Harpers in Central Bedfordshire

Stopped in for a tea, coffee and scone for the first time this weekend as we happened to drive past. It was all lovely and reasonably priced. However it is disappointing that a venue in such a prime countryside location doesn’t at least allow dogs inside somewhere. I imagine their foot traffic would increase substantially if dog walkers could come in for a post/pre walk refreshment.

We hired Harpers’ function room for a Celebration of Life for my late husband. The buffet was beautifully presented, delicious and plentiful. Everything was ready on time, the staff could not do enough for us - helping to get photos displayed on a TV screen, finding a speaker that would connect to an old iPod, and even staying behind with us until our very delayed taxi eventually arrived. We would high recommend Harpers for any celebration.

Despite being in the middle of the countryside, where 90% of people own dogs, they are not allowed in. Not only are they not allowed, there is no sign to tell you. So when you get to the door someone will rudely say without even greeting you, or smiling...... No dogs allowed in here! Honestly manners don't cost anything. Nothing quite like pretentious staff you make customers want to come again. I just moved to the area, but I will not be going back ever again.

12 of us visited as part of my daughters hen party celebrations and we had booked an afternoon tea. The savoury food was delicious and there was plenty of it (in fact most of us took doggy bags home). We had some lovely scones too with jam and cream, not too sure about the other "cakes" as they were very tiny (like the ones that come out of a box from Iceland", no fresh home made cakes. The person who made our afternoon was without a doubt Becky, the lovely young waitress who could not do enough for us and took all of our photos and made sure we had everything we needed, thank you Becky. We would definitely come again but to some it up we all enjoyed the savoury more than the sweet, some home made cakes would have made it perfect.

I know there’s little you can do to ‘dress up’ a bacon roll, but seriously? We patronize Harpers regularly but am left wondering. If it hadn’t been to spare the wife’s blushes I would have really let go. Better value, better presentation even and better bacon at McDs and Greggs - and that’s saying something! And by the way £4.95!!

Decent food but expensive. Decent seating though inside & out. Good parking area. Would go again when in Slip End

Their menu says all food is cooked fresh to order. It isn’t. It says they pride themselves on quality food and friendly service. They shouldn’t, because it’s not true. My husband and I decided to look for a farm shop cafe on our travels from his parents back to our home. We ordered a chicken dish which did seem to be cooked fresh and my husband enjoyed it. I ordered some all-day breakfast items (we were there at about 2pm) and when mine arrived I had the feeling that the toast was leftover from the morning, and the bacon and sausage definitely were. It was all bone dry and rock hard. So disappointing. The friendly service we received when ordering was a young lass who was trying her best, followed by an older miserable lady popping her head out of the kitchen to tell us we couldn’t have what we’d ordered. Not friendly at all. The 2 meals and 2 drinks cost £28, which, if it had been delicious, wouldn’t have been an issue at all. But my food was old and dry and I left about 80% of it. Such a shame, if it had been good it would have been our regular stop off on that journey we do so often.

I visited a few months ago with my disabled mother, and the staff were so helpful, coming out to greet us because I had just dropped my mask and it blew away. They were so kind and friendly. The man who owns Harpers was keen to ensure his staff were helpful and friendly on my first visit. Yesterday I returned. I like their "home made" pies- pies like you would make at home- filled with meat and flavour. the butchers serves a huge range of meats too, frozen and fresh- a little pricey to be honest. My girlfriend and I noticed a lady sitting on her own. A young girl who worked there, approached her, asked how she was. The lady said something about not being great. The girl asked if it was ok to join the elderly woman and asked her to tell her what was happening. She sat and listened. Small things of greatness. I dont know if this was a level of training received or just personal skills, but It is a level of customer service that is rare these days.

Visited for breakfast. Sat in the Oak Room. When someone came to the table next to us the back of the chairs from the 2 tables where touching. When looking round the smaller table were too close together. Not sure what social distancing is like in the coffee shop but I do not feel the Oak Room is safe.

Staff gave us the bill before we even got our coffees. Coffee was just warm milk. So disappointed and will not come back.

