Root One Cafe in South Oxfordshire

Went for a morning breakfast I have an egg allergy So asked if they leave off the two eggs and give me mushrooms instead This cafe point blank refused Didn’t care or have any understanding to allergies So I then ordered a bacon bap The bap was very dry sausages are rock hard at the end and you can’t bite or cut through them The bacon is was ok but not a lot of it for the price I wouldn’t eat here again

We like this garden centre and have eaten in the cafe before. This time unfortunately service was extremely slow. We only ordered two ciabattas and coffee. We took our coffee to the table ourselves and waited and waited for our food. We sat there for over 30 minutes and thought that the order must have been lost. We had long finished our coffee. My husband went to ask and the lady just said “the ciabattas will be out in a minute”. We must have waited at least another ten minutes before they were brought out with no apology for the wait. The food was just OK so we won’t bother to eat next time we visit.

We love this cafe which is joined to the beautiful garden centre and we have eaten there often. The food is always hot and well cooked and the staff are friendly and helpful. I don’t know the young man’s name, but he is I think a waiter. Very cheerful and friendly. I asked if we could move outside with our food. He immediately helped move us and our food to another table whilst making witty chat and making us laugh. Absolute star.

The cafe was really busy but our food arrived quickly. There’s a good choice of food on offer. I’m only giving it a 3 because the food was definitely overpriced for what we received, which is a shame as the actual egg mayonnaise filling in our sandwiches was delicious.

Took my son for a fantastic breakfast the food was well cooked and hot and served very quickly would definitely go back Staff were very friendly

We visited her on Monday for lunch. The menu was fine, we ordered baguettes which were fresh and well filled. Service was friendly, and there was enough space to socially distance if that was required - a number of customers were wearing masks and they valued this aspect. We will return for sure.

I’m sorry to say but we were really disappointed with the cafe on our visit. We had heard great things but it wasn’t for us. We ordered a egg mayo baguette and a quiche with salad and coleslaw. The salad garnish that came with the baguette was bigger than the salad with the quiche. One cherry tomato, two pieces cucumber and five lettuce leaves doesn’t constitute a salad!! So basically a piece of quiche was £10.99. We never mind paying prices in garden centres for fresh food but I hate being ripped off even more. There was another couple sat across from us and the egg on toast was embarrassing. The lady moved her non existing egg onto one piece of toast as there wasn’t enough to eat on both. You could see how disappointed they were. Such a shame as the garden centre was great but we wouldn’t go again

As a regular customer and many visits since covid While the staff and services are great .I am sad to say that the the food has really gone down in size considerably. To be honest the cooked portions are only big enough for a child .The baguettes are smaller and less fillings very disappointed as it's not cheap to eat there .Hope this doesn't put people off going .

Absolutely love Root One garden centre cafe. Plenty of tables and well spaced apart. The food is good, a little pricey but nice. The staff are excellent, really friendly and professional. Highly recommend it

I love visiting this garden centre for the quality of the plants and interesting things in the large garden gift/garden shop. The staff are always busy tending to the plants and they always look well cared for. Today we decided to eat lunch in the cafe. I had soup which was nice and my husband a BLT sandwich. We were able to sit outside which was pleasant.

Inside roots and shoots garden centre. Good service. Very clean. 5 hygiene score. Very friendly and speedy service. Going again soon. Good attractively served and freshly made.

Really like the cafe its clean and the food is usually good, however having eaten the scones in recent times, which were of a good size and freshly baked, this time they were very disappointing as they arrived frozen in the middle and were much smaller. When they were reheated they resulted in stodgy dough.

Early visit on a Saturday, lots of space, clean, decent food with several different options, staff attentive and helpful, unpretentious.

Popped in for tea and cake had the dog with us and found he was allowed in the Cafe served good cake including GF and was reasonably priced The garden centre was nice to look around plants in very good condition Will revisit

I dont normally post reviews but I saw a particularly nasty incident today, one of the staff seemed to be trying to shame a mum who was there with a kids by talking to another member of staff in front of her because her kids were apparently misbehaving. Not impressed, and really poor management. Will not come back.

