Taunton Garden Centre in Taunton Deane

Whilst the plant side of the nurseries service is brilliant, sadly the same can't be said for the cafe. Visited a week or so ago and, having stood in the queue for over 10mins because there was only one person serving, finally reached the till at 11.31am by their clock. Asked for two bacon sandwiches. The girl at the till said something to a lady I assume was the manageress, who said something along the lines of 'just put it through as a BLT, but leave off the letter and tomato', then turning to me said 'unless you want the lettuce and tomato?' I replied that, no, I purely wanted a bacon sandwich. When I checked the bill, I had been charged the price of a BLT, not the £5.45 price of a bacon sandwich. When I questioned it, the manageress replied 'well it was after 11.30 and we've stopped doing breakfast so the only way we can ring it up is as a BLT, I'll take it off if you don't want it', to which I agreed. Had she bother to tell me first, then I wouldn't have ordered. However, I objected to be charged £2.50, just to accommodate their inflexible system, especially as the lettuce and tomato was to be left out and the reason the breakfast deadline had passed was because of their slow service! In addition, the prices appear to have gone up and the quantity of the coffee gone down. Also having to go all the way through the garden centre itself to get to the cafe is hardly friendly for those who have mobility issues.

Excellent food especially my veggie nut roast! We’ve will be back. Lovely and clean and good ambience. Staff helpful and a big plus too is the garden centre.

Husband wanted to go here for his 70th Birthday breakfast. We have been before with our dog. After walking around the garden centre we discovered that the cafe is not dog friendly and no way of getting to the outdoor seating area with out going through the cafe. Very disappointing, so we went elsewhere.

Very expensive for what we got we had a breakfast roll which was not very good, it was a bit of a construction site in there constant hammering not very enjoyable sadly. Coffee was lukewarm also.

We ordered flat whites, they were literally undrinkable - we left them after one taste. They were strong enough but with a diabolical flavour - not of coffee. They use automated machines which are generally less likely to provide a good drink in any case but maybe the beans were stale as well.

The Latte was OK. Hot and strong. The cake was stodgy, soggy and a bit stale. My colleague bought it for me so I was unable to choose diplomatically. If it was carrot cake that would explain the sogginess but you should only supply it if a customer ASKS for "Carrot cake". I wrapped it in a napkin and binned it when I was alone.

Love this place, been coming here since moving to the area, food is always good and staff are always welcoming. It is currently going through some changes, and i am sorry to say it’s not good so far. You used to be able to walk from the car park via a side door into the cafe. Well that has now changed and you are forced to walk through the store to get to the cafe, making it very tedious, especially for the people with mobility issues. Also when you leave you again have to negotiate the store. What idiot thought this was a good idea, they need educating on people with mobility issues. We found out we could escape the ritual of walking through the store, by exiting the old side door, and leaving via the fire gate. I cannot believe that Otter management, thought that blocking off the side entrance was a good idea, i think they will loose a lot of customers over this mistake. We will definitely think twice before coming back again, and will visit a garden centre that does not try and force you to walk three times as far, to get to their cafe. Poor show Otter.

Great place, such efficient friendly staff, long queues but worth it, roast was superb. Waitress Lusi was lovely and friendly

We stopoff for lunch here at least once a month and always enjoy our meal. It does get busy at lunchtime a result of their own success so you need to time it right. The jacket potatoes salad and fillings are our favourite. The staff go out of there way to be helpful and are always very friendly. In the summer you can sit outside. I would have no hesitation in recommending it.

Polite, cheerful and helpful staff who couldn't be more pleasant and helpful. Breakfast good too! Thank you!

We stopped by hoping they would do take away. Their Covid-safety measures were excellent, but didn't stop all the staff from being welcoming and friendly. We had a range of takeaway toasties, all delicious and quite the best take away packaging I have had (reusable foil). Highly recommended.

I was surprised to find some improvements to the seating here but the big difference is the staff, the food and the over all feelingThis cafe used to be under a different management and bland with reluctant service. A place to avoid but now it's one I shall be visiting every time I'm there.My order was taken by a cheerful and polite young man even taking my request for how I wanted it heating and it was done perfectly, it was delivered to my table by another very polite young man. He even asked if everything was ok as he passed later. This is the sort of service that make you feel welcome.I only stopped for a scone and coffee but it was really delicious. A large cheese and chive scone, fresh and full of flavour. The coffee hot and made to my liking.Everywhere was clean and tidy with some new additions to the furnishings.The difference now is that from the worst this is becoming one of the better places to stop and eat. It will encourage me to journey to visit the garden centre more often and stop for lunch or tea. Looking forward to bringing friends too.Well done the new management!

