Clarendon's Cafe in County Durham

I walked to Barnard Castle one lunch time and popped in for a bite to eat. There’s a big choice on the menu and a list of specials. I had the chicken and asparagus pie with veg and chips and it was delicious. My only observation would be that the service was a bit slow but I wasn’t in a hurry.

We went today (Saturday) for the afternoon tea and it was amazing. Definitely one of the best we’ve been to. Portion sizes were perfect meaning you got a bit of everything without feeling sickly. They had a lovely range of sandwiches, sides, scones and desserts. Price was really good value for money. The girls were lovely and we will definitely be visiting again.

Fabulous lunch. The staff are so friendly and efficient and even though they were very busy our food arrived quickly. All the food is homemade. We visit Barnie often and always have our lunch here.

Lovely lunch at Clarendons today, staff are lovely , varied menu as well as specials on the board, couldn’t fault it at all, I would recommend Clarendons to anyone.

We had lunch with friends at Clarendons, lovely could not fault we had the Quiche it was lovely, with salad and homemade chips, will definitely be back and will recommend

Gorgeous homemade food and friendly staff make a visit to Clarendons a must if you are in Barnard Castle. We had the soup with a cheese scone, the quiche and a panini. All meals were delicious and the banoffee pie was amazing.

The service was great & the lunch options were varied & sounded fab. My partner had the quiche (came with new potatoes, salad & coleslaw) & I had pate, toast, chutney & salad. Both meals were delicious & the right amount for a lunchtime meal. We were too full to try one of their delicious looking cakes, which was a shame. The cost was also very reasonable & we will definitely return to try more of their food. Very impressed.

Fantastic- a delicious afternoon tea served by friendly and attentive staff. Would highly recommend visiting and enjoying the wide ranging menu.

Excellent service and food. Had the special mushroom and tarragon soup with croutons and bread and tea. Absolutely Devine

A lovely cafe, very friendly staff and excellent food. Nothing too much trouble, all allergies catered for and my husband was very pleasantly surprised to be asked if he wanted his Speckled Hen serving cold or room temperature. We will definitely be going back.

Spent a lovely lunch upstairs in this interesting old 16th Century building. The service was terrific and the food was good home cooked fare. Will definitely be back . Downs

Rather odd experience at Clarendon’s today, Relatively empty we asked for a table for three, despite downstairs being fairly sparse we were told to go upstairs, not a problem and upstairs although it lacks atmosphere when we were the only ones there, we happily placed our order. Lunch and tea all round, every inch of the food after a few trips of “sorry that’s not available” was lovely, really high quality but missing a few elements that were stated on the menu, nevertheless it was scrummy !! The service was somewhat slap dash, no check to see if our meals were satisfactory, no check to see if we would like desserts, ultimately we ate and we left, quite frankly if I hadn’t asked to pay at the counter on my way out then I am sure no one would of even known we had left. I do feel that the service is what makes the whole package and we were just sadly not made to feel very welcome, looking at previous reviews it does look like we maybe just caught the place on an off day !!

Popped in here for lunch as the menu in the window promised honest food with some good choices. I had the beef stew and dumplings and my partner had the chicken and leek pie with chips and veg. She had to ask for gravy but that’s a minor issue that was rectified with no fuss. Both meals were delicious, coming across as home cooked food. Washed down with a nice pot of tea (with additional hot water without having to ask). The staff were polite and friendly. Overall a great visit, looked over by a mask of Dominic Cummings on the wall. So someone has a sense of humour.

No idea how good the food is here. Shown brusquely to a table upstairs and then forgotten about…..

Popped in for lunch whilst visiting Barnard Castle. Chose Clarendon's because of the brilliant reviews it has. I'll be adding to those, My wife and I had a Panini (Tuna melt, chicken & pesto). Delicious, accompanied with salad (great dressing) and a handful of kettle chips, chips (good chips), and a pot of tea. Finished with a home-made scone (butter, jam and clotted cream. Great food and great value. The lady with a southern accent was lovely and very attentive.

We were recommended to try Clarendons for a light lunch . Nice and busy with a lovely atmosphere, we were guided to the 1st floor to find table 15 , we had the room to ourselves in this beautiful building ( it was a first date so perfect! ) . The menu was very extensive with all of my favourites included ! so the chicken bacon and black pudding warm salad is always one of my favourites, my date chose the Goats cheese warm salad … both were delicious and fresh ingredients used ! Our very attentive waitress ( Alex ) was lovely and chatty throughout, . I would highly recommend.. quality and price !