Went for a late lunch after a cold, foggy walk along the river (and before looking round the garden centre itself). I was hungry and the breakfast bap caught my eye: bacon, egg & sausage. It came, and it REALLY hit the spot: buttered bap...

I often pop into this cafe for meetings. it is clean friendly and has a great menu choice. I particularly like the Bacon and Brie Baguettes. My friend who is gluten free was made a lovely bacon sandwich with gluten free bread and crisps. All...

Two ladies went 'to lunch' at Root One Garden Centre Cafe - it was fantastic, the Bacon and Brie panini was the best ever and my friend assures me her Tuna Mayo was truly delicious - thank you - we will be back

They brag about their breakfast, but nothing special at all. No trimmings! certainly not a full English! Horrible bread. No tea or coffee or bread and butter. All extras. Half cooked eggs. Extremely over priced! Very far from the entrance! All Wallingford seems highly priced...

I purchased a planter but had spoken with the sales advisor and explained that I just wanted to check the size and colour against my others at home as one of them had been hit by a car and he said that's fine you can...

Once oh so good - today terribly expensive and poor. My Cumberland sausageS, chips & beans turned out to be beans, a single sausage, and not many chips - for £8.99; a total rip-off compared with past good value here. My wife's pasty was served...

Have popped in for a coffee previously, but went for breakfast today. The staff are friendly and helpful. The food is well cooked and hot. The cafe is clean and welcoming. The garden centre is spacious and well thought out with a variety of items...

We needed to get lunch before our visit to Islamd Farm donkey Sanctuary..Glad we did as we had a thoroughly enjoyable and reasonably priced lunch

A very popular garden centre cafe because it is very good. Excellent food, great coffee and friendly service. Get there early weekends to avoid the queues. 5 stars

First time here. Lovely little garden centre with good quality plants. Cafe is bright with a lovely seating area outside. Coffee was good as were the cakes. Serving staff not very smiley though.

The staff here are so kind and professional. Helpful and have a good sense of humour. Eating area is large, bright and pleasant to visit. Thoroughly recommend going here for a coffee or two.

We enjoyed a pleasant lunch at the Root One Café, and were lucky enough to be able to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. The Root One Garden Centre is located on the main road from Wallingford to Didcot that runs passed Brightwell. There is...

We wanted to pop to a new garden centre and this one was perfect. Surprisingly large stock of plants for what seems a small garden centre. The cafe has a large menu for snacks and light lunches. We had a baguette and a panini along...

The eating area is large and bright, with a nice terrace in good weather. There's a huge range of all-day breakfasts, from eggs on toast to full English, alongside other meals, and home-made cakes. Service is friendly but you'll need to queue on a busy...

45 minutes after ordering a baked potato, it still hadn't arrived. Staff said the order chit wasn't in the kitchen like it was my fault. I asked for a refund. My friend's order of soup took 40 minutes and was only produced after questioning it....

Stop here quite often for a snack or just coffee - the cafe really is the best part of the garden centre. It was Sunday lunch time and very busy. I didn't have too much time so just had cake and coffee. The menu is varied and the food being served looked very good. My cake and coffee were excellent. Friendly service and reasonable prices.

Haven't been here for some time, but as I was early for an appointment I decided to stop here. The cafe is really the best part of the centre - expected it to be very 'Christmassy' but was disappointed. However I had a lovely piece of cake and coffee in the cafe. There is a full menu of cooked meals and cakes. Service is quick and friendly. It was after lunch on a Sunday but still busy. Recommended.

Nice place to view the displays in the garden centre and then to visit the Root One Cafe. Very pleasant area to enjoy a range of hot and cold drinks with a great range of cakes. Hot meals also available at reasonable prices. Located between Wallingford and Didcot, worth a stop

Two cold espressos and the driest Fat Rascal in the world, offered without butter, which was given rather grudgingly on request. Sorry we didn't have the energy to complain at the time.

