Cloisters Kitchen & Garden in Chichester

I had a poor experience with a liver meal. Little liver and no Veg. I got a dried Yorkshire pudding in place of veg which was very poor indeed. Also it cost as much as the more substantial meals. I paid 11.95 as is the main price for the lunch. Can't understand why I had to pay that much for less food and particularly a dry Yorkshire pudfing. Its not really suitable for a liver dish anyway. I protested but they didn't seem to realise

A lovely place to come to every time we are in Chichester

Excellent food, friendly team, a super find. Loved my main meal, delicious and a good sized potion.

Charged 65p extra for having breakfast tea. The cashier said this counted as a speciality tea and only Yorkshire tea is £2.25! What a con! We won't be coming back.

Situated in a Cathedral garden, Cloisters has reinvented itself as a first class restaurant. The highlight of Sunday lunch is roast chicken breast which us piled on top of roasted mixed vegetables and topped by a gigantic Yorkshire pudding, The staff are delightful and welcoming. In the Summer the windows fold back for an Al Fresco dining experience.

Slow service. Good food but very expensive for what it is.

I brought a group to Cloisters for lunch in September 2023 and we enjoyed it so much that we returned in September this year. Excellent food, good prices, and very friendly staff. No doubt we'll be back next year!

This is my go to place for lunch or tea when in Chi. On this visit I had the cream tea, fat, fresh fruity scone and a pot of tea, sat in the sunshine in the lovely garden. Delicious!

Lovely local quiche and fresh salad with a pot of decaffeinated tea served by the friendly team Clean toilets

I visited Cloisters Cafe yesterday afternoon with some family members, & we had a lovely time. We chose to sit in the garden as it was sunny, & enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea together. Highly recommended!

We met up at Cloisters Cafe for a special family reunion and were allocated a wonderful large round table in a quiet corner overlooking the gardens. The staff could not have been more friendly and welcoming, with an extra special mention going to Andrea. We celebrated with a gorgeous selection of beautifully baked cakes, teas and coffees. A very big thank you to Cloisters Cafe from us all.

We had a very nice light lunch but what really impressed me was the cleanliness of the cafe. I watched a gentleman whose name I asked for afterwards was DOMINIC who didn’t stop working while we were there, clearing and cleaning tables, the floor was spotless and where you put your tray afterwards was also cleaned. Perhaps his contribution is ignored by customers but he is certainly a credit to your cafe and we will be returning as a result, knowing how clean everything is. Thank you Dominic.

Thank you to Lorraine and team for a fabulous afternoon tea for our son's graduation. Highly recommended.

My wife and I have eaten at Cloisters previously and never had a problem prior to today (12th Sept 2024). Our experience today was totally unacceptable and we weren’t the only ones to suffer in this way. In fact another customer came to our table and asked if we were having a similar experience to her and her husband. Reason for dissatisfaction: 11.45 - arrived. Too early for lunch, which wasn’t to be served until 12. Ordered two drinks and waited until 12. 11.55 - went to the counter to order food. Told food can’t be served until 12, so waited. First in queue. 12.00 - Placed order for two cooked meals and given a table number and told meal to be delivered to table. Paid for meal. 12.25 - No food yet, although other customers bringing food away from the counter. Asked if there was a problem with food. Told no, but having to wait, because kitchen having to serve a buffet elsewhere for graduating students. No mention of this at the time of ordering and paying. 12.35 - Still no food, so my wife went to enquire again. Same reason given, but told chef just about ready to prepare hot food for service. Offered an apology and cake, or free drink by the hapless waitress who was left to deal with this chaos. Didn’t want a cake, or free drink, so politely declined. 12.37 - Another customer came to ask if we were having a similar problem to her. 12.40 - Food eventually arrived. We ate it, but the occasion had been ruined by such poor service, so didn’t enjoy it. Food lukewarm and side salad insipid. 12.50 - Finished eating. Said farewell to other customer, who informed me her meal had been spoiled by the experience and her husband’s egg was “solid hard”. Such an experience is totally unacceptable. The restaurant chose to put the needs of others (graduating students) before paying customers. If the restaurant was unable to deal with regular paying customers AND the buffet in an acceptable way it should either have closed the restaurant for the day, or at least told customers at the point of ordering that there would be a delay on food. If that had been the case we would have left and dined elsewhere. The waitress did later acknowledge that we should have been told, but by then it was too late. Chaos reigned and communication / customer service was appalling.