We had lunch today in Clarendon’s Cafe and it was good. My husband had pie of the day which came with chips and vegetables, also gravy. He really enjoyed it. I chose ham and Wensleydale cheese omelette which was also very good. I like my...

My nieces treated us all to afternoon tea yesterday and it was delicious. The food was great and the cafe is really homely and the lady who served us was really nice .

My friend went for festive afternoon tea. We found it plentiful with lots of variety and also delicious . The staff were friendly and chatty . We would definitely recommend this

Delicious freshly cooked full English breakfast. Friendly staff and relaxed ambience. Would definitely recommend.

Called into Clarendons today for lunch. I had the soup which was delicious and my daughter and mum both had the quiche. Everything was delicious especially the trio of desserts and all homemade . Would definitely this cafe.

Stopped off for lunch during a shopping trip to Barnard Castle (wasnr getting my eyes tested). Ambiance was great, staff were very friendly andcthe food wass first class - definitely a cut above.

We stopped off for a hot drink and cake . The decor is cosy and the staff were very friendly and helpful .

Popped in here with the idea of having a coffee but after looking at the lunch menu, we decided to have the homemade veg soup & bread for lunch. The soup was superb & the granary bread served with it was delicious, set us nicely...

Afternoon tea was really delicious! I used it as a stopover on the way to Edinburgh. Flexible meals and lots given. Option for take qu’à was good. I would recommend the afternoon tea with meringues and chocolate orange cake. The best restaurant in town. however,...

Visited last Tuesday with my heavily pregnant friend for a little "start of maternity leave" treat. The food was amazing, I had the Stilton mushrooms and toast which as always, was perfection, just the right amount of Stilton mixed in. My friend had the "posh" coronation chicken sandwich and was amazed with the portion size and the beautiful chunks of fresh chicken breast. We also ordered an afternoon tea to take away for the "father to be" to enjoy with a few changes to it and nothing was a bother for the team. Excellent service all round. Would highly recommend and we will be returning with baby soon!

Popped in on a Thursday lunchtime, just before Easter weekend after a walk in the Barnard Castle countryside. The lady who helped us with the orders was really lovely and cheerful and the food is excellent quality. Good portions and an absolute bargain. We had...

This is a great place for a light lunch or coffee and cake. I've been a few times with my mum and grandma, the food is always good and is reasonably priced.

We visit this cafe on a regular basis & never been disappointed. Thought we’d try the Sunday lunch It was absolutely delicious. Beef Cooked to perfection, fresh seasonal veg( & lots of gravy without having to ask for extra-unlike most high- end hotels!) Great staff...

We booked a table at Clarendon's for Sunday lunch when we visited Barnard Castle for the weekend. We were shown straight to our table & served with drinks whilst we perused the menu. There was a good choice & I opted for the meat trio...

We stopped at Barnard Castle and found this lovely little cafe for lunch. A really good find! Lunch was delicious, lots of choice. Service was great (fast & friendly). Nice decor and welcoming atmosphere. I'd highly recommend it.

Lovely and tasty vegan breakfast. Nice options of tea. Nice service, very friendly environment. I would highly recommend.

Good atmosphere and lovely lunch here. Homemade soup and quiche were both delicious. The staff are very welcoming and it was a lovely experience. Cakes looked yum.

My wife and i visited this lovely cafe for Sunday lunch and really enjoyed it , my roast beef dinner was top draw and my wife’s nut roast was delicious apparently. The treacle tart with good old fashioned custard topped off a very enjoyable lunch , we shall return. Michael and Amanda ..

Sometimes you don’t want chrome, you want comfort. Grandma, not glamour. My friend and I visited for a booked afternoon tea on a dull and rainy afternoon and this place raised our spirits back to happy! Beautifully presented (photos on other reviews are absolutely spot on), so tasty, and pots and pots of tea. We just loved it. Unashamedly old fashioned and all the better for it, this place clearly has a loyal clientele and more than deserves it. Over two hours passed in a flash and we loved every minute and mouthful. Thank you.

Stopped in Barnard Castle on our way back home. Clarendons looked so inviting as we walked past, so decided to go in. The staff were lovely and friendly, we only wanted coffee, but the food looked wonderful. Recommend it, definitely go back if this way again. Filter coffee £2, cakes looked amazing.

We had the signature afternoon tea for my sister and sister-in-law’s 60th birthdays. It was absolutely delicious and the staff were wonderful. Can highly recommend.

