School House Cafe in Cheltenham

A really lovely atmosphere, friendly, welcoming, good for the whole family, students or anyone wanting a place to work or have a quiet place to sit.

We’ve been to the School house cafe 10-15 times over the last two years. We’re a family of 4 with a 3 and a 9 year old. It’s the one place we can all agree on going as there’s something for all of us. French toast with bacon or cheese and ham toasties are both absolute winners with all of us. The staff are great, friendly and helpful. Our 3 year old loves all the toys and both my wife and I take turn playing table tennis with our son. I wish we had two or three more places like this in Cheltenham. Informal, relaxing and good value. A massive thank you to the people running this place and the people working there.

I had the smallest jacket potato I have ever seen, with a spoonful of beans on top. It was literally toddler size and I ate it in 5 mouthfuls. Also a bit cold and definitely not cosy as described. Disappointing.

2 of us for an early lunch. I had the French toast with bacon and maple syrup…delicious! My wife had the bbq chicken, bacon and cheese panini…very generously filled and super tasty. Flat white coffee was good too. Very reasonably priced and good service. We’ll be back very soon.

Nice cafe spoiled by the fact they can’t mop or sweep the floors on one visit (15/11/21) there was blond dog or human hair all over the floor. On the second visit (16/11/21) the next day it was still there. At both visits my kids got covered in mud leftover food and random hair as above. The floors are literally slippy under foot with filth. I know food hygiene ratings mainly apply to the kitchen but this is not good enough.

Every time I visit this café the service is good - friendly staff and nice food. However, when I visited on 22nd Sept, the server did not acknowledge me as I approached the counter. He continued making drinks for a good 2 or 3 minutes and completely ignored me. I couldn't believe it. I did wonder, at one point, whether I'd forgotten to remove my invisibility cloak. All he needed to say was, "I'll be with you in a moment" and it would have made the world of difference to my experience.

Came here on recommendation of Trip Advisor since we’re just visiting the area. My hot chocolate request was perfectly followed, the food was delicious and arrived promptly. My husband had the tuna, sweetcorn and cheese panini. I had a sausage bap, only thing that could have been improve on was having two sausages instead of one.

Luke McLean is AWESOME! Although he forgot my chocolate sprinkles on top of my Oreo Milkshake and then proceeded to throw the packaging at me, he pulled it all back when he gave me a pencil and sorted out the music in the main dining area for me, he then came over and made sweet sweet small-talk with me and my party and cleaned up our table without us asking. He also then presented me with an extra Oreo wrapped in napkins by getting down on one knee and apologising for the lack of chocolate sprinkles while passing it over. If all cafes had a Luke McLean then they would all be a lot better! Hudson is also cool too!

Friendly service, delicious food and good value. Nothing is too much trouble. There is a lot to like!

I go to this cafe regularly and never leave disappointed! Friendly and prompt service, delicious drinks - hot and cold - and brilliant deserts. Their millionaire shortbread is the best I’ve ever had!

Popped in here for lunch on my birthday. Fabulous service and great food. Was actually the best cheese and tomato toastie I have ever had! Very filling as well. Fabulous hot chocolate too. My partner loved the full English breakfast and coffee. We loved the quirkiness of the use of a school hall with old school desks and the school bell on the window ledge. We would definitely visit again and fully recommend.

Whole place looks really tatty and a bit grubby. Ingredients were all clearly very cheap and just thrown together - Obviously targeting the students on a budget. Definitely better places in Cheltenham.

It’s nice to see the cafe open again, the cafe is really well set up with safety restrictions and the tables are well distanced, food was good although seemed a bit slower than normal and they seemed a bit low on cakes. The only downside is the one way system brings you out to a back entrance which was a bit grotty, overgrown and dirty and not the nice welcome of the main entrance.

The service was friendly enough. but my food was of poor quality. I had a jacket potato with tuna mayo. The jacket potato was stone cold in the centre (as if it had been frozen and not properly reheated) and the Tuna Mayo was very watery. I didn’t ask for it to be remade as it put me off, and I’d rather just leave the food. I was disappointed as the friend who I was visiting with had rated the cafe very highly and her meal was of an alright standard.