Part of Chichester Cathedral but in a different building nearby, with great views of the cathedral through the skylight window. The café is comfortable, relaxed and spacious and has a high-quality offering of hot & cold food, desserts and hot drinks.

I've just had the chorizo, cheddar and onion quiche and I can state that it was heavenly, and as a christian I don't say that lightly! The service was very efficient and the staff were friendly and helpful. I sat in the garden and it was so relaxing and peaceful! I'll definitely be coming back!

Tasty food at tasty prices in a lovely setting!

We always have a fabulous time here either in the cafe or garden! Fabulous selection of food and drink !

Had breakfast here, then after a stroll carvery roast lunch. Huge helpings of beef, selection of vegetables, plus yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes. Excellent value but as I said before huge helpings which we couldn't finish.

I have visited here a few times since I am a local and everytime that I visit the staff are extremely helpful, kind, patient and accommodating, not to mention that the food is delicious and a great portion size, fantastic value for money with beautiful views and a friendly vibe.

Nice out of the way cafe with a garden area. A little overpriced for what you get. Latte was substandard given they have all the right equipment. They steamed the milk then put the coffee in afterwards! The salted caramel icecream is gorgeous though...

A very nice and quiet place to eat.

My daughter had the best time decorating biscuits this morning. The coffee and cakes myself and my sister had were unreal, toddler enjoyed the biscuit decorating and the baby went feral for the brownie bits (genius idea by the way whoever thought to put little chunks of brownie in a bag, perfect for my 1 year old) Lorraine was fantastic, running round after all the kids decorating, bringing boxes out for us to to take the creations home and telling us what’s coming next for the kids. We will be back for the next one. Megan behind the counter was wonderful, very patient while my daughter ran back and forth refusing to decide on a drink and taking her sweet time picking a cake. She helped us to the table with our tray and explained how the biscuit decorating session was going to go. Overall a fantastic experience start to finish, all 4 of us had a great time and we will be back.

I regret to leave this review, but our experiences at Cloisters Cafe have been quite disappointing. On our first visit on Saturday, the 13th of July, around 14:00, we witnessed an extremely unprofessional and distressing incident. The manager was harshly reprimanding a young girl behind the counter, causing her to burst into tears. Following this, the manager stormed into the kitchen and began shouting at the staff there as well. When she finally came to take our order, it felt as though we were a great inconvenience to her. The atmosphere was so unpleasant that we decided to leave without placing an order, as we did not want to support an establishment that treats its staff in such a manner. Hoping it was just a one-off, we decided to give Cloisters Cafe another chance today. Unfortunately, the experience was no better. We were greeted with a grunt, and when I asked for a glass, I was rudely pointed towards them, as if to say, "get it yourself." This level of service and apparent disregard for customer care is unacceptable. We will not be returning to Cloisters Cafe, and I would advise others to avoid it as well until there is a significant improvement in both staff treatment and customer service

Cloisters Kitchen and Garden Cafe in Chichester is a charming and quaint spot, perfect for those who appreciate a quieter, more traditional cafe experience. Nestled away from the hustle and bustle, it offers a serene environment that is well-suited for a more mature clientele looking to enjoy a peaceful afternoon.The cafe's decor is undeniably twee, with a homely and nostalgic feel that transports you to a simpler time. This aesthetic is complemented by their delightful vanilla scones, which are truly a highlight. Served with jam and cream, the scones are fresh, delicious, and worth every penny.However, there are a few aspects that could benefit from some attention. The glasses had water marks, and the coffee was unfortunately served almost cold. A bit more focus on these details could greatly enhance the overall experience. The flat white coffee, although flavoursome, would have been much better if it was served hot.One unique touch that stood out was the cold water served by Cano, which was a refreshing and cool addition to the meal. The cafe was quiet during our visit, offering a peaceful retreat from the busy streets of Chichester.The service was on the slower side, which could be seen as a drawback if you're in a hurry. However, if you're looking to take your time and enjoy a leisurely visit, this might not be an issue.All in all, Cloisters Kitchen and Garden Cafe offers a quaint and peaceful experience, with some delightful elements such as the vanilla scones and Cano water. While there is room for improvement in service speed and attention to detail, it remains a worthwhile visit for those who appreciate a traditional and quiet cafe atmosphere.

Popped in for a spot of lunch, visited a while ago with friends, weren’t disappointed homemade beetroot soup and large homemade sausage roll with salad. Exceptional food.

I had a flap jack and a coffee here and they were both super delicious. The staff all seemed really chipper and friendly, and the garden area that I sat in was really pretty with a view of the cathedral. It's a staple cafe in chichester and I would totally recommend.