Really lovely cafe. They were full when we arrived, but we're told that they would reserve a table for us once one had cleared. We were asked to come back in 10 minutes. The food was lovely, and the staff were very friendly. Would definitely recommend .

Fantastic tea room who can not do enough to help. The most amazing Gluten Free scones, nothing too much 👍🏻 Club sandwiches and paninis also recommended! Thank you for making my day!

Just had the signature afternoon tea and it was beautiful, well worth getting. Will definitely have again

Had an amazing afternoon tea with family. The staff went above and beyond to cater for fussy family members. Particular favourites were the lemon posset and the scones. Well worth a visit, very friendly staff and great food

Excellent smoked salmon but only three small sandwiches for £4.50!No wi fi either despite them advertising it!

Originally I visited for a gift but decided to try lunch and I’m so glad I did. The welcome was enthusiastic, COVID measures obvious and reassuring. The coffee delicious and the best creamed mushrooms on toast I have eaten in a long time . I followed it with coffee cake and I was highly delighted with everything. It will become a regular lunchtime treat for me.

Visited today - I had the gorgeous breakfast. It was tasty, used good produce and was served quickly. My friend had the soup (broccoli and stilton) and the scone and declared them delicious! Clean, friendly… yes … highly recommended.

Excellent super coffee staff great service excellent toasted sandwiched was lovely we definitely be back

Just had a lovely lunch in Clarendons, Barnard Castle. Excellent staff who are friendly and attentive. Can highly recommend the lemon posset. Good sized menu and a decent specials board.

Wandering around Barnard Castle in the rain trying to find somewhere that looked safe and good for lunch we found this place. Friendly welcome, COVID safe and I had a tasty baked potato.

We have had quiet a few afternoon teas but this one was by far the best they care about there customers and detail everything was just perfect for my wifes birthday thank you too the staff especially Anne marie

No worries for people on the Covid front, all measures are being stricktly adhered to. Plenty of space available to ensure adequate distance between tables. Staff very helpful, food very good indeed. If you want a variation of the menu they are more than willing to accomodate you.One senses the cafe is well used by the locals. Approaching the town centre from the east, off the A66, there's a public car park only few minutes away just before you reach Market Street. Only £1 for four hours.

We visited here for lunch today and thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff were lovely and all Covid guidelines were being adhered too. The food and drink were all lovely. Highly recommend. Thank you x

Called in for tea and scones and it was lovely. Covid safe and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The scones were delicious, the nicest I've had for a long time and the cheese scones reminded me of my mum's - very cheesy!! The food they were serving to other tables looked really good but can only comment on the tea and scones. Would recommend.

Had lunch and drinks. Staff lovely, polite and attentive. Nice fresh filling on the panini accompanied by a tasty side salad and crisps. Good sized jacket potato and plenty of filling. Covid sage. Would call again if in the area.

Called in for lunch without an appointment and no problem with being seated, plenty of room between tables, good food and friendly staff.

We enjoyed lunch twice at Clarendon's and both times the service and food were good. We both had sandwiches one hand cut ham which melted in the mouth and fish club sandwich which was very tasty.

Visited on our way to Scotland today. What a fantastic place, soup was delicious and the staff very attentive and professional. Big shout out to Luke who was great, friendly and efficient. We had soup and drinks but watched all the other food coming out and it all looked amazing. Stop here if you ever get a chance

Decided on afternoon tea for two and was extremely pleased with the standard of the food. We are not keen on smoked salmon but the staff happily gave us an alternative choice.The waitress was lovely, hygiene standards were great too. We will certainly be back!

Back after lockdown with my husband. Pleased to say it is as good as it ever was. Lemon posset to die for and the seafood club sandwich was yummy. Very impressed with the staff and their handling of the Covid restrictions. They even took two chairs out for elderly ladies who had to wait for a table. Won't be long before we are back.

This place only needs a short review. Great place to have lunch if you've been to the Bowes Museum. Better menu, better prices and it supports Barnard Castle's town centre. You will get good quality food, good value and good friendly service. Sounds simple enough but so few places manage to bring it all together.

We had breakfast here with my partners teenage daughter who has special needs, staff were really friendly and made us feel at ease bringing Ellie in. The food was lovely. What a nice introduction to Barnard Castle!

On a cold, wet day in Barnard Castle we entered Clarendon's for a light lunch. The service was prompt, courteous and efficient. Two lovely sandwiches soon came (one gluten-free), with crsips and a small, crisp salad. We'd certainly go back when next in town!

