Nice Green Cafe in Enfield

Watery coffee, no froth, looked and tasted like dishwater. Expensive. No choice of cakes or soft drinks. Serving poor . Seemed like they couldn’t be bothered. This place could be lovely…..

This pace is utterly appalling which probably explains why it was almost empty. The have all the gear, lovely coffee machine but not a clue how to use it. Cappucino was not on the list of coffees so i asked, i was told 'well i could give a go i suppose, sometimes i can do it sometimes not '. It was revolting, watery, no foam just a bit of froth, water was obviously way too hot and coffee had that bitter burned taste. What they are good at is standing put the back hiding just in case they have to serve someone. This is a fabulous facility run/managed by unskilled idiots who could not careless.

Absolutely terrible, not even sugar coating it, this place is absolutely awful, the service is terrible, the woman working here is so rude, and to top it off the drinks were disgusting and cost a fortune, horrible service and horrible food

If the service had been any slower it would have gone backwards. 2 half cups of coffee (paper cups) that cost £7. Absolutely dreadful. Avoid!!. Take your own drink and sit round the lake. Wish we had done so.m

I've been coming to the cafe for many years, and after following the walk on the Forty Hall Loop, it's always great to find the cafe for a hot cup of coffee. The cafe is refreshingly homely, with a range of tasty pasties and cakes changing each week, freshly made.

My wife and I patronise the cafe on a weekly basis and there is nothing better than a coffee and a slice of homemade cake after a long walk around the grounds. The friendly staff add to the experience, and the cherry on the cake is the location. The courtyard is an absolute suntrap on a sunny day and even when the clouds are out, the cafe ltself is a charming and eclectic place. Highly recommended!

My partner and I regularly walk our dog at Forty Hall. Today we stopped for lunch and ordered 1 cup of breakfast tea 1 kombucha (the only sparkling soft drink option available)  2 cheese toasties The bill came to £19.30 for that. Certainly a pricy toastie at £7.50, so I was expecting something really delicious rather than basic.  The bread was wholemeal which made the toastie dry and mealie. The cheese was barely melted. It was served on a slate with 3 wilted salad leaves and a pot of chutney. It was so below average and unenjoyable, and stung that little bit more because it was so expensive!  The cafe itself is strewn with clutter. There are fridges empty, piled high with crockery gathering dust. It just feels unloved and the menu is so uninspiring and expensive. It feels like such a shame to have such a prime spot be wasted this way. It feels like the management has lost the love for it.  The offering feels very out of touch, both in terms of pricing and choices.

Bought a tea anda coffee. The tea was ok but the coffee tasted as if it had been made with used coffee grounds and so it was like drinking hot water. Also very overpriced at £3.50. We were there around 1.30pm and the only cakes on display were unappetising looking rock cakes(I think!). Forty Hall deserves a much better cafe with higher quality fare.

I visited this cafe today with 3 friends and we all agreed the coffee is just awful no froth what so ever on our cappucinos just a very long watery coffee which some hot milk. Don't know if there is something wrong with the machine of the young lady who made it needs training but it should be one shot of espresso and a little frothy milk. Served in a cardbord cup and grossly overpriced. Shame as this is in a lovely location but I wil not be back unless it isfor an icecream in the summer.

Truly the worst cappuccino. Don't know how it could taste so bad. Even the chocolate powder on top didn't taste right. We had 2 made with oat milk and one with cow's milk. The server tried giving us an extra shot but still didn't taste of coffee. Gave up at that point. Such a waste of what could be a lovely location. Grubby inside, mismatched furniture but not in a quirky nice way. Cakes wrapped in clingfilm with no labels or price. Order outside even though you want to sit inside. Smallest cappuccino cup and then get charged £3. If I could give 0 stars I would.

Disappointing. Things seems to have gone off the rails a bit. Had run out of bread by 1.30pm. Very limited food options, few remaining pieces of cake dry and stale though wrapped.

This cafe is getting worse. I am a Barista in Trendy East London and I was shocked at this cafe’s prices £3.00 8oz coffee £4.80 for 12oz, yes a staggering £4.80 for sub standard coffee. Expresso £3.00!!!. I was with four friends from Finchley and I was embarrassed for Forty Hall Estate. Many complaints from other customers around us and judging from other reviews I am not the only one incensed enough to warn others. This cafe obviously takes no notice of bad reviews Avoid!

