Coppers Bistro at Preston Garden Centre in Dover

We had a delicious lunch sitting in the courtyard of the restaurant. A very varied menu and friendly service. It is definitely on my list of 'go to' places for a meal out.

I first went three years ago for an afternoon tea, which was disappointing as it wasn’t a traditional afternoon tea with delicate finger sandwiches without crusts and dainty cakes on pretty stands. Just a plate of triangles of sandwiches with crusts and fillings falling out and a plate of cake. My second visit, as I was passing, was another disappointment. It was the only hot bruschetta I’ve ever had which wasn’t pleasant and the ingredients were stingy and not of good quality. The tomatoes were of cheap supermarket quality and unseasoned. The avocado, which I assumed would be slices were chopped so small I couldn’t taste it. All bulked out with chopped yellow pepper and horrible lollo rosso. Overall, tasteless and overpriced for the amount of produce. It’s a shame as obviously a lot of money and effort has gone into the décor and furniture. The quality of food should match it.

Sadly, the photos that are currently displayed on Google don't match up to what we have just seen. The plants look very neglected and uncared for. It is quite apparent that the nursery and garden centre in favour of the cafe and restaurant where incidentally the speed of service is very poor. Regretfully we walked out after a lengthy wait by which time our order had still not been taken.

I understand that places need to be financially viable and I am pleased on one hand that the cafe / restaurant / shop are doing well here but it does very much seem like the plants are an afterthought to these now. there's a much diminished selection of plants which didn't look particularly healthy and mostly surrounded by weeds unfortunately. It's still a nice place but it does feel like it could do with some love and attention on the garden side of things now.

We stopped here for brunch on our way to visit family in Kent and were welcomed in with our dogs, to a special dog-friendly part of the restaurant. My husband ordered a classic English breakfast, my son had a bacon roll and I had a halloumi, avocado and roast tomato on sourdough. Food was very fresh and delicious. Perfect place to stop!

Excellent full English breakfast at a sensible price, with delightful staff.

The staff was lovely also it's very peaceful and Dog friendly x😘🪻💖😊😊☕🌅

Excellent simple food, fresh ingredients and big portions. We came for lunch. Fairly busy. Service was also very good.

We were shown to an outside table at our request as the sun was shining and given menus' We then sat there for 20+ minutes before deciding that enough was enough and walked out after telling them at the till that we would not be waiting any longer. Also be warned that contrary to their online menu Whitebait is no longer served We will not be returning.

29th May 2024 - lunch for 2pm - family of 9 members. Celebrating birthday for 59 yr member of family (A disappointed visit today !) We have often visited Coppers for various family celebrations and family get-togethers and have always found the food good service excellent. There is normally approx 6-10 members of our family and enjoy drinks and mostly a course meal. Sadly today we were disappointed - it was my birthday and my daughters, niece ,nephew, grandson, great grandma and my husband.brought along a cake with candles to celebrate my birthday today. Sadly my daughters asked if we could light the cake for me, one of the ladies serving us was rather unhelpful and uncourteous and reported that it wasnt suitable to light the cake due to the fact the cafe sold their own cakes. We all had main meals and drinks and spent approx £135.00 and would have been willing to pay a cover charge and if this was an issue for Heath and Safety or noise of singing to me we could have understood, but the fact this was because we had not bought their produce was alittle mean as most restaurants are happy to do this if you buy a meal and drinks etc. A lighter was issued reluctantly after a time to light it, but i am sorry to say the moments was gone and i felt it had spoilt my meal with my lovely family, it was unnecessary and un-fneeded, i think that the waitress affected what is normally a very professional and welcoming staff approach. I am sorry to say that i will not consider celebrating any future birthday at Coppers Bistro and would heed this advice for anyone else in the same position. Mrs S Hutchins

Had lunch at Coppers yesterday I highly recommend the nachos and the roast beef was delicious very generous portions. I will definitely be back

Beautiful garden centre with lovely staff. We were notified upon arrival that the kitchen was closing in 10 minutes (I should have checked online before driving down). I ordered a jacket potato which was brown inside, dry and didn’t taste nice at all. The spud had clearly been left in the hot cupboard all day. I forced myself to eat half of it as it cost me £9. Maybe, an alternative could have been suggested as it shouldn’t have been served. Yes, the salad was fresh and halloumi was good too.Wanted to leave a tip for the lovely staff but just couldn’t justify it having only eaten half a meal.