Food excellent prepared fresh every time using local ingredients wherever possible. Staff attentive and friendly and all at a reasonable price

Great food, good prices with very friendly service. Seemed very popular with locals and regulars . Will definitely be visiting again.

This review is well overdue. My wife and i have been to the Clarendon's a few times now and I always say I must do a TA review, well I've finally taken the time to do it. Right on the high street in the centre of Barnard Castle it's perfectly situated for any weary traveller, or two. My wife and I went for their Chicken, Bacon and Black Pudding Salad.... WOW, tasty doesn't do it justice. Earlier in the year we tried their Mackerel and Chorizo salad which is equally as good, but to be honest, the Chicken, Bacon and Black Pudding tops it every time. Their selection of teas and coffee would be hard to beat to, so next time you're in Barnard Castle... Pop in.

Very busy we were seated upstairs. Service was very swift our waiter was very friendly and advised on food as required. We all enjoyed the food the quiche was yummmy with salad and new potatoes. Great coffee

Having traveled up to Barnard Castle for a cottage break we came across this cafe/bistro and decided to have lunch. Friendly service, good food and value for money. Will lunch here again before going home.

A group of friends met here for lunch to have a much needed catch up. We had a range of meals from pie of the day to baguettes and vegan stew. The service was excellent as were the meals.

Have eaten here twice recently and both times have had lovely lunches, with good quality tasty food, presented well.

We popped in here for lunch and treated ourselves to an afternoon tea....we were not disappointed! It was so yummy, the cream scones were delicious as were the sandwiches and cakes!! We will be back!!

Great value breakfast, quality locally sourced produce and attentive staff. This place is worth seeking out on a trip to Barnard for breakfast or lunch.

Good table position in the window. Fish platter at £8.95 for lunch was very meagre and the service was very slow. Small bottle of Prosecco was cool and pleasant. Hubby ordered raspberry crumble with custard. The custard arrived in a small jug which was too hot to handle! Obviously been microwaved

We arrived here early afternoon after seeing that this place did vegetarian/vegan options. The interior is very welcoming and well decorated.

Stopped here for a mid morning snack. Chose coffee and toasted tea cakes. The latte coffee was good however the tea cakes although large were hardly toasted and only slightly warm. Could do better.

Met by a charming young man who was politeness personified, attentive and helpful. Our tea, coffee and wicked deserts were delicious. Thank you from Table 5

My go to place when in Barnard Castle. Scones are lovely and coffee (Italian strong) my favourite. I must mention the young man working on till and taking orders us a credit to the tearoom. Always so pleasant and professional and even though it was an extremely busy day he managed to take payments,take orders and serve all with a huge smile. Very well done to him indeed. Sorry I didn't get his name.

Lovely place, great food and friendly staff. Nothing too much trouble. Had a quick bite to eat in nice warm surroundings on a cold misribble day.

Lovely home made food and a nice warm atmosphere we always call in for lunch when in Barnie Home made soups and breads and a good choice of sandwiches.

We stopped here for a quick lunch whilst passing through Barnard Castle. I don’t usually write reviews but felt this cafe deserved one, and mainly because of the customer service. The young man and young woman who served us today (Tuesday) were so friendly, polite and just everything you could want in service. My husband and I run a pub and the service we received is just how we expect and was lovely for us to be looked after so well. Thank you!

Delicious afternoon tea! Quality ingredients and excellent service £14 per person. Great value for what you get.

Visited twice in a 3 day visit. We come from Newark on Trent which has more good cafes (and restaurants) than you can shake a couple of sticks at. Clarendon's had great breakfast and green teas and tasty coffee, but the thing that really made it for my wife was the quality of the scones. I couldn't complain either . The other cakes looked nice and I think they did savouries but none of it got a look in after the scones. Very pleasant and good service plus good value for money. Definitely recommended.

We were out on New Eve’s afternoon shopping in Barnard Castle with friends and decided to have a snack here. We had tea and scones and it was lovely. The service was first class. It’s a nice place to eat and have a tea or coffee.

Monday I drove to Barnard Castle for a talk on history at St Mary’s Church and decided to call for lunch at Clarendon’s cafe, this used to be the Market Place Teashop and has undergone massive changes since the change in ownership, certainly the decor has changed !

It's places like this that make me wish I lived nearer and could visit more often! Only had time for a drink, but the service was good, the atmosphere was lovely and there seemed to be lots of locals in, enjoying the food. The young man who served us seemed to know a lot of the customers (or he was very, very friendly!) Both I would imagine, it's that sort of place where you can relax and enjoy food and drink in an unhurried environment. Anyway, the food we saw looked very good. There was also a little gift shop upstairs, with some delightfully unusual gifts. Well worth the visit.

