Hestercombe Gardens Cafe in Taunton Deane

Rubbish and expensive! Paid £4.50 for one tiny pot of ice-cream. Huge queues, really slow service. No vegan options - someone suggested we have the cheese and onion pasty. To summarise, really expensive, really slow and generally poor quality. Should be so much better.

Called in for coffee & cake. Drinks came after a short wait then we waited a further 20 minutes ( by which time we had finished our hot drinks!) before my husband had to go & enquire about our cakes. A very snooty lady then duly delivered them 5 minutes later with no apology. Then to top it all, the cakes were definitely not worth the wait! Stick to the scones is all that I can advise & make sure there’s hardly any customers & you might get some speedy service! We are regulars here & find that the standards have definitely fallen. The wait times are unacceptable especially when there is no apology for this.

Came with friends for a birthday lunch. Absolutely first class. My husband and I had the market fish with potatoes and vegetables, served with the most delicious veloute. Our friends both had a toastie, which they struggled to finish as the portion size was so generous. We had the peach melba for sweet. Have to say the quality is superb, beautifully presented, and we thought, value for money. We could easily have paid twice the price in other restaurants. A lovely lunch, served by lovely staff.Definitely going back!

This was my third visit for lunch at Hestercombe . I thought I would try again and give it the benefit of doubt. It’s such a lovely setting , after all. On all occasions I have been disappointed in the size of the dishes and the flavour. No more so, than my visit yesterday for a late lunch . Asparagus Quiche , new potatoes and leaves in garlic oil. The Quiche was more of a biscuit , a small dry tart. With a group of cold over cooked potatoes and a handful of lambs lettuce = £13.00. My son had the Mediterranean vegetable soup , which was large … and delicious but again over priced for what it was. Sorry Hestercombe , I love the garden but I won’t be back .

We were here to explore the house and beautiful gardens, so took a short break for coffee and cake. Very friendly efficient staff, who served us with lattes and delicious Somerset apple cake. Just what we needed.

We had a good lunch in the inside part of the restaurant as it was a chilly day. An interesting menu, modern furnishing and decorations and cheerful friendly helpful staff. It happened to be an unexpectedly busy lunchtime, so they were busy and the food was slow to come. Very good when it did come......and being on holiday we weren't in a rush. I would come back again if we visit Hestercombe again

Valentine’s Day meal 6 courses was amazing brilliant service food was fantastic would highly recommend. Booked Mother’s Day also

We enjoyed a fantastic lunch as part of an experience day here. We received a lovely welcome at the restaurant door. In fact, all of the service was excellent and friendly. The food was extremely tasty and beautifully presented. The pudding especially so. Highly recommend.

Good afternoon tea but extremely slow service . We waited about 20 mins to order , then we ordered our drinks and afternoon tea , obviously afternoon tea was pre booked so they would have known what we were having . We had 2 guests in the part have something from the main menu too . Once our order had been taken we waited for around 40 minutes to get our drinks ! Way too long . When the food did arrive it was great . I have been a few times for afternoon tea and it really depends on which staff are on to how quick the service is . There’s a chap who works there who is very on the ball . But when he’s not there the service has been extremely slow . I do enjoy the food and atmosphere though.

First time at the Stables for lunch and enjoyed this. The staff were helpful and very polite. The food portions are on the smaller side but very tasty and well prepared. Being in a stable house is a bit strange but adds the the experience and it was comfortable and warm on a Autumn day.

We went for Sunday lunch… we have always known the portion sizes to be mean, however the food in the past has been lovely. I ordered a fish dish .. £14.95.. 6 tiny half’s of new potato, 4 /5 cherry toms, Supposed to be on a bed of green beans … eight pieces.. beans chopped in half.. so 4 green beans chopped down the middle.. says in sauce .. but should say in broth… watery but tasty. Disappointing… On being asked if all was ok … I said this was a bit mean… Our comments (we did not complain) Where delt with charm and professionalism… On the whole a bit of a pixx take for 15 quid. Very happy how things were delt with… sweets taken off the price … we did not ask for this … Wish I had taken a photo … Really nice place but will not be returning for Sunday lunch ..

