Central Cafe & Tea Rooms in South Kesteven

Very nice spot for a lunch in a busy market square in a lovely town - where we wanted somewhere independent and with a bit of character. Found a table outside which was a perfect holiday moment spot. Good choice of sandwiches, good coffee. Best part though was climbing the stairs to the top floor of the ancient building to find the loo.

Welcoming; Great Choice of Food at very reasonable prices. Well presented and good quality food with a super atmosphere and decor that takes you back.

Found the staff courteous and helpful. Nice clean facilities upstairs. Enjoyed sitting at a table outside in the square. Resisted the cakes but this was hard as they looked very good.

Travelled with family and needed lunch. Pros: looks nice outside, nice inside. Young staff are polite and fairly attentive. Cons: place is a bit dirty (we sat upstairs) with food bits down the backs of the chairs, the tables very sticky with spillages etc. The paninis we had - including the 'Chef's Special' - were rubbish (awful even) and presented on a grubby wooden plaque with scant ingredients and soft crisps in a small bucket. The chicken burger literally dripped with grease and the eggs benedict was flavourless and over-smothered in the hollandaise sauce, though the eggs were nicely cooked. We were too tired to make anything of this but when asked (when paying on the way out) by one of the staff if all was ok, we did mention our disappointment and she seemed to at least show some concern. Based on this, our first experience of this establishment, I can only recommend you venture no further than a cake - all of which did look nice - and a cup of tea and thus spare yourself the unpleasant feeling of having been 'stung'.

What a lovely little town Stamford is. This little cafe in the centre offers lovely light lunches and awesome cakes. I had a BLT with beautiful fresh bread. Came with side salad and crisps. A little on the pricey side but very enjoyable. Friendly, prompt service. Upstairs toilets not good for the disabled, but there is a public loo just outside. No toilet paper in it though!

We had lunch here on Monday with our grandaughter Food as ever good , try the panini excellent choice But more than anything the selection of milkshakes OMG Service perfect as ever Waitress really lovely My husband told my grandaughter that his Mum used to bring him here when he was a kid 55 years ago ! And it’s remained the same !

We visited Stamford's Central Cafe and Tea Rooms recently. Our last visit was several years ago. The cafe has an excellent ambience with a nice display of cakes and goodies. The service was excellent. My bacon bap was done to perfection exactly as I asked for it to be done. The loos were also very clean, airy and well stocked. Central Cafe will now be our regular stop in Stamford, it is much nicer than many of Stamford's other cafes. The window display is very unusual (and interesting).

This cafe has a very nice atmosphere, with friendly waiting staff, interesting décor, views of the town, and excellent ham and cheese omlettes.

The building is fascinating and the food was delicious and well presented. The staff were friendly and professional, nothing was too much trouble

I wanted to give 3.5 stars really but, as i couldn't, I've erred on the side of generosity. I had a good pasty and chips with a cup of tea here. Service was friendly and brisk. Prices were very reasonable. The attractive old building has a cosy, welcoming interior as well as outdoor seating overlooking the attractive square. A pleasant lunch.

Welcome was friendly, cafe was spotless and toilets were clean. There was a large selection of food. Upstairs had plenty of seating and nice views.

My friend and I called in here for a hot drink and shared and almond tart. It was a Saturday and the café was very busy but the service was good. We saw dishes being served and they all looked really well presented and tasty. There is seating upstairs so don’t be put off if it appears busy when you look in the downstairs window!

Very varied menu, freshly cooked delicious food, helpful friendly staff, reasonable prices. Separate toilets for men and women. Brilliant. A real gem. Would go again if ever in Stamford. The building is very old and has a lovely atmosphere and decor.

We recently visited Stamford for the first time in several years. Not sure where to go for lunch we opted for the Central Cafe on the basis that a lot of other people were already in there. Although there were many others there, we received a friendly greeting and were shown straight to a table. Our orders were promptly taken and also subsequently delivered. Our food was prepared to a very high standard and very reasonably priced. All round, we thought the Central Cafe provided excellent service and value for money, and we have no hesitation in recommending it to others.

