Handley's Delicatessen in Mole Valley

The worst experience having breakfast. Ordered a tea and came in takeaway cup sitting in.. with milk and teabag in together. Worst scrambled age I’ve ever seen they were like milk and upon asking the waitress why she replied the chef likes to use undercook them!! The salmon was covered in fat also which hadn’t been cut off when prepared! Awful experience would not recommend as had two bad experiences in this cafe with food.

First time at this cafe in Ashtead and was delighted with the service and the food we ordered. I had the chicken and advocado baguette with lemon and thyme mayo. I will order this again, as it was very moorish. It came with some crisps, which was enough for me. The latte coffee was also very good. We arrived around 1.25pm on Saturday, it was busy but took the high seats by the window, as husband needed to stretch his leg. Good service and a good find. We will definitely be going back.

Lovely cafe in Ashtead. quite quick service and lots to choose from. Sadly, no chai latte at this visit☹️. Otherwise, incredible.

This very popular high street cafe is rightly buzzing, it offers lovely hot drinks, shakes and a fab array of cakes for the mid morning pop-in.

This very popular high street cafe is rightly buzzing, it offers lovely hot drinks, shakes and a fab array of cakes for the mid morning pop-in.

Overpriced but still popular. Cheapest sandwich is £5.50, for egg, which is more expensive than the National Trust!! I opted for a sausage roll and cappuccino, which were fine though the coffee was quite small. I agree they need some competition. Nice toilets.

Lovely spot for breakfast with a good selection of pastries and hot food options. The chocolate brownie was excellent.

Extremely overpriced for the portion size and quality of food. Avocado on toast at over £9 was just one slice of burnt toast wth the topping. I would expect more at the price. Breakfast was one sausage, one egg, one slice of toast @ over £8. Then charge extra if you change the milk in the coffee and charge a 10% service charge on top even when I ordered and paid my bill at the counter. Where was the service? There are limited or no other options in Ashtead High Street. This place really needs local competition to make it wake up and smell its own coffee. Anybody out there wanting to find a good location to open a cafe business, then Ashtead is the place. !

We ordered 2 sandwiches and drinks. Whilst the food was delivered to us hit, disappointed that the sausage sandwich, in which I requested ketchup, had a 1 pence dollop of ketchup which didn’t help the flavourless sausage. My husband ordered a tuna melt panini and the tuna filling was insufficient, couldn’t really see any cheese, so he effectively just had a panini with barely and filling.

What has happened to Handley’s? Used to be a lovely friendly place with delightful service and delicious food. Is this cafe under new ownership? We recently called by and were unfortunately served by two very miserable non-smiley waitresses who would clearly rather be somewhere else. Cake dry and service completely non existent. Good idea to swerve until things go back to “normal” - if that’s possible! What a pity!

This is my first time at the cafe in question. I wanted to try out their food in order to report back. This place is famous for their scone. Their plain scone is one of the best I’ve ever tasted at this place. Seriously. You must try it. Four and a half out of five stars all around. Recommended and I will surely return in the future. Thank you so much. Best wishes. Next time I will have to try other things on the menu instead. A grateful visitor.

If you don’t eat bread, this is not the place for you. The other hot options such as jacket potatoes or sausage rolls are done in the microwave. Staff not engaged which is a shame. Very poor value for money. Haven’t been for a while. It used to be really busy with a varied menu. Definitely gone downhill 😕

..interessante,positive Erfahrung! tolle Angebotspalette incl. "full englisch"!! ..sauber,freundlich etc. - leider war die Deckenklimaanlage sehr zugig.

Amazing food and service and a big thanks to Rebecca! The staff seem very happy even though it was super busy. We will be back.

We went for a light lunch on a packed Christmas eve and were lucky to grab a table. I was pleased that we got table service rather than the usual café order at the counter nonsense. The coffee was very good as were our toastie and bagel accompanied by friendly, timely service.

Lively cafe with friendly staff and good coffee! In the heart of The Street in Ashtead. It’s a shame there are no vegan options on the menu. I was really hoping for a vegan breakfast! There are plant based alternative milks available at an additional charge.