Went here with family members for afternoon tea arriving 1pm. It was delightful. Prompt service with choice of plain, fruit or cheese scone, lots of sandwiches and cream filled pastries. We had tea and coffee and prosecco was extra. Beautifully presented and the staff didn't hurry us at all. They gave us take out boxes for the cakes we couldn't eat.

Very poor menu choice, limited, expensive and pretentious to the extreme. Apart from a full English breakfast, nothing on offer at a sensible price. A small 4oz burger or a lamb skewer with couscous, both at £14:95. They must be trying to emulate a prestigious London Hotel, and in a converted stable in Somerset where an entrance fee to the gardens have to be paid before entry, it doesn’t work. Tried the snack area known as the Cafe and Gelato, very busy, limited menu of pasties, sausage rolls and a list of three choices for sandwiches, but no sandwiches were evident. Used to be excellent with a specials board and sensible food commensurate with visiting a place of interest. What we have now belongs in a posh restaurant that caters for those who want a special evening with a bottle of something in an ice-bucket.

Very nice setting and so good to have dog friendly seating indoors. Quite a nice menu which was creative and interesting but felt more style over substance when it arrived. I had mushroom shawarma. Sounded so delicious in the description but was quite underwhelming. Chewy tough bread and limp fries let it down. Likewise the clotted cream strawberry shortbread sounded great but tasted more like buttercream. Disappointing experience compared to the expectations gained from the website.

Scones, tea and coffee were good and plentiful, but overall quite expensive. Nice ambience with a small fountain and friendly staff.

We went for Sunday lunch which was excellent. The meringue dessert was lovely as well. We used to eat here during the week but found the portions became smaller and the meals pretentious. Service was good and friendly as usual. we shall return on a Sunday.

Thoroughly enjoyed an impromptu Sunday breakfast. Beautifully presented, well- cooked and tasty. Loved the Hestercombe Beans. So nice for a change from the popular brand. Service spot on too.

We came at about 10.20am, so the place was not at all crowded. Service was via a team of pleasant young people. The coffee was strong and well-brewed and we had a toasted bloomer slice with butter and a locally made jam. Came to £12.65, so not cheap but perfectly pleasant.

I had high hopes for a good sandwich and drink here. I waited to be shown to my seat by friendly staff wearing pinafores emblazoned with the Hestercombe logo. It was a lovely setting and looked rather classy. How disappointed I was. I ordered an egg and cress sandwich and coffee. I was told that I was too early and 'I'll go and ask' - the answer was 'Yes', I wish they had said 'No'. I received white sliced bread, a thin layer of egg mayo, inside were a few strands of what looked like cress, and a load of spinach. It was tasteless. I wasn't asked' white or brown', perhaps it was only white on offer. Was it a free range egg? Who knows? I had the 'crisps and salad' offered on the side for an extra £3 = more spinach and (?) cress and 5 strands of carrot, yes I counted them, at least I could taste a hint of pleasant dressing. £9.50 in total. Final insult? Card only payments, which I personally think of as discriminatory, and 'we automatically add an extra £1 tip . Do you want to take it off?' says the member of staff taking my money who has just served me. Pure coercion. What a shame, I love Hestercome but you need to do better. Go to Greggs people, their free range egg sandwich on soft malted brown bread with sliced egg, mayonnaise, and salad cream is far superior and costs less than £3

What has happened here ? Overpriced fancy food that lacks quality. Staff seem not to care, and they have the audacity to charge a service charge even if you have a drink only! Ridiculous The place lacks atmosphere and is devoid of regulars who used to go there that says it all!! No tea cakes anymore as it takes the staff too long ! I mean what ? This used to be a pleasant and enjoyable experience but it’s been ruined by pretentious food and not providing what people want from a cafe. Grand ideas, none delivery