Our first visit and we sat upstairs before realising we hadn't looked at display downstairs. so we just ordered sausage rolls. They were warmed but a mediocre flavour. Drinks and prices fine and staff lovely. So I would like to go back another time to try the cakes. PS it is a trek up to the toilets.

My husband and I have been calling into this cafe for a number of years when we are on our road trips from the Northeast..we have always had excellent service as well as very good food. Sadly our recent visit will be our last..we arrived at 4.15 aware that closing was 4.30 but thought this would at least give us time to grab a hot drink and a piece of cake to takeaway..we were told that the machines were switched off so unable to get a hot drink and when asked about toilets were told there was still the public toilet outside..when we went to look it closed at 4pm! I asked if I could use the cafe toilet which I am aware is on the very top floor but with my mobility now not being as it was this made things difficult for me..staff did not off any assistance or apology.. At the time of our visit there were still customers eating and drinking..hopefully they didn’t want an extra cuppa! It would seem that the staff were more concerned about leaving the cafe at 4.30 than serving a few more drinks 15 mins prior to closing time. It’s such a shame as we have spent many a happy time at the cafe with our family.

A beautiful old and well presented experience. The cakes look scrumptious BUT, wifey and I shared a cheese scone and a fruit scone the fruit scone was delicious however the cheese scone had zero cheese flavour and it also tasted sweet which seems like they used the same mix for both fruit and cheese scone, most disappointing, hopefully they will read this and amend their recipe. Otherwise it was a pleasant experience and would not put me off coming again. Dave

We’ve been to Stamford before but not to this cafe. Mistake!! We won’t do that again- quick service and very nice food. Prices reasonable and decent helpings. Efficient and cheerful service/ seems to be a favourite in Stamford- no surprise there

Very good food, service and ambience - and excellent value too. Highly recommended - if you have time make sure you try it.

Ordered a breakfast delivery, was all good except the hash browns were full of black bad potato, when I called to ask for a replacement the chef was rude and claimed it was not his fault as they were supplied like this when I said he might have changed them when he was cooking as he would have noticed the problem then he just continued to deny and told me to take up my issue with just eat! Will never buy from this place again

Called in for lunch. Very friendly welcome. Food was excellent and good value for money. The waitresses were very friendly and service was good. If it looks full and you want to sit inside there are lots of tables upstairs.

Went for breakfast with friends, nothing was too much trouble all of us had an amazing breakfast could have stayed all day in the relaxed atmosphere..would highly recommend

An absolutely excellent find. An enchanting venue with a wonderful narrow winding staircase climbing three floors. Very carefully decorated to make the most of original features and to not destroy the heritage of the building. It occupies a good centra position with some outside seating. The menu leans toward the healthy and has a very wide selection of hot and cold food and cakes. The cake and =savoury counter is in itself a feast for the eyes and portion sizes are generous. Staffed by efficient young people its a superb place to stop off for lunch. Highly recommended

Never been to Stamford before and came across this cafe, where we had superb toasted tea cakes, delicious coffee and excellent, friendly service.

Popped in bank holiday Friday for one tea ,one flat white , cream scone and toasted tea cake ,busy as was bank holiday Friday staff were friendly, tea cake was ok though butter was solid , coffee and tea was Luke warm , scone was rock hard on the outside like you could smash a window with it , maybe storing scones in a container would help rather than having in the open may help , probably give it a miss next time we visit Stamford .

Great little cafe in the centre of town. The staff were welcoming and friendly and served us quickly. The food and drinks were appetising and tasty. The cafe was clean and well run and we will certainly be back again when we have another day...

Absolutely lovely, highly recommend this quaint cafe. The service was great and the staff, very friendly.

It was lovely to return to the Central Cafe having not been for over 30 years having moved away from Stanford. I was so pleased to see it was still there and my daughter and I enjoyed an upstairs table with a view over the...

We were told as a family of 4 that although the ground floor seating area (which is tiny and consists mainly of tables for 2) was full, we were not permitted to sit upstairs. It was 4.10pm and we were only looking to buy a...

We ate in the upstairs room of this fantastic old building and it was a great spot for lunch. The service was keen and the food was generally OK but my partners choice of Turkish Eggs turned out to be a mistake, primarily because the...