Loved this cafe! Simple but perfect. Good food, good service. We will definitely be back. We had Tina melts and they were delicious

In the door and a nice welcome from the staff, the restaurant was clean and tidy and a good selection of food and drinks. I had the English breakfast and everyone should try it to. We nearly bought some pastries but we were full up from the breakfast, so we will return

I stopped off in Ashtead for a coffee during a long car journey. Handleys took my eye so that's where I went. Very nice shop with good decor and friendly service. The coffee is excellent and they had a good selection of pastries and cakes.

I stopped here for a quick brunch recently. The food was good and excellent value. Service was super friendly. What more could you ask for?!

Lovely little cafe, good food and good service. Thoroughly enjoyed Eggs Royale and homemade Smoothie.

The staff are always so friendly in here and excellent coffee and cakes! Everything is set up so well after covid and I felt very safe

Lovely coffee food and service.cant recommend highly enough.Had a mocha with avocado sandwich and was delicious

Frightfully disappointing. The friendly staff and consistently good breakfasts have secured mine and my husband’s patronage for over a year now. Today however, was a completely different experience. Perhaps there is a new chef in the kitchen or new supplier. What used to be a bountiful plate of 5 large pancakes laden with bacon and drenched in maple syrup is now a sad and considerably smaller 4 pancakes served with a tasteless excuse for bacon and golden syrup... why??? It’s always such a joy to have a local trusted cafe, hence the stony faced service and below average food being such a disappointment.

Great little place to stop for a bite to eat, there is a varied menu if sandwiches and cakes, the staff are friendly and the service is quick. We opted for panni's which are prepared to order and come with a few crisps and a...

We used to live in Ashtead - our daughter moved school from Epsom recently and now attends Downsend, presenting a great opportunity to be reacquainted with the village . I dropped my daughter off two Monday's ago on my WFH day and decided to pop...

Friendly and great food cooked to order. Always a smile and fresh cakes to choose from as well as loads of great sandwiches.

Wonderful choices of sandwiches, cakes and breakfasts freshly made. Excellent service always with a smile and nothing is a problem. In a busy day it’s a breath of fresh air. Car park is just behind.

I recently visisted Handleys with my daughter and baby grandson. The proprieters couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. We had sandwiches which were deliciuos and excellent value. I thoughly recommend it.

What a little diamond this cafe is. Staff are friendly and efficient. Place is immaculately clean. Wifi available and best of all the coffee is fantastic and the almond croissants are so good. We stopped by every morning during our visit to Ashtead. Handley’s has...

We went here for a quick coffee on my birthday. The service was good and the coffee and milkshakes was good. I regularly come here for catch up with friends.

It’s the third time we have visited here. The coffee and the cakes are abundant in choice and fresh. Lunch menu is very good and reasonably priced they even do wine! Worth a visit if in the area.

Came for Sunday brunch. Very busy and some waiting for tables but only quickly. Cozy welcoming atmosphere and staff. Lovely coffee, selection of shakes & smoothies. Vegetarian options and can alter menu to get vegan option. We had pancakes and veggie breakfast which were both...

We have regularly vsisited Handleys since it opened and although it has improved, it is still very inconsistent. Sometimes, it’s nice food and other times you wish you hadn’t bothered. Nice people in there and I think that’s why we return as we feel we...

Handleys ish most favourite cafe/coffee shop! It serves the most beautiful flat white known to man! The service is always great they go the extra mile! They always have such huge smiles on them! As I said the coffee is out of this world! Don’t...

Another friendly welcome all bright and breezy for a sunday morning . smashed chilli Avocado on granary toast a fab start to the day - very flavoursome and good value . Wide range of breakfast/brunch choices - head here instead of epsom - easily park across the road and then chill !

This is s lovely little cafe in Ashtead high street where there is seating inside and outside

Took my 3 kids here for breakfast. Nice friendly atmosphere, good service and very good food. Will be back.

We went into Handleys for a celebration Breakfast as my daughter had just got her A level results.A very community vibe as soon as you go through the door,the staff were friendly and the breakfast was to die for.My daughter had a sausage sandwich and I had pancakes with bacon and maple syrup.we will be definitely going back

On journey from Derbyshire to Epsom hospital to see daughter and new grand daughter and Popped in for lunch today (Saturday 21/4) after seeing recommendations for lunch location via Trip Advisor.