Sadly the Full English Breakfast and Veggie English Breakfast is not up to standard at all. Firstly the breakfast menu is limited. However if the few items on it were excellent, it wouldn’t have been so bad. Both the Full English & Veggie English (unbelievably no Vegan option available at all) are served on a single piece of sourdough toast. Not only does this limit your portion size to a single piece of toast but also, putting your hot breakfast on the toast makes it extremely soggy and unappetising. The toast should be served on the side with the breakfast stealing the show! Veggie Sausages - of the cheapest variety. Tomatoes - too small a portion to even notice, taste or add to the meal. Beans - tomato sauce very, very bitter & otherwise bland. Mushroom - one large, thick, barely cooked, unjuicy, bland and rubbery. Toast - very, very soggy - extremely saturated. To top the experience off, this poor breakfast comes with a 10% service charge which I believe is a bit rich for a daytime only Cafe to even entertain.

Just had a baby shower there today what excellent food and service couldn’t fault a thing!!! Will def be back thank you to have lunch xx

Comfortable surroundings and pleasant staff. Unfortunately both the drinks and cake were not great. The coffee tasted bitter and of poor quality and my friend’s flapjack was burnt, hard and dry. Tea cake was fine. The cake prices were on par for the area but...

Lovely place for Sunday lunch party. Food was amazing, staff very attentive and efficient. A lovely experience.....we will be back

Rude staff and abysmal service. The cafe ran out of cake at 4pm, stopped me mid sentence asking about the soup. Service charge of 10% is a rip off when staff didn't know they serve childrens' size hot chocolate. Awful experience and expensive.

Went here with friends for lunch. We opted to sit inside and we had a very enjoyable lunch. The service is a bit slow , the restaurant wasn't busy and it took over 10 minutes to get an order. Then it was 20 minute wait...

Overwhelming impression was of the space: a potentially pleasant stableyard ruined by bright blue faux industrial ironwork, an intrusively noisy and over elaborate copper fountain, with fairy lights strung everywhere. Not a relaxing environment to enjoy whatever food & drink is on offer.

We joined up to Hestercombe Gardens this year, after moving to Taunton from London during the covid lockdowns last year. We wanted a local green space to walk regularly and have pleasant views, we also wanted to have a fairly decent restaurant close by. This...

We visited yesterday and received a warm welcome for coffee. The cakes were tasty too! The service was excellent from all the staff we met. There were six of us so our server suggested booking a table for lunch. We returned at 1pm for a...

We really enjoyed our meals here - a fine brunch and 'high tea' with generous helpings (not always the case in historic venues!) and the set tea selection was enough for two rather than one. Staff were friendly, they were polite cheerful and helpful. (Admittedly...

We met our family for lunch at the Stables Restaurant and overall were impressed. We reserved a table outside in the courtyard which was very pleasant and spacious. Extensive and interesting menu. Friendly customer service. Being a Sunday we expected to wait - it was...

Service is slow , the choices are limited If you are a diabetic there is no choice ,you can’t get a scone in the galeto area Staff are abrupt and devoid of a smile Hestercombe used to be a great place to visit as. Member...

The food was limited but very good, All of us had sandwiches and cake. All were eaten and praised. There is a small shop where you can purchase plants too!

As a Hestercombe member I used to love coming to eat here, often on a weekly basis. The food used to be beautifully prepared traditional British fare at its very best. Nothing of the sort appears on the new overpriced menu of the Stables Resteraunt....

We love Hestercombe with a passion and like to meet family there. Yesterday we were rather underwhelmed by our lunch at the Stables. The food on offer sounded tempting but was actually rather odd and tasteless; clearly over ambitious for the chefs. The children’s menu...

Visited Hestercombe stables for a family lunch. We where all very impressed, there’s plenty of seating inside and outside not sure what previous reviews have an issue with as it was all very relaxing and well laid out. There was a lot to choose from...

The new eating offer and lay out does not work. Just wanted a vegan sandwich, none were available. Had to sit in the small, dark pokey cafe area as only a few seats outside and you’re not allowed to sit in The other seating area...