My husband and I went for lunch. Table service only and we felt comfortable with covid precautions. The menu is a little limited and pricey for what you actually get but we both had a delicious panini which was hot and tasted lovely. We’ve been coming to Harper’s for about 5-6 years staff are always friendly.

What a shame Harpers has a customer base which has a large number of vulnerable customers and it seems hell bent on killing them off by only applying minimal Covid 19 measures. Even after a visit from the local authorities the only change seems to be staff wearing gloves to wipe the tables. With respect your young staff are at least risk of serious consequences if they catch Covid 19. Please respect your senior and vulnerable customers who have it would appear been a major reason for your success. Genteel dining in a pandemic requires keeping your customers alive

I have always enjoyed visiting Harpers and so was looking forward to lunch there today with some family members. I need to firstly say that the food was nice and the service was good. My concerns amount to the lack of COVID 19 awareness. I genuinely felt like I had stepped back in time pre-lockdown, as did the other members in my party. No one was wearing face masks (not even the people bringing out the food) and there were no floor markings, so everyone was bunched up together to order at the till (at which there was no screen). I deliberately kept a distance and then people behind me actually did the same. There was no track and trace system in place whatsoever. This is literally the only cafe I have visited that has not mentioned this. There were a lot of people there that would fall into the 'vulnerable' category from an age point of view and so I was surprised track and trace was not a priority. I did see a sign that said they were trying to keep a 1 metre distance between customers but it was not placed in a prominent place and did not catch your eye. I usually really enjoy Harpers and just think that a little more attention to COVID 19 measures would make all the customers feel more safe and secure.

I visited today and was disappointed to see no one wearing masks and no measures in place , I asked 2 members of staff why this was the case and one was very rude the other was not bothered ... what a joke I definitely will not be going back here .

First time visit and will not be returning. Service awful and the coffee was abysmal. Looked to me like no one was in charge and I assume the staff only work weekends!

It gets very busy there - lots of nannas and ladies lunching, so tables with an umbrella outside were like hens' teeth and people were standing ready to pounce!There was hand gel and spray at the entrance, and masks were required to browse the shop area, but not for the adjacent queue to order food.The food was great - it's fairly simple fare, but apparently home-made and certainly fresh. The lamb samosa was very full and very tasty! They make much of their 'executive' sausage rolls and they are certainly in a different class to those you might get a High Street chain.The staff were busy (this was midweek lunchtime) but all seemed attentive and friendly enough, even the youngsters amongst them.

After tasting the meat from Harper’s we no longer shop anywhere else for meat. Chicken marinades, sausages homemade with extremely low fat content, delicious homemade burgers and the frozen pies are all now popular with the entire family and perfect for me as a busy working mum. For dinner parties or a Sunday roast this is the best place locally for a good joint of beef. Sunday treat of cheese or chocolate thins also keeps up smiling in lock down!

I totally agree with the previous review re staff although it’s not only the young staff to blame....I visited twice this week with family and enjoyed food on offer also cakes/scones and coffee were very good.....on both occasions we witnessed more mature staff standing chatting behind shop counter while tables were piled high with dirty plates etc..... I cleared a table for us to sit at and I witnessed other customers doing the same and they continued to stand chatting! Could be a great place if staff issues were resolved. Needs a good manager!

I enjoy visiting Harper's as it's local to me, has a car park and serves home cooked food, the scones are absolutely fabulous. However over the past few weeks I have experienced bad service from some of the young staff. I visited last Sunday and was served by a young girl whose attitude and miserable face were shocking. Today I visited and waited to place my food order, there were 2 young girls behind the counter, one of which was making drinks, the second girl was merrily chatting to her appearing totally oblivious to me. Finally she stopped chatting and served me. I went to buy some meat in the butchery section and was served by the very pleasant owner. I went to the till and was served by another miserable youngish girl who had attitude!I cannot understand why Harper's employ so many young girls (look like school age), it may be that Harper's struggle to recruit older people, but they need to have some form of training. There used to be a dark haired older lady who worked in the cafe who was absolutely fantastic, friendly, efficient and an asset to Harper's but she seems to have left.The owners need to train their young staff and encourage better customer service.