Popped into this garden centre mainly for breakfast It was delicious 1 full great British breakfast minus the black pudding which they swapped for slice of toast and 1 vegetarian breakfast I must say sausage was delicious. Service really quick and very friendlyHappy to go again.

The staff in the restaurant were welcoming and most helpful; the menu was reasonable (to suit most tastes) and very good.The garden centre staff were also very welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable. The improvements 'Otter' have made since taking over from 'Wyvale' are remarkable.

Latte had loads of froth on it when I got past the froth I had three quarters cup of coffee, one member of staff a young girl with dark hair seemed to be doing most of the running clearing tables and taking out food. Three members of staff behind counter one singing the other a young girl that had the personality of a dish cloth didn't smile at all. A sign needs to be put out by the cakes not very clear if you help yourself or staff get it very confused as were others

Visited Otter Garden Centre with relatives and had a lovely Christmas surprise "The Otter Christmas Singing Reindeer " display a must for children and Adults alike, had a lovely snack lunch in their restaurant, and a good look round at the all the goodies on offer. Enjoyed every minute of the experience. I think it is a must if only to see and hear the Singing Reindeer, but there is more to on offer.

Family enjoyed their visit, the food was great in the restaurant, lots of Halloween fun for the family, great plants and gifts section plus lots of really great plants and fantastic offer on plant pots.

Stopped here for something to eat while on a journey, ordered two meals both risotto, a tea and a coffee. This cost just over £20.Neither drink was anywhere close to good, and when the food came we assumed the tiny portions spread thinly across large plates, presumably in an attempt to make it appear more them the few moutfulls it consisted of, was simply a part of the meal and that some form of accompaniment, maybe salad, or even a slice of bread and butter at least was to follow, this however was not the case, the extremely small helping of effectively a handful of rice with a tiny a out of herbs mixed in was it, my guest only ate a couple of fork fulls and wanted no more (very unimpressed) so I, being hungry ate both of the so called meals, and was no less hungry for doing so, this is absolutely awful and a complete rip off, after this i know never to waste time/money on a wyevale ever again. By far the least value for money I've ever come across, if o could rate this as zero rather than one I would.

my friend kindly treated me to afternoon tea today . only two people behind the counter, one doing drinks and the other waiting on tables and doing orders...obviously working under pressure...coffee nearly cold, cakes etc were on a plate as they ran out of tiered ones. I went there a couple of years ago and the service hasnt changed one bit...I vowed never to go there again but went because of my friend today; prices in the shop are really over the top too.. come on, get your act together...drop prices and get more staff in your cafe. I would never recommend anyone to go there

Very poor food and a bad attitude. We went there for lunch and there were no lunch menus on the tables and when the food was brought my jacket potato was only half cooked and inedible, salads had no dressing and the Cumberland sausage meal was tiny (and overpriced). Even the tea was poor.

Absolutely great place to visit. Lovely gifts too and the restaurant has a great variety of food and drinks. I would recommend to anyone.

Took a friend for lunch, we decided to have a hot festive roll! Well it was almost inedible costing £6.95, the coffee was warm. Tables not cleared and staff had attitude. We will not be visiting in the future!

Really great garden centre with a great variety of David Austin roses. Picked up a few late flowering plants. Then headed off to the in house cafe for a breakfast. Everything was cooked perfectly ,fresh and delicious. Well worthy of a visit. Highly recommended

Went to the garden centre to take back an item a friend got me for my birthday and thought while I was there I would pick up some plants! A few members of staff were very friendly and helpful! However when I spoke and asked the manager about some advice he was to busy looking at his phone for emails and wasn't helpful at all! As the manager I'd expect him to know the ins and outs off the place! The laddies at the till had a bad attitude too! Swearing and joking with eachother while serving customers! The cafe was so busy with one poor young girl on her own! In an overall look the cafe needs more staff! And to get a manager who is helpful rather than worrying about other things! Would not recommend! Go to Monkton elm!