We were recommend here by our Airbnb host and we were not disappointed. We arrived without a reservation and the service was attentive, seating us without a problem during a packed dining room. We ordered drinks and food and within 10 minutes our drinks were here, a great coffee which arrived hot. Our food was a delicious fry up, I was dubious of the size as I was going to double up but the standard fry up was more than enough. The food seemed like local produce, all cooked to perfection with lovely granary bread accompanying. We were sat between two lovely doggos which with the bright and warm interior made a great and unusual breakfast location.

Have visited before but only during summer months for Breakfast.as we have our Dog with us &Had to sit outside.. But Heard they now have an area inside to sit .& Have to say they ve made a Lovely indoor seating Room .Will definitly visit more Now.( Think they should Sigh dog Friendly.as we nearly left as could not find until we asked if they had an area.)

I was given a voucher for afternoon tea as a present for my 70th birthday. I called and booked the table for 14:30 on a day I was off work. When we arrived we waited to be seated and was shown to our table by a member of staff. We were blind as to what we would receive on this treat and no one actually explained .The food arrived and we were amazed at what we had to eat and from the beginning knew we would not be able to consume it all. We had to ask for a drink and when we finished our sandwiches we had to go up to the counter and ask for clean plates for the cakes and for more drink. The staff just left the food on the table and never came back until the end as they could see we had very little space on our table . As it was a present we felt that it was ok. From the beginning it would have been better if they explained what we would get and asked if we had any dietary needs as some of the sandwiches I could not eat. The cake we had left they did put in a biz so we could take home and when we did get home we found one piece of cake missing from the box . The food was well presented and very good .

Great cafe for breakfast, lunch or just cakes. Varied menu. Lovely atmosphere, great staff, well cooked food, highly recommended

For a garden centre cafe, Coppers is quite on the posh side. Not cheap, but not over priced either. Good quality food, not over priced. 1/19/22 Pretty busy today, which speaks for it's self. Food always good, in pleasant surroundings, with lots of Copper artifact decor. 4/12/22 It was a little bit cool today, but soon warmed up after the fire was lit. The new extention was worth waiting for. I know you don't go to a cafe for the toilets, but they're worth a look. The tiles are exceptional. At least that's what I think. Merry Christmas to you all at Coopers. 🎅🤶🧑‍🎄🌲🌲🌲 11/2/23. Just called for coffee and cake. Always worth a just called for. 28/4/23 Called for lunch. Whitebait for hubby, meatballs for me. As starters they don't leave a lot of room anything else. Very enjoyable. 13/8/23. Only called for coffee and cake. They could hardly find a seat for us, they were so busy. The cake was wonderful, it had 'proper real cream ', not the horrible stuff that seems to be in vogue at present. Chocolate gateau. 4/11/23 Cajun meat balls topped with melted cheese and a focaccia. There are only 4 meat balls, quite big, but they're more than enough especially with the facaccia. Best of all, they're really yummy. I have them regularly.. 21/01/24. Cajun meat balls & melted cheeses & focaccia again. Well worth the £8. You can easily cut each meatball into 4 and still get a decent bite in your mouth. Yummy.

The roast dinner was lovely but we had to wait 45 minutes from being seated and another 45 minutes just to take our pudding order one the table had been cleared! If you are in a rush or would like a speedy food service I would avoid at all costs !!! Terrible service

Brilliant atmosphere, great service, good food at a reasonable price, would definitely recommend to anyone wanting a choice of Breakfasts. They do a great fried bread, if you ask.

A good variety of outdoor plants. Not so many indoor. The restaurant is nice!

Had a lovely breakfast this morn good choice, well cooked and presented. Nice atmosphere.