Nice little cafe, one that’s possibly not well known about due to its location and external features. Don’t let that deceive you though; food and staff were nice, and the initial decor works too (although that kinda’ changes in the ‘hall’ area). It’s possible this is a WIP as I don’t think this cafe has been open long? Suffice to say, nice food, reasonably priced and friendly staff. Can’t really ask for more than that. The only downside (which isn’t a fault of the cafe or staff) is parking, as it’s a little out the way of Cheltenham town - though easily within walking distance, just not central.

Food was average. Had a bagel that was ‘deconstructed’ which I never see the point of. Side salad was not fresh and dry. Food selection ok.

Come here every time we go to Cheltenham for the races. They do a delicious breakfast and yummy cakes as well.

Buscando un almuerzo ligero local en un día laborable, este lugar es ideal. Comida sabrosa que incluye café y pasteles, si llega un poco lento.Sin embargo, se configura como algo más que eso, un punto focal real en la comunidad (¡también reparan el ciclo!)Una sensación acogedora en la sala principal, menos en el área de desbordamiento.Lástima de los ruidosos trabajos de construcción de al lado, pero esto pronto se habrá ido, estoy seguro.

I’ve visited SHC many times and it’s great, I love the breakfasts and brunches and they also have lovely options for lunch. The team are always friendly and there is plenty of places to sit and chill, to work and play area for children. The main cafe area seems to be slightly nicer to sit in than the main ‘hall’. The cakes didn’t quite live up to the yummy main menu but it’s a lovely cafe!

¡Primera visita y no será la última! Un gran lugar para reunirse con amigos para tomar un café o almorzar, igualmente bueno para una reunión, o simplemente disfrutar de un momento "yo".Un plástico - campeón de Cheltenham gratis - encontrará pasteles caseros, pajitas de trigo y vasos para llevar compostables, entre otras cosas.Quédese todo el tiempo que desee: no se sentirá presionado para beber e irse. ¡Y el café de adicciones éticas es excelente!

Lugar cómodo, relajado y cálido para un desayuno fácil y agradable. El personal es amable, eficiente y servicial.La comida es sabrosa sin ser quisquilloso, recién hecha a pedido y obviamente hecha con ingredientes de calidad. ! ¡Muy buena relación calidad-precio! !Definitivamente recomendado y volveremos a visitar cuando necesitemos desayuno en Cheltenham.

Al lado de la calle, la iglesia de Paul, el School House Cafe comparte espacio con un área utilizada a veces (aunque no mientras estuve allí) para las actividades de los niños. El menú es limitado. La sopa de puerros y papas que tuve fue deliciosa y vino con un esponjoso rollo blanco y buena mantequilla británica ("Aviso de alergia: contiene leche" [!]). Los otros comensales conversaron en voz baja y los camareros eran atentos y amables.

This place deserves more of a spotlight. Lovely people, good food, very reasonable. It’s a really positive addition to the neighbourhood.

Best ever breakfast and coffee Relaxed and friendly atmosphere A must place to go to Good price Will definitely come back

Never ever ever fails to make my day. The staff are lush, the venue is as quirky as it is so wonderful for a cafe set up, the multi use space giving such colour and sound, children's groups, dance classes, for some it may be loud, for me it makes me realise life is happening despite what might be happening in my world... And the food... I LOVE IT. The soups, the brunch .. there is something for everyone.

Visit fairly regularly as this is close to my house, overall it's a friendly and vibrant cafe and definitely a great part of the St Paul's area and community

Just stumbled across this little gem this morning. Back street location in a converted school as the name suggests. The food was superb, highly recommend the bagels and milkshakes

After reading other reviews, popped in on a Saturday afternoon for coffee and a snack. Located on the street behind Matalan. Very reasonably priced menu, including vegetarian and vegan options. Avocado and tomato toastie was delicious, as were the freshly cooked to order waffles with banana and maple syrup. Very friendly service. Quite a small cafe. There is more seating at the back, but it's quite basic. Lovely community atmosphere. Child and dog-friendly. It's a shame there aren't more places like this, as opposed to chains of coffee shops in the high street.

