Gardeners Retreat Coffee Shop in Aylesbury Vale

My car was rendered immobile by flood damage enroute, after shopping and eating at the Garden Centre and Cafe we waited for assistance from the AA. We were guaranteed transport home and vehicle recovery with our AA policy. As closing time approached we reached out to the cafe manager with no response at all. We contacted the overall manager Dan. His response was appalling he proposed to lock us out of the garden centre , in the dark, in the rain, as it was utterly crucial that the three keyholder staff remaining got home, each to their individual crisis (There was local flooding and power cuts) So his solution was to stand four lady pensioners ranging from 60 to 93 years old on a public road. I asked him to think laterally and find a solution. The stranded vehicle would be unavailable to the AA locked in the car park. I appealed to him to think it through and find a solution , he replied it was not his responsibility and he had a "Duty Of Care" to his staff! He showed an utter lack of compassion and care in this situation. In the end the AA arrived minutes after closing time , Dan did not engage with the AA repairman who then worked under the threat of gates being locked. What monster would put a man like this in a position of responsibility for his vulnerable customers I would ask?

Went for afternoon tea which was a gift for Christmas. We were very disappointed with what we got after seeing the price (£40.00) our friend would of paid. The sandwiches were wet and stuck to our fingers, the scones were dry and just fell apart when trying to cut them. Not sure what the cake were as we weren’t told what they were and they didn’t really taste of anything. There was unlimited tea or coffee which was capped to three ? and no staff to refill. Will not be going back.

I’m not sure how they can justify £28 for a jacket potato, bruschetta and two soft drinks. Someone is laughing and it’s not me. I’d rather buy a drink from the fridge and a sausage roll from the beef olive Delhi counter inside next time. How did they think that it’s ok to charge these prices.

The food was quickly and expertly served by a friendly and helpful waitress. My partners prawn baked potato was very generous to the point where she needed a doggy bag. I had bacon, Brie and cranberry baguette which came with a generous helping of chips and a lovely coleslaw. The chips were ok but needed a few more minutes in the fryer but the baguette was pretty stingy with very little bacon and Brie in.

Floor was not clean or tidy bits of food left on the floor around the tables. Our food order was not right when it came out and one of us had finished by the time the order was finally completed. Sandwiches and Ciabatta were priced at £10.95 each ! ! ! Rather expensive ! ! !

This is the second time that I have been there for lunch, the jacket potatoes are delicious and the home made cakes are to die for. The staff are friendly and efficient.

My husband and I visited here during the Christmas holidays. The service was excellent even though it was busy. The food is really good quality and value for money. Would definitely recommend and will come here again. Thank you.

Great food great prices, garden centre is great. This is a garden centre that understands what the customer wants. Great plants in the main watered regularly. Also has a great shopping area for those bits you did not know you wanted. It’s a great place to chill and enjoy what is on offer

Excellent service and very friendly and polite staff. I had poached eggs on thick white toast, would have been nice to have an option of brown or wholemeal. Well cooked eggs. My friend had waffles with bacon which were lovely. My fresh orange juice seemed expensive at £3.75 but it was a good sized glass and definitely freshly squeezed and not from a carton so worth the money. Had a quick glance at the full English on next table, very generous portion. Only giving 4 stars as the eggs on toast were very expensive for what you get

Nice friendly and happy to adapt their menu to accommodate our need for gluten free. Cakes especially tasty! Very friendly staff, especially as we were there towards the end of service.

We waited over an hour for jacket potato for lunch. No explanation. When we enquired why it was taking so long we were told the “system” had gone down and our order had not gone through. No apology We were told we were then on a priority list. Still waited another 20 minutes Eventually the food arrived The potatoes were grey and cold. I’m afraid we walked out

What a wonderful place to eat! Have been for the first time this week and found everything to be first class. We’ve actually been twice this week! I can’t find any fault with anything. A wonderful menu, great staff and fantastic food. I highly recommend this place and it’s a great garden centre too. Looking forward to going again. I’ve heard that the breakfast is great!!

A big thank you once again for an excellent sunday lunch for 16 family members. Food delicious , presented well and all 16 meals delivered to the table hot. The staff service was as always very efficient. A very enjoyable time was had by my family.