My friend and I visited the Central today and enjoyed a superb coffee and delicious coffee and walnut cake and was more than delighted too with the reasonable price. It was so good we decided to go back for lunch and again the food was...

Lunch here today with friends was fun Excellent service upstairs great guy Panni s are really good and filling My husband had bacon sandwich which he loved

Lovely brunch. Efficient and attentive service. Pleasant surroundings. (It is a very steep trek to the loo though !!!!)

Really beautiful vintage decor inside, plenty of seating upstairs. Hot chocolate was good, bacon cob delicious. Would return if in the area again.

dropped a £2 coin down the drain and they were very helpful and gave me utensils to get it back, very polite staff and helpful

Over a weekend visit to Stamford in Lincolnshire, I breakfasted twice in the wonderful historic building that is Central Cafè and Tea Rooms. Beautifully laid out, furnished and decorated. The staff were warm, professional and efficient in their service. The cooked breakfast was outstanding. Highly...

A warm and friendly atmosphere. We sat upstairs. Great breakfast menu. We both had full English breakfasts with coffee and orange juice. The breakfast was excellent. Every component of the breakfast was tasty. Black pudding: great. Sausage: very tasty. Bacon: excellent. Maybe the best tasting...

This was our first visit here and we were very impressed It was very busy but the service was very good and the staff friendly We just had, three, coffees and they were excellent

Visited today at lunchtime. There were no seats availible so my family and I spoke to the young man behind the counter and said we were happy to wait outside so that we didn't block up the shop. My 2 autistic boys struggle in busy...

Paid 25 quid for 2 full English breakfasts, they arrived with hash browns full of bad potato totally put us off when we called to complain we we told its not their fault but the suppliers and said what do you want me to do...

Would highly recommend this lovely little tearoom, we had afternoon teas for my sisters baby shower today and it was presented so well and was delicious! Very friendly and welcoming staff, also over emails where very helpful and accommodating as we wanted pink decorations for...

Delicious cake and pasty at the Central cafe and tea room. Great service from Alex. We didn’t have to wait for our food. Rainbow cake is to die for.

We had a delicious breakfast here Lovely efficient staff Highly recommended. Centrally located as the name suggests.

The food is lovely, delicious freshly baked bread, pastries and cakes served by polite and friendly staff in an excellent historic building in the centre of a beautiful Lincolnshire town. The only drawback is that they play the local commercial radio station for background music....

We visited Stamford and came in here for a breakfast. It was fantastic. Got to be the best one I've had out for years. The plate was plentiful and well presented. The sausages and bacon are great quality. The chose poached egg and it was...

It's old fashioned but I actually don't mind that. It's what it is. Reasonable food , nothing fussy. Prices ok. If I owned the place I'd probably keep the tea room vibe but take it a little more upmarket. Redecorate , paint and few antiques....

This cafe is very dated. The coffee was no more than average and overpriced based on the quality. I also had coffee and walnut cake. A generous slice but disappointing and slightly stale. Would probably go somewhere else next time.

A group of four, we just popped in for coffee and cake. The gluten-free carrot cake was amazing, one of the best I’ve ever had. The coffee and walnut cake also got the thumbs up. Very busy place on a nice square.

Good to enjoy nice food in an historic building in the heart of Stamford. Staff pleasant a day provide an efficient service. Plenty of choice on the menu and some great cake choices too.

This place was a great find. Its is a lovely old building which has been looked after well. The business is set out well with servery on the ground floor' most of the seating on the first floor and toilets on the second floor. After...

Good selection of savoury food and cakes, including vegan, on display with hot food menu also available. Nice traditional surroundings and both guys working today were friendly and we were served quickly. The only minor issue was that the side order of chips weren’t hot...

Popped in here on a very busy New Year’s Eve. Got a nice booth upstairs and was told by a very apologetic waitress it would be 15mins till our food arrived. We were in no hurry, so this was not a problem. The food would...

Very professional and friendly service! Food and drinks are lush. Would highly recommend! Very impressed

My wife recently took me to the Central for my birthday as an extra treat. Sitting in the window looking at the Christmas lights was wonderful. The menu is geared to breakfast and lunch and the food was fantastic. The service was very friendly and...