A wonderful local business cafe.

Visited Clarendon’s during a day trip to Barnard Castle and was extremely impressed! I’m vegetarian and am usually stuck for choice but was very pleased to see a super range of veggie choices. The dish I chose was on the specials board - soup and a turkey sandwich- but when I asked if I could change the sandwich for a veggie one it was no trouble at all! The soup was Brussels sprout soup and it tasted amazing. My partner had a fantastic steak pie which he thoroughly enjoyed. We both had desert which were also gorgeous. Will definitely go there again if ever in Barnard Castle! Service was great too. Well done Clarendons!

Clarendon's was recommended to us by a local. We were not disappointed! Fantastic food, friendly staff and great atmosphere. We will definitely go back whenever we are in Barnard Castle.

No matter what the weather is like .. a rainy day or a sunny day, you can’t go wrong popping in here for a coffee or a light lunch. There’s a roaring fire in the bad weather - just to add to the lovely atmosphere. Food is always good, and the staff are very attentive. There’s a little gift shop upstairs. Popular most times and may need to book ahead or be prepared to wait at times. Lovely little find - in this dales town.

A dreich day in Barnard Castle (the weather, not the town!) was definitely brightened up by a stop in Clarendon's for a snack. The staff were attentive and friendly, and the food was very tasty - I had a warm beef baguette which was delicious, and my son and father in law shared an afternoon tea which looked very nice too.

Have always loved coming here however today i ordered the smoked salmon carbonara and found the sauce to be extremely runny.

Came here for lunch and as lovely as the food tasted the portion sizes were very small. The panini had to be the smallest I have ever seen and for over £6 it should have been bigger really. Shame though as service was excellent and the decor is lovely.

We called at this cafe on a trip from our home to Newcastle. We actually found it on TripAdvisor and decided it would be a good place to break our trip. We found it slightly difficult to get through the door because of the way the cash register is put there were people stood in front of the door. We found a table and the staff came quickly and took our order. The food when it came was good and the prices reasonable. We will definitely call on our next trip to Newcastle.

We were in Barnard Castle visiting the wonderful Bowes Museum. After a morning in the museum, in need of a rest and something to eat, we made the ten minute walk into town to eat at Clarendon's. Having done my research before visiting the area, I had seen Clarendon's menu online and knew they had vegan options.

A lovely little café next to the market area with a great traditional atmosphere - a real old fashioned feel. Food is not old fashioned, though. Traditional favourites and modern international dishes are on the menu and cooked to perfection. Tea is served in pots with cup and saucer (thank God), or there are is the normal variety of coffees if you prefer that, together with a good selection of other beverages. Everything we ate was delicious and the service was prompt and friendly.

We stopped in Barnard Castle en route from Yorkshire to Scotland and chanced upon this. The staff were extremely pleasant and the food and atmosphere very good too. Pity I don’t travel through more often!

Often call here for a lovely Rich Italian Taylor's coffee and delicious cream scone after shopping in Barnard Castle. It's a lovely welcoming, comfortable place with efficient friendly staff. Also a very nice gift shop upstairs with lovely, tasteful selection of things and a good range of stylish jewellery also. Always look forward to calling in here

Lovely atmosphere pleasant friendly staff and lovely lunch. Super hot house coffee hits the spot on a cold day. Definitely worth a visit and a look in the gift shop upstairs for a treat ! Five star for Clarendon’s Barnard Castle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have visited this cafe/ restaurant on two separate occasions once for a business breakfast and once for a business lunch and both times the food has been delicious and the service very friendly. I would highly recommend this establishment.

We only had scones, cake and tea and coffee following a walk in the Yorkshire Dales. But the staff were pleasant and tearooms nicely decorated. There is a small gift shop upstairs. If you need a break I recommend this place.

I seldom give 5/5 but there was nothing to fault really.

We really enjoyed our visit to Clarendons. It's a great place. The food was excellent and the service is always superb. Luke is fantastic. He is undoubtedly the star of the show. He has a great attitude and is the perfect host. Very attentive, engaging and he clearly loves his role. Whatever it is you pay him you should double it.

Called in after a busy morning exploring Barnard Castle. Waiter quickly saw us seated and was over promptly to take our order. Coffee was good and strong and hot. Nice selection of both hot and cold dishes are available here. It was so good we came back again the next day!. The young waiter is to be commended on his people skills! He makes the place tick.