Used to be a favourite for a local breakfast although standards have definitely dropped. A couple of visits ago the breakfast was bordering on cold and on mentioning it to the waitress just met with an ah ok. Yesterdays visit , just for coffee and cake , I do admit the coffee there is excellent so is the biscoff milkshake (53 year old kid that I am!) but the service has completely gone . This place certainly doesn’t lack from the so called hospitality staff shortage, I counted 11 waiting staff there at one point but all of them just standing round talking to each other. Several attempts at eye contact drew a blank until one of the senior members pointed in our direction and even then the two young girls she asked , one just looked over at us and didn’t come to serve us. Safe to say the ‘Add Gratuity’ button on the card machine wasn’t pressed.

Went for afternoon tea with friends. Absolutely delicious. Good selection of sandwiches, gorgeous scone with clotted cream and jam and a beautiful selection of cakes. Staff very friendly and excellent service. Highly recommended

Very slow service We waited over an hour to get our food after ordering. There was no update or apology for the delay. The portions were small.

We came here for lunch today as group of 36 WI ladies. Abby, Jay and her team are absolutely fantastic. The food and service was second to none and they all have a gift of making it all so special. This is the second time we've gone as a large group, the first was a Christmas lunch which was amazing too. A large group or table for two it's definitely worth a visit, you won't be disappointed!

The Haddenham Sixty-Plus Club had a lunch for 40 members on 29th March 2023. It was a great success and was thoroughly enjoyed by all members. The restaurant area and table layout and the menu options ( 4 mains, 3 desserts) were ideal for our Club. The food was perfectly cooked and delicious and the service was excellent. Jay, Abbie and the team are to be congratulated on providing a memorable lunch.

Poor slow service, not helped by being short staffed, food average at best, but whilst burning the custard happens and can be excused, serving it is not! The whole restaurant smelt of it and the “chef” must have known, so why. Felt sorry for the manageress having to sort it out, but it happened.

4th March we visited the garden centre and decided to have lunch there. Normally the food and service has been acceptable, but today the food was way below standard. First my wife’s food was left on the servers counter for 10 minutes, eventually being delivered to the table cold, we mentioned the problem to who we now know as the manager, who took the food away, where the food was placed under a grill and re heated, which resulted in the cabbage being scorched and the pie crust burnt. When it was returned to the table there was no apology, just, here you go. The pie was supposed to have been beef and ale, but the better description should have been beef gravy pie as there was very little meat content, and what was there was so small it was more like mince. Normally the food is of an acceptable standard, but not this time.

Our local WI had our Christmas lunch here today , 7 December. There were 39 of us and we had a fabulous time. Abby and Jay and all of their team Ash, Zoe, Ros, Holly, Faith, Emily and Hannah not to mention all the chef's all worked so hard to make it special for us. The food was incredible and came out to us all piping hot. We are already thinking when we can all get together and come again. Thank you all.

We went for lunch but after 50 mins without even a drink my husband went to ask what was going on. They then brought the drinks and eventually the food. My husband asked for a chicken ciabatta but a pitta came and for a ridiculous price of nearly £10. I then ate mine alone while his was re done. There were loads of staff, at one point we counted 7 chatting who were doing nothing! From a cost and productivity perspective this is such a waste of money and they really don’t know what they are doing. It was chaos! Eventually someone came to our table and said the bill would all be free. At least they did something but all we wanted was a nice lunch. This is our second attempt at this cafe and both were terrible. Note to self - never going back!

We've been here several times for breakfast and lunch, and have been consistently pleased. Good quality food at reasonable prices, with a pleasant environment and friendly staff. Would recommend.

Arrived to a friendly welcome and having not visited this eatery for a few years I was pleasantly surprised by the changes they've made. Sitting near the doors opening onto the patio and garden centre, there was a lovely breeze to enjoy a Vegan Breakfast...

Popped in on a Sunday afternoon, ordered two strawberry milkshakes Told not available. . Not told we could have had alternative flavours. So ordered a Fanta....not available. Ended up with sparkling water and another brand of orange drink. Husband ordered a bowl of chips, these...

Service and food is of a high standard for the money and we will certainly recommend to all our friends. We will return in the future.

Stopped off for coffee and a small bite to eat at this lovely cafe. Never visited before. Although they were short staffed and it was Mother's Day, (so very busy), the service from the staff was excellent and tables were regularly cleaned, which I like....