As a family of 6, there are few places which meet the needs of the whole clan, but SHC is a big hit for all! Coffee for Dad, brownie for Mum, Table tennis and milkshakes for the Teens, Rocky Road of the week and game of cards for our 10 year old and play kitchen, stories and lunch box for our toddler! We love our trips!

Lovely atmosphere, lovely food! Super cheap and such a nice atmsophere. Staff are very friendly. A great community feel to the cafe as well

Would highly recommend this hip and trendy cafe as a place to relax, catch up on some work and so much more. Great coffee, food and service !

You are always made to feel so welcome in the School House Cafe - the staff are great, the food is fab, and my wife and I love nothing more than coming along on a Saturday morning, with the dog, for a lazy breakfast accompanied by gallons of coffee.

School House cafe staff are the friendliest you will find in Cheltenham. That plus the amazing menu makes a visit a must - give it a go!

I came here with friends after a local wedding and had a slice of cake and a cuppa. The staff were so wonderful and the entire place is almost like a home away from home. Delicious cakes, great drinks and wonderful atmosphere. Will definitely be back!

Great little place if you need good wifi and a cuppa. I have been there on few occasions so far. Staff is nice and they had great deal in coffee when I went there.

Myself and my partner come here for a monthly comedy evening.the coffee is the best in Cheltenham and the rocky road is a must have!!

We were staying in the area and fancied a tea, coffee and cake. After looking on TA we decided to try here and we're very happy we did.

Really nice cafe with good coffee, good selection of snacks but I have to recommend the bacon bap with coffee for £3.00 as the best buy in Cheltenham. Really nice people serving and lovely environment. Go out of your way to get there, not too far to walk from the multi storey car park buy the Brewery. If you are lucky, you can park on St Pau'ls street .

If you're just dropping past as a visitor, you won't know about the heart and soul that goes into running this cafe. Having followed them on Facebook for a long time, the SHC genuinely cares about its clientele, the local community, and catering for its customers. Beyond the mind-boggling array of dietary-requirement-satisfying dishes (amazing for this size a cafe), the venue hosts local community groups, and is a star in the St Pauls area.

We found SHC while walking back from the Leisure Centre. What a surprise! Coffee and lunch was excellent; clean and tidy; service exemplary; and a real community feel. Will definitely be back.

A truly wonderful place full of love, kindness, and excellent coffee and cake! A ray of sunshine in the community.

Just a really love cafe to grab a coffee and a bite to eat. If the cafe is full there is always the old school hall next door which is full of nostalgic charm. An unexpected and joyful find.

Great food, service and bonus take dogs and park bikes inside. Definitely recommend and will be back

Lovely cafe. Great prices. Good coffee and a great selection of gluten free cakes. Kid friendly and dog friendly.

Wanted a quick brew before going to the races and this place didn't disappoint. Nice tea and a delicious caramel brownie! Great little place.

Lovely little local cafe with extra seating in old school building. Friendly staff, good coffee, yummy cake and food on menu such as bagels, sandwiches, jacket potatoes reasonably priced. Good for chilling out on a Saturday afternoon

There's no cafe quite like this brilliant little place, just paces from Cheltenham town centre and Pittville Park. The relaxed ambience is conducive to almost anything, from get-togethers with friends to work/study, and its child-friendliness is legendary (and

Great coffee and service, lovely atmosphere, good deals. Their bacon panini was great and not overpriced like the big chains. You can tell that they care about the community around them and service comes with a smile :-)

I’ve been into this little cafe several times and as a student it’s the perfect place to come and enjoy a good value lunch (with student discount!) and do a bit of work. My boyfriend and I had the baked Camembert for 2 today, it was delicious and an absolute bargain at £3.50 (£3.15 with discount). The staff are very friendly. Highly recommend!

Absolutely lovely cafe just outside of the town of Cheltenham. Very Friendly staff, lovely atmosphere , great food and drink and the prices are amazing :-)

Me and my friends LOVE coming here. The staff are so friendly and clearly love getting to know their customers and making everyone feel welcome.

Popped in with a friend to grab a coffee. Super place and has a great atmosphere. Coffee was good and will be going back to try the cakes! It's so nice to have somewhere local and they are dog friendly, which is always a plus!

great coffee, super people, lovely service and great food, whats not to like about the School house Cafe, aah yes i forgot beautiful music and lovely surroundings too! do visit soon, before it becomes so full they have to start a waiting list!

