Hay Castle Cafe in Powys

Probably the best casual eating place in town. Had soup and bread which was some of the best I’ve eaten. Artisan bread & butter to accompany delicious leek & potato soup. Carrot cake was to die for. Service was outstanding. Hay can be very expensive and not deliver; this is very reasonable and you are supporting this wonderful building.

Fantastic place for a bite to eat in Hay. We arrived at 11.40 - just after the brunch menu finished and slightly before lunch. The waiting staff were happy to bring us some drinks and return for our lunch order at 12pm. We had the lamb burger and the pork, cider and mustard pie - both excellent but the gravy with the pie was incredible! So much so that the other half nicked some for dipping chips in! Service was great from the young team, lovely atmosphere and good value for money. Bonus that dogs are allowed in. Can’t wait to return to try the rest of the menu!

Stopped for lunch with the family. My wife and I had the steak which was one of the tastiest we have ever had. Would definitely recommend and will definitely be back next time we are in Hay.

It was amazing, Tom and his team cooked an amazing 3 course meal for a private party that I went to. He know all our names, and was very attentive to us all.

We visited the castle cafe on our trip to Hay after looking at recommendations and I'm so glad we did. We both had the steak with the most delicious chips and a garlic mayo. The staff were very attentive, friendly and helpful. I felt a draught and Izzy, one of the waiting staff, helpfully got me a blanket for my knees. There's something for everyone on the menu and for all budgets.

This cafe is a must-visit! Great vibes and top-notch food, very friendly staff. Copes well when busy. All the cakes looked spot on too.

Lovely place to have lunch after wandering round the town. Amazing views - we sat outside even though it wasn’t great weather as the cafe was full but was assured by the waitress that they would find us a spot inside if it rained! The food was delicious and staff friendly.

Fantastic lunch mozzarella tomato and pesto milk loaf toastie with a chai latte (creamy smooth), and smoked salmon with cottage garden leaves, celeriac coleslaw, oat biscuits and a pear juice. Fabulous food and drink with really good service in a very clean room inside Hay castle. Cafe is on the left after entering and has lovely views of the castle’s huge front lawn. Toilets upstairs kept clean.

Visited for coffee and toast on three mornings. Lovely coffee and friendly staff. No brown bread for toast which was rather expensive. Nice atmosphere...coffee in a castle.

I enjoyed my lunch but there's little choice for vegetarians. Service is good and the view from the windows is excellent.

We ate here after a nice trip round the castle. A good range of food we had some toasties which tasted great and were served with some crisps and salad, had a good size pot of tea all at a good price

Lovely cafe just at the entrance to the castle. They were very busy due to the festival but didn't make anyone feel rushed at all. Had chai latte, regular latte and two toasties (which were EXCELLENT). Thanks to the friendly staff. Lovely place, if I lived closer I'd be a regular.

A superb lunch....I had the steak frites (onglet) the best I have had for ages....my wife had the chicken......very good as well......lovely staff and service.....sat close to the fire and by the window......faultless.......we will be back......thank you

Sunday lunch .... 4 options, we had beef and pork. Very generous portions of meat, perfectly cooked. the vegetables were also, well but not overcooked. Roast potatoes and be difficult to get right but these were excellent. Friendly , welcoming staff. Unfortunately despite having done a long walk there was absolutely no room for the yummy looking deserts. Well priced.

Visited on a January Saturday and although busy were found a table quickly. Restaurant is dog friendly so definitely a bonus! Staff friendly although overwhelmed by the lunchtime rush for which they were apologetic. Food very nice although main reason for 3* review was value for money: two toasties and two soft drinks plus service charge came to £40 so a little disappointing.

Really disappointed I found the service really poor. I went straight to the counter as I had been looking in the gift shop so missed the sign for the first entrance. I was told to sit down (felt like an order). A knife and serviette was placed in front of me without a word from the employee/owner. My order of polenta cake arrived followed by my coffee. I had to get up from the table to ask for a cake fork. The male employee was very friendly, but the female employee made me feel as if I shouldn’t have been there. I will not be going there again. Coffee and thin slice of cake £6.00.