I was a bag of nerves about dining out as I needed somewhere that could offer gluten-free options and I had a toddler with me. The staff here could not have been nicer and the clearly labelled menu made ordering a breeze. When out food...

Brilliant service, the food and coffee was amazing. The staff treated me and my family very well. I would definitely recommend.

popped in for lunch with my grandma, seated fairly quickly, drinks ordered and arrived soon....here's where it get worse, order a duluxe hot chocolate with cream and marshmallow, it cam luke warm, not enough cream, 2 marshmallows which were stale! it doesn't end here, Granny...

Birthday lunch so we tried here. for the first time...early, 12.30 ish, so we were seated quickly and they do not book. Lots of staff but you do not keep the same staff member throughout, so maybe not sectioned tables for each staff member and...

The whole system was a mish mash …. The meat was fab plenty of it and nice thick slices . That’s the only nice thing about the whole meal .The veg were raw and Luke warm , the cheese sauce was bland and sour ,...

Can't fault the staff but the prices for the cakes are a disgrace - £3.95 for a (very!) small slice is appalling - certainly won't be visiting again.

Just had an amazing afternoon tea - great food and great friendly staff - gluten free options were all excellent one of the best around - thank you

Excellent food, excellent service, very impressed! Lots of space and staff were brilliant! Highly recommend.

I have been here a few times and been disappointed. I have always thought it should be great and finally, today, I was pleasantly surprised with the food and actually impressed with the service. It was busy today and our lovely waitress (may have been...

Twice I’ve been here now since renovated and the second time I didn’t stay! Service is appalling. Can understand table service for hot meals but if you just want a coffee go elsewhere. Even getting seated is a faff. Someone has to escort you and...

We visited the cafe today 20th June we were advised there would be a 15mins wait, which was ok we only wanted coffees and tea cakes, our drinks arrived after 25mins but we were still awaiting our tea cakes 50 mins later (we had drunk...

Very friendly and efficient service. Coffee and cheesecake excellent! We will be back for Sunday lunch, menu looks appetising.

Had to wait five minutes to be seated, despite three staff not appearing to be doing much. Eventually seated outside and told that someone would come to take our order. After a complaint our meal eventually arrived 20 later. When we left we overheard the...

Called in for a lunch bite after my wife’s Covid jab. Got in just before the lunch rush (1230ish). Good handling of Covid track and trace with polite and efficient staff. Menu is varied from sandwiches baked potatoes and other snacks to more substantial meals....

Visited for breakfast. Sadly, standard of cooked breakfast has dropped; very greasy Full English this morning; 1/2 mushroom (what’s that about?) 2 oily hash browns, 1/2 tomato, one odd tasting sausage and two very tough slices of bacon. Beans, fried egg and toast acceptable. Coffee...

Our third time at the restaurant; twice last year. The service has always been slow but it was ridiculous last time I visited with friends a week ago. Long queue at counter, two people taking drinks orders and not able to count how many glasses...

Where meant to meet friends here today. I know things could be a bit slow due to covid precautions, but this was ridiculous. One person serves the coffees and cakes. At 10.10am today I queued for 17 minutes to be served, I will mention tea...

Popped in for a coffee today. 3pm, not many customers, three staff behind the counter. I know about Covid 19 requirements, 2 metre distance, customer details taken etc. I can’t tell you how long I waited for my order to be taken, coffee to be...

Called in here for coffee and cake while visiting the farm shop before we went into lockdown. The choice of cakes was excellent and the portions were very generous. Staff friendly and polite. Really couldn't fault it.

Late lunch. Everything available. Counter service was good. Food came quick and was really nice. Noticed the tables looked like they had been spread apart.

We hadn’t been to the Gardeners Retreat for almost a year, because we are not locals, and what a surprise we got when we walked in. The restaurant has been totally transformed and wow what a difference. The service was spot on and the coffee...

So be realistic and be prepared to wait. I queued for a short time and ordered a full English breakfast and a hot chocolate at 11.25am on Saturday. I expected the food to appear pretty quickly as everything apart from the toast was already cooked....

We have lived in Haddenham for 15+ years and have been regular and loyal customers. The refurbishment and new menu was and is a great improvement and has been so successful that we now expect a queue (and a wait for the food), which is...