Always liked this place for their take away cakes but actually had no idea how good their hot food is too! Breakfast is amazing value and portions and quality can't be faulted. Especially the veggie breakfast which is the best I've ever had. Great service...

I’m not one for writing reviews but I made an account solely because of my experience here. We arrived and the door was closed so poor covid hygiene right off the bat which is not good at all as we are in a pandemic my...

We always visit this excellent cafe when in Stamford. We visited today for coffee and cake and as always, the food, service and value for money were excellent. We also purchased cakes to take away. We look forward to visiting again.

Brilliant atmosphere oozing a sense of history. Food very good indeed. Quality excellent and good value for money. Very convenient for the town centre and plenty of parking available over the other side of the river, next to the station, a short distance away. Full...

Always choose this place to have lunch or afternoon tea, can’t fault the food. Such a charming place, last time I went I noticed refurbed bathrooms which are now beautiful! Looks small from outside but lots of upstairs seating with a view of the square....

Very quaint tea room with a nice selection of snacks. Coffee was good as well as the cake. We sat outside which was nice. We will visit again when in Stamford

Only ordered a full English and a bacon roll and they some how forgot the bacon roll. Black pudding was average but everything else on the full English was lovely

Regularly visited Central Cafe prior to lockdown and now regularly order food to do. Front staff are great, food is great as is the price. The only downfall that is getting quite infuriating is how often things are in the order are wrong. The last...

A really quaint tearoom, lots of lovely cakes and pastries. Had the malteaser tiffin, very nice and very popular by the sounds of it! Great people watching window seat facing the church.

We feel VERY lucky to have Central as one of our locals! Stamford has so much to offer and even as residents it takes a long time to make your way around the lovely cafès, but this one is one of the finest! We have...

Where to start... maybe the food. Superb, absolutely superb. The decor, got serious merrie England vibes from this place (West Yorkshire eatery). One couldn’t help admire the armour looming over my shoulder whilst I tucked into a 3 component butty - the classic bacon sausage...

We have been to the coffee shop before. Due to restrictions the upstairs wasn’t available. However, the room down stairs is very spacious and well laid out. The decore is quirky and clean. The food and drinks are lovely and well priced. The staff are...

We stopped for late breakfast off the A1 and this was a great find. So much better than any of the services. I had toasted muffin with ratatouille, poached eggs, hollandaise and pesto and it was perfect. Nice flat white too. Beautiful toilets!! Lovely old...

Excellent service and food. Well worth the money husband has full English and I had scrambled egg which wasn’t on the menu but was lovely.

Visited at the beginning of September. Tables not cleared. Had to ask staff to clear table - which they did, but then they didn’t clean the table! Had to ask them to come back and clean table. But no sanitising spray used just a damp...

I visited here today with a friend, arriving around 1230pm. There was plenty of tables downstairs & loads more upstairs. The view over the square & church upstairs is lovely. The place is very quaint, very old & full of history. The food price was...

Lovely place to eat. Table service which I like. We had a panini, sandwich & full English breakfast. Panini and sandwich both served with a lovely dressed side salad and a generous tumbler of crisps, full English was good quality and plentiful. Tasty food and...

My husband and I visited yesterday for a coffee. Bearing in mind we are in the middle of a pandemic, this visit did nothing to put me at ease. The doors were closed which meant every visitor had to touch the handle for a start....

Stopped for lunch on a visit to the town. Had the soup and a sandwich. Both clearly home made, and delicious. Good, prompt service. I can thoroughly recommend for a quick, tasty lunch.

Central Cafe & Tearooms is our go-to place for lunch every time we visit Stamford!! The lunches are amazing, such good variety and always delicious without fail. Most importantly I can't express enough how wonderful the staff are! Nothing is a problem for them, they...

Popped in for lunch. Some seating outside. Seating upstairs too but this is not for people with mobility issues as steep and curved. One bannister very rickety. Toilets upstairs. Toilets very clean. Limited choice for lunch and couldn’t see drinks lists.Take away service available. Friendly...

Three of us called in for a cream scone. Tea room was nice, staff friendly and toilets very nice. The scones were dry and not fresh and one of the pots of cream was still frozen. The staff offered to try and defrost it in...