Handley's is probably now a victim of its own success, as there are signs limiting customers' time at tables. Admittedly the space is small with a few tables & some bar seats at the window. If a table becomes free there's a race to pounce on it!

Fault less visit in house breakfast good choice and pure fresh squeezed orange jucie. The coffee had a plesent taste not bitter two cups later.

This place is only relatively small but we managed to get a table quickly as the turnaround it quite quick. I had the gluten free eggs Royale and was very pleased with the quality of the food and portion size.

I grew up in Ashtead 20 years ago and still visit from time-to-time to see my parents. Handley's is an absolutely fantastic addition to the village. The food and drinks are great, the service attentive and the atmosphere very relaxed. A must visit!

Just popped in for a spot of lunch. What a treat. Friendly / attentive staff. Food excellent. I ordered smashed avocado on granary with poached egg and hash browns ..... fresh, nicely presented, tasty. Nice surprise.

Visited at 11.00 in the morning Only 2 staff working Got a bacon sandwich served first and waited 15 minutes for the coffee Too late then Staff friendly but overworked

My wife and I, live in Ashtead and often drop in for a coffee and a panini.

Great breakfasts to suit all tastes

Been here twice now and really like this cafe. Good coffees, hot chocolate and cakes! Love the decor!

This is a nice place to meet friends for coffee, it's great to have a good coffee shop on the...

Gran Café - podrían ser el doble del tamaño, pero la calidad de sus ingredientes y la panadería de pan, etc. El servicio un poco lento y a veces de hacer pequeños cambios, como el pan de diferentes recto no son bien recibidos, pero en general ya que el nuevo gerente llegó sin duda mejorado. Debe abrir en domingo y agregar banana batidos a la lista de ya de por sí impresionante batidos!

Nos encanta este café y hemos estado viniendo aquí por más de 2 años. La calidad de la comida es estupenda y sirven el pan más increíble de granero. La única cosa que me impide darle un 5 es que no abre los domingos. Para aquellos de nosotros que trabajan, el fin es valioso y sólo tener un día para visitar los límites de las opciones. Necesita una apertura domingo, absolutamente ninguna competencia en el área y que haríamos un asesinato para aquellos de nosotros que hemos conducido por muchos un domingo a decepcionar. De lo contrario la comida y buen servicio. El personal espera que reciben asesoramiento en claro qué puede haber cambios en el menú como he tenido un par de ejemplos donde me han dicho puede alojar una simple adición o enmienda no sólo para encontrar alguien ha sido dijeron que pueden e. g. Intercambio de pan focaccia granero. De lo contrario, gran café, comida estupenda, los ingredientes frescos. Seguid así!

Este es un gran lugar para encontrarse con amigos y en pop para café. El ambiente es bueno, el café es luminoso y ventilado, con un personal alegre. Me encanta la peculiar botellitas de leche para acompañar la taza de té. Es una pena, ya no es Handley abierto como un vino y tapas bar, ni haciendo catas de vino, que eran mensuales gran

My daughter visited this cafe last week and ordered a panini. The waitress was quite rude as my daughter wanted something different to that which was on the menu. She simply wanted a cheese panini without all the extras that went with it. Eventually the waitress agreed to do this, then brought the panini with all the extras that my daughter did not want. Disappointing. This is the second time that my daughter has recieved poor customer service in here. A few weeks ago her and her friends went in at about 4.45pm. She ordered several milkshakes. These were then brought over at 4.55pm and they were told that the cafe was closing and they would have to drink up and leave. No mention of this when they ordered and no offer of a takeaway cup. The milkshakes are very expensive too. I went into the cafe and asked for a refund on her behalf the following day which, to be fair, they did without fuss. However this latest incident is the second time that my daughter has received porr customer service here. Whatever happened to 'the customer is always right'? Does this cafe just not like teenagers? Very disappoining. Shan't be returning. Once bitten twice shy.

I love this cafe, best in Ashtead but just wish the opening hours on a weekend were longer on a Saturday and it was open on Sundays. I appreciate staff need time off but I'm sure it would be popular enough to warrant extra staff.