We had brunch one morning before the Hay Castle Tour. Food was excellent. We returned the next day for Sunday Roast which was outstanding. Service was exceptional too.

A really pleasant experience. The service is first class. We opted for the Sunday lunch and it was really cooked to perfection. The beef was good quality, roast potatoes crisp and vegetables varied and again cooked to perfection. The cafe is sparkling clean, uncluttered and light and airy.

Happened upon the cafe on a Sunday. Service was excellent and food served quickly. The roast was delicious! Well presented and a generous serving. Also reasonably priced. Would certainly return!

I've had coffee and light bites here several times, and all great, but the excellent lunch we had today did inspire me into having a shout about it. It was just about perfect. Good sized helpings, tasty, a very reasonable price, quick and polite service from attentive and friendly staff. Hay on Wye is becoming a little overpriced and underqualitied, but at the Castle Cafe you can still get quality at a reasonable price. Really good - highly recommended.

We had a light lunch of delicious chorizo toasties with a side of fries. The home made aioli and ketchup were really good. The cafe was fairly busy but we had a choice of tables and sat by the window to enjoy the autumn sunshine. Highly recommended.

We were waiting a good few minutes to be seated by the entrance to an empty dining area, whilst 5 staff members completely ignored us chatting at the bar . Eventually the staff member in the gift shop ,told staff we were waiting ! We were shown to a seat, then waited another 10 mins whilst they continued to chat, I went over and asked please may we order drinks ? A young man came over and was extremely off with us ,presumably because we interrupted for a second time ! We then made our order and we’re told the kitchen wouldn’t be happy with our choice because brunch was almost over . So we tried to say we would order from the lunch menu instead and were told the order couldn’t go through for another 1/2 an hour … so basically the menus are 1030-1130 brunch and lunch menu is from 12 ?? Very limited menu . The coffee came out they were very nice ,but tepid. Then the fire alarm went off, so we were ushered outside , by the time we went back in ,our coffees were stone cold … no offer of a refill . Then the food came out ,that too was cold ,the pancakes smothered in so much syrup,it ruined them , the bacon was hard , so much so the knife would not cut it,again cold ! It was such a shame, as it was my sons birthday ,and the meal was ruined. A suggestion would be sort out your staff attention and friendliness to customers . Also put the syrup in a mini jug so people can pour their own . My son and I work in the industry , I’d be mortified if my staff did this !!

When visiting Hay on Wye the castle's cafe is must visit. My wife and I took 2 friends for lunch.2 of us had fish, 1 had lamb burger and I had the steak. We all enjoyed our meal, perfectly prepared and presented with nice touches for sides. Service was friendly and helpful.

Better late than never! A planned walk along the Wye Valley Path started with an impromptu stop at the Hay Castle cafe. What a delight! The heavy drizzle (hence the early stop in the cafe) was a surprise as the forecast claimed a dry day ahead with sunny/cloudy intervals through the afternoon. Access to the castle follows a path nearby to the pedestrian crossing by the main car park. Taking a window seat we perused the menu. We were pleasantly surprised at the very reasonable prices. Throwing caution and the calory count to the wind we settled for two coffees, a slice of millionaire shortbread and a scone. We appreciated the staff giving us time to settle and check the menu before coming over to take our order. All were very polite and well dressed too. The cafe is free to access though there is a modest charge if one wished to visit the recently refurbished castle. The coffee was excellent and the shortbread, well, lets put it this way, I needed the walk to burn off the unexpected treat.. We had intended calling back to the cafe after our walk, however, we misjudged the walk length and arrived back in Hay quite late in the evening. I could have managed another slice of cake.. In the words of Arny, 'I'll be back!' I do have a sneaky feeling we may well do a couple more local Hay on Wye walks, just to visit the cafe! Well done team for changing a near eye-sore into a proper visitor attraction and a true asset to the town.