I called in here to get an autumnal hanging basket. Initially I couldn't find any. So I decided to have a coffee as I was in much pain with my osteoarthritis.

Tappa obbligata ogni estate. Un luogo incantevole dove trascorrere una pausa pranzo immersi nel verde. Tante le proposte culinarie e il fiore all’occhiello senza dubbio le jacket potato gustate con tonno o cheddar cheese o con la verza delizioso il piccolo shop con ricercati accessori da giardino!

Popped in for a snack lunch on Father’s Day. Lots of choice of fillings for jacket potatoes and sandwiches, plus all day breakfasts. I also like that you can buy local honey and the garden centre in nice as well. The loyalty card scheme is great value if you are a regular customer.

Returned to root one for lunch again, this time portions were fine well cooked and good service but still slow at the till. We eat here again soon.

On a journey down south we needed to find somewhere to have a decent breakfast. So we checked TripAdvisor and found this place. What a good find. fantastic breakfast excellent service. Highly recommend.

Ate here with my son. Ordered a sausage sandwich priced at £5.99 & children's omelette(with 5 chips & salad) priced at £5.99. Two bites in to the omelette & discovered a thick black hair discreetly got the attention if a waitress who took it from me. Three minutes later a "fresh" omelette appears however served up on the previous plate so discover same filthy hair under the chips this time - disgusting! Took over to the till area feeling to a different lady serving. Absolutely no apology she looked at me as if I should be grateful the 'extra' item on my plate. No sorry or please can we refund the cost of the omelette. Dreadful way to treat your customers. We won't return :-(

We have been here several times and visited the garden centre to purchase spring bulbs. I brought my three year old and elderly mother. We got to the cafe at 3.05pm and asked if they were still serving hot food- told no they stopped hot food at 3pm- understandable, we own our own restaurant, however, I nicely enquired as to whether they could heat a bowl of soup and was told abruptly that after 3pm you can only have cold items like cake... perfect for my diabetic elderly mother. The lack of compassion and indifference shown was very disappointing. Clearly they are doing extremely well and don’t value regular local custom, so we’ll use there other garden centres in the future.

We are regular visitors because it is only a short drive from out home. The staff are always friendly, efficient with a can-do-attitude. There is a good selection of cakes, breakfasts and snacks. A particular high light is the full English breakfast as the ingredients are good quality and it is cooked to order.

We had a lovely roast dinner today. Pork Four different vegetables roast potatoes Yorkshire pudding. Generous portions

We visit every other weekend for breakfast with our severely autistic daughter. The staff start her breakfast the moment we walk in, even before ordering, as they know how she loves her egg and hash browns!

From lovely cakes to sandwiches and all-day breakfasts, the food here tastes really home-made. Portions are generous and prices reasonable. The setting is great - clean and spacious, with pictures & plants all around. Highly recommended!

Nice garden centre,plenty of parking and easy to find.

Been here several times and it never disappoints. Large variety of breakfast and snacks and fantastic cakes! The staff are very friendly and efficient, very clean and spacious will be back again!

Ottimo luogo dove far colazione, uno spuntino o pranzare. Ampio spazio all'aperto e tante proposte. Merita mangiare lì anche solo...

Gran selección de comida casera con un montón de variedad de sándwiches, ensaladas, patatas baker, ensaladas, así como las comidas más grandes. Fantástica selección de pasteles y galletas. No te puedes equivocar aquí.

Paramos el café. La comida era deliciosa y el personal era amable. Espacio para comer en o fuera. Recomendado.