The coffee is dire. Inexplicably, it tasted like a mix between an instant coffee and a McDonalds coffee. The cake was sadly very dry. Both were extremely expensive.

Visited on May Day bank holiday & the cafe was just operating takeaway from a booth. The choice was limited so I bought a brie and salad sandwich, posh crisps and a coffee. Not cheap but it's free to use the grounds & it was absolutely lovely walking in the meadows today so I didn't begrudge spending money on food there. The coffee & crisps were great and the sandwich absolutely delicious - it seemed like 'wild' salad with fresh herbs in, not the usual lettuce etc. Sat by the pond watching the geese while we ate. Such a nice experience, thanks for working so hard on a bank holiday!

I like the family-run concept and the idea of homemade cakes, and I don’t mind cakes that look rubbish if they taste nice. Unfortunately this was not the case and they just tasted bland. Coffee really was awful, but then we are spoilt these days when we go out for coffee. They are charging top prices for produce that is worse than you would find at a church fete for a fraction of the price. Place could also do with a good clean and use proper cups and plates rather than disposable when eating in.

Some might find this café quirky and idiosyncratic, I just found it scruffy and poor. I wish I’d read the reviews before coming here. Firstly, you have to order at an outside counter, even if sitting inside. Perhaps this to cater for those just wanting a takeaway hot drink. The inside is decorated with old china and knickknacks. Most of the chairs are folding with wooden seats and chipped paintwork. As others have mentioned, the coffee is expensive. Despite all the china on display, my baguette was served in a paper bag. One of the table cloths was covered in crumbs. I presume this café is dog friendly as the only armchair (red velvet) was covered in dog hair. Really, Forty Hall deserves better.

Could do with a good clean and tidy, could be a LOT cheaper but the flapjack and scone were nice enough. Staff were friendly enough but the prices are crazy expensive though

Unbelievable prices for take away hot drinks! They need to do their maths too!! Small 8oz coffee £3, large 12oz £4.80!! So you get half as much again in a large cup for more than half the small? I’ve never seen coffee at these prices...

I keep hoping this place will improve, but whoever operates it seems utterly incapable of taking note of the TA reviews. A large coffee was the best part of £5.00 and was awful, either the ingredients are rubbish or the people making the coffee haven't...

As we were staying at the hotel across the road that doesn't offer food we decided to try this place, I must admit I'm at a bit of a loss on some of the reviews before hand as it's not the same place we ate...

The venue is wonderful. The cafe is dreadful. Coffee like dishwater, soup watered down costs £9! I feel for the staff who are clearly undervalued. Shame there isn’t an option for 0 out if 5. Just don’t bother! Enfield Council - this could be a...

Ordered some chocolate cake that was on display. The owner said she’d get some from the back as the one on display was “falling apart a bit” (it wasn’t). She was gone for about four minutes, which seemed odd. Anyway she brought us two pieces...

I'm rating it poor on the coffee alone - it was possibly the worst coffee I've ever had. It was supposed to be a flat white but was more like a bad watery filter coffee. The cheddar panini was unbelievably over priced. Such a shame...

Absolutely awful watery cappuccino. Took it back and asked for a tea. Also awful. I asked for a refund. I had a coffee and walnut cake which was also tasteless but I did eat it as I was hungry. Will never come here again. Another...

First visit here since the pandemic and it's still a very pleasant place to have a coffee. I was a bit surprised that they haven't open the inside yet, still that's their perogative. Of course, they'll have to change policy when it gets cold or...

My wife and I dropped into the cafe today for a cuppa and something to eat, I must say that the range of food wasn't great, but the salad mini baguettes were good. And the whole experience was made even more extraordinarily brilliant when the...

We dropped in on Saturday (30th May) and were surprised to see that the inside was closed and there were also no tables or chairs outside, in spite of every other café and restaurant in the UK being fully open. The lady serving at the...

Avoid, Avoid, Avoid Run by complete jobsworths this cafe. They insisted on wearing face masks, outside/outdoors in the courtyard to be served at a little window, almost completely covered by their perspex screen. Insisted only one person to stand at the counter to order, even...

It’s such a pity this cafe is so bad, as the farm shop and grounds are wonderful. Today we queued for ages, only to find there was another long wait for the sandwiches to be made (why on earth not make them up ahead of...