Peaceful, great place to stop after a day's shopping for tea and cake.

Went with my daugter who asked for Brie and bacon panini without cranberry. I asked for ham salad sanwhich on white bread. My sandwhich came on brown bread and the tiniest bit of ham. My daughter’s sandwhich came covered in cranberry and not much Brie or bacon. Sorry to say for the price we paid wont be going back.

On Monday the barista , the polite young lady with purple glasses , made me the most wonderful latte . cherry bakewell was delicious , will be back.

Lovely food , would benefit from having gravy on the side option and a little less salt ! Staff were fantastic and helpful. Environment rather noisy in main area but there is a quieter zone to the left of the entrance. Will be visiting again 👍

Very disappointing. A small fruit scone with jam was £5! Both BLTs we ordered only had one and a half rashers in the entire sandwich (very stingy!) but so much butter it was not pleasant so discarded most of the bread as it was not enjoyable. The atmosphere in the garden was lovely, though, and staff were nice (although I noticed one sandwich in the order was missed on the receipt so went back to order and pay). Just a shame the quality-price point were not aligned for the food we had. It was an expensive lunch as I left hungry and went to Pret to buy a proper sandwich! Unfortunately, I won’t risk going back.

Our family of 7 had a superb Easter lunch at 4 canon lane Chichester plus I have arranged other meals at the cathedral cafe itself and all meals and service have been very good. The staff are attentive and polite so the dining experience cannot be faulted. Thank you cloisters staff.

No one greeted us so we were confused about to the process as it looks like an old school canteen. Went to the till to order food and drinks to be met with a staff member who seemed just as confused as we were. Ordered coffee and 2 breakfasts. Given a wooden spoon that said 11 ( for food) staff member at till said they would be calling the number 22...not 11... food comes out which was clearly ours as no other people outside waiting for food from a waitress shouting number 14. Maybe some staff training or basic numbers education? Food was nice but poached eggs were overdone. Strangest experience ever! Will not be returning as much nicer and cheaper places nearby.

1st visit. Will be going again.

A great spot for lunch after visiting the Cathedral and/or the city. Staff are really professional and welcoming. The food on offer at lunchtime is excellent, including home-made soup, gourmet sausage rolls and jacket potatoes with a choice of fillings. I would only say that my filled croissant was a little dry. Espresso coffees also excellent and served in authentically small cups with a tiny jug of hot milk as requested.

Ordered sausage muffin with 2 sausages and egg only got 1sausage that was sliced into 3 slithers had eaten under half when found hair in it went to counter discreetly someone then came to table said that’s not hair fromchef nobody has grey hair but it was a blonde hair I have white hair cut very short bout half inch at its longest made me feel she thought I was pulling a fast one the hair was inside my muffin a longer one I may add had to pull from my mouth the lady in question had blonde hair not tied back then she said would I like a cake I declined as felt very uncomfortable then asked if I wanted refund this I refused as again was made to feel uncomfortable I would like to say I have never pulled a fast one in all my many years so on reflection was not given what was ordered and paid for plus hair in which made me feel physically sick so would not recommend this place to anyone I will add friend who was with me shares my opinion customer service was. Awful also my friend only had 1 sausage sliced into 3 so overcharged and humiliated ,,,

Doggies table :) good selection of cakes and coffee. Nice place to rest after visiting cathedral. Convenient location.

A lovely cafe to visit whether you are visiting the City or the Cathedral for breakfast, lunch or tea/ coffee and yummy cake.

Lovely lunch out until the waitrose leaned over my boyfriends lunch to reach for a suger bowl and brushed her uniform in his salad and all with out a sorry🥗😢

The staff were so kind to my 7 year old daughter today and couldn't do enough to help. Had a lovely lunch and was really impressed with the large children's menu.

Nice and clean. Friendly service team £4 for an average cheese scone but then only £6 for a much bigger plate of food so choose wisely! Good choice of cakes. Lovely setting. Good hot choc.

Really lovely atmosphere and food. We had the beef roast, a cappuccino and a mocha. All went down so well and we had plenty of staff attending to anything we need. Excellent service from Sam and Sophie

Brilliant find. Really good quality cooked breakfast. Fresh food really well cooked, and really great staff.

Just had drinks but very nice place and disabled friendly.

Tucked away from busy streets. A great selection of food and hot/cold drinks in a calm atmosphere.