My wife and myself going regular to Handleys cafe, its always a pleasure to sit inside and drink a nice shake and eat something sweet. The Service is perfect and the quality as well. I wish we had Handleys coffee-machine at home :) See you soon!

As a local, I come to this cafe regularly and can honestly say I think this is the best cafe in Ashtead. Neil has done a great job at turning this cafe around into something with a good atmosphere and great quality food and drinks.

The food was lovely and fresh and the brownies are delicious! We had our lunch to take away as had babies in buggies and there isn't too much space inside. I had a chicken panini and it tasted really fresh.

A little gem in Ashtead!Perfect for a quick breakfast stop, with a wide choice of breakfast goodies, and of course your obligatory coffee.Very busy - so get in early!Lovely friendly staff who go out of their way to ensure you have a lovely breakfast.

I leave for college before 8, when the café opens and get back after 5, when it closes. Most people want a coffee early in the morning or a meal late at night, so the opening hours make no sense.

Gluten free bonanza. Nothing was too much trouble. Truly excellent coffee. Even a clean roomy toilet.I had a coronation chicken sandwich to die for and my wife had gluten free pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. Apparently it was the chef's first request for GF pancakes so obviously made fresh and a massive success. Will return again methinks.

What a lovely little cafe nestled in Ashtead Village. Popped in for a birthday treat to have breakfast with my wife.This cafe has a wonderful buzz about it and is obviously very popular with the locals and school mums following drop off...That said an excellent English breakfast was enjoyed by me! My wife on the other hand had French toast which came with strawberries and bananas. However the strawberries had definitely seen better days and should not have been served!All in a lovely little cafe serving your favourites.

We've had a light lunch in Handleys in Ashstead twice now and will go again. Nice atmosphere, pleasant helpful staff, everything cooked to order so it's not fast food but better to know things are freshly cooked. Our first visit would have rated very good. Unfortunately though on our second visit they clearly got in a bit of a twist on their timings in the kitchen.We both ordered Welsh rarebit (or cheese on toast - can't remember how they describe it on the menu), and both asked for a poached egg to be served with it. The cheesy mix had a decent flavour, although it could have been a bit punchier, but both this and the poached eggs were cold and the eggs hadn't been properly drained so there was water on the plate making the toast a bit soggy. Because we were short on time we ate it and didn't mention the problems till after we had paid because we didn't want them to think we were after a free meal. We just wanted them to be aware of the situation so they put it right for the next person. They were very quick to say that if we had mentioned it sooner they would have replaced it, but time had been against us.

Although the cafe is a little small, the coffee and brunch options are excellent. Their milkshakes are top notch and made fresh to order.

Visited Handley's yesterday for lunch with my daughter and was pleasantly surprised. I'd seen a few reviews which caused concern but I thought I'd try for myself.Very nice place and the people seem very nice too. Food very nice and came quickly. I have a couple of points of constructive criticism 1. I ordered a side order of fries and they took too long to come out. I was halfway through my smaller lunch before they came. 2. My daughter ordered a jacket potato with cheese and salad which was nice. She would have eaten the salad but it had balsamic vinegar on it. I'm sure some kids like that but it might be better to serve it on the side. Apart from that I enjoyed my lunch and I will go back

Welcoming, chatty and friendly. The menu is amazing! Have to recommend the chicken wrap or the fish finger sandwich- both goes down well with a cappuccino. I come here weekly and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Handley's has tasty sweets and a lovely presentation for their sandwiches but I don't go here as often as I might because it's impossible to guess what kind of service you might encounter. On my last trip to Ashtead, I went in once only to leave before being served, but I went back a few days later and had a lovely lunch outside. On that occasion, the service was friendly and efficient and my sandwich was tasty and plated very nicely. In fairness, I don't think I've ever had bad food at Handley's but, at times, the service has been laughably bad. Like the time I went there for breakfast with my husband. Although two people came in to order take out drinks and pastries at the counter, we were the only ones seated and it took 40 minutes to get our cooked breakfast! I wish their service was reasonably consistent - I'd go there whenever I was in Ashtead.