We noted how unhelpful the staff were and put this down to the stress of managing a cafe during Covid times. However, on reading previous reviews, the service we experienced today seems to be standard for this cafe. What a missed opportunity as today we...

As one earlier reviewer said of the negatives, it's difficult to believe we are talking about the same place. I have been using it almost every Wednesday for the 18 months following my Tai Chi class and have always found it friendly and welcoming. The...

If I had an option to score 0, I would. After wonderful and pleasant walk, we came across a courtyard cafe. We ordered 3 hot chocolates and paid with a £10 note. The server gave us an old pound coin back and then refused to change it claiming she had no change and that she doesn't accept cash. We received our hot chocolates and after my children picked them up and burnt their hands, we were told to be careful that the lids don't fit properly and it was too hot. It wasn't hot, it was absolutely scorching hot - my son has a blister now the size of a pound coin on his thumb. I was quite frankly disgusted with the behaviour of the staff, I felt like we were a bother to her. I will not return to this cafe and will tell everyone I know not to visit this particular establishment. The hot chocolate was a brown powder at the bottom of a cup which wasn't even stirred properly, was very tiny and was done with boiling water. The service is appalling and I would be ashamed to my core to provide the service we received.

ok food but spoilt by an angry mananger whose hostility and resentment make you feel unwelcome.OK,she clearly has issues but its not ok to take them out on the customers.Very disappointed

Ordered hot chocolates which were very expensive so had high expectations. When they arrived they were almost cold, not even warm and also quite small. Staff were happy to quickly replace and the second batch were properly hot. They needed sugar adding to be drinkable. I don't think I've had a worse hot chocolate before and never one this expensive. The cafe itself is a little dated with sticky plastic table cloths. Nice location. There was some nice live music from a woman playing the piano. Annoyingly, a small dog kept running around under the tables which kind of seems appropriate as this is a bit of a dog's dinner of a cafe.

I'm not sure I believe all of the reviews here. I've been 3 or 4 times over the past four months and the cafe has always had interesting things to eat and some really good cakes. Prices seem pretty reasonable to me as well and the staff have always been very helpful. It's a great place to relax after having a look at the Hall and its grounds. The only problem is that sometimes there has been quite a long queue to be served (3-4 ppl), but I read this as a sign of success rather than a problem...

We came to this café on Saturday prior to a walk around the grounds with friends and our young children. On arrival at midday, it seemed that there was very little available on the menu board above the counter. The soup was good but it was a real shame that there wasn’t enough choice on the menu, especially for children. Staff weren’t at all friendly and the whole experience was disappointing. Such a shame as we love visiting Forty Hall.

The estate where it is set is lovely but this cafe really is very bad indeed. We had to return the cake because it tasted so bad. All four grown-ups and even our 5 year old refused to eat it. I had to eat a mint afterwards to get the flavour out. To be fair they allowed us to take something else when we retuned it but this is the second bad experience in a row here. Please improve the food as we love visiting the estate.

After visiting the very interesting Forty Hall, brought friends here for lunch (on a Saturday). On the chalkboard it stated they did paninis and rolls, and to ask what fillings were available. When I asked I was told very brusquely that they had no rolls or paninis left - only soup was available. This was at lunchtime (1.00!). So, ordered three soups and a scone. My scone was dry and tasteless and was given barely enough jam for one half, let alone both halves. We waited over half an hour for the soup, and it was only when we went and asked that it finally arrived. The cafe walls are full of statements about the ethos of the cafe and the fact that it is independently run, but no-one working there appears to subscribe to this ethos, least of all the counter staff. I would describe this food and service as appalling and will never visit again. Afterwards we went to Middleton House to see the snowdrops. Conversely m their cafe was bright and welcoming with an extensive menu of lunchtime fare. That is where we will go in future.

Am totally confused by earlier reviews and can't believe we are talking about the same place, as this is my favourite park cafe in the area. Generally order a sandwich, or piece of homemade cake, and a latte coffee, which have always been good. The staff I have always found very pleasant. Cafe has a number of regulars in the week, sometimes one of them even plays the piano to serenade customers. Also, it is ideal for dog walkers as dog-friendly inside, plus plenty of outside seating. It can get very busy on Sundays, so being fairly small and with only 2 staff there can be a wait for service.