Nos encontramos con la familia esta vez, esta es mi segunda visita después de haber visitado anteriormente con los amigos. Con verduras y comilones exigentes entre nosotros nos por favor que había algo para todo el mundo, que es una cosa difícil hoy en día. Mi hermana y mi hija Sin Gluten vegetariano podría felizmente disfrutar de una en inglés junto con el resto de nosotros. Cuando le preguntamos si podíamos hacer cambios esta fue recibida con una sonrisa, nada parecía demasiado, a diferencia de otros establecimientos que hemos visitado que no permiten una selección de tostadas olvídate de cambios para establecer platos. También nos quedamos muy impresionados con la amplia selección de plantas y muy bien cuidado. cada uno muy amable, feliz y acogedor, con duda de nuevo. 10 de 10

Esta es una pequeña joya. Paramos el desayuno entre semana, sentamos en el cálido sol disfrutando de un desayuno casero inglés, hechas con cuidado y atención. Opciones sin gluten disponibles incluyendo tostadas novia. Soy bastante esperando que se incluyen salchichas como novia estos son fácil de fuente y sin otro nivel. Los alrededores son tranquilos y el personal es servicial. No tomar café, pero una buena taza de té caliente. Absolutamente perfecto.

I now regularly visit the Root One cafe if I am in the area. The menu is excellent, the staff are very friendly and the food is excellent whether you have a full meal or a snack. Well worth a visdit.

Called in for a light lunch just before Christmas. It was a Sunday so was quite busy. The staff are friendly and very efficient, so the order was dealt with quickly. The menu is pretty extensive so there is a lot of choice from cakes and pastries to full meals. I ordered a steak and onion baguette, that was superb. Obviously ready cooked to order. The coffee is also very good. Recommended.

If you're a garden centre lover, or just in the area, this restaurant is worth a trip while browsing (and buying) at Root 1. They do a great breakfast - choose from the many, than add or take away anything you like. Good quality coffee too - you can even get your 10th coffee free if you're a regular visitor.

We go for breakfast here regularly and the food is always hot, ell cooked and not greasy. Coffee is also good.

Came for a quick bit of lunch during work with a colleague, didn't have much time so luckily the service was fast and very efficient! Good food and good coffee, what more do you want for a quick bite to eat! Left very happy

was told this was a good place to go, which would explain the long queue this Sunday morning, obvioulsy popular place. Waited patiently to be greeted by a friendly and cheerful young lady, who was pleased to take my order and even accommodated our requests for changes. given that the tables where full our food arrived quickly and piping hot, eggs on my breakfast plesed to say where nice and runny as i had requested. staff even bought us over some cutlery as we had missed collecting from the counter. Very clean and pleasant, happy and friendly can see why its so busy and will definately go back

The café is bright and pleasant and in pleasant surroundings. Tables etc were clean and welcoming. Service was good

Root1 cafe has an extensive menu and all is very reasonably priced, the staff are friendly and helpful! I can highly recommend their delicious cakes too!! Plenty of places indoor and outside?

I have stopped here before just for coffee and cake and have never been disappointed. I had a lovely cheese scone and coffee in very nice surroundings. The staff are friendly and service was good. The menu is extensive and seems reasonably priced, although I cannot vouch for the quality. I will certainly stop here again.

Had a super lunch here, not the cheapest but top line. The Bakewell tart is wonderful and the coffee is just right. Would recommend to all my friends and family.

4 of us went for lunch today and all I can say is we won't be going back. I ordered a poached Salmon with salad and baring in mind it was £8.99 I was expecting a lovely salad only to be served a small piece of salmon with what I could only call a side salad! My partner had a side order of chips which were undercooked and looking anemic Worst lunch I've had in a long time and it used to really nice, such a shame .

Good quality ingredients served by friendly staff in a very nice setting, we have breakfast at least 2 times a week and never been let down by the service and quality.I noticed the other day Root one cafe has solar panels on the roof to provide their power and a heat pump to heat the building!

I have been many times. My wife died nine years ago and I try and go once a week which gets me out of the house and enjoy a meal which is all home made and served on site. It is good wholesome food and the breakfasts are great.The cafe is basic but the quality of the food is cooked and served to order, because of this there is delays when the cafe is busy. A lot of senior citizens go there regularly for a daily meal and companionship. Children and handicapped people are welcome and high chairs are available and toilets. Takeaways can be purchased, and they have done a sweet with custard for me to take home.