My last review was written 3 years ago, and despite visiting this restaurant on many occasions since, it has failed to improve at all. There are often notices up saying that a reduced service is in operation and much of the time, the very limited menu that should be on offer, is not available. This place should be a goldmine, it offers an excellent cheap 2 course meal for Over 60's, but the poor attitude of the staff and the dreadful attitude of the chef, make it a dismal place to visit. The shop isn't much better with dusty stock, dying plants, and cobwebs everywhere.

This is a place that could also be visited as a family day out with the kids as there is a restaurant and nursery in the same area as the garden centre. It can be used as an educational activity as the variety of plants and home project ideas are great.

Decided to give this a second chance which was a mistake after shopping for plants. Turkey bap and sausage roll were not hot at all and tasteless. Chips cold and inedible.

I was certainly not shocked to find many other bad reviews of this cafe on Trip Advisor. Some Wyevales are excellent and some of them are pretty dreadful, this particular cafe is definitely the latter. The rather meagre selection of cakes is rather uninspiring, so this time I asked for the soup of the day, "We're only serving sandwiches" sneered the cashier, eventually we discovered the sandwiches were rather overpriced for what were very bland sandwiches with some token salad, it was edible at least, probably the only positive thing about the place.

A shockingly slow service at the till . Mumbling server , could barely hear what she was saying. Then told after a long 10 minute wait in queue as she prepared 4 coffees for customer in front. NO coffee as machines being cleaned at 4.10pm when the cafe does not shut until 5 pm. This has happened before. Very Disappointing.

After a long night shift at not my usual workplace, I wanted something nice to eat so as I was driving along with my colleagues, we noticed the garden centre cafe and thought we'd pop in for a quick spot of brunch.

This is the third review I have written after turning up and being told that hot food has stopped early 'because the chef is on his own'. This cafe has for some time now been plagued with staffing issues sometimes disguised as technical issues.

What a meal big breakfast could not finish it staff were quick and happy well done keep up good work

Popped in for a cuppa as there was nowhere elso close by to get a drinks, the tea and serivce were pretty average.

My elderly Mum and I enjoyed a delicious light lunch here last Wednesday. Very tasty sandwiches and salad. All very well presented and tasty. Good service. My strawberry milkshake was the best I've tasted in a very long time. Will definitely return.

Having read some reviews, I was slightly concerned as on previous visits a few years ago, I'd enjoyed the food. It seemed things had changed. However, when we visited today, my cousin and I opted for two pensioner specials @£8 each. I had quiche, followed...

We enjoy a visit here when we are over for a few days, plenty to browse, from plant, shrubs etc to almost anything gardening plus lots more. We seldom leave empty handed, then a visit to the cafe to enjoy a coffee or maybe a...

Fuimos para el almuerzo con mi madre discapacitada. Noté que habían retrasado el pedido, todos los demás que había pedido antes de nosotros era comer. Cuando lo comentamos el personal atención oportuna disculpas, el chef nos daba más porciones y el personal lo realmente bien....

Estado aquí unas cuantas veces y es peor. No hay organización en el restaurante y sin coordinación, así que a menudo forman colas. Cuando fui en el otoño estaba claro que el personal estaba disgustado y desmoralizarnos. El café no es nada especial y un...

Had amazing xmas dinner,washed down with a cherry hot chocolate one not to be missed,they also do coffee with orange & cinnamon,yum yum,the cakes are to die for.staff are friendly and made the day special.

Arrived at 2pm on Sunday to be told that the cook was no longer preparing hot food , or any food. This restaurant has a chequered history of staff and service issues. Food can be good as are some of the offers , but have a back up plan !

Took my parents for a lunch treat as wanted some plants. Very slow service, one poor member of staff doing everything even though others around chatting. No idea of customer service or engagement. Food was mediocre, toasted sandwich with bacon, Brie and chicken, the chicken smelt strong so a bit worried and the bacon was undercooked and very fatty. Both myself and my Father felt unwell later, side salad advertised was a handful of rocket and old coleslaw, no tomatoes or cucumber which one would expect. Also, the garden centre appears to have gone downhill, we heard they had a change of management which is a shame as the previous manager was so helpful and knowledgable as were the staff. Sanders who are part of the same chain is much better.

I have used the restaurant here on average twice a month for the las three months. Every time I visit something is wrong normally it is a lack of food or early closure due to staff shortages.

I came in and ordered a simple sandwich only to be told they didn't have the one i wanted. I settled for a second sandwich and it took 40 minutes to come. The person that served me was dirty and sweaty. The dinning room was in chaos and disorder. I asked about the carvery that they had not had the week before and was told " we sometimes have it and we sometimes don't". Very sad I thought this place was moving up but whom ever is running this place now should be ashamed. Its disgusting the floor under my feet was sticky, most of the tables were dirty and dirty cooks serving people.