Popped in for a bite to eat for lunch.....asked for a ham and mustard roll....when it came it was inedible! So much mustard you couldn't eat it....what a rip off at £5.50!. Cafe appears scruffy ...never going back. Take note Forty Hall and do something to improve this place please.

Everything is so overpriced and so tasteless - worst coffee ever, burnt, small and watery. Hot chocolate is a waste of the cup it’s in!

As well as super expensive, the coffee was horrendous, it was watery and just absolutely tasteless. I got a hot chocolate at £3 for my daughter who describes it as ‘that’s disgusting mummy!’ Horrible. Will never be back.

I’ve been here many times over the years and every time I hope that they have learnt how to make a decent coffee or hot chocolate. However this time I feel compelled to write a review as the hot chocolate was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tasted. No sweetness just scalding hot brown tasteless water. Will never be returning to this cafe. It seems such a missed opportunity as It could be a real gem!

This cafe is so inconsistent. Came in the middle of the week and the soup and homemade bread was really good, nice bowl soup and two types of bread,

We were attacked by wasps coming from a nest inside the cafe! The cafe is in a converted barn and we could see the nest in the rafters. The manager didn't seem to think this was an issue! Surely this is a major safety and health hazard. The cafe is nicely decorated with antiques and old furniture, but we weren't very impressed by the cakes which were very heavy. The apple cake had all the skin from the apples in it so it wasn't pleasant. Its a shame as this could be a really nice place.

Arrived only at 1.30pm after a walk in Forty Hall with 5 kids and all the food had sold out (which is also a very limited menu of soup or a salad basically, not even sandwiches available and nothing appealing to kids or kid friendly). Had to wait 15 mins for an iced coffee and a milkshake (which was only Nesquik at £3.50) in which time I ate a dry piece of cake. Coffee insipid. Staff were rude.

We had an afternoon tea for about 20 people at the cafe for a family function. They were generous with the portions, kept our tea topped up and the scones in particular were great. Even a pianist appeared! Big thanks to all the cafe staff for being so helpful and patient even though it was late on a Sunday afternoon.

£4 for a small paper cup of vegetable soup - to sit in, but wait for it... an extra £2 for a rock hard bun! So that's SIX POUNDS for a cup of soup and a bun. Woman serving was rude too. Don't go.

This is a cafe with so much potential but sadly this is not realised. The service is horrendously slow and the cafe has often run out of basics like food! We visited today, Good Friday and they had run out of change so we had to use a card to pay- lucky we had one with us. This is only the start of the Easter weekend with beautiful weather forecast. Be prepared for a long wait and to be disappointed.

We came to look at the cafe on a quiet Thursday afternoon as have booked a function here later in the year. We decided to have some drinks and cake before introducing ourselves, and were presented with tea and coffee in proper cups - not paper! - plus delicious cake (I had a home made cream scone, my sister a peanut butter cake). There was a good selection and they all looked fresh and home made. It was a lovely space, and the staff member who served us was really helpful and answered all the questions we had later on. We look forward to returning in June.

We visited the cafe today after a lovely walk around Forty Hall. The cafe is fairly small inside and quirky with regard to decor, which I like. Our sandwiches (lovely thick ham, salad and a hint of mustard on tasty bread) were delicious. The cheese scones, freshly made on the premises this morning, were huge and the best I've tasted. Tea was hot and as strong as you like, in good sized mugs. The lady who served us, (who also made the scones) was friendly and efficient . We also enjoyed the background music provided by a lady playing the piano. Tables were mostly full but we were able to find seats. I would definitely visit again.

We visited here approx 3 weeks ago. Very average coffee served in tiny paper cups. We dared to sample the unappealing looking coffee cake and chocolate cake which were honestly horrid, and I wouldn’t say either of us are particularly fussy but both cakes were far too dense/hard, the coffee cake was covered in horrible runny icing and the flavours of both were... questionable. The prices are absolutely ridiculous, you can tell they rely on having a captive audience to get by. Save your money and bring a flask and snacks from home!

Me and my boyfriend frequent Forty Hall very frequently but have never been to the cafe.

Staff are rude when under stress, the jam sponge was dry and left uncovered. Not enough seating and was forced to eat outside in the cold.