Just had lunch at Harper’s with two lady friends, first of all the service in the main room was terrible very slow, we waited 15 minutes before anyone came near us then we had to wait 35 minutes for our starters which was ok, main course, potatoes and parsnips not cooked enough, gravy like dish water very weak. The girls waiting staff obviously no training, also they need to address the time it is taking for the food to come out of the kitchen. All in all not good for £60

Went to Harper’s for lunch at 2.40. Missed the Oak Room closes at 2.30. So selected food from coffee shop black board. Ordered 2 x jacket pots, veg curry & chicken tikka curry. Maybe it was because we were late..... sadly jacket pots dry / overcooked as were both curry’s. Left feeling very disappointed, so this is second time jacket pots have not been good. I’m now put off going back for a meal. Snacks and cakes are great but someone should review the freshness of hot food on offer and whether it can and does meet customer expectations.....

What a really lovely experience, lovely food, had a browse around the well stocked shop and deli. A return visit is a must when we are next in the area.

Stopped here for a Sunday cuppa and a cake whilst walking the pooch. Top drawer. Superb scones and a great little outdoor seating area which is perfect in the sun. The farm shop, with all its lovely goodies, is wonderful and the bacon here is the best you’ll buy for miles. The function room also looks fab and definitely with thinking about for a party!

Just popped into Harper’s for lunch - Jacket potato with cheese & beans and a ham sandwich. Potato had quite a bit black & inside was hard. Surprised this wasn’t noticed when staff cut open......? Quickly changed by cashier which was good. But cheese used seemed to be Mozzarella which not everyone likes, so perhaps this could be made clear on menu? Ham sandwich was missing request for added red onion, which should have been quite simple to achieve.......

Very pleasant coffee shop and restaurant. Ideal for a quick coffee and a chat or the restaurant is good for a reasonable priced meal

The lunch was sadly disappointing. The lasagne, chosen by two of the group, was very dry, lacked sauce and had only one layer of pasta on the top. The sausages were tasty but the mashed potato very compressed and definitely needed the gravy which was luke warm. The mini desserts with coffee were good.I booked on line but never received a confirmation. Rang several days later and this was confirmed. On arrival two tables had been reserved for us, one under an inaccurate name!

Nice location, lots of parking. Lunch for 2, very average; Gammon sandwich & tuna baguette - pork reformed, not off the bone. Bread for both I would describe as 'Supermarket Basics' quality. I would have expected artisan quality bread for this type of food outlet - for a few pence extra cost this would have lifted the whole quality experience to a higher level. Staff friendly & efficient. Overall, disappointing.

Just popped in for quick snack, lovely surroundings, excellent for a coffee and lovely cake. Good service and you can always shop afterwards in the inhouse store

Hi, I’ve visited ‘The Oak Room’ section of Harper’s a few times now. I have enjoyed the food, the friendly atmosphere and also the attached shop. So I also get to take some of their sausage Rolls and jams home. I have only ever had one thing that I was happy about, which was another table of 4 adults and a baby. They complained about everything with no reason, barking orders at the staff rudely, until their meal was paid for. Shameful!

I wanted to eat out for lunch while in Harpenden so on a friends recomendation drove out to Harpers The staff was exceptionally friendly and constantly smilling and joking with one another a sure sign that this was a happy place with an understanding owner/manager. The food was good and service quick. highly recommended

Stopped by for a light lunch on 30th Nov18. Two meals served from the café.

Recommended by a family member who lives locally. Menu was relatively small but we all found something to our taste. My veg samosa was hot and spicy - great value. Must try the “restaurant” area next time.

They have just made a very sad occasion , very special, We had a lovely afternoon tea after a funeral. The room was bright and cheerful, lovely china. sandwiches, cakes ,scones and sausage rolls , beautiful. Wonder staff , helpful kept the tea and coffee following. Thank you . has a cafe area and farm shop too. Great venue.

Visited Harpers (a family owned and run business) for the sole purpose of trying one of their sausage rolls for lunch. However, we arrived a bit late for lunch and only two flavours were left, but what I had was good and so was the speciality coffee.

Been meaning to try Harpers since their move from Studham a few years ago. Just off Slip End at Pepperstock and a lovely relatively new shop, restaurant and café.