Mum wanted a lunchtime treat. Menu met all requirements and empty plates to prove it. Atmosphere was calm, lovely and warm for a cooler autumn day. Happy eaters.

Avoid if you have allergies and also don’t want to wait! At first we had to wait over 40 mins for anyone to take our order and even when we asked for someone we still waited and we’re just looked at! One of our servers, who we later found out was the cover floor supervisor was abrupt and rude. She also thought it was ok to be rude to a 12 year old and make her cry when the girl was only trying to help her mum. At no point were we asked if any allergies at the table and having eaten at this place loads we were not updated about any menu changes/new allergens. No allergens specified on the menu either. To literally be told ‘it’s my responsibility to advise and to also be more aware’ was disgusting. Never having had allergies for over 20 years have I experienced anything like it! Have had issues before with a mouldy cake and orders being wrong. Today we gave it one last try but we will definitely not be going back. Also portion sizes have shrunk lately and prices have hiked!

I was here on a night out and it was all for charity. I must say what a fantastic night, great service from all the bar staff and waitresses. They was all very attentive and catered to all needs. Thank you all for such a great night! I will be back, especially for the nachos & and the cocktails!

We had lunch which was ok nothing special then ordered some desert which was very poor. The portion sizes of the desert where very small. We had mince pie which where only one monthful. Very disappointing as we have been going there for years. The food quality has gone down.

Really nice venue, lovely food ,lovely staff,nice relaxed atmosphere.

Brilliant atmosphere, great service, good food at a reasonable price, would definitely recommend. Check out the Specials board.

Great breakfast lovely setting

WOW! What an extensive breakfast menu everything from your good old full English breakfast to Garlic Mushrooms on toast, Eggs Benedict and Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagels. Delicious coffee. All served with a smile and prompt service and food delivery. The Top of The Pops for the extensive offerings - no boring breakfast options here!

Nicely designed, light (even on a dull day), clean and well presented with a choice of indoor and sheltered courtyard seating set in the grounds of a very nice garden centre. A typical garden centre type menu with a daily specials wallboard, although it was difficult to read some of the options as customers were seated at the table next to the wallboard. Also a nice selection of alcoholic drink’s. I chose something from the limited but pop enticing daily specials only to find out that it had sold out. I’m not sure why it hadn’t it been removed from the board and, by the time I left, it was still being advertised. I made another choice from the specials which was very nicely cooked, attractively presented and piping hot, made with beautiful fresh ingredients and served with a well made sauce (with extra in a side jug); all very tasty. This went a good way to soften the disappointment and frustration of originally selecting something still being advertised but had sold out. I can’t help feeling that I wanted to see some more adventurous dishes on menu, or specials board, particularly having enjoyed what I ordered. Clearly the kitchen team are very capable; I left with a slight sense that they were being held back. There was a great looking selection of cakes on offer, and the sandwiches others were enjoying also looked very appetising. So probably a great choice for a good afternoon tea. It wasn’t busy and the service was fine, and the prices were very reasonable. It’s been a while since I last went somewhere that charged for Wi-Fi but, at these fair prices and for the struggling hospitality industry in todays climate, maybe it’s not surprising. An hour or two offline was actually quite refreshing, even when on my own!

Came to get some breakfast but were left waiting with no explanation as to why. Got up and left as 20 minutes without acknowledgement is too long

Had breakfast at copper Bristo before exploring the garden centre. Excellent menu, and very enjoyable food. Good service and nice atmosphere and very clean tables. Will be visiting again.

A wonderful afternoon tea experience enjoyed by my sister and myself. Charming staff, delicious food and friendly atmosphere. Thank you

Had a lovely lunch with a friend. The food was good served by pleasant staff. Would definitely recommend.

What a great find. Reasonable priced. Fantastic coffee. I had the Ploughman’s with Brie, Cheddar and freshly cooked ham, fresh crunchy salad and exceptional pickles, cleanly served on a wooden board. This time I also sampled the chips! Oh my goodness, fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside they are delicious. My next point is to try their Sunday Roast. They have an elegant restaurant inside and a lovely patio outside with seat cushions. Dogs are allowed inside and out with fresh water and complimentary dog biscuits available. Ploughman’s was £11.95 and well worth it. They obviously have a talented Chef because the food is very good. Service is good and always with a smile. Certainly worth a visit for a varied menu, great coffee and great food.