I went to the cafe with my baby who was screaming with hunger, so I had to sit and breastfeed her before I could order. The lady behind the counter could see I was stuck so she called over for my order and brought it to my table, letting me pay later on. The cakes looked delicious but there were also some healthier and child friendly snacks. Only criticism coffee was small and served in a takeaway cup.

Enjoyed a lovely trip here with a friend & baby. Staff were really friendly, helpful & welcoming especially with the baby (e.g. making sure we had access to good changing facilities). The food was delicious - we enjoyed a plentiful afternoon tea which more than set us up for our walk! Would highly recommend & plan on returning!

This cafe has fantastic homemade soups and sandwiches....the selection is limited to what is fresh with some of the ingredients grown at forty hall. If you want huge choice this isn't your place. What they do serve you couldn't fault. Service is very friendly and dogs are welcome if well behaved. A real gem.

Forty Hall is a splendid ornament for Enfield, a fine historic house and agricultural college with many acres of woodland, grassy fields, open space for everyone. But oh dear: the so-called Nice Green Cafe in the old stable block is terrible, more shabby than chic with graceless, rude, and inhospitable staff. Everything is too much trouble. At 3pm a slovenly woman took delight in telling me that sandwiches were no longer available, that soup was unavailable, that all they had were pieces of very sugary cake. Tea was served in very thick coffee cups. The floor was dirty, the tables unwiped. Much attention was paid to a small private party held out of sight behind closed doors: a plate of sandwiches was carried through (!). The service was lethargic as well as hostile, and customers were expected to return dirty plates and cups themselves. Once the chairs and tables had a faded charm: now they look like an assortment of wobbly old junk.

Didn’t know this little gem existed until I was invited for my friend’s baby shower and I’m so glad I do now! Gorgeous surroundings, amazing home made scones and lovely sandwiches. Great options for vegans too! Thoroughly enjoyed my visit and will definitely return.

Held my baby shower here and the service was wonderful. The food was beautiful and the attention to detail was exceptional. They catered to various dietary requirements which I really appreciated.

I visited this cafe with my grandmother and my dog and we were really impressed with our experience.

What a terrible expensive ripoff. No savoury food at tea time, eg sandwiches, not even a toasted tea cake, the scones where stale, tables not cleared, and tables and chairs all over the place, not set out properly. No customer service. Such a shame as it could be so nice. Will never go there again.

Took my 90 year old father, waited 40 minutes for tea and cake, women behind the counter seemded very stressed and over-worked, what a shame because l cafe lovely to look at but won't go again until they put customer service first.

This cafe has been in forty hall for at least a decade and has always had faults. I remember how ludicrously expensive it used to be, and still is. However, it seems to have gotten even worse in terms of options, we went in last monday (not a busy day or time) and found relatively nothing to eat or drink. I saw an iced biscuit and asked how much it was, the server told me it was £4, desperatley trying to justify the price saying it was "hand iced" and "decorated". Cans are £1.80 and there are no small snacks suitable for children (ice creams, etc.) It's really dissapointing...

I really would not bother going here - a complete waste of money - whoever is actually in charge of it really needs to sort it out - also it is not a good idea to place rubbish bins near tables and chairs as they attract so many wasps.

Thanks my second review of the cafe l. Due to so many negative reviews I feel obliged to share my great experience. I brought my mum who was visiting Enfield and had a lovely coffee and cake. I had a Victoria sponge and my mum had chocolate cake. Both were lovely. The coffee despite the reviews was perfectly made, the prices were what I would expect. Certainly no more pricey than Costa or Nero's. Not expensive as described. As I was there they were setting the tables for afternoon tea. I will be bring mum again with my sister's. The young lady serving was delightful.

I have visited the cafe several times over the past 3 years and regretted it every time. The service is rude & unfriendly, the food expensive and very hit & miss, and no children’s menu.

Having read that this cafe was not up to standard we visited this morning . In our experience is was not excessively over priced and must also mention the "coffee is fine" despite reviews to the contrary. Stall extremely friendly and helpful. Would recommend

I took my partner here for the first time, after 3 years of telling him how quaint it was, only to find they are serving tea and coffee in paper cups, and very expensive too.Service is poor too.