As much as this is a lovely location, the food and drink here is very expensive for what it is and the few times I've been the service has been very slow. You would hope that for the prices they charge that they would be able to afford some more staff.

Being a regular visitor to South Oxfordshire, a half-term day with a grandchild was a lovely experience as he adores an all day breakfast and this location always does us proud.judging by the other clients, this is a very popular place to stop off and enjoy anything from a cuppa to a full lunch.

Went to have a cup of tea with my friends, After seeing how popular the breakfasts were I was tempted and had one (wasn't disappointed!) My friend was taken in buy the lovely smell of some cheese scones that were just being put on the counter and Sarah had the Teacake, Drinks were nice and warm, but I would have preffered to have a bigger cup for my tea! We ended up buying some more scones to take home they were lovely, Friendly staff as well, at the front in the garden centre too, will definitely be going back for some plants and pots once it warms up a bit outside.

Third visit. They do a very nice fried breakfast here, not the cheapest place in the area to eat but very good food, good service nice environment, busy too.

Visit this café most times that I visit the garden centre, basic layout but very friendly staff, the food is very good but on the expensive side, the coffee on average 20% more expensive than in any Wallingford (local town) establishment.All that said it is very popular so people must feel it is worth the extra.

The food in this establishment is outstanding and credit most go to Jenny and her team who offer great value with the very best of customer service. Try the liver and bacon it's her mothers recipe and it's just brilliant.Jenny retires on 23rd December and it's hoped the standards continue.The cafe sits at the rear of the garden centre and is airy and spacious and comfortable and well worth a visit. It's not over noisy either.Bacon sandwiches are brilliant also and all food is prepared fresh on site and purchased locally wherever possible.

This café has a splendid menu with anything you could possibly want. The food is always delicious and the staff are so friendly and efficient.

Had a nice full English breakfast here the other day, very good service, smiling staff and clean environment. I look forward to coming in again in the near future, I might by a plum tree in the garden centre too.

A nice cafe for lunch at your local garden center. Good value for money, but pick your time as it may be busy.

We popped in for lunch, and saw how popular Root One cafe was, so was wondering how long it would be to be served our food. Our drinks arrived promptly, and the food soon afterwards, the portions where ample and good to taste, all the staff where attentive and happy to serve. We sat in very comfortable chairs and admired the lovely paintings on the walls. The cafe set up is pleasing to the eye, and a lovely place to sit and enjoy a good lunch.

Jenny and her team at Root One Cafe are fantastic! They are the perfect hosts and make everyone feel welcome. Jenny goes out of her way to bring a smile to the face of each of her customers. This is the perfect location for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea and there is something for everyone. I enjoy visiting with my partner, work colleagues and family and never need to worry that some will leave unsatisfied. Keep up the great work!

we only come in when Jenny works and if she isnt around we genuinely turn around and try somewhere else. she makes this place feel so welcoming and her presence around the place is all that it takes for us to come for a breakfast. admittedly we only have breakfast to review about but it is a damn good fry up! i hope jenny and her staff carry on making this cafe so special

booked a table for lunch 1pm but customers coming in of the street seemed to get priority, food was fine but a little over priced but will return.

I visited the cafe with my daughter and two grandchildren to have an early supper (cafe closes 5pm) so that their mother didn't have to cook them an evening meal. Apart from having to clear some dirty plates from our table before we sat down, the service was very good. All the staff were friendly and helpful and we enjoyed the homemade food. The carrot cake and lemon drizzle cakes were excellent. I was a little disappointed that they had run out of some of my favourite puddings that were still displayed, including spotted dick, jam roly-poly & steamed pudding with syrup - perhaps food that is no longer available could be removed from the blackboard? A good place to go with young children or when visiting the garden centre.