Went for breakfast with the family in the week. One of the party is gluten, egg and dairy intolerant but they were very helpful and had things to choose from. Overall the food and service was good. They are really making a success of this place

Previous visits to Handleys have given me low expectations but today exceeded these by far. I have left having to go and cook myself lunch at home due to being unable to eat what was served. For my poached eggs on sourdough and avocados the eggs were over cooked and the avocado was brown. The American style pancakes unfortunately were even lower in their standard. The pancakes were inedible, I assume something was wrong with the batter as they were extremely dry and crumbly. Over all the meal was 19 pounds worth of disappointment and I will not be returning.

We live very close to Handley's and have become regular customers over the past year. We were first tempted in for breakfast by the American style pancakes and maple syrup, which remains a favourite but even more than that, the Kickstarter is an absolute winner. A tortilla wrap containing scrambled egg, mushrooms, hash brown and gruyere. Delicious!After a couple of visits where we felt the service was lacking, as in previous reviews, I sent an email to Neil via the website. His response was immediate and he took on board the comments I had made, resulting in a vast improvement in service. I was very impressed by this as no new business is perfect straight away and they really are trying to be what their customers want. Lunch is also delicious-I'm a big fan of the tuna melt-but it's in the evening when Handley's really shines. The wine bar atmosphere is relaxed and very friendly. Beckie and Darcey are attentive and our drinks are always spot on. (Mine is usually a prosseco but I've also had cocktails with light up ice cubes and fruit caviar. My fiancé loves the local bottles of real ale) And then there is the Tapas! £15 for 5 items on a Thursday so we treat ourselves to 8 and save room for the salted caramel baileys chocolate pots and homemade truffles. Utter heaven! Give Handley's a chance. The older reviews of poor service were accurate at he time but this is now a busy and lively places where the food is delicious!

Stopped for lunch with my partner after a long bike ride. We ordered tuna salad sandwiches and they were delicious. The flat white coffee was also great. You won't need to eat for a while as they were huge. Definitely will be back.

Kicked the evening off with two expresso martinis as they serve BOGOF between 6-8 pm, followed by tapas, the potatas bravas needs improvement as the sauce had a burnt tang to it but in the main the other dishes ordered were very nice! Lovely attentive staff, good atmosphere, will definitely return !

We went with friends, having heard that Handley's now changes from cafe to wine bar some evenings. The decor & atmosphere are lovely, tables not too close together, & the bar was 3/4 full (mostly with women!). There's a simple tapas menus chalked up on the board, we tried one of every dish then ordered more of our favourites (esp the chorizo in balsamic). The little salted caramel chocolate pots on the (small) pudding menu are rich & delicious. Good wine list, reasonably priced. We will return

Always busy . A locals meeting point serving good coffee , scones and cakes.Served by friendly and efficient young staff.

I live locally but yet I refuse going to Handleys cafe because of the poor service I receive every time. I try to give it second chances but I always get disappointed.If you are in a rush (wanted to walk to the train station whilst sipping my coffee) forget it, they'll make you miss at least two trains.The trainee baristas, bless them, they try hard but it's going to take a while.The food was served cold and the prices don't reflect the quality. Less than average quality for a very high price for Ashtead!!! This is not Carnaby Street you know!Good luck if you go during half term, the place is packed and they can't handle it!!Bike Beans cafè is just round the corner and it is much much better!

Popped in for lunch and it was a lovely surprise. They had a good range of options sure to please most people. Food was nicely presented and the cafe is a nice little nugget in the busy Ashtead High Street. Would visit again.

We visit Handley's about once a month as a treat with my 3yo. She loves going there and having her "coffee" (frothed milk with chocolate powder on top) while I have mine (sometimes we even let mummy join us).Occasionally we'll even have a breakfast at Handley's - we find the portion sizes are a big enough that we can easily split two items between the three of us and still not eat lunch on time.The service is also good (although it can be a bit slow if you get caught in the rush, I have heard they are getting in a larger coffee machine).Sadly since the refurb they've lost the box of children's toys that my daughter used to love. They assure me they're getting in colouring sheets, but they've not yet materialised.Still, we all love it and going there is a nice treat for the whole family.