Went for a walk with my 20 months old, fancied to sit down and have a cake and feed my baby some snack. I asked for a slice of cake and a bottle of water, before the manager gave me what I asked, another customer came up to get sugar for his tea. Instead of serving me, the manager decided to chat with this customer who must be a regular. I waited while carrying my toddler in my arms while she finished her chat. Then she pretended she didn’t hear my order. When I asked where I can get a high chair, I was told there are no high chairs. I mean, are you serious? A cafe with no high chair? They might as well put a sigh out front saying mothers and babies not welcome here!

This cafe is known for its decidedly average food and grumpy manager. I went in today and it seems they have also now decided that they don’t like young families - they have got rid of all of the highchairs! Such a shame as Forty Hall is a great family day out, but the cafe just seems to find more and more ways to let the side down - overpriced, slow service, rude manager and now also overtly unwelcoming to families. This cafe only survives because of its location, it wouldn’t last a week on a high street.

I have been to Forty Hall café a few times over the years, their coffee is sometimes passable sometimes frankly bad, but one thing you can count on is that the service will always be rude.

My daughter and I went in after a long cycle ride and a walk through the woods..it was a hot day and we were after something refreshing. On the ‘specials’ blackboard they had “Lime, ginger and mint frappe” for £2.50. Pricey but sounded lovely and just what we needed so I ordered 2 (after a long wait in the queue). What we were given was basically 2 small plastic cups of tap water with a slice of lemon (not lime), a couple of mint leaves and a couple of chunks of ginger floating round in it...oh, and a touch of ice. So....2 glasses of chilled tap water for £5 really. Definitely NOT a frappe by any stretch of the imagination! Also..why the plastic?? A glass would be preferable.

I have read the other reviews and was surprised at how negative they were. The cake and coffee I had were lovely. The chocolate cake was obviously home made and lovely and moist. The staff were very friendly.

I don't usually write a review but this was the worst cafe I have ever been to . The spinach slice was ment to be hot well very cold told not soup avaliable but then they brought out two bowls to someone else . And the coffee cake was inedible and lacked any flavour . So I would like to award it no star .

A few seconds after we’d entered the cafe, we had a member of staff stand impatiently in front of our son’s buggy until we moved it (my wife was looking for her purse inside the pram and wasn’t even in the way). My wife then apologised and moved the buggy but the lady clearly wanted enough room to drive her car through should she ever decide to. So she remained as she was, defiantly standing there until my wife moved the pram further.

I go to forty hall on a regular basis with my family for walks on Sundays

Was amazed that there was very few staff despite it being a very busy period. The guy was taking orders, making drinks etc and then taking the money! Obviously this meant a long time to wait to order!! Didn't like the fact that tea came in paper cups with a tea bag and was not cheap either. The menu says that they have tea for tea in a pot but this was not on offer the day we visited. Very crowded especially with dogs etc. They have an outside area but unless you like sitting in the cold/rain they have no shelter at this cafe

Forty Hall has always been a favourite place of my family so we took my husband to The Nice Green cafe to celebrate his 75th Birthday. The cakes were delicious, the tea and coffee flowed. the cafe was busy, but it did not hinder the staff's attentiveness and efficiency.

Been to Forty Hall several times but it is a while since we have been to the Cafe. Won't be going again. It is a shame because there is such potential. I know some people complain about the dogs but even not being a dog owner I don't mind a cafe allowing dogs in.

I guess because of the surrounding grounds and events we find ourselves at Forty Hall at least 3-4 times a...

I was cycling past with my kids who are just learning to ride. The access ramp outside the cafe, which...

Not much choice for lunch, one special & a choice of 3 sandwiches. A dog was allowed to wander round...

We often take a walk over Forty Hall Estate & pop in for tea & cake in this cafe. In...

Lovely location and beautiful building but I'm afraid that's the good bits over! Poor service, made to wait, only one lady taking orders and two young girls serving and clearing up. Clearly more staff needed, especially at weekends as there was a queue of people waiting and a few left. Difficult to find a table that had not been cleared of plates or wiped down. Ordered coffee but that was non existent as could only taste milk and water. Had a sandwich platter which was just a bap cut in half, no sandwich in sight and only a choice of cheese for which they charged £5.80. The roll was also dry with no butter! Clearly the owner or franchise take no notice of customer feedback as no improvement has been made and I'm really surprised that the Forty Hall Estate take no action.