Popped in when we first arrived in Hay. The castle is lovely. Nice bright room overlooking the grass. A little echoey so can get noisy when full. Toasties we’re yummy, we tried the chorizo, the bacon and the hummus toasties. They came with some nice crisps too. Handy from the car park and filled a hole. The process to order and pay was unclear. We were sat waiting for a while before realising there was a check out desk in another room. A sign, or maybe letting customers know when seating them would help move people along. Food and drinks were nice but definitely overpriced. Looking at £8.50 for a toastie and up to £15 for other lunch options.

So good we called there twice Brunch - pancakes with berry compost, fromage fresh, and maple syrup. I just fancied a change from a traditional breakfast. I loved it. My wife had a more usual bacon & egg, which again she enjoyed. Hence many hours later, looking for a mid-afternoon bite we returned. To start we shared a Welsh Rarebit. Quite different from many others. The bread was thinner, as was the cheese. But so tasty. I also liked the coleslaw. To follow, my wife had her ‘last scone of the holiday’. It was a success. Got me the Bara Brith. Equally good.

Lovely staff, friendly and welcoming. The menu was great and the food delicious. Would go again next time we’re Hay on Wye. Highly recommended

Greeted by a sign saying wait here to be seated. We stood for ages looking at empty tables and were about to leave when a young woman spotted us and came across and seated us. A few minutes later the member of staff waiting the...

Lovely wee cafe serving nice food, cakes and drinks. Baking was superb and the staff were great. Friendly and professional- perfect mix and made the visit that extra bit special. Try the seed and fruit flapjacks…yummy!!

A real gem. Simple lunch food presented well, lovely view and outlook, friendly and efficient staff in a fabulous surrounding. Will be back!

Brilliant food (the best Bakewell tart ever). Lovely staff. The waitress was incredibly busy, but noticed a mum with 2 toddlers and a baby in a buggy, realise she'd have to negotiate the steps to the loo. Took time to direct her to a more...

A great location within the new part of the castle,and the cafe is very pleasant. You can enter without paying for the castle. However the food is relatively expensive for what is served.

On our first visit we had been impressed and really enjoyed sitting outside on the terrace, taking in the views. With that in mind we chose here to meet our family, both travelling a considerable journey to meet here and have a long overdue catch...

Coffee was great, toasties not so great, cheese and pickle not bad, Brie and beetroot however was a disappointment, more like beetroot and Brie, the Brie was cut so thinly it was translucent, and overpowered by way too much beetroot. Menu a little limited.

We were extremely hot and bothered on a sweltering June afternoon when we arrived at this lovely refurbished cafe at the castle. We ordered cold drinks at the cafe and chose to sit on the cool, shaded terrace outside to admire the fabulous views. I...

A very pleasant cafe in the castle which has obviously been recently refurbished. Lovely prints of rural life on the walls. The problem was the service which was haphazard to say the least. We had to take things into.our own hands, seating ourselves and fetching...

A very busy cafe in the castle. Service was reasonable and the tea was reasonably priced. The cafe is free to enter

Very clean plates. The food was bussin, soup slaps. On point drinks. Good service all round👍🏃‍♂️

Hay Castle Cafe (it seems understated to call it simply a cafe) has fast become a firm favourite with us. So much so, we take the drive over from Hereford to visit on a regular basis. We have visited for coffee and cakes as a...

The splendid building inspired us to try the cafe, but we were so disappointed. Unfriendly, verging on rude staff. A long wait for cold coffee, very limited, over priced & pretty boring menu. Terribly noisy! We will not return.

Although the cafe is a nice location, the coronation quiche was bland and my husband's Welsh rarebit was too salty ( and both quite expensive). I am surprised that the cafe only has a 3 for its hygiene certificate - it should be able to...

Had a cup of tea and cake here during a recent visit to the area. Staff were friendly and polite. Venue was spot on nice and clean lots of natural light.

Had Coffee and cake, staff were friendly, premises was clean and menu had good choice. with very reasonable prices.