Have been here before and always enjoyed. Very good covid precautions in place. Friendly young waitress. Good choice despite us being late ish for lunch Excellent jacket potato for on of us and an Italian bread with salad for me.. Both took the new Mediterranean...

The take away Sunday roast was a waste of my money. I caanot believe that a retaurant would supply HORSERADISH GRAVY with a PORK dinner.

Popped in after a recommendation from a local business owner around the corner. Friendly welcome and good coffee - pleased when I saw Cortado on the menu and it didn't disappoint.

Popped in for a pot of tea and a cappuccino late afternoon. Not busy, prompt service and good drinks. Interesting decor, few regulars which is always a good sign. No toilet, but public ones very close by, 20p coin given by staff to enable entry.

After a lovely stroll around beautiful Stamford we called into The Central Cafe & Tea Rooms. Sitting near the windows it was a lovely place to “people watch”. Coffee & fruit scones were delicious, service was good too. Highly recommended.

Lovely freshly cooked , friendly and welcoming staff , thought we had booked but turns out main management do not pass the bookings on to staff in the tea rooms. Luckily spaces available.

The cafe is in the centre of Stamford near the melton mowbray pie shop. The staff are friendly and service is quick. The cafe is quirky in a very old building. There is a large selection of homemade cakes which were delicious.

popped in last week with my wife for a lunch snack...she had pesto flat bread and I chicken burger...food was as it should be, service very pleasant, great place to dine for lunch and I can fully recommended for shoppers and kids with.

Just had a lovely full English breakfast, the amazing building is full of character and the staff are friendly and attentive.

This place has great reviews, we must have hit a bit of a bad morning, I had booked a table for four for breakfast, staff were good and welcoming, order taken fairly promptly. When my wife's vegetarian breakfast arrived there was no veggie sausage or...

Food was very good( I had a wonderful burger) and the building is beautiful dating back to the 15th century. Service was quick.

Set in a lovely historic, medieval, location, this quaint cafè looks out over Red Lion Square towards the impressive All Saint's Church. A quality scrumptious breakfast was professionally served by happy and lovely staff 🙂 👌

Arrived early, 09:30 looking for a breakfast and was told that they didn’t start cooking until 10:00. However, the waiter said he would ask the chef and breakfast was served there and then. Nothing was too much trouble and the meal was delicious. Went back...

1st time visit Stamford town , looking for Xmas Market , ask local they said only on Friday have a market , not on Sunday . Walk around saw this exotics small building , walk in . Good feeling “ nice services “ tasty soup...

After a busy morning it is always nice to eat a snack here. I chose a Cornish pasty which was soft and tasty. Lovely pastry. I followed this with a cherry flapjack and a pot of tea. Good service and views.

The village of Stanford is a picturesque delight and the Central Cafe and Tea Rooms is a little gem that only adds to the atmosphere of this quaint town. The building is all heavy beams and twinkling glass with a counter full of naughty tempting...

A lovely generous afternoon tea for two, we ate upstairs and its a warming atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

We were looking for somewhere to have breakfast other than the hotel we were staying at. I am so tired of the Full English Breakfast. This place had just what I wanted: Fantastic oatmeal made with water and topped with real maple syrup! I also...

Came here for breakfast and coffee and very impressed, great selection of coffees and food. Food was perfect could not fault it good sized portions and good value. Staff are very polite and friendly making it a very relaxing positive atmosphere.

The cafe has only been open for two or three weeks. Looking in through the window indicates a nice cosy place with tables and waitress service. The menu for morning coffee and cake was good, the waitress service pleasant and quick. Both the toasted tea...

We’ve been here twice now, the paninis are really tasty, lots of choice & the cakes are amazing. Knocked a star off due to the service being a bit slow but other than that we can’t fault it.

Popped in for some coffee and cake and will definitely be back. Food is excellent and service is first class.

This is the second time we have been to this coffee shop and had breakfast both times. Food was really tasty and good quality. Friendly staff and nice to look out over the market square.

We popped in here for a cup of coffee whilst visiting Stamford. Went upstairs to find an enchanting room full of character and charm. The coffee was delicious and having looked at the menu we decided to come back for lunch. We thoroughly enjoyed our...