They are trying to hard and have ruined the cafe and it’s offerings Can no longer get T cakes (apparently it takes to much staff time) ! What a load of rubbish, now in the restaurant you have a bland choice of over priced stodgy...

Walk with friend then pot of tea and a treat. We both chose the French toast with blueberry compote lemon curd and marscapone cream, topped with fresh blueberries. What a taste sensation! Delicious and perfectly balanced dessert, delightful Staff, and spotless cafe…will be back again...

One of the best places to go for a quality lunch near Taunton. My husband and I have visited many times over the past few years and missed our visits during lockdowns. The restaurant has re-opened now and new offerings make this a great place...

My husband and I together with our dog waited to be seated (as stated on the board) for over ten minutes and despite a waiter passing us several times, were ignored. A sign also said courtyard for customers only but there were four lads at...

Fabulous, imaginative menu and first class service. We enjoyed our first visit to the Stables. We had rather unusual dishes as the menu read well and we wanted to see if the food lived up to our high expectations. It did. Will be back to...

We came into the restaurant a few weeks ago and were greated with a very unpleasant staff member. Not only was she short and blunt with us, but upon us asking for a new bun (because ours was burnt) she did not return until the...

Visited today ( half term Wednesday!) Had to wait a while as clearly very busy - but we’ll worth the wait! Delicious food & excellent service.

Gone down hill to what it used to be like. Always had a good selection of cakes. Now only a choice of 3 on the menu. The peach drizzle cake was stodgy and awful. The cafe was closed so couldn't get a light lunch. Miss...

We were given tickets for afternoon tea for my Mums 90th Birthday, by her Nephew.Due to COVID-19 we only used them just recently. My Aunt of 86 and Mum (now 91). and my self. Both Mum and Aunt are very traditional eaters. It was quite...

We went to Hestercombe House on Sunday and found you had to queue in a rather sordid cafe for tea We were told tha we could not order teas and coffee etc and had to use the ice cream counter which was full and the...

Lovely tasty lunch and friendly staff. . Fresh sardines on sour dough toast for hubby and veggie pasta for me, only sorry I couldn’t eat it all as it was rather large for an oldie. Will certainly go again

We shared the savoury afternoon tea which was delicious! The service is excellent and the venue is lovely. Such a shame they don’t serve evening meals!

A surprise indeed to find a delightful original restaurant in a garden. Located in a courtyard which is partially (and cleverly) covered against the elements, the plain tables conceal an original mind. We ordered Gazpacho having seen our neighbours huge portion and the bruschetta that...

A great selection of hot and cold food was available and the cakes need a special mention as they were homemade and very yummy. Plenty of seating either in the courtyard our on the lawn.

We arrived at the Stables on a very hot day and were immediately given iced water to drink whilst we waited for our cream tea.We were given a choice of plain or fruited scones. The scones were enormous and the best I have ever had, and I am a bit of a cream tea connoisseur! Loved the addition of fresh strawberry! Loose leaf tea, with plenty for 2 cups each. Far better than the cream teas served at National Trust places these days!

Very disappointing both for service and food. Long wait, poor food and staff very nice but poorly trained.

Brilliant. The raspberry desert was amazing. Wish I had taken a photo.😁 Dog Friendly. Prompt service. Very clean. Not cheap, but worth it.

Avoid the afternoon tea at the stables. One side plate each when tea was mixed savoury and sweet, small details to some. No forks given and had to be asked for.Cakes looked good enough. Cupcake so dry gave me a coughing fit. Huge amount of flavourless pink fat piped on topCherry cookie ?glued together with sickly sweet something.Eclair so wet, hence forks very much requiredScone however was gorgeous fluffy light and obviously fresh. When absent waitress came to clear and asked for feedback didnt like the fact that we were honest about the lacking flavour and oversweetness of the cakes, Kept us waiting as a result then returned to say chef been informed?and promptly skipped off leaving us?? Ok.......and?.......had to be recalled.for the bill but were clearly arguing with each other over who was going to deliver it. Rude...! Given the impression they believed we were looking for a discount. Maybe try the cafe instead.