小さな店舗だが、エリアでは見つけにくい、スコットランド産のポテチや、オーガニック系の良い菓子類ソフトドリンク類が揃えられている。（日本で一時期話題だったキュリオシティコーラもココでしか見なかった。）カフェも、コーニッシュパイや、ケーキ類が並び、美味しいものが揃っている。地元の人たちで午前中から賑わっている。

Visited more than once this month. Fresh cooked food good for lunch or a light bite. Friendly service.

I have always found Harpurs serve the best scones, unfortunately my husband and I visited Tuesday 14th August, having driven over from Hitchin. The coffee was fine but the scones very poor, we did eat them, as we didn't like to make a complaint in front of other customers. I gave it a lot of thought and phoned the next day and explained to a very helpful lady the problem, the lady said she would phone me the next day after she had spoken to somebody in the restaurant about the issue. To date I have heard nothing back from Harpurs.

Discovered this gem driving past when road closed (A1081) on Friday. Came back with family today. Lovely coffee and cake! Great air-conditioning too.

Great place to purchase fresh or frozen meat. Nice cafe, albeit the service can be a little hit and miss. Very reasonably priced menu. Would recommend.

We have been visiting Harpers on a regular basis and never got around to post a review! Harpers is tucked away in a beautiful location with plenty of parking space. The owners are very friendly, welcoming and genuinely interested in getting to know their customers. The interior is bright and welcoming. The food is great and the staff are friendly and very attentive. lots of seating areas inside and outside. Food quality is excellent, delicious and very pleasing to the eye.

Lovely gluten free cake and fabulous sausage rolls in the cafe. It is a great place to while away some time and browse the great quality meat and deli foods in the shop. Seating available inside and out.

Well worth a visit. Friendly staff, good food and atmosphere. Large car park, and 10% off for Armed Forces and Veterans. There is also a food shop there and a butchers.

Good food and range of coffees and teas, sells freezer meat and other items but bit pricey, not cheap,

Ordered beef lasagne but when started to eat it it did not taste right- took it back only to be told it was lamb ! I said that the menu stated beef and was told they had run out so used lamb. - I have an allergy to lamb - fortunately I hadn't eaten enough for it to effect me.

Popped into Harper’s with my parents at lunch time for a lovely coffee and slice of cake. Both very nice. Had a walk round the shop, they have some great bits and pieces would make good stocking fillers. They show Luton airport arrival times so great place to wait if picking up from airport.

Afternoon tea for myself and my two daughters............perfect 😊 the food was gorgeous, just the right amount and what we couldn't eat we took home. We were looked after by Jane who was lovely and very attentive. We will definitely go again!

Great place to meet with friends for coffee or lunch and to purchase good meat and pies. All staff are friendly, polite and helpful.

Asistimos Harpers para una recepción de boda. Yo no habría elegido este lugar, naturalmente, pero funcionó muy bien. De 90 a 100 invitados estaban bien atendidos, aunque algunas de las mesas estaban fuera en el patio. Por suerte, el clima fue estupendo. El personal era servicial y amable y como una boda local era luminosa, espaciosa y cómoda. Sin duda me alojaría aquí de nuevo, quizás esta instalación para una fiesta. La comida estilo barbacoa era excelente.

Visita planeada como llegar junto con amigos de trabajo como mi grupo de jubilación - Reserva fue fácil; mesas configurado y listo para nuestra llegada con manteles de lino blancos, vajilla vintage y flores frescas. Inicialmente se ofreció té o café hasta todos los huéspedes llegar luego sabrosa selección incluye bollitos deliciosos scones de salchichas, seguido por y tortas. Todos deliciosos y frescos, no hay prisa para terminar, un montón de tiempo para charlar y recambios interminables de té o café. También podrá solicitar para los envases para llevar a casa algunos las sobras. Entorno muy agradable y buen servicio pero sólo había otra mesa ocupada en la misma habitación en nuestra visita, gracias.

Almuerzo en Harpers es una experiencia encantadora. El casero no era perfecta (quiché fondo empapados allí) y el ensalada muy fresca con un aderezo muy sabroso. Estarías malacostumbrados con la selección de pasteles deliciosos para el postre.