Went today for tea and cake they made the tea in a paper cup when I said it used to be in a nice tea pot with china cups I was told only paper cups were allowed in the summer I said the paper cups were horrible you can taste the wax , the lady next to me agreed , the owner not liking the comment said moan ,moan moan , to which I replied this is not a moan it is constructive criticism it was much nicer in china cups and tea pots to which she replied a customer dropped a cup which a child fell on and is in a coma , then proceeded to serve our cake on china plates very odd as they will also break when dropped also the cups only break in the summer as china cups are fine in the winter . Forty Hall is a lovely place but bring a flask and picnic and have a much nicer experience.

i have visited this cafe many times and I am disappointed every time. I visited on bank holiday Monday, expecting the cafe to be busy due to an event. However despite there being extra staff (4 in all) it was complete chaos. There was no organisation - none of them knew who was doing what. There was no change in the till, the card machine wasn't working, no bottles of water, queue out the door etc etc. On all previous occasions there has been extremely limited food and it was the same today. I remember the days of The friendly cafe which had an extensive menu and the green cafe is the complete opposite. Forty Hill is a beautiful place and is screaming out for a proper cafe

Lovely food, terrible managementWent there for lunch recently and the waitress accidently spilt a whole glass of raspberry lemonade all over me. Accidents happen but the problem was the manageress (who we had to summon!) was not only unapologetic, but sarcastic and rude and refused to compensate other than putting an insulting £2 on the table to cover the price of the drink! (which we refused)Won't be going back again while the cafe is under that management!

Absolutely useless cafe. Nothing to eat with a cup of tea. I cannot believe you cannot buy an ice cream for your children on a summer's day I will not return to Forty Hall again. It is a shame because the grounds are lovely.

Before we set off to explore the grounds around Forty Hall we entered the empty cafe, stood like lemons for a time, and then went and found someone, who was sorting out the tables and asked him if he could serve us two cups of coffee. He kindly agreed to do this, but pointed out that there would be a delay as he had to clean the tables first.Regrettably he didn't find a cup that wasn't chipped on the base, but it didn't detract from the flavour of the coffee that was acceptable.With today's prices, paying almost £5.00 for two coffees is not going to be a shock, but overall I thought the cafe, service and drink was all rather average, at best.

Tried to order something on their menu and her reply was not ready yet. I asked when it would be ready and she said 'tomorrow'Eventually got something as we were hungry and as we were just about to sit down she came over and told us to leave. I asked why and she said because we had a dog. I would like to add that the dog was with us while ordering our food and drinks and our dog was very good. I was not happy at all as they advertised themselves as a dog friendly cafe AND HER DOG WAS ROAMING AROUNG THE CAFE BOTHERING ALL THE OTHER NICELY BEHAVED DOGS AND GOING INTO THE KITCHEN TOO!! We would like to also add that the prices were so high, one needs to take out a mortgage to buy their very basic sandwiches. Nothing fancy was sold there. NOT RETURNING TO THAT AWFUL PLACE.

Great surroundings but poor food and unfriendly service. Have tried on many occasions in the hope that I happened upon an off day, sadly it's consistently dreadful. How is this tolerated?

Do not make a special trip to this "cafe" and I use the word loosely. We made a special trip, taking the grandchildren for a lunch out for my birthday treat. I cannot believe that all we were offered was a sandwich made with cheese or ham, no choice of bread at a cost of £4.50 each a small coffee was £2.50 and an apple juice for £2. The children were hungry so I had no choice or I would have left immediatly. The bill was £34, the service was intimidating and rude when requesting a larger menu and we left very disappointed.