I’m at the restaurant as I write this. My husband and I have been eating at various local restaurants over the last few days and this has to be up there with the best. We just can’t figure why it isn’t rated higher by other travellers. It is probably a little more expensive than others but we almost didn’t eat here because of the rating. It only just makes the top half of all restaurants in Taunton. In my view that’s ridiculous. We shared the afternoon tea. It is meant for one but was ample for two, unless you have a large appetite. Our waitress, Lily, was just what you want; very pleasant, friendly and attentive. We’d go again if we’re in the area.

We had a great time looking around the extensive gardens and culminated with an excellent late-ish lunch as our main meal of the day....mussels in cider/cream/garlic and chicken caesar salad were really tasty and well presented . Well recommended.

A group of us cycled here today... we were made to feel so welcome and the staff could not have been more accommodating and welcoming! Food was fabulous too..... strongly recommended!!! Thank you!

We been out with our friend and we been in this lovely restaurant, amazing food and amazing atmosphere combined with an attentive service. Thank you Stables Cafe

I visited with 3 girl friends for afternoon tea.We ordered 2 traditional afternoon teas between the 4 of us.There was so much to eat we took home a cake each!The scones had obviously been taken from the freezer and were heavy and solid.Some of the cakes were wet and soggy with far too much cream/ icing. ? Also pre frozen.The savouries were interesting and tasty.The staff, although pleasant and welcoming, were not very attentive and did not remove empty tea pots when we ordered more tea.

The Stables cafe was efficiently organised and the staff, as well as customers, wore masks which was very thoughtful of them.The cream tea for two comprises four scones, cream and jam and two cups of tea all in a box so we could sit at the outside tables. I don't like hot drinks and was immediately offered a bottle of mineral water. The scones were very tasty and filling so as the cream tea was boxed we took two scones home to eat later. Excellent value for £12.95.

To be fair we were only passing and decided to stop for a quick bite of lunch and look at the plants for sale, glad we did. We sat outside under an interesting glass partition roof covering the courtyard, and had a nice lunch at a fair price served by friendly staff. We had to order at the counter and there was a good choice even for restricted diets. The toilets we clean and the courtyard was a good place to people watch. The plants were a fair price and the shop staff were friendly.

Nice cafe with a good outside area but also the old stables inside make a nice sitting place to eat. Food is normally priced, around £3 for cake £10 a lunch meal with snacks also on the menu. Clean and tidy cafe and the staff were nice. The cheese scones with cream cheese and chutney were yummy as were their chips. Coffee wasn’t the best of value I felt the cups were small and a latte usually comes in a tall cup not a tea cup but everything else was good. I’d eat here again

excellent food and good portions, lovely desserts as well.good friendly service and good vege options.

Popped in for a Cappuccino, Latte and toasted tea cake for two. Quite prepared to sit outside under the glass roof but were invited in even though we had a dog. Cafe was clean and staff very helpful and attentive. Prices were very reasonable (£10.20). No complaints whatsoever. The young lady that served me was a credit to Hestercombe.

Situated in a superannuated stable block, and outdoor court yard, this a well run establishment, well stack and has some very pleasing light meals / snack and especially ice cream. However pride of place has to go to the home made range of afternoon cakes; giant batternburg with thick marzipan is worth ignoring any diet plan for.All very pleasing.