My first and last visit to Harpers - just of the main A1081 Slip end turning. Fair sized car park upon arrival. Once inside the layout is of a café area, frozen foods, fresh cakes, etc plus butchers shop. Frozen items did look costly, but...

Came here on Saturday 28th January with 5 of my girlfriends for a post Christmas/ birthday gathering to catch up, relax, eat, drink and laugh. The tables are a good size, and the portions too. Plenty of sandwiches and cakes, pots of tea, coffee and for an extra charge you can have bar drinks or Prosecco. We were there from 2pm - 4:30pm - not rushed - felt very welcome and the lady that owns it/ was serving us was an absolute hoot. We laughed all afternoon. Definitely somewhere I would consider coming back to. £18 each for afternoon tea, with a nice farm shop to peruse afterwards. Thank you for looking after us that afternoon.

Harpers is a great example of great food and great service. If it's not on the shelf or in the freezer, just order it, even the pies can be made to order! Excellent quality and excellent service. The coffee shop gets very busy so make sure you get there in good time. Great home made lunches, and the taster days are well worth a visit too. If you want to meet the owner he's usually at the front of the store chatting to all and sundry! Long may he reign.

Lovely place , great food and good coffee lovely staff the frozen food is great I pick up there pie all the time there fresh meat is 5 stars they do great bacon sandwich and fresh cakes

I visit Harpers both to eat and shop for best quality good and drink, l always enjoy my visit the food is very good and the staff friendly

A lovely farm shop with butchers and coffee shop serving lovely homemade lunches. Great cakes and selection of hot and cold food. Very reasonable and relaxing place. Award winning sausage rolls do not leave without one for your tea !

I recently organised a surprise afternoon Tea for a friend and 23 colleagues at Harper's.the tea was amazing ,with homemade sausage rolls , mouth watering sandwiches, and dainty cupcakes. Our waitress was wonderful and kept up with numerous requests for tea and coffee, nothing was too much trouble. They even provided additional goodies for the vegetarians among us .We had a wonderful afternoon,and were even able to take home any surplus cakes. Thank you to Judy and your excellent staff.

We have been visiting Harpers since it was taken over from the Half Moon, which we used to visit every Sunday for Dinner. Food to eat excellent, and well as taking home some of the fresh meat and delights of the cake display. Thank you the Harpers Family Susan Browne

Often very busy and at times difficult to get a table, but friendly staff and a bit on the expensive side for tea and coffee, but some nice cakes

The service was great but we had to queue so could have been a little faster. I would go again but only for convenience.

I am a club member of this venue. It has great quality products. Also well worth becoming a member for the perks they offer.

I went here with my mum and had a lovely lunch, especially the homemade cake which was naughty but very, very nice. We met Mr Harper who was very caring and wanted to ensure we had a good time.There is a well stocked farm style shop on the premises which I will be visiting again for Christmas presents.

Just had a great vegetarian haggis lunch for Burns' Night. I really wasn't looking forward to it as it's not my sort of food, but it was so good! Beautifully cooked and the whisky sauce was perfect. Lovely bright restaurant, good service, and the attached deli is amazing. Great place, good parking, great location.

I often pop in for a coffee and snack while shopping for bacon or some other quality item. I just gives a lift to an otherwise boring interlude.

Plenty to choose from, Sandwiches, Baguettes, Hot meals vary, homemade cakes and pastries; Gluten free are also available. They usually have a home made soup each day, along with their pates, salads, casseroles, sausages... Something here to suit everyone.

This restaurant is attached to a bejou shop selling a wide range of food, and alcohol products. It has its own butchery and has a great choice of meats to purchase. My first impression was one of surprise having the owner walk up and introduce himself to us and show us around. He gave us a complimentary glass of Mead, and there was no hard sell. The staff were all friendly and the café had a great choice of light bites and cakes including a wide range of gluten free cakes to choose from. The prices were very reasonable compared to local garden centres. A great place to go out for lunch!