Handley's recently had a refurb, and whilst the surroundings are very nice and the food is served on trendy slates etc, the food itself is severely lacking. Panini or sausage baguette really shouldn't be difficult, but both were rubbish when me and my boyfriend ate here. I don't mind spending a bit extra if the food is good but if you can't even make a sandwich... If food was improved this place could be great!

Having visited Ashtead many times I thought grabbing a quick take away sarnie would be a good idea. Wrong. Overpriced, very ordinary and dull, oh, and train the junior staff to put butter on the bread. Next time it's down to Craddocks.

Every few weeks or so I shoot down the A3 to Ashtead village where I meet my 86 year old mother-in-law for lunch. Until recently this place right in the centre of the village was called Palmer’s. It was quite perfect for the purpose, old fashioned, pleasantly dated around the edges with an extended sandwich bar kind of menu: quiches, baked potatoes with different fillings, steak and kidney pies, sausages and beans, basic salads, home made muffins and lemon cake, occasionally a bit of exotica like brie or smoked salmon, that kind of thing. And they did a good cuppa too. A genteel version of a greasy spoon caf, really, with everything on offer reliably predictable and no outlandish newfangled fancy food . You knew where you were, at Palmer’s. The clientele too was sensibly tweed skirted with pastel coloured twinsets, snap shut handbags and neat perms, gently acknowledging acquaintances as they passed by, and served by broad hipped waitresses of the motherly type, who called everyone ‘love’. Then, a metamorphosis. I came back from living abroad and all of a sudden, the little sandwich bar cafe on sleepy Ashtead High Street, so beloved by elderly ladies, had turned itself into this mildly trendy teak furnished coffee bar with urbane black aproned staff wielding panini at groups of local yummy mummies. Good old Palmer’s had now become edgy Handley’s! Here they offer Bambaccino’s for the babies and, for their mothers, gingerbread flavoured syrup in their cappuccino. They have Rooibos Tea Pigs and elderflower fizz, falafel wraps and breakfast burritos! It’s all a brave new world and there’s not a single Miss Marple in sight. Alas, alongside the newfound sophistication comes an increased level in background noise; coffee machines hissing, babies grizzling, mummies giving each other a squealy welcome, their active wear trainers squeaking in tune on the floor. The staff these days are well meaning, smiley and friendly but they just can’t compete with the matrons of yore. For a start, they stand with their backs towards their guests, chatting away merrily to each other and, after ten minutes, need a polite prod to come and take an order. They negotiate the buggies like the pros that they are but have difficulty in accommodating a walking stick. Still, the coffee they bring is just as good as back in the day, so no complaints there.We have an accepted little ritual, my mother-in-law and I. Whenever we meet for lunch, she orders a baked potato with whichever filling she fancies that day and I have a poached or scrambled egg on toast. Her favourite at Palmer’s was always a baked potato with crispy skin, properly done in the oven, with plenty of melty butter, grated cheese on top and a couple of slices of ham by the side with a salad garnish. At Handley’s, her favourite order comes as a salad with ham and brie. Much healthier no doubt, and she does like salad very much, but the potato is pretty dry with tough skin, the salad has small fat chunks of ham among its chopped up leaves, and evidence of the promised brie is minimal. My scrambled egg with smoked salmon was anaemic looking, uninteresting, watery. It sits on two chewy undertoasted English muffin halves, the smoked salmon slices just about enough to lie in a decorative swirl on top. I too miss the warm buttery and crunchy wholemeal toast triangles with the creamy yellow scrambled egg of Palmer’s days. Our bill came to £13.75

Visit this cafe when in the area as very little choice, and it's a charming little place. Staff courteous and hard working but can be slow but we got our coffee quickly today. Menu choice very good and freshly prepared and has potential to be an excellent cafe, maybe extra staff might help at busy periods.

Unsure what all the bad service comments are about. Maybe those people had gone at lunch break? Neil and the team our fantastic hosts. Stunning food, fantastic coffee, I've been quite a few times now (never when its been super busy) and always LOVED it. Can't wait to head back down this Christmas time. It's healthy good produce all locally sourced which is rare these days. GO!