Visited the cafe while at the excellent independent garden centre with older relatives.Compact outdoor seating area and spacious indoor area.We went mid afternoon, ample cakes on display and good choice of coffees and teas. Staff exceptionally helpful. Very well organised, pleasure to visit.

Food is always good, with a very wide hoice on the menu. Only downside is do not go after 14:45 as you will get nothing hot (they close at 16:00) we tried for baguettes and were refused (14:50) and we did not say what filling we were after, which was a cold one. Not very adept at customer service.

Lovely freshly cooked food, great coffee and lovely home baked cakes. Nice cafe area, good bathroom facilities, attached to lovely garden centre. Definitely good place for afternoon treat.

Although my initial welcome to this café/restaurant was a little fraught as nearly everything I ordered was sold out (It was only 1300 hours) it turned out to be a great find. Their specials board was everything I like and could have happily eaten my way through the whole selection (All at £8.99). Finally managed to get the last portion of steak and ale pie, with my wife having the last portion of Lasagna. Have no idea what there was left for anyone following. However they now have me as a future regular diner, for everything we had had the home cooked feel about it with the Lasagna being the best I have ever tasted (Yes I did pinch some from my wife, who was positively cooing with pleasure). Portions are very generous. Have made sure I have the telephone number as I will ring and reserve the Suet Chicken and Leek Pudding. I nearly mugged the guy on the table next door who had beaten me to the last one, but as it turns out my pie was equally magical. Food was great, service was great, price was great. Everything was great! A happy diner, food and drink for both of us £19.80. A double whammy!!

Visited with my mum for lunch, kind, friendly young staff.. Panini and cakes.. Yummy!Great, helpful, garden staff, knowledgable

Tucked behind the garden centre is a hidden gem a café where Jenny and her team produce allsorts of goodies. From the Big Mans Breakfast to Bread Pudding to Sunday Lunch and not forgetting the Christmas Dinners for all of the regulars. This is quality food just like your mother used to make. Smiles and hugs are on offer and my ever expanding waste line is all down to Route One

I always enjoy whatever I have here, be it a quick stop for coffee or a more leisurely meal. The food always tastes great, is served with a smile, and is decent quality - not to mention kind on the wallet, leaving more to spend on purchases for the garden!

Visited this garden centre as I heard it has a great cafe. we had a full English breakfast and it was lovely and freshly cooked . professional looking staff and friendly. Highly recommend this to a hungry traveling gardener of anyone wanting to stop for a bite to eat

Have visited here many times (usually for one of their breakfasts).Would recommend them as follows-High quality food and very well prepared Fast service and flexible (eg one of few places I have been to that will allow you to substitute / alter the 'set' breakfast choices.Very friendly staff (the manager seems to have been there for ever) & has a great team. Allowed me to use my own soy milk as they do not have it & heavily reduced the latte price accordingly.Nice interior and very pleasant sheltered outside area when the weather allows.The only criticism I have is its rather expensive compared to similar independent garden centre cafes, however I can not fault the quality of food.

The staff are lovely, nothing is too much trouble. Everything is freshly cooked and they are very accommodating. Very friendly and comfortable enviroment

I have been taking my elderly Mother to Root One Café regularly over the last two years and we are impressed with the quality of the food and service. Jenny, the Manager, is so welcoming that she makes my Mother feel special each time we visit. The staff are always willing to serve a small portion of a main meal for my Mother who has a small appetite and is put off by a large plate of food. The whole experience makes her day and it is definitely her favourite café.