Met friends for lunch at this coffee shop within a delicatessen. Pleasant setting but limited menu and selection of snacks. Service was friendly and efficient, parking easy and the premises very clean. The downside was the pricing which unfortunately was not value for money.

Visited here for a mid day lunch. A fairly limited menu but very enjoyable, a selection of home made cakes and deli items. Service is excellent and friendly with a tranquil atmosphere. Plenty of parking and you can always have a nosy round the deli shop after.

One of the best delicatessens I have shopped at with an original and excellent selection. The coffee shop and home made cakes and scones are "a must"!

As always on arrival it appeares that there is an aweful lot of choice available in the shop and on the deli counter, but compared to many other good quality farm shops around the area in reality the choice can be quite limited, just lots of the same with different manufacturers labels. and generally costing more than the other farm shops/deli's. Shame really as the atmosphere is pleasent and the coffee shop a good place to chat and meet up. Please do something about the pricing regime and I am sure that the business will grow even more.

This cafe has amazing sausage rolls that you can sample. Lunch was good value and the quiche and salad was fantastic (the quiche particularly). The shop is excellent too - full of organic and home made goodies in the freezers. All beautifully laid out. Great toilets with bright green walls and automatic lights.There is also a beautiful room available for functions.

This high class food store has been open for about a year. The cafe does a good selection of food at reasonable prices. The shop sells high grade products, especially meat, but is very expensive.There is an adjoining Function Room and plenty of car parking. Members of the Food Club - minimum subscription £30 per month - get various perks and a free turkey at Xmas. Afternoon tea is especially good, with a variety of cakes and sandwiches and is very competitively priced. We visit often and love this place.

This wonderful eatery is well worth a visit. Enjoy lunch or tea and then browse through the gourmet selection in the shop. Consider joining their fine food society as it is really worth it. We pop in here on a regular basis and have never been disappointed

Four of us had lunch at Harpers recently. There were various specials on the board - a quiche lorraine and a feta and olive quiche, and beef chilli. I asked how the beef chilli was served and was told it was on a baked potato (even though this wouldn't be a special as it was on the main menu). They did say they could serve it with rice, so we ordered that. We also ordered a ham baguette and one quiche lorraine and one feta and olive quiche. When the food arrived, my feta and olive quiche was, in fact, cheese and onion. I took it back and explained that I don't like onions. The lady at the counter apologised and said she would bring the feta and olive quiche which I had ordered. She then brought me a quiche lorraine, which I didn't want, as I don't eat meat. On the third attempt my feta and olive quiche arrived. I'd like to say it was worth the wait - and the hassle - but to be perfectly honest it was a little dry. The beef chilli and rice was also quite dry.We also ordered some soft drinks and a small bottle of wine. I did notice that the wine was priced at £3.00 on the menu but we were charged £3.50, but decided not to mention it. However, after our meal we ordered some coffees, one of which was an Irish coffee. The lady at the till said she didn't know how much that was, so I showed her the menu, and a notice on the counter, where it was priced at £3.00. She said she couldn't see the notice on the counter, because it was facing away from her (presumably so the customers could see it) and in any case £3.00 seemed too cheap! I suggested that as they'd over-charged me for the wine, £3.00 for the coffee seemed reasonable to me. The first lady who served us was quite friendly, but the second one wasn't and neither of them seemed to know the menu at all. Harpers is a good place to go for an interesting selection of foods to buy (apparently their sausage rolls are very good) and some of the cakes looked good, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it for lunch.

This place has serious identity problems with it being a shop and coffee shop. It has a very clinical coffee shop with very average coffee indeed. It feels a bit service station and had a really soulless sterile vibe. It's just too over lit with light walls and glass and more LED lighting than a dentists.The supermarket has no proper deli and most of the produce is pre packed in chillers. It's like a small supermarket crossed with a farmers market that really doesn't have the emphasis on fresh produce. It's all a bit vaccumed packed.Seen worse.

It always nice to have something new opening in the area and the Farm Shop offers an excellent range of produce, much of it a bit unusual. The cheeses are really good but the olive selection was very poor suffering I suspect from hanging around to long in their pots. Good options for dairy/gluton free shopping as well. However, it is not the best value for money for comparible produce in the area sadly.