This is a really beautiful place and considerable effort has gone into the space and presentation. However the service today was so poor we had to walk out even before ordering. Nowhere near enough staff and it amazes me that so much investment has gone into the restaurant but not staff.

My friend and I have been several times for breakfast and can not fault the service, food or venue at all. We both have the classic breakfast and I normally swap my hash brown for bacon, it’s never a problem. The food is served hot...

My wife and I decided to visit Coppers for the first time for lunch .We arrived at 12.20 and were shown to a very nice table by a young gentleman who then took our order for a meal and drinks. Whilst we were waiting for...

We booked a table for ten but twelve of us turned up, the waitress added another table and quickly took our order which was varied but most of us had the English or full English. Our drinks arrived within five minutes and the coffee was...

Fantastic service. Bought two large birch trees yesterday. The man in the shop was very helpful and took details to have someone phone and arrange delivery as the trees were so large. Had a phone call first thing the today. The lady was great, very helpful and the communication from that point was excellent with updates on the delivery. They were delivered this afternoon, both the men were great and spent time working out the best way to get the trees on to our difficult driveway. Prices were also very reasonable. Couldn't recommend them enough. Thank you!

We have visited here a few times before. The last time was very poor, I ordered mushrooms on toast which turned out to be one slice of toast with a few mushrooms and half a plate of salad, not what I wanted for breakfast. Today...

We arrived without a booking and were greeted by a smiling waitress who guided us to a table outside near the fountain. After a few minutes she came back to take our order and our drinks and food arrived soon after. All the staff we...

Table of 4 booked in for a birthday treat. Had to wait 5 minutes in the lobby to be shown to a table, and we were given full food and drinks menus. After 10 minutes, we approached a server to order drinks (nobody had come...

We had a fantastic night at the 70s & 80s disco night last Friday. Lovely venue, food available until 9pm, friendly staff, full bar, it was a shame it wasn’t better supported. Although I do feel the £20 entry fee was probably the reason. Look...

Having been to Coppers many times and had good breakfasts , we were saddened that our previous visit wasn’t so good , but didn’t complain as everyone has an off day . So to go today to find it even worse was not very good....

4th visit to Coppers because previous trips for lunch have been great. Food was good (not great) but service was dire. The staff were OK, one very friendly, the others not so, and I think the slow service was not front of house problem other...

We must commend new owners Chris (and others) for their efforts to re-establish Copper's Bistro as a good place to be in the evening. Last night it was BBQ & Music time and the whole event was very worthwhile & enjoyable. Good food (the first...

We popped in on the off chance and ended up having a Sunday roast. The food was delicious, the staff were lovely and the atmosphere was friendly, professional and relaxed. We will definitely be going back

For a cafe in a garden centre it looked very nice. It was comfortable with a pleasant atmosphere. Considering it was a Tuesday lunchtime in winter it was extremely busy. Staff were pleasant but service was very slow. We both ordered a main course and...

This is the second time I have visited this bistro for Sunday lunch. We had booked a table of 8 but the table allocated was too small. We were moved to a bigger table which was great. We were sat for 40 minutes and still...

We were having tea at this lovely garden centre bistro when I saw they offered evening events with meals. The one that caught my eye was the Valentine's evening banquet. A four course meal with entertainment. I couldn't believe they didn't take a deposit (which...

I visited coppers yesterday coffee and cake. I was greeted by a lovely waitress at the door, she walked me to a table and was very chatty which was really nice, I’m nosy so I asked what her name was, I forget weather she said...

I love it here we visit twice a week! 🇬🇧

A small but very nice Garden Centre that also boasts a lovely Café. Prices are somewhat more expensive than the B&Q's etc, however Preston Garden Centre has the personal touch, so the little extra expense is well worth it. Beautiful area out the back with a lot of wildlife. Tons of choice with bedding, shrubs, veg and evergreen. Plenty of pots and compost as well. Parking when we visited was a little tight as there seems to be a load of construction work going on. If you are in the area or planning on a drive near to the area, its well worth the visit.