Remember the hours of opening after long walk you may get caught out. The ice cream is to die for made locally naturally

Took my wobbly Dad out for coffee this afternoon. There isn't disabled parking per se but it wasn't far to walk to the cafe. Great selection of cakes - Dad had a chocolate orange cheesecake Brownie which he devoured. I don't think it touched the sides. My sweetcorn chowder was so delicious I could probably have squeezed in a second bowl. Good value for what we had. And the views outside are stunning. Worth a visit :)

Lovely setting for an afternoon tea. Items were all fine, no explanation what anything was, only one pot of tea provided and when we asked for more tea we were told we would have to buy more. Would not recommend, Castle hotel much better service and tea.Overall disappointed

Seems to have gone downhill since we were last here. Extensive menu, large portions, but nothing to get excited about. I had a beef sandwich that came with a weird selection of tastes. Cold vegetables soaked in a mint sauce, flaccid lettuce which had not seen a chiller in some time and drowned in vinaigrette, the sandwich had a overly thick layer of caramelised onion chutney and an equally thick layer of what was supposed to be a horseradish-based sauce but tasted like mayonnaise, and a slice or two of cold beef. My hot drink wasn’t hot, a latte coffee that was tepid and tasteless. Service was excruciatingly slow, both at the tills and the wait for food to arrive, and it was all extremely expensive. Hestercombe is a nice place to visit but in future I think I’ll bring a picnic.

The food is always excellent and in a lovely setting. Dogs are welcome and the service is very good.Only drawback is if you are cycling then they ask to leave your bike out of site in the carpark( my bike is worth more than my car )Will return again

Una bibita veloce prima di partire. Altri che erano con me hanno mangiato cose varie e sono rimasti contenti. Posto carino all'interno di un giardino meraviglioso

We actually ate in the column restaurant. Reasonable prices. I had the fritter and my husband had the Mexican baked eggs. Service was slow especially seeing we were the only ones there but was worth the wait - the homemade baked beans were lovely

A lovely place and great to built up an appetite walking in the pretty gardens before lunch. Great quality choice of dishes on the menu and good service. Loved the food and presented beautifully. Will definitely be returning soon. Thank you

went to have a walk round the house and gardens but due to bad weather we decided to have a sandwich and a drink. We can highly recommend the ploughmans sandwich which we shared as it was to much for one and it was well filled with cheese and chutney.

Experienced lunch there today - what can I say; my ham and chutney sandwich was ok'ish but presented more like something from a miner's canteen - doorsteps come to mind! If it were served to a lady not sure how she would handle it? My wife choose the Quiche (£7.95!!) and was visibly upset in her choice when it arrived. I have to say it was the most miserable portion we had seen in some time and was probably smaller than a child's serving - and not too fresh at all! As ever, our view re the pricing is that there should be an immediate reduction of 20% across the entire menu! Quite aware that it is a charity but these prices are not on! By the way, I wanted to have a word with someone but my wife is very 'English' and wouldn't hear of it!

A gift from my daughter - an amazing lunch with great service & an amazing two course meal - thank you!

The cafe was very busy during school half-term week. We enjoyed coffee on arrival, then later returned for tea and good gluten free cake.

I went here today with my very young son. I asked for a cheese sandwich at 11.30 and was told they couldn’t do it as lunch isn’t served until 12. Why not show a bit of flexibility? They weren’t busy. Or have some pre made sandwiches ready to buy? The cafe is really expensive too. It seems a shame as the grounds are nice but it’s like the cafe isn’t prepared to try to be good as they know they have a captive audience.

A varied menu with lots of choice for everyone including gluten free and helpful staff. Highly recommended.

This cafe has to be the most overpriced in the UK, when ordering tea for 3 it costs an eye watering £6.00, to make matters worse you are then given two pots that are barely big enough for one person and this has to stretch to 3 cups, which it doesnt do and when you ask for extra hot water you are met with a very cold and frosty response with a reluctance to give up some hot water, this is then provided in a milk jug. For £6.00 I expect a decent size pot and get 2 cups out of it at least.

It was way to cold to sit outside and so we had to perch and eat our lunch on our laps on a couch, which was ok. The sandwich choice was quite limited and was quite expensive - over £8 for a bap and a bit of salad. Hopefully, once the proper visitor season starts they might have more choice, then it wouldn't matter about sitting outside.

Which would be fine if the service and menu met the prices...sadly they don’t..starting with the pretentious and over complicated menu..nearly £6 for a bowl of soup and over £8 for a sandwich and the choice available is so ostentatious as to be off putting.