Visiting the castle and felt the urgent need for coffee and cake! Ended up having some lovely coffee and a cream tea. Scones were warm, slightly crispy and enormous.

We went to the Hay Castle Cafe on Friday 10th March. It was recommended by a Cafe owner in Hay who didn't cater for Vegans. The owner's daughter greeted us and she was so helpful and explained that the Menu they had could be changed...

We popped in at 2pm to see if they had roast dinners ..they fitted us in and service was swift . The beef was tender , deeply flavoured..the veg was cooked perfectly and roasters /yorkies were perfect. Lots of gravy and delicious generous dollop of...

We visited today for my daughters 18th birthday with family (age ranging 22 months to 67 years). Between us we are vegan, gluten free and other intolerances. Nothing was too much for the staff. Extremely friendly and helpful. Food was incredible! Big portions too. We...

Hay is a strange place when it comes to cafes. Most are small, cramped crowded and situated on narrow roads that are busy with locals who drive around in circles seeking free parking. The Castle Cafe is distinctive in situation. Spacious, light and quiet. It...

Excellent lunch in welcoming surroundings. Great service and coffee. We both chose a chorizo croque and the hand cut chips. Everything was delicious - and very filling so unfortunately we didn’t have room for the lovely looking cakes!

Plenty of oak around, very well refurbished. Outstanding viewing platform up stairs. Access can be by ramp or stairs or just stroll in from the south side.

after reading negative reviews we where a bit dubious about visiting, but we where a party of eight on a Sunday lunchtime. And found the staff pleasant and very helpfull and the food very good.

I took my wife and child here after visiting the newly restored castle on a day out, we were greeted by a very friendly member of staff who showed us to a table suitable for 3 overlooking the lawn, the menu is very good with...

Beautifully renovated. Visited with a friend today and ordered a bacon toastie. However, I have to say we were both very disappointed to realise that the 'brown sauce' didn't come separately, but was spread quite thickly inside the sandwich, this was just too much for...

Had a lovely vegetarian tortilla served with dressed leaves & all the trimmings! Very cosy winter lunch.

We enjoyed a really lovely hot chocolate and welsh scone during our visit to Hay Castle Cafe. Staff were attentive and friendly. The cafe has been tastefully restored in such a beautiful setting. The cafe was clean and a pleasure to be in.

I've always found it a struggle to think of places to go for a really nice lunch in Hay on Wye. There are plenty of cafes offering standard café fayre, but nothing particularly interesting. Thank goodness for the café at the newly renovated Hay Castle....

I really enjoyed this cafe and the service was outstanding. The tea was just what I needed and so was the Welsh cake. Thank you for the friendly service.

Had lunch here a few weeks ago, it was just lovely. Beautiful venue, looking forward to returning very soon!

We have been to the castle cafe on numerous occasions, but we came most recently with the kids for scones and Welsh cakes after a day out to the lavender fields. The cakes were delicious, the Straits 7 coffee was fab and the staff were...

Great view from outside table but the minute piece of quiche and small portion of salad did not represent value for money at £12!!

Lovely place to stop for tea and cake. We enjoyed a break here after looking round the castle. Friendly staff, good service and great selection of coffee, tea and cakes.

I enjoyed a superb lunch with a friend at this lovely little cafe yesterday. The castle has been recently restored and the cafe is a great addition. We both had the Chicken Schnitzel with a sage, lemon and butter sauce and it was superb. Well...

We’ve visited a couple of times since it’s been open and it’s always been top notch. Really nice venue. The first time we went, we visited during Hay festival, some of our group had the food from the cafe and some from the stand in...

Excellent lunch, just what we needed, After walking around the town was disappointed by lunch choices at many places, until we found the castle cafe. Just what we wanted, simple lunch menu, nice choices and really pleased with the food. Quick friendly service, well run...

Delicious lunch at the newly opened Hay Castle Cafe. Started with a latte & cappuccino both beautifully made. Then two dry aged steaks cooked perfectly and served with home made aioli, triple cooked chips and salad leaves. We chose a glass of rose and a...