I have been going to Wyevale garden centre restaurants for a few years now. The Taunton restaurant has always been a little dilapidated and unruly. I went in on Saturday the 30th of July and wow what a turn around. New furnishings, New Manager , New Staff and a new attidude to service. We had the braised beef and mash and fish and chips x 2 (served very fast about 10 minutes) Made fresh and tasted amazing. Great job guys We will be back soon!

What can I say? The last visit found one person on her own making all the coffees taking orders trying to clear tables some in the queue put down their trays and walked out. When I eventually made it to be served although a menu board was in evidence I was told "too late" and although I reminded how long I had waited was met with a shrug of the shoulders. This place used to have good service and welcoming staff but no more. We walked out

The restaurant was a huge disappointment, we visited at 11am and the selection available was awful, there was a choice of 2 cakes or scones, not what we were looking for. The layout was not customer friendly with the cutlery in one place and the sugar etc. in a different place. We had a coffee, a hot chocolate and a tea, the staff were slow and the drinks needed to be drunk as soon as we had sat down due to the time that it took to be served (10 minutes). The disabled toilet was disgusting, I counted 3 spiders in there and didn't even bother counting the cobwebs, all of the hand rails had been covered in this leafy patterned plastic which is impossible to keep clean and not hygienic. We would not go near this place again.

That's the question I find myself asking every time I've visited here. It just seems so slow. I realise there have been some issues with staff shortages but the length of time you spend queuing here has always been the same but I've never worked out why exactly

Nice food, i had the Sunday roast and chose three meats.Good amounts of veg. A bit noisy with lots of children on Mothers' Day.

After passing this place daily on routes to work we thought we would pop in and have afternoon tea for Father's Day. We found our places (4 adults 1 child) and went to get out food, we ordered our afternoon tea to be told by a rude young lady "we're not doing them yet" this was nearly 1 o clock. When we asked what time they started she replied "not yet". We then ordered 4 cream teas and a dairy free treat for our daughter but no dairy free treats available. (Anyone with an allergy will know how frustrating this is) The cuppa was very nice but the scones were like bricks, with a doughy centre. All in all a very disappointing afternoon for a Father's Day treat we will not be returning !

I cannot fault the young lady who served us or the quality of the food we were served. The problem was the lady who appeared to be in charge. While all the customers were sitting eating and drinking ( at 2.30pm ) we heard her tell two of the junior staff to get all the cobwebs down from the ceiling. They proceeded to do this with long brooms regardless of the customers eating. I am sure this is a reportable issue under hygiene rules. I presume she had been told to get it done and did not want to wait until customers had finished. We were there for Afternnon Tea which was stated as available to be served from 2.00- 5.00pm. We had prepaid for ours and were served, however a man immediately behind us who asked for food, was told only customers who had paid and had a voucher could have food from the kitchen. (This comment was not from the young lady on the till, but from the lady who was supervising and directing the cleaning. I have been to several Wyevale coffee shops and have always been happy with the service. Thanks to this lady and her attitude, we will not be returning to this one.

Was only second in the que but still had to wait 10 minutes to be served! Only purchased bottled drinks and a cake and nearly broke the bank. Asked if they had ice creams for the kids and was told no-'only frozen yogurt', at nearly £3 for a small tub we left it- furious when, at the end of our visit, we then found ice cream cones in a freezer buy the main tills. Restaurant staff in desperate need of training!

they used to have quite a good menu for lunch, hot food with pot of tea after visiting and coming back from north Somerset, but I didn't see anything on the menu that I think the jacket pot is the only thing...

One of the smaller Wye Vale garden centres but its OK, plants are good quality. The food is good but the staff cannot smile much.

We use the restaurant weekly,for many years it was very good before,now it is very poor know hot food was told they had no cook,coffee very expensive as are the cakes. Won't be going back?

We only live just down the road, so decided today to pop in here for a quick sandwich, there was one person serving I stood in the que for 20 mins, which was ok I was hungry so stuck it out, when I was finally served I asked for 2 sandwich's, he went into the kitchen to take the order in and came out to tell me that "the chef is on a break so the food wait would be half an hour" I was fuming it was 11.45 there was slot of staff coming in and out if the kitchen all of then unqualified to make sandwich's! We complained but they didn't seem interested in the slightest. I will not be returning totally and utterly disgusted!