Doing major revamp, but the cafe was open doing excellent meals ,

Large selection of plants and pots and others. Defo worth a visit

Very lovely place will definitely visit again

Wow, service started with a slight hiccup. The lady knows who she is, she wore my cardigan. Super amazing food, an apology which was sincere and heart felt. A gift from her daughter which blew me away. An amazing experience here, I shall be coming back and im telling all my friends about such kind people. I'm the fish painting lover ! !

Omg do not leave without cake 💕💕

Well worth a look, some very nice pieces. Coffee shop sells the best latte I've had in ages.

Interesting garden centre with a different vibe, plants a little bit pricey, but some lovely garden accessories. Cafe was lovely good coffee and a large selection of tasty cakes. Was busy with people eating lunch, friendly staff nice environment.

Lovely staff, great coffee and cake

Really nice, smart restaurant area, with good quality, sensibly priced food and good service. The garden centre itself is well stocked with some unusual items and is very well kept. It has recently undergone a bit of development and it looks like the restaurant is being expanded. However we had a roast Sunday lunch and the quality and price was still excellent.

Great food, great service, great plants. Well worth dropping in.

The food was so scrumptious I need to return to try other items on the menu ! Service was slow (couldn't understand because there were staff just hanging about) but my friend assured me that the service is usually very good. I didn't have time to mooch around the shop - can't wait to visit again !

We had a great Sunday Roast here. The staff are absolutely lovely and it's a lovely setting. We'll definitely be back! 😊

6 waiting staff and only 7 tables of diners, received our food which was very good quality before our drinks then when our drinks finally arrived the waitress dropped my teaspoon on the floor she took it away but never returned with a clean replacement. I also observed waitresses clearing away other diners plates before everyone on the table had finished eating which I believe is bad etiquette. I can't fault the food

Went for breakfast at the resteraunt.always beautifully cooked and pipping hot.highly recommend

Excellent food, been here many times and very well priced will come back very soon 😎

Very nice spot with a lot of variety on the shrubs and trees. Good service in the Cafe as well.

Had lunch with friends, very good. Looked around the garden centre after also very good. Will come again.

Despite being incredibly busy, all the staff wearing a smile and very friendly. My friend and I liked it so much we have booked for afternoon tea next week and bringing 2 more friends with us. My only concern was thar we seemed to be in the distinct minority of mask wearers in the shop and the restaurant; I live with my 88yr old extremely vulnerable mother and try to be very careful myself but the tables are not too close together, which helps.

Quite busy in the cafe. Staff struggled to cope. We waited far to long for mediocre food

Excellent food nice setting but it loses stars on staff ie Saturday am

Absolutely brilliant and very tasty. Pleasant atmosphere and very pleasant staff. Dog friendly outside sheltered areas and one select table inside . We will return

I recently performed at Coppers Bistro and took my family along for support. To say that our experience was amazing is an understatement!! The food was delicious and the service excellent. We received such a warm welcome that I advise anyone to visit and enjoy the experience. Thanks to Sarah and John for making us feel like family. We look forward to next Summer already !!! X

Lovely garden centre, and food was superb - large portions, freshly cooked, lovely staff Would highly reconmemd

Superb lunch and lovely nursery

Had a lovely walk round the garden and greenhouses. Nice lunch

We had a lovely meal at the Copper Bistro today. Husband had Burger and chips. I had cod and chips. Both meals were really nice, generous portions with perfectly cooked chips. Staff lovely and friendly.

It is so nice to find a traditional garden centre, run by the owners themselves. The quality of stock is first class, sold by people who have real knowledge of the abundant choice of flowers, shrubs and trees; The staff are friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable. You will not find shelves stacked with cheap Chineese novelties which last a week or two before falling to pieces, you will find quality garden products, ornaments and tools which are made to last. The centre is on level ground with a large car-park within the site, there is a wonderful restaurant open from 9am to 5pm some evenings too, the food is homemade with good portions and delicious; my wife and I have booked with friends for the monthly quiz night. I have never written a review before, however we are so impressed with the Preston Garden Centre that I thought I should. There are so many places that sell plants now, many parched and wizzen but if you want quality of plant and truly good service we thoroughly recommend Preston Keep well and keep safe.