As many previous reviews have stated, great food and coffee but disorganised and terrible service. Once you've given up on waiting to be served and gone to the counter, the food can take forever to arrive sometimes, with tables receiving food in quite a random order. In fairness, the staff are not rude, but the place just needs some organisation and management...What a shame that a place with nice food is let down by service!

We waited for 50+ minutes for some sandwiches, even after reminding staff of our order. Had to go and pay to extend parking as had paid for food already. Staff more interested in chatting to 'locals'. Poor and disorganized.

Loving the change in Ashtead Village. Friendly, perfect menu, lovely layout with additional tables with chairs outside. The cut ham makes for the best sandwich in a long time & would highly recommend.

Visited on a Saturday morning having been recommended this place. At first glance all looks lovely. Order was placed and told it would take 10 minutes for a coffee to arrive. Sat at a table then waited 25 minutes for anything to happen. Then I was informed that the two pastries I had ordered had subsequently been sold to another customer, and there were no more left. Others who had arrived after us had their drinks and food etc.I spoke to a member of staff who informed me that "it is Saturday you know "! Well yes it was a Saturday but Saturdays come once a week and if they need more staff on a Saturday they should deal with that. The drinks, when they finally arrived after approximately 30 minutes were very good Overall good drinks, shocking service Good luck if you choose to go here

I visited twice with family members for impromptu lunch over the summer holidays. Love the refurb inside, great improvement. The paninis are tasty, especially the fig jam. Yes, service can be slow, but if that means all the food is freshly prepared, fine. There are lots of staff so it should run like clockwork. On one occasion we ate outside because it was glorious, however the busy A24 / High Street is not the most conducive to conversation & fresh air dining! We look forward to trying the Wine Bar one evening

I met 4 friends for tea and cake. We had scones, homemade cake and brownies and they were lovely. They had a wide range of drinks too. All at affordable prices.....we will be back.

This is the second time this place has let me down. I should have stayed away from this place as per previous experiences but I thought I will give it a try, that was a big mistake!!! How difficult is to serve a cup of coffee, a hot chocolate, a child breakfast and scramble eggs, after 20 minutes of waiting the coffee appeared but the hot chocolate was missing, once the hot chocolate arrived I waited for another 20 minutes for the food, all the customers sitting around me that arrived after me were enjoying their food whiles I was still waiting, it was obvious my order was not put through. I went and asked about my food and after more waiting I just gave up because the intention was to have breakfast not early lunch. When I asked for a refund the woman on the till make a point telling me I had to pay for the drinks, I was not asking her to discount the money for the drinks! I was asking her to refund the money for the food that failed to arrived. If it is your fault because you forgot to give the order to the kitchen don't treat the paying customer as rubbish! I'm never coming back and will let anyone I know to stay away from that place!

Great cafe on Ashtead High Street with good food, nice staff and nice atmosphere. Have used quite a few times now for lunch when visiting my Dad, and has proved popular with all the family

I love dining at Handleys. The chemistry of good menu, Deli and cheerful service is their gift.The owner/chef is attentive and cooks great food. The Welsh Rarebit is a favourite of mine. The rest of the menu consists of some delicious, homemade goodies including a wide cake range.I also have taken away a variety of cheeses from their Deli counter. Excellent Goats Cheese!Because I live local, it's a comfortable place to stop off at and will happily while away a couple of hours here on my day off, so am in this Cafe at least once per week!. Top Marks guys.My only negative remark is that I always come away stinking of fried food etc and chatting to a few others I know who eat at Handleys have said they find that an off putting aspect! I'm not sure if their extractor fan needs changing or upgrading? But it would be lovely to smell less greasy when I get home.Sorry guys, otherwise I would have given a 5 star rating.

