would never waste our money in this cafe again.

Visited here with relatives from Australia. I thought what a beautiful place to take them I had only eaten here once before at a wedding. I certainly wished I'd read reviews on here before we went. Two of us opted for minute steak sandwich. It had a very strange taste not pleasant at all. Served with very bland chips and a few green leaves (not what I would class as a salad) extortiate price of over £13. The other went for burger and again over £13 for a dry burger and chips, leaves and onion rings. I was quite embarrassed that the food was so poor. Next time it's on to Appletreewick for us and we certainly would not recommend.

The steak sandwich I had here in a Friday lunchtime was just awful. The caramelised onions were not caramelised in the slightest, very bland. The steak was thin and overcooked. The salad was old and undressed. Very disappointed to have paid over £13 for the worst steak sandwich I have ever eaten. :(

We stopped for a drink here after we had parked our car at the Riverside Car Park . A beautiful place to stop & we had nice drinks on a lovely sunny day out . It looked like a good place for lunch also , so we will return .

It’s a good few months since we went and from my last review. It hasn’t changed for the better. I had my 2 grandchildren with me who are both coeliac. I ordered 2 soups , a jacket potato with cheese and a tuna melt with gluten free bread we also had 3 drinks. It came to £31.30.

Visited again as a large family group after a Good walk. We thought we would brave the oddest queue system known to man.

Before and after our walk we stopped in the Cavendish Pavilion for smoko... Reasonably priced food, good service and very clean. Enjoyed a lovely pot of tea after our morning walk. Well worth a visit.

A nice venue for drinks and food, depending on where you've parked at Bolton abbey depends on how far you have to walk from your car, this is a great Cafe to go to if you are parked next to the river as it's a short pleasant walk, if you park in the main car park you have to walk across the river around 1 mile walk to this cafe :)

Good coffee, snacks and light meals. Delicious ice creams. Play area for children. Woodland play trail nearby - very imaginative.

Following our walk along the river Wharfe, we needed a break and where better than at the Cavendish Pavillion. The selection and quality of food is good, they serve a variety of hot and cold drinks and Yorkshire tea! We sat outside in the sun and people watched whilst drinking the drink of God’s, laughing at the folks having their photos taken in the three big deck chairs! Bliss...

I visit Bolton Abbey regularly. It is Beautiful

fuimos de peso a bolton abbey y esta tan grande y hermoso que se nos hizo tarde para volver a preparar almuerzo, así que pasamos a este café muy lindo a almorzar el precio era razonable ya que esta parte de Inglaterra no están turística como Londres.

The location next to the river at Bolton Abbey is great, it is a fair walk back to the Abbey and you pay for car parking.

Great location by the river at Bolton Abbey.

Not what you expect, well at least not what I expected.

Whilst walking around the estate we decided to take a food break at the Cavendish Pavilion . We all decided on sandwiches which were slightly overpriced and we were all disappointed with the quality of the food. First the bread in all the sandwiches they were dry but when we took a bite of the sandwiches we could hardly taste the fillings. We opened up one of the sandwiches to see how much filling there was, I was really surprised to see the thinnest filling I have ever seen in a sandwich, no wonder I couldn’t taste it.

Cavendish Pavilion is wonderfully placed on the Wharfe and is a great location for anyone wanting time outdoors.

I’m a cyclist so lucky to get to tons of tea rooms and cafes. I’ve always loved the scones at Cav Pav and cycle a good 70 mile round trip for one. Great scones but glad I don’t pay for parking, very expensive in my opinion. It gets very busy and has lost its tea room feel it’s just a big canteen area. The food is nice, slightly pricey but always tastes lovely.

So, I paid £10 to park. My eyes widened but were not yet watering. After a delightful stroll through the riverside woodland (oh it is gorgeous; idyllic etc) we stopped at this tea room. A great warm huge scone served with a dollop of jam and clotted cream and a pot of tea right? Sadly no. Cold scone then

Visited here, recently, with friends, and enjoyed the experience. The staff we met were friendly and welcoming, and we sat outside in the sun, enjoying the view. The coffee was nice but expensive.

Poor choice, poor service, overpriced, poor choice but fantastic location. Much better local alternatives.

I often visit here, and have never been very impressed. I visited a couple of months ago and bought a sandwich to take away - after biting into it, I realised there was mould on the crusts of the bread. I was refunded. Last week I visited again with my young daughter - very dry carrot cake, rude staff who were being rude about another customer, and expensive coffee. Very mediocre - I would recommend taking a picnic or eating at one of the cafes in the village itself.

Have been coming here for 20 years but sadly this place unfortunately has been steadily going downhill. Poor menu choice and food not a patch on what it was. Some staff very helpful but let down by the unhelpful, unfriendly lady who regularly takes orders as everything is too much trouble. The only good thing here is the position. Go to the cafe in Bolton Abbey village instead opposite Devonshire Arms, fabulous food and super helpful staff.

Lovely lunch today, Wednesday, from the Cavendish Pavilion and served with a smile. Always good to go somewhere that the staff are friendly and welcoming. The young supervisor and her team were working hard but still had time to chat with customers. There was a happy buzz to the place today.

Called in after a walk for a coffee & scone! Bother we’re lovely ! As a massive coffee drinker I can honestly say it’s the best latte I’ve had in a long time! Really friendly staff will return soon!

If you start one end of Bolton Abbey, by the middle of it you need a cuppa, especially in winter. This is your place! Dog friendly, mid range prices for food and drinks. Nice to sit outside, especially in summer if you can get a seat.

Nice for abreak when walking through Bolton Abbey Estate. Friendly staff and decent coffee. A bit overpriced but I suppose they have a monopoly and a captive clientele.

Big roomy cafe accessed from the main car park. It’s a good place to get a drink and something to eat before or after taking one of the many walks in the area. A little pricey but OK.

A lovely setting by the river is spoilt tremendously by the unreasonably priced food that is ‘offered’ to the captive audience of mostly families. £4 for a small sausage roll? What next? Charging for the loos?

Really disappointing place. After a long 6 mile walk was really looking forward to a nice sit down in the warm, only to discover ( in this day and age!!!!) that we had to sit outside because we had the dog!

Bolton Abbey is a beautiful setting, wonderfully well kept, it is a pleasure to walk and spend some time outdoor but the Pavilion despite a few changes the food is just not good enough. We had a sandwich with cheese and bacon which was quite good. But my baked potato with vegetable curry was inedible: the potato was dry and old, the vegetable curry was tasteless and bitter (left it all). Next time we will just bring our own food!

We visit Bolton Abbey frequently: It”s lovely to stop for a tea or coffee after a walk and we can accept a queue for this, But the cakes we have tried including carrot cake, etc are dry and hard, Why?! We now tend to have the scones which are ok although expensive when paying extra for the jam etc,

In honesty, I have often walked by this place visiting Bolton abbey without giving I a second glance but with out usual fish shop closing we thought we would give it a try. I had the stew pot with cob and it was very good infact it felt like i was never going to reach the bottom of the bowl. All the other food looked good and the staff more than helpfull. I has been said this place is a little pricey but i don't think so at all compared to other places. so 5* from me

No haute cuisine here but the Cav Pav is conveniently located next to the riverside car park and they serve cheap and cheerful meals that will suit hungry families. My beef sandwich was tasty and there were no complaints from my party of 6 adults and 6 small children. The staff were very helpful in getting us seated and their attitude was first class I thought.