Ordered a baked potato cheese and beans, arrived cold, they remade a second order, same again cold, I asked for a refund as my wife had finished her tuna sandwich, offered to have “a go at making another for me - third time lucky” to...

First time we visited we were in queue for over 20 minutes, to be then told 30 minutes wait for food. We thought we would give it second chance, so this Friday we went hoping for a cooked breakfast. No queue this time but still...

I have visited a few times since the restaurant was refurbished and what a difference! A new menu with lovely options (I've had quiche with chunky chips, full English and pancakes, all decent portions and tasty), and lots of space around tables so even when...

Despite hitting the Lunchtime rush, we still had a great Lunch The queue was a few peeps when we arrived, by the time we had found a table decided on our meals, the queue was out the door, but the queue went down quickly & we were told about 20 minutes wait for food, but it was about 25 minutes which was fine.We had 1 x Soup 2 x Ploughmans & a Bacon, Chicken & Stilton salad.All was very enjoyable, the portions were large & well presented.Reccomend.

First visit to the garden centre in over 10 years and how it has changed. In particular, the restaurant is a revelation, with a simple, but extensive menu. Fresh locally sourced ingredients made a fantastic lunch. Best ciabatta bread with tangy cheese and fresh sliced ham, probably the best toasted sandwich. Triple cooked chips were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The service is very efficient, order is taken and delivered to your table soon after. We are already spreading the word and planning our next visit.

I am regular visitor to the garden centre and always stop for a drink and snack at the coffee shop. The staff are fantastic and I would highly recommend paying them a visit! Great value for money and always make me feel very welcome!

We are regular visitors of this café unfortunately there is a complete lack of management when it comes to service. The last 4 weeks we have visited it on a Sunday and each occasion we have been told they have a delay both with drink and food, in fact today they told us they would not be serving hot drinks as they were too busy yet only about 50% of the tables were taken. It looks like no one is in charge and the staff are very disorganised. I really hope they get it sorted soon or people will stop going. The food is excellent and a shame its let down by the lack of service.

Very poor. Joined the breakfast queue around 1125. In the queue I heard the staff member say no more coffee orders as we are behind. Got to the counter they said 45 minute wait for food and 30 minute wait for coffee. Absolutely ridiculous. We left and went to Bradmore Farm.

I visited with my family on a busy rainy afternoon. Staff were friendly although clearly extremely busy. We all had hot meals which arrived within a reasonable time and tasted delicious. It’s nice to find somewhere which values serving quality and local produce. One constructive point would be they need to add more lighting as it felt very dark.

So today Saturday the 9th my 91yearold ask me to take her for coffee and eats at garden centre so we went down at 315 loads off people to be served by so we old coffee tea hot chocolate. Cakes we was told to sit and it would be bought to us we sat for half hour waiting and in end I went and ask how much long to be told it coming and our drinks sat on side when we did get it a bout 20mins later I ask lady way it took so long she said they busy our drinks was cold so ask for new ones to be made so I watch her take back and speak to college and laughter and point over it not good customer service and it rude I was very disappointed and as the business is got bigger and expand I think they need to Sait this out I would not recommend to any one at this time

I had a cooked breakfast there and it was the best one I have ever had!! I think the restaurant is much better now that has been enlarged.

We have been for breakfast and lunch as a couple and have taken friends for lunch. Very good food and well served.

Now much bigger with a wider menu choice. Coffee is great, with a wide choice of teas too. Scrummy cakes and great choice on the menus for breakfast and lunches, plus afternoon tea. Light and airy and a good place to eat or just rest your feet, meet friends or get some energy to buy more plants! Dog friendly.

I've used this for several years and was well impressed with the quality of their food. The refurbishment is really good. Not sure about the ply panels tho' looks a bit naff. However their breakfast menu was really good but woah! the price of full English since refurb.. was £6.99 now £7.95 for the same thing! They used to do a bacon, sausage & egg bap for £4.99, now it's only bacon or sausage. If you want all three it's 95p per extra item. I still go there just for coffee but breakfasts are out for me, sorry. Another local establishment is better value.

Wife and me stopped in specifically for lunch and were not disappointed. Very friendly staff and good food make this a must visit location if you're in the area.

I visited here for Sunday lunch with the family.