My experience was much the same as the previous two reviews, so there is clearly a trend going on here. First the service - painstakingly slow, with just not enough staff to meet the demand. Worst still was the value - not only was it pricier than the majority of Somerset cafes I have visited (and that's a lot of cafes), but the portions where tiny. And to add further insult, the cake I had was just bland tasting. I have been here many times and was never especially impressed (it is just convenient), but today was just the worst - rapidly going downhill!

Had lunch at the cafe. The ostentatious menu was the first red flag,

Our party of four had lunch here. My vegetarian option ( dahl, nothing complex) took 40 minutes to arrive, by which time everyone else had finished their meal. When it did arrive, there were smears of food over the plate, as if it had been scooped off and on again. It tasted OK but the presentation was terrible. Staff were rushed off their feet. When we queried the length of time we were waiting, we were told that it was due to me ordering something 'complicated'. Prices were high for a 'cafe', and we felt it was trying too hard to be a restaurant and really not succeeding. There is a separate restaurant on site, with similar pricing. This was our first visit, and we won't be returning.

Hestercombe Garden Stable Cafe, lovely and clean, outside sitting under a canopy or eat inside. Staff were keen and very helpful. Food was exquisite, we had lunch most people had a warm drink and a cake or scone. dogs are allowed in on a short lead.

Here for a family wedding in the Orangery followed by reception in the Bampflyde building. Was an amazing day with good food.

Had a wonderful cream tea here but the hot food looked lovely too, staff very welcoming, would recommend

A very good cup of tea. Good selection of coffees available, lovely cakes. Good value for money. Would recommend.

Lovely relaxed atmosphere. Friendly and welcoming with an excellent selection of cakes. Hoping to return soon for lunch!

Good quality food and friendly staff, There is a range of chef's specials and some very tasty cakes, It's not cheap but well worth the visit.

This was our first visit and I was delighted to feel warmly welcomed by the staff. Our order was taken and we didn't have to wait long for the food to arrive. I had the soup of the day and it was absolutely delicious. We had no trouble finding a table even though the cafe was popular.

Excellent light lunch, friendly staff, good service, very varied choice of food - sandwiches, soup, pasta,quiche to name but a few and the cakes (that I managed to resist on this occasion) looked amazing. Lovely place to lunch even if you don't do the gardens.

Yet again, another wonderful trip to Hestercombe cafe! The lovely staff are always so friendly, smiley and hard-working, and always make me feel so at home. I must mention the amazing and delicious cakes on offer - such a wide-range of options, including gluten and dairy-free, lots for children, delectable 4-tier cakes, flapjacks and zesty fruit cakes! The menu always offers unique and interesting options, in addition to a 10/10 roast on a Sunday!! I would like to say thank you to all the fabulous waiters / waitresses for the welcoming hospitality and speedy service, and to the amazing chefs - your food has never disappointed me, but always exceeds expectations! I look forward to the next trip!

We have eaten here quite a few times and have always been very happy. The meals are a decent size, they do a great sandwich, soup, salad or roast. The cakes are good too.

After a fascinating visit to the gardens this is a lovely way to recover. Great choice of snacks but also some really delicious main courses all using local produce.

We enjoyed some lovely moist caramel cake here before we started our tour of the garden. The café is very hygienic, tidy and provides excellent menu choices . The staff are very pleasant and helpful.

Used the Stables tearooom during our visit to the gardens today. The choice of food is far better than most and lunch was served from 12-3. We went in quite late about two and inspite of this the food was excellent.

We met here for afternoon tea. The food served was of good quality-one scone is more than ample if you order a cream tea. The only negatives about our visit were that the manning of the till seemed somewhat erratic even though there were a lot of staff on duty. They all seemed to be involved in serving rather than receiving payments and I could easily have left without paying for my food and drink. The tables were also not cleared very quickly leaving visitors to sit at somewhat grubby tables for a while before they were cleared. Otherwise, an enjoyable experience for people of all ages.