This is a wonderful addition to St Paul's and the Lower end of Cheltenham's High Street. The staff is unfailingly friendly, and the food and drink excellent....I have become addicted to morning flat white and bacon buttie.

Great choice of dishes and drinks, very good value and a nice atmosphere. Good to come here for a break between lectures or for a morning coffee.

Lovely people. Lovely coffee. Lovely cakes 'n' pastries. Lovely place to stop! Staff always really friendly and usually seem to have time to chat to you. Easy enough to find a parking space (up to 2 hours, no return within 2 hours) opposite the café, or in one of the side streets near enough to the café. Can be easy to miss at first. Look for St Pauls Church - Schoolhouse Café is next door.

Really nice cafe. Coffee is amazing and the staff area all friendly. We've been a few times and can't fault it. The home made snacks are pretty good too

Lovely energy, staff engaging & happy Lots of choice. I finished my business mtg then went back in for a panini. Delicious. I live 5 mins away such s great to have this cafe local.

I love popping into the School House Cafe! The staff always welcome us so warmly! Not only are the prices excellent but the environment to sit and eat is just delightful. Always some great music playing normally relaxing and creating the perfect ambience for sit down meal :) I love that the staff always check up on how you are doing and aim to build real relationships with the customers remembering peoples faces...that is something that not every cafe can offer.

I'm so glad my friend introduced me to this place. I love the atmosphere, the rocky road, the prices, the quality of the food.

Lovely little local cafe within St Paul's with a good selection of food and drinks, including soya milk which is usually hard to get at independents! I've introduced every one I know just because the vibe of the place and the workers here are all so lovely ☺️

I'd read all the reviews and it came up as the top listing when I googled vegan cafe. But there were only vegan energy balls, no actual cakes available, and although almond milk was on the menu it wasn't available either. The staff seemed a bit vague about what things were made of. However, the atmosphere was lovely and it's a really sweet little cafe. If you're not vegan I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. There are lots of gluten free options.

love this place. always great service, coffee is top notch. Great selection of fresh cakes & savouries every day.

This great, hidden little gem of a cafe has started to expand, now including a longie with children's area the cafe offers more space and is a really asset to the St. Paul's community. Staff continue to impress with great service and pleasant auras. They are also starting to bring their catering inhouse, which will lend itself to a fresher range

Lovely friendly staff who make an effort to engage with the customer- difficult to find these days. Good value food and drink in a relaxed atmosphere. What more can you want! Just had to have that extra brownie.... delicious!

Great coffee, amazing cakes and friendly staff make this one of the best places in Cheltenham to bring your laptop and get some work done away from the busyness of the town centre

I love this cafe!! The staff are so friendly, the coffee is lovely and the cakes are dangerous!!! The carrot cake is incredible, but it's got competition with the brownie and the millionaires shortbread!

Visited here with my partner, staff were incredibly friendly, cheap tea and coffee and the cakes, my god the cakes, must be tasted to be believed. Incredible social atmosphere for the area. Would recommend.

Great drinks, great food, great atmosphere and even better staff. Would 10/10 recommend for anyone visiting or living in the area. Will be visiting again for sure.

I love this place. I come here regularly and the staff are always really helpful. The deals and specials are good value for money and the food and coffee is always of a high standard. The millionaire shortcake and salted caramel brownies are worth a trip alone !

We visited this amazing cafe in Cheltenham and had a wonderful time. Really friendly staff made you feel at home, coffee was very nice and the cakes were incredible. To top it all off it was significantly cheaper than I was expecting to pay - what's not to like? We will certainly return next time we're in town.

What I love about this place...

Lovely cafe, nice coffee, yummy cake and amazing milkshake. The staff are also really nice and accommodating. We recently turned up with four babies and buggies and the team helped create a space in the back room for us all to chill and enjoy a nice cuppa and cake. Thanks guys. We'll be back soon!

Being a student in Cheltenham it's hard to find a coffee shop to study in that has drinks I can actually afford! Therefore, I was very happy when The School House Cafe opened near to the university. It is a lovely cafe, has a great atmosphere, friendly staff and is excellent value for money. I would recommend it to any student wanting a relaxed atmosphere to study in and to anyone looking for a friendly community cafe.