This is just fine if you're visiting the Garden Centre and want a snack but I've seen plenty of people having a cooked lunch. The staff are friendly enough and its a Cafe which, as the title suggests, is functional.

Local garden centre, nothing special but great breakfasts. Tuesday's busy due to oap 10% off and the service suffers abit. Great Father Christmas treat in December.

Popped in for a coffee, sat in the settee area, very dirty under the coffee table and this was early in the morning! Very expensive prices for the scones and like, so didn't have one. The two till assistants both had coughs. Other than the fact it was nice and warm in there, it simply has nothing going for it! If I were management I would be concerned about the amount of negative remarks on here. Will not be going again.

Arrived at 2.10pm to be told that hot meals were finished earlier than usual at 2pm. This venue has been plagued with staffing issues throughout the year. If it is going to be a serious restaurant it needs to sort out these issues and give some consistency. Their fish and ships are still worth travelling for, but be prepared with an alternative plan if present issues continue.

Ok for a coffee if you want to sit around and relax. Staff not quick and in need of training...they forgot to ask for my money. Tables were not too clean.

It`s ok especially if you have vouchers from Wyevale.We have been twice and only Fish and Chips were on offer.The Garden Centre between Burnham and Weston is alot better.

Made a number of purchases before deciding to have lunch. The new restaurant is a 'barn of a place' very noisey (echoing) and reminded me of a large school canteen. Very disappointed with the lunch - I do prefer my jacket potatoes to be presented with the filling inside rather than in a separate dish....although an ample amount it was a mound of large 'lumps'. My partners choice was sub standard as well! The atmosphere is lost and the whole experience so disappointing.

Small amount of food for the price. Toast not toasted adequately, sausages cold in the middle, not worth the effort of getting here. Won't be coming again.

We used to regularly visit this garden centre restaurant, the food is tasty, good value, and the staff are friendly and helpful. However, due to undisclosed staffing issues, the the regular menu offering a selection of hot dishes has been unavailable. We have been unable to use vouchers given by the centre for a reduction on hit meals. The situation is totally unacceptable and has gone on too long. We have visited the restaurant on four occasions in the last month and the situation is still not resolved.

Visited whilst in taunton on a holiday and visited the garden centre and it was lovely. Bought a few gifts and food is also very nice.

They do a fresh cooked fish and chips here. The fish seems to be getting smaller but still well cooked and adequate. The service struggles at times but it usually a nice quiet (except for staff announcements) place to be. The over 60's option is real good value and being a member of the Garden Club, you get some useful offers in the restaurant too. Friendly and polite staff add to the overall pleasant experience of eating here.

Had to be given a full refund as we waited 40 minutes for a tuna and cucumber sandwich on brown bread. We were given a tuna on white... No cucumber, wrong bread. All I asked for was for the order to be changed. Had the plate given back to me being told it wasn't her fault (she had actually taken the order) it was the agency kitchen staffs fault and they didn't have brown anyway... When asked about the cucumber " how is agency staff supposed to memorise every menu item"...it is actually written on the chit :-( When asked why I wasn't asked if White was ok before being plated and the order taken " I didn't know" when asked why I wasn't asked before it was brought to table... The excuse... We are busy!Awful customer service from a manger.

I have had some of the best fish and chips here. The food in general is usually very good.... well cooked. Sunday roast is good too. Service can be slow at times but not unacceptably so.

Fair price.. LONG WAIT, we ordered a bowl of wedges and two bacon and brie toasties, should take around ten minuites? We had to wait 3/4 of a hour. While waiting i had a pot of tea which was very weak, and the pot was filthy! Food when it finally arrived, was good.

Visited on Sunday 1st June 2014. Tracy served us who is very efficient and has excellent people skills. Quite an extensive menu and various offerings to suite everybody. Enjoyed our meal which was well cooked,hot and well presented. This place has certainly improved since it became part of 'Garden Centre Club' (used to be Wyvale) although the prices seem to have risen somewhat. Would recommend joining the 'Club'. This entitles you to various discounts throughout the store and in the restaurant (points) along with special offers. Really enjoyed my espresso after lunch so worth a mention. Total meal cost was £15.99 which I thought was very reasonable for what we had. Bought some plants and came home! All in all 'A Grand Day Out'. We will be going back......