We have been regulars of Root One for a while now and cannot fault the food, service and staff in any way. Root One offers a wide menu ranging from a baguette to a lasagne and salad to a full roast dinner with all the trimmings. The food is freshly prepared, beautiully presented and always served with a smile and a hello. The baguettes are nicely filled with interesting fillings and fresh salad, the lasagne is to die or (you can also buy this as a takeaway - highly recommended!!!!!) The roast dinner is absolutely delicious with a beautiful selection of roast potatoes, boiled, three or four fresh veg, stuffing, gravy and all topped off with a lovely Yorkshire pudding. If you can possibly fit a pudding in after the puddings are gorgeous - home made crumbles and pies :-) to name but a few. What sets this place apart from its competitors is the service. The Manager Jenny is an absolute delight, smiling, welcoming and friendly with time for everyone no matter how busy she is. It doesn't matter how good the food is somewhere if the service is awul but here, they have it just right. All the staff are friendly and chatty and work so hard to ensure you have nice food and a relax in the garden centre. If you're looking or a coffee with a friend, lunch with family/friends or just a sit with a coffee and a newspaper watching the world go by this is the place to be. Cannot fault it.

Be sure if you are in a hurry to call ahead and your lunch will be waiting at a reserved table. Quite a service from a little café in a garden center. Eat outside and enjoy the garden.

Very nice, sitting outside would be lovely in the summer. Not the cheapest, but the quality was faultless. They also do takeaways, thankfully they close before I'm home from work! A great place to sit and read the Sunday paper.

We visited this garden centre a few months ago having passed it many times on our way to Wallingford. We had morning coffee and were so impressed with the menu, that after shopping we call in for lunch which we thoroughly enjoyed. This week after visiting a National Trust property in the area we decided to call in again for lunch. We both had a lunch 'special' which was great value for money.

My friends and I have been using The café at Root one for a few years now, the cooked breakfasts there are very good indeed.They are cooked freshly to order and the toast is always hot.The staff of the Café are excellent especially JENNY the manager of the café.She is always happy to see us and makes a fuss of our 4 year old son.All the staff of the Café are happy to help and cannot do enough for us.We do like to have a breakfast with our friends on most Saturday mornings but have not done so every Saturday like we used to as the hot drinks are not included in the price of the breakfasts anymore so this has made it very expensive for my family to eat out every week.I think if you are paying for a BIG MAN breakfast that is £10 you should get a pot of tea or cup of coffee included in the price!

Nice Garden Center with a great atmosphere in the cafe. Friendly staff and a great Breakfast, also has a collection of other meals, but the breakfasts are a must.

Our cycling club has regularly used Root One Café as a convenient fuelling stop usually after several hours in the saddle and we have found their cakes and coffee generally pretty good. On this particular roasting hot day, we were eagerly anticipating our break at Root One but because there was a sizeable group of us, we were asked to leave our bikes outside of the garden centre out of view from the café. This would have exposed our bikes to a risk of theft. Overall we gained the impression that our group (some 20 riders representing more than £150 of business to the café in one go) was not welcome so we left. I do not really understand how businesses can prosper when they treat potential customers like that, especially when in the past, there have not been objections to our bringing our bikes into the garden centre. Never mind - I suggest that future potential cycling customers ride the five miles or so to the café at Benson (on the Thames) where the facilities are better and they know how to treat customers. I doubt if we will be going back to Root One.

If you're going here for the pots and plants, and eating is an afterthought then great. But I wouldn't recommend going here just for the café.Menu was standard for these types of places. We ordered the soup of the day and a baguette. Arrived 20 minutes later (a little longer than expected) and although pleasant we didn't feel the soup was home made (perhaps it wasn't claimed to be). But for £5 for a bowl of soup and two rounds of bread, it was a little expensive too.Much acclaim to the young waiter though, who got an earful from a customer because her fried egg was broken. He handled it very professionally so full marks.If I was in the area for pots and plants, I'd probably go again but just for a cuppa and cake. This was homemade but again, £2.50 for a fruit scone!

The cakes, all homemade, are absolutely delicious! Jenny catered for our party of about 20 people effortlessly (or at least it seemed effortless!) & was lovely.

We go once a week, to sample the goodies, to a friendly welcoming atmosphere. A large and fresh homemade menu to choose from. My mother swears by a Brie and Mango chutney, toasted sandwich.