Much thought has obviously gone into this extended new café at Haddenham (and it is good to see a local family business flourishing). The café has a pleasant, airy feel, and on my late morning visit was clean and tidy. The staff will be getting used to the new system, and having worked in similar venues in my student days I feel for them reading such negative reviews as some of the above. I have nearly always found that a courteous request results in any problems being willingly sorted out in most places we go for coffee or lunch.

The new interior looks lovely (not quite finished yet though) however, all the prices have gone up but the portion sizes are not very generous. I had the pancakes with yogurt which were nice but no where near enough yogurt and sauce to cover them so I couldn't finish them as they were so dry. My partner had the full English breakfast which looked rather small when it came, the sausages are tiny which is a shame and they eggs are small too. Felt a bit dissatisfied after spending a lot of money on breakfast. Furthermore, there is no table service. Not awful by any means but will not be back in a rush.

A regular here for a few years, always a nice welcome and good food / value for money. This is the first visit since the extension has been completed. The food is still good but the service has gone down and the prices up! Used to get table service now it’s help yourself. There used to be flexibility with the menu - but now all extras. Floors and tables dirty - watching the kitchen staff plate up with bare hands doesn’t give you confidence! I

Went a while ago when work was commencing and was looking forward to see what was in store for the gardeners retreat. I went last sunday and was really pleased with the service. I had the roast dinner and the pork was amazing with a great helping of crackling. Would recommend this place if just passing or fancy a nice hearty home cooked plate of food!!!!

Have visited this coffee shop most Sundays over the last two years and I do mean most Sundays. Watched with interest all the changes going on at the garden centre and indeed the coffee shop. However, the last few visits have been a disappointment. Staff rushed. Had to sit at dirty tables. Very little choice left in the cake selection unless its chocolate cake. Scones on Sunday were dry and not of the usual standard. You always used to get a biscuit with your cuppa of choice and when the cakes have disappeared made do with a biscuit but last two out of three visits that has not been the case. Just don't seem to be catering for the increased size of the coffee shop which now has more covers.

Its an OK place regarding food but nothing special and whilst the building work is in (slow) progress the ambience in terms of eating is not great. Service is also slow, need more kitchen help? There are some great restaurants/cafes in many garden centres but sadly this is not one of them.

This is not our nearest garden centre but it is one we make a bee line for. From more or less a large shed 5 years ago it is now very well stocked and the prices are very competitive. There is now anything you could want for a garden.

Oh dear....If you like a wishy washy coffee that is supposed to resemble a cappuccino that's fine. However, if you prefer a coffee to taste of coffee try one somewhere else.

I’ve been here a couple of times with my family - it’s our local garden centre and as my husband is a keen gardener it makes sense to combine a shopping and eating experience. I have no complaints about the carnivore or vegetarian choice which are plentiful and my tuna melt panini was beautifully melty (one of my bugbears in other establishments) and our son’s soup was downsized to a child’s portion and tasty too. My husband however is vegan and unfortunately that means he has only one option on the menu which is a baked potato with baked beans and salad. I specifically said on ordering that he was vegan and as such couldn’t have dairy, egg etc so no coleslaw etc. Unfortunately when our meal arrived his plate had coleslaw and a dressing on the salad so we had to send it back. It then took 10 mins to get a new version which then had significantly fewer beans on it.

Our friend lives nearby and this is a favourite of hers so off she took us for coffee and cake. This coffee shop is family owned and this is reflected in the service provided and in the quality of the food. The restaurant is going through extensive alterations so it was a little chaotic but the quality of the food and service was still perfect. The restaurant offers a wide range of meals. Would definitely recommend a visit.

We decided to visit the garden centre with our so and grandson and have lunch. Being a Friday it was busy. We were able to.find a table to include the pushchair and ordered our food.

This shop is attached to the Haddenham Garden Centre and for many years has been a chosen stop for coffee, tea and lunhc for the local cycling groups with whom I ride. It is a well known fact that cyclists have the knack of selecting places to stop which will top up their energy levels!

Food great, service great, value for money. I spend lots of time here when on holiday. If you don’t visit you will be missing out.

Visited for lunch. Enjoyed the food, but there are major works in progress outside. All windows closed in the restaurant to keep out the noise, dust and machine exhaust from the works outside. Not pleasant on a very hot day.