Had breakfast here recently. Food very nice and great staff. Very pleasant experience would definitely recommend.

Friendly fast service, excellent quality food, just a pleasure to eat in lovely outside space. Always welcoming - would highly recommend.

Visited today for the first time in a while (covid!). What a disappointment. As a previous reviewer said “a sad reflection of it’s former glory”. It seems to me that Preston Garden Centre are re branding themselves as a swanky bistro with a few seasonal pot plants and lots of “frou frou” ornaments for people who don’t really garden & have more money than sense. It’s such a shame…where is the great choice of real plants? Preston Nursery (as was) was a fabulous place. Fully stocked with a wide range of plants/trees etc. They largely grew their own stock and didn’t just cater for the “ladies that lunch brigade”. There are lots of other places to buy good plants, in our area, and they don’t cost as much. So, if you are a proper gardener- not for you. If you like a girlie lunch and a spot of shopping for useless, overpriced ornaments- it’s your kind of place. Frankly, I felt like I shouldn’t have been wearing my wellies in there any more…Very sad. After many years of faithfully spending £1000’s on trees/shrubs/perennials here, I’m voting with my feet. This place has an identity crisis!

lovelly place will definately be returning

Excellent experience, great atmosphere, food, table and service. Waiting times could be considered long for service but the place was heaving and good things come to those who wait. Well worth it. Xx

The restaurant is excellent and well worth visiting for this alone. The last Friday of every month they have a barbeque with live music for £12.50. The garden centre sells lots of garden pots and ornaments as well as usual plants and trees.

Excellent quality in both food and service!

Good garden centre with bistro on site. Wide range of garden pots and planters.

Not a particularly large place so slightly disappointed with the quantity of stock but had a lovely breakfast there.

Very good breakfast - oh and plants, shrubs and trees as well!

Amazing breakfast my partner and I had today! Couldn't fault the food or the service! Our new breakfast spot, I think!

Unfortunately our experience of being here was poor, once we were seated and asked to check in via the NHS covid app (which we did) we waited and waited and waited. The waitress informed us once we were seated that someone would be be with us in a couple of minutes to take our drinks order, well after 25 minutes of waiting we gave up and left, even the table next to us couldn't believe how long we'd been left. Through out our ordeal more and more customers were being seated, just hope they weren't made to wait like we were. I'm not sure if we had been forgotten or if they were just too busy? In which case perhaps they should have stopped seating more people or at least informing customers there would be a long delay.

Preston garden centre is now a sad reflection of its former glory. the garden centre no longer offers inspiration with its collection of plants and shrubs now on display. the variety and range on offer pale into insignificance compared to its heyday a few years ago. disappointed

First visit and very pleasantly surprised. Although only popped in for a coffee and slice of cake, the plants on display looked to have been well cared for and well displayed. Will definitely pop back with my wife for a better look. The cafe is a superb addition. Lovely outdoor courtyard seating area as well as an indoor area when things are back to normal. Really pleasant, friendly staff as well. Very happy to recommend.

Excellent place and very helpful staff. Very reasonably priced as well.

Went to coppers today for a late breakfast. Is a lovely setting and service was good. We had eggs benedict and royal, and an omelette. All delicious. Reasonable value. Definitely worth a visit.

Gently classy environment for breakfast with friends. Unhurried service and interesting, tasty food. A pleasure to be somewhere that has the confidence and purpose to be a little unusual. Not your standard garden centre cafe.

Gently classy environment for breakfast with friends. Unhurried service and interesting, tasty food. A pleasure to be somewhere that has the confidence and purpose to be a little unusual. Not your standard garden centre cafe.

Visited today for lunch was superb, food was hot and delicious, service 1st class.