The Service was great, very helpful and able to provide alternatives. I had the Turkey and Bacon Wellington and it was excellent along the pastries and cakes

It's a hidden gem with wonderful home cooked food and super friendly staff It has a very special atmosphere and I love coming here for their delicious soup!! X

Marvellous atmosphere...lovely staff...great fare

Very clean, good service and tasty cakes. Also had a few dairy free cakes which was a good plus

How very expensive this is now! We couldn’t afford a cake with our small coffee

Excellent service from very polite and attentive staff. Nice relaxed atmosphere. Very clean. Good food. However, I did think the coffees were rather expensive.

Lovely setting, excellent cakes

Found by accident whilst sheltering from rain, what a gem. Beautiful location, lovely warm and welcoming team and the cake was fab! Lemon drizzle. The only little negative was the cafe was a little cold, but the staff more than made up for it.

I was helped by Sophie. Who was very attentive and went out her way to make my food the warning wanted. She was well educated, beautiful and with a big smile .

Great cakes, coffee was fantastic and all the staff very helpful. Maybe a little chilly inside but the warm service more than make up for it.

Unfortunately my order was nothing like what I ordered I always thought chicken supreme was a chicken beast in a creamy sauce I had a chicken leg must admit well cooked but there was no sauce what so ever only a watery gravy which has put me off ever going again

The staff are the strong point, the food while decently presented was mediocre in quality and taste.

In sunny weather it is great to sit out in the garden area, but even in the rain you can enjoy the view. We had breakfast & (later) afternoon tea, on the same day. Both very good. Cannot understand reference to thin slices of cake - perfectly normal & price was also normal for Chi. Good quality of sausage & bacon with the breakfast were very notable.

Great food, photo is the sausage roll roast. I saw the roast a couple of weeks previously when meeting friends for coffee and thought, 'gotta have one of those'. So I did and wasn't disappointed!

Popped in for Sunday lunch quite late as we have been let down and was very pleasantly surprised. The mushroom Wellington was absolutely delicious as were the five different vegetables. Especially loved the red cabbage. Beautifully cooked, accompanied with crispy roast potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding. Staff were lovely asking us if we wanted more gravy. Extemely good value. My friend enjoyed the beef. Will be coming back again.

Petite pause thé au cloître après la visite de la cathédrale. Prix de théière 2,5£ cela défi toute concurrence et ce pour un très bon thé à la menthe. Bon choix de gâteaux également pour les gourmands. N'hésitez pas après votre visite de la cathédrale ou de la ville 😉

A little expensive but much nicer than a Starbucks or Costa

6.95 for a can of Gin and Tonic (3 for a fiver in all supermarkets) £4.50 for a wafer thin slice of cake. People walking out when seeing the prices on the menu. Plenty of other cafes to go to in Chichester for a lot less. . Must be better to have 20 people spending £3 than 8 people spending £5. Revisit your pricing structure quickly

The staff Laurie, Angela and Manager Lorraine could not be more helpful and have made the private dining in the Old Bakery serviced by Cloisters really a pleasure. Excellent food, service and ambiance.

Rather overpriced drinks... a 'medium' coffee was served in a somewhat stingy cup and saucer. Cakes were very expensive (£3.95 for a rather thin slice). I think portion-control is taking precedence over customer satisfaction. Was told that sugar was on the table, but there was none on the outdoor tables. Otherwise, the place has a nice atmosphere, is clean and well kept, and in the stunning location of the Cathedral cloisters. An average experience in a pleasant location.

Given a wooden spoon, but nowhere to display it. Toasted sandwich was barely toasted and salad garnish, a bit soggy. Overall ok, but not as good as previous visits.

Service OK, but food portions disappointing for the prices. Jacket potatoes were particularly small.

Sophie and Henry were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Sophie recommended me a few teas to try and they have all been great. There is a lovely sitting spot right next to the windows that is great for reading

Food excellent but place was so very cold and very draughty.

Nothing vegan apart from soup. Then had to wait for the bread to go with it. I had the sausage roll with salad. Sausage roll was good salad was tiny. Overall very poor especially the vegan choice considering how much is avaliable now

Had the 'Mediterranean eggs' and it didn't disappoint- tasted excellent. The only thing I would say they could do better is have a more diverse menu- most of the other food options were quite traditional other than what I had.

Enjoyed tea and cake, lovely atmosphere

All good, but expensive. £4 for a small scone. £1 takeaway surcharge, why??