Excellent service from Neil and his wonderful staff. Ashtead is lucky to have a Deli serving the very best quality snacks and meals. A real gem

Our "rep" organised a parents' coffee here after the morning school run to celebrate the end of term, chosen because it's open before 9 which many local cafes aren't. We put together a few tables in the middle, it was cosy & conducive to socialising. The staff member was very accommodating, she served us in the ad hoc way in which we dribbled in to the cafe & was charming throughout. The coffee is good value but like almost everywhere else, the cost of a cup of tea (not a pot) was incredible given it's a tea bag & some boiling water with a splash of milk. For the convenience, service & ambience, we will return

Went in to grab some takeaway breakfast, should have taken my self away after seeing the coleslaw. Unfortunately it was to late and my partner had already placed our order(bacon sandwich with red and Bacon & sausage with brown and bacon crispy)Now back to the coleslaw! this was on display in the deli style fridge, it appeared very orange/yellow, when my partner and I inquired about the shade, the staff member looked at the coleslaw and said "that will be the carrots" than proceeded to give it a mix! and reveal that in fact the rest of the coleslaw was a different and more acceptable shade.... Yummy So as you can guess, I was really looking forward to breakfast.... My apprehension was surprisingly short lived as I took my S&B sandwich out of its grand packaging and grasped the fantastic door step sandwich. My apprehension was well justified, as the bread really was the best part. Bacon twice cooked at best if I am being kind and the sausage(s)? not worth my key strokes. It is a shame as the bread and box really did set them up well, pity about the filling.

Very quiet but plenty of staff loitering about...which made all the uncleared and filthy tables inexcusable. Staff members moaning about having to do any work. Slow haphazard service, staff needed several reminders to bring everything on the order. However the worst part, as the previous trip advisor has also said in their review was watching the girl handle cash at the till, then scoop a handful of vegetable crisps for my plate, then handle further coins, then slice my cooked panini with the same hands. Disgusting.

Came across Handleys this afternoon. Ordered two breakfasts, a pot of tea and an orange juice. There were 3 members of staff on, but the floor was beyond dirty with stray food and the menus needed a wipe down. They wore gloves half the time, not the rest. No interaction what so ever with the customers. No smiling. Eatting behind the counter; one then took a loaf back to the kitchen with bare hands and wiped her mouth whilst carrying it. One gentleman did complain about his milkshake and was told he couldn't have a refund because it was personal preference. These milkshakes cost £4!! He then had to pay more money for another drink and once he left they had a good giggle after it. Very unprofessional. Half the breakfast was cold, and just thrown on a plate, with oil all around the side of the plate. Which is a shame because the food did have a nice Taste to it. The check back on the table was too late. Wouldnt recommend.

I came today for a quiet lunch and tea, and was blown away by the wonderful food and helpful staff. I really like the emphasis on sourcing food locally, and the messages supporting local businesses! Would definitely recommend

I met two friends for lunch, as it was pouring with rain we had to sit inside where space is short, I arrived first and told the waitress I was meeting friends, when they arrived service was prompt and polite. We all had something different and all enjoyed what we had, I had a delicious Panini with brie and fig relish, well presented and reasonably priced. I will make this a regular haunt as I am a local, well done on a varied menu and good produce.

When visiting Ashtead last week, we stumbled across Handley's Delicatessen, which was packed. As we walked in, a table freed up, so we decided to stop for breakfast. I ordered American Pancakes and bacon, and my husband ordered a sausage sandwich. Having made several visits to the USA, I was really looking forward to my American find.Unfortunately, the pancakes did not live up to my expectations. They did not taste freshly made, but rather store-bought and warmed through. They were also quite dry, and I was only given about two tablespoons of maple syrup, but no butter. I ate half of one pancake and left the rest. The bacon, however, was delicious and plentiful, and made up for the pancakes. I was disappointed that the server wasn't concerned as to why I left most of the pancakes. My husband's sausage sandwich, on the other hand, was perfectly presented and very nicely done on thick, white bread. There is a wide variety of coffees and Teapigs teas to choose from, as well as cold drinks. There is also a delicatessen counter where one can purchase cold meats, cheeses and what looked like freshly-made salads. There was also a plentiful cakes and biscuits counter, so this might be a better place for afternoon tea.The service was a bit hap-hazard, and it was unclear as to whether there was table service or if you had to order at the counter. We sat there for quite a while before being acknowledged, and after watching several people walk in after us and order at the counter, we approached the counter to place our order, but were told then that there was table service as well. It has a lovely atmosphere of a real 'local' place, and I wouldn't hesitate in stopping by here again, when in the area. I would advise avoiding the pancakes, but everything else looked lovely.