I've given this cafe several chances since my first review, shortly after it was first taken over. However we had such a poor experience last weekend that I felt I must share it - although I now see that most other recent visitors have been similarly disappointed. You walk in and it looks so lovely: artistically decorated, all quirky chalkboards, vintage items and bunting - but the service received seems to always massively let it down.We popped by for a drink and a slice of cake yesterday morning, midway though a long walk. It was a very warm day and after waiting a minute or so for the two people behind the counter to look up and acknowledge us, we ordered some cans of fizz, a white coffee and a still water.The coffee, when it arrived, came black so we had to go back and get milk. There appeared to be no bottled still water available(?) and so we were offered a glass of tap water from a tray with a couple of glass bottles on the counter. These, due to the ambient temperature in the cafe, were quite warm and when I asked for some ice, I was grudgingly given a single piece, the man behind the counter muttering something about it being free, so what did I expect? We would gladly have paid for bottled water if it had been available.The cans were also less than cold, and when we asked for ice for them, the woman told us that they had come from the fridge so it must be our warm hands which had taken the chill off! I could not believe that anyone would say this to a paying customer! I would suggest that the fridge needs looking at, if this is really the case.No glasses were available, even when we asked for them. We then asked for paper cups but no, we were not allowed these either. So we drank from the cans - though the tap water was offered in a grubby looking watermarked jam jar (not a mason jar, an actual jam jar) - "that's what we use as glasses".We had visitors from abroad with us and I was so embarrassed about the entire experience, especially when the rest of Forty Hall is such a joy to visit. I expect Enfield Council / the managers of the Hall must be chomping at the bit for the lease to end so they can re-tender it to someone who cares about the customer experience. What a great waste of a lovely venue.

Gordon Ramsey this place needs you urgently!! The defensive, rude manager needs to learn some very basic Customer Service skills. Today she served me tea in a tiny weeny paper cup and when I asked for the usual blue ceramic mug she silently pointed out a sign which said "paper cups only after April. I told her I usually had my tea served in a ceramic mug and her reply was "not when I'm here you don't." When I sat down at a table outside there was a blue ceramic mug and a china cup and saucer on the table and a couple inside were drinking out of a ceramic mug and a china cup. So what's going on? People she likes get a large ceramic mug and the other get a tiny paper cup. I said that the paper cups were very small and her curt reply was that they were 250mls which I advised her was a wine glass measure not a decent mug of tea size, to which I got no response. I wanted to complain but didn't want the rude confrontation that I feared would follow, so I just sat there staring at the blue ceramic mug and china cup and saucer on the table in front of me and seethed with anger and resentment as I drank my tea from a tiny paper cup. Not a pleasant experience at all. My customer service tip number 1 is don't alienate your customers and number 2 is don't make your customers feel ripped off.

How can you allow dogs that might have worms and fleas to go inside a place with food but not newborns in buggies?

I have reviewed, badly, this place before but thought I would give it another go, I wish I hadn't bothered, I had possibly the worst cappuccino I have ever had, and the possibly the most expensive for the size of the drink, it was about two thirds of what you would get in a Costa Primo, and, at £2.50, about 30p dearer. The server clearly had no idea whatsoever how to make the drink, she ran the water through the coffee and then pressed the button again so more water flowed through and then added a some super heated milk, not foamed properly, this was not even a babycino, it was appalling.Interestingly I ended up spilling the drink down a beige pair of trousers, which I sponged down with some water, fully expecting my efforts to still leave a stain, but the coffee was so weak it didn't stain at all. So maybe the fact that the coffee was so weak and so poorly made was a blessing in disguise. The cakes looked good but I would not buy as they are placed on the counter without any covers, less than hygienic in my book.If I happen to be in the park again I may risk a pot of tea, they can't do too much to ruin that, can they ?

I find the manager Helen a very naughty lady... i dislike the way she walks up to you and invades your space., I experienced her as a bit of an old dragon. I,ve been told she gets rid of lots of people .. As i used to work there she just used to dictate to me with out discussion and tell me its my last day or that shes cutting my hours. I believe this to be illigit behaviour. not only she once asked me to do a job and nudged me out the way and i thought that to be rude .The cafe itself is unique and exeptionally quaint. and a dog friendly cafe. But when i worked there alot of customers complained that they were waiting too long for their food/orders and there wasnt much sellection... Need to improve it lady...

It is such a shame that this cafe continues to serve poor coffee. With so much choice these days surely they can source a better roast. The lemon cake was lovely though and it could do much better on the coffee front to make it good.

A friend and I went to the cafe yesterday for the first time. What a shame the service was so terrible. The man behind the counter could barely string a sentence together and when we asked what one particular item on the limited menu was he just said "chips" or something to that effect. When we asked for tap water he indicated an empty bottle on the counter, which thankfully the more friendly lady refilled. The paninis we had were good but food choice was limited and pricey - £5.50 for a cheese and tomato panini. Furniture was higgledy-piggledy and squashed in together and room is taken up by pointless furniture such as cupboards holding fancy crockery. The cafe was packed but only because it's in a prime location I would say. It could and should be so much better. And starting with better customer service would go a long way.