Visited at lunctime today Ordered one vegan cheese and ham ciabatta and one normal cheese and ham ciabatta.When they arrived assistant unsure if one was vegan! The amount of cheese on both was about a teaspoons worth...not really acceptable.Seemed to have many staff members but very little customer service. Not as good an experience as expected. Maralyn Jackson

Often go here for lunch, always a wide choice and all very nice

Excellent service and tremendous staff. Brilliant place and well worth a visit

Lovely serene little cafe, nice jacket, proper tea.

A really nice stop for coffee and cake on our Sunday club cycle ride, good selection of cakes and friendly service

Lovely garden setting to sit in. Average food. Friendly staff. Clean toilets! Have tried 3 times now, hoping to get a well made coffee. Flat White seems to be a mystery to them. Water next time.

My friends and I had a very pleasant mid morning tea and coffee break here during our visit to Chichester, very friendly staff and not bad prices either. The garden has wooden tables in a nice peaceful setting. The tea was served in its own small teapot so plenty to top up your cup !

Fabulous place - very good roast lunch and lovely staff

Lovely cafe for refreshing drinks with a good selection of cakes. The cafe has a super ambiance, the exterior seems to merge with the interior, enabling a great view of the garden.

Garden is small but there were a few seats left on a Friday as weather was fine. Several options seemed to include bacon meaning they excluded vegetarians. Chicken tikka sandwiches were well filled. Coffee cups were rather small. Nice coffee however.

Under new ownership since March 2023, the hot food is imaginative, the service great and the medieval ambiance excellent. Not expensive!

Wish I could give six stars ******Beautiful surroundings, friendly staff and great food. I enjoyed a slice of homemade Raspberry and white chocolate cake (already half eaten), washed down with a frothy latte-delicious. What more could you ask for! Oh yes, dog friendly too! This will definitely be my ‘go to’ place when I am in town. Very happy customer!

Para hacer una parada mientras visitas la catedral. Limpio y ordenado

Food was lovely. A very tasty jacket potato and delicious mixed green salad. I think the method of delivering food to the table needs improvement. Basically there needs to be a container on the table to put the number wooden spoon in instead of the runner having to wander round everywhere shouting out the number a waste of their valuable time and food getting cold.

I went there 2 days ago with my friend to get a cake with tea - I just wanted to say that the service was terrible - Everyone were just unfriendly and giving bad attitude towards us. I dont know whether it was a form of racism towards us or whatsover but it was not a pleasant visit at all. I will definitely not come back - Its not worth a visit The cake was dry The tea was bland The environment was unhappy The staff were disrespectful I dont think anyone deserve to be treated as such. Please improve the customer service!

Stopped here for a quick drink after visiting the Cathedral and gardens. Really lovely cafe, bright and airy. Nice outside area too.

Lovely place for afternoon tea.

Tea rooms at Chichester Cathedral. Of the many cakes, there was one that was vegan, and this was delicious. There were vegetarian lunch options, but nothing that appeared to be vegan. Dairy-free milk available, but charged at an additional 50p per drink! Overall, quite vegan un-friendly

It's a lovely setting, plenty of seating even at lunchtime in the summer. The food was OK, but such a shame that all the salad has celery in it. Celery is a major allergen so it seems surprising that I am the first person to mention it. It really limited my choices. And a can ofppp for £2.40 seems very high to me.

Came here for a bit of breakfast after staying the night close by. Very nice setting and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Nice selection of cakes and pastries. Easy access for anyone with mobility issues.

Nice clean quite friendly place. Lots of cake, hot food drinks. Hot and cold etc.

First visit since its refurbishment and reopening. Quite a surprise when entering from the ancient cathedral cloisters as very spacious and modern inside. Good range of well presented fresh cakes and pastries. A bit of wait for my coffee (due to training a new person). Not overly busy during my visit but plenty of seating both inside and out

Just discovered this place, and enjoyed a lovely breakfast of delicious pastries and tea. We will be back on our next visit to Chichester.

Service was very slow. Lots of staff but appeared to have defined roles so didn't step in to help with the coffee machine when that person was taking out hot food. It's very pricey now. A large coffee would be a standard size everywhere else. The venue as ever is lovely but not worth the cost of a coffee.

A gem of a cafe, with a fabulous location in the shadow of the Cathedral and very reasonable prices. Now I've found it, I doubt if I'll be going anywhere else !

Used to be a regular user of the Cloisters Cafe when I lived in Chichester and volunteered in the Cathedral. Visited it today and was VERY disappointed with everything. A poor selection of food, found the staff disinterested and the soup and jacket potatoes was cold. Not a good experience and will not visit again. Cannot recommend it.