Always busy. Lovely food. Good service and value for money. Added bonus in the garden centre. Lovely outing.

I have visited the retreat before with a better experience. The last two visits (including today) have been for breakfast. The service is always excellent and the team are always friendly. Unfortunately the food has gone downhill recently. The breakfast menu is served until 1130am. I visited approx 10am. Basically bacon, sausage, hashbrowns,mushrooms,half a tomato, beans and toast. The worst items were the sausages which were very hard and dry almost to the point it could have been a pepperami. I would say that they pre cook these and then reheat them with bad results. Hashbrowns were also over cooked and the half tomato was just low quality with no taste and hard skin. The temperature the food was not high enough. The plate was hotter than the food. Like a said earlier I have visited before and I’m sure the breakfast ingredients that now use are far lower quality and not prepared well. I will still visit for the coffee and cakes as they are very good, as are the people working there.

Visit regularly with my family and always have nice food. Tried the Vanilla milkshake last week and it was amazing!

Very disappointed with this garden centre coffee shop.

My friend and I often go here for lunch, service is good, fast and the food is always excellent, the Garden Centre is lovely lots to look at and buy a very pleasant place to visit.

We pooped to the garden centre for some hay and animal food. While there it was cake and coffee time. Service was polite quick and efficient. We sat out side in the lovely sunshine awaiting our cake and coffee. It wasn’t long before it arrived. Very pleasant staff helpful and cheerful. Well done.

Four vegetarians (inc three children 7-15) and two meat eaters arrived and sat down.

Came here for lunch today and had a dish from the specials menu. Staff were so friendly and hard working. Loads of space to fit a buggy. Food was amazing, great portion sizes and good value.

Poor came in for breakfast and stop doing breakfast at 11.30. Went for the jacket potato was microwaved and not fresh, bacon was fatty and horrible. Would avoid from now on!

Tucked away outside of the town ,inside a garden centre is this amazing little cafe. Sunday’s seem to be the busiest day due to the great Sunday meals available. Helpful staff great food at a good price. Great family eating place

This cafe has to be the best in the area, lovely staff, always happy to help, Mum & I love the Afternoon Tea, always fresh sandwiches, lovely Scones, their Hot Meals are great, can't fault the cate at all, just love it

Lovely fresh food, good variety, and we had their Afternoon tea with Prosecco, lovely fresh and tasty. Every time I...

Have just eaten at the cafe. Food was awful. Jacket potato way overdone and dry. No way was this a...

Had a great lunch with pleasant staff. Reasonably priced food & drinks within a nice atmosphere. I recommend especially when...

Nunca decepcionados con la comida lo que tienen. El personal era educado y amable, siempre muy limpio. Buena variedad de tartas

Vine aquí una quiche casera viernes a mediodía eligió, ensalada de patatas y ensalada, mi padre tenía gambas. Era delicioso, luz Quiche ensalada de patatas y ensalada fresca y sabrosa. Gran relación calidad-precio en 7. 99. Hay asientos disponibles afuera. La comida es en el...

Encanta Jardineros Retreat! Mi madre y yo siempre cuando me vengan a visitar a su de Derby. La comida es estupenda así como el personal y un montón de asientos. Precioso para sentarse fuera en el clima más cálido también:) pueden obtener muy concurrido que...

Este es un lugar super para el té de la tarde.

Estado aquí varias veces, simplemente por los bollos de fruta. Simplemente el mejor - se sirve caliente y en realidad el sabor de la fruta. Un buen sabor cítrico, con mantequilla y un poco de mermelada. . Simplemente taaaan sabroso!

Encontramos este en la carretera de Aylesbury camino a Oxford thame y cómo nos complace. Es un lugar para nada ostentoso desde el exterior - centro de jardín en un juego de bajo costo kit graneros. Pero el pequeño café escondido en la parte trasera sirve café y mi queso brie, tocino y arándano pannini era totalmente cargado y delicioso, se sirve con un pequeño nido de ensalada de vestido. Nos sentamos en una de las zonas más abiertas donde las golondrinas granero saltó alrededor de nosotros. Hubiera sido genial para sentarse fuera rodeado por masas de hermosas plantas ropa, pero fue un quemaba día y no hay sombras - la única cosa en la cama de mejora.