Pros: Lovely staff Great coffee Cons: A wider selection of food would be great. Overall great little café!

Spotted this place here on TA, and driven by some timed, so thought I'd give it a try. Great coffee, interesting selection of cakes and pastries (that I will have to give a try) as well as a small selection of tasty, fresh (packaged) sandwiches.

Having seen the sign for the café a number of times when I have driven past I couldn't resist stopping in for a coffee when I found myself passing on foot. The café is a lovely space and had an alluring range of cakes on offer to accompany the drinks. I managed to resist and only grabbed a quick cafe latte to take away but I can honestly say that it was the best coffee I have had in a very long time. I will definitely be back and would recommend anyone stop in.

A friend and I popped in for a quick coffee, and we were taken aback by how aesthetically pleasing the venue was, with lovely service and the best coffee in Cheltenham added to the mix we knew we would have to visit again. Thank you.

This was my first visit and won't be my last!

Very reasonably priced, cosy and family-friendly. Good coffee & excellent selection of home-made cakes. Parking next door at the church too.

Lovely staff, lovely atmosphere and yummy cake! Great little gem in Cheltenham. Looking forward to visiting again

Amazing little cafe, had a really good hot chocolate and the staff were wonderfully friendly. Amazingly chill atmosphere and lots of seating options. Aesthetic interior and great service. Beats any cafe chain!

A great little cafe, with more than reasonable prices...one of the highlights is Howard's weekly facts on a chalkboard! Check them out!

Go there all the time. Love the atmosphere. Great cakes and coffee especially the brownies and shortbread Really nice staff with genuine humour.

Had a smashing hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows! Great, friendly and quick service, will definitely be going there again soon!

I visited here at the weekend and had a delicious sandwich and coffee at a very reasonable price. The staff are lovely and the whole ambiance is fab. Well worth a visit. The wifi and laptop charger sockets are a really nice bonus too work in here too.

I just love this new cafe! The venue itself is has been put together with an amazing eye to detail. Every plug is accompanied by phone charging USB points and these are even under some tables.

The ambience is great, music is superbly chosen! The cakes are tasty, our daughter loves the cupcakes! Great also for work or study as there are loads of powerpoints!

Just popped in on passing with my daughter for a hot chocolate. Cakes were gorgeous. Staff very friendly. I will come back again.

Great place to pop into on St. Paul's road, next to the church and a few minutes from the University. Great coffee, free wifi, breakfasts and lunches.

This is a wonderful little spot for study time or to meet with a friend. The coffee is good, prices affordable and vibe is swell! Big love!

A refreshing change to the high street chains. This is a small cosy cafe with very good coffee, I would rate the taste as one of my favourites and at a price that is way below those chains, I think my Americano was £1.30.

Stopped by for a spot of brunch whilst doing some uni work. Would definitely recommend. The white walls and stained wood create a space to clear the mind and focus, whether that be on the next essay or the person sitting opposite.

We took the opportunity to visit on opening day and really enjoyed the experience. Having ordered our drinks we were invited to take our seats and the staff would bring the drinks to us. Whilst the shop is compact the atmosphere more than makes up for this. Staff are great and always pleased to serve with a smile. Will definitely be going out again.

Great venue, really cool old school house converted into a great hangout, if you're a coffee geek like me you'll love the great coffee that is cheap and really well made by experienced baristas. Lovely feel to the place with huge old sash windows giving loads of light, plug sockets everywhere and superfast wifi so I can relax and work at the same time. What more could you wish for!!!!

Cosy, welcoming, great coffee & delicious fresh cakes at very good prices - what's not to love? Looking forward to visiting again with my 2 little ones!

What a terrific find, tucked away in the old school next to St Paul's Church. Wifi, relaxed and friendly, great coffee and as for the cake.....Brilliant value too. What more could a man and his laptop want?

Loved it here, such a great place to go with friends. Coffee was delicious and cheap! Highly recommend!

I've just had a great coffee from the new cafe on my way to work. Friendly staff and a great looking interior. Good price too. I'll be going back.