The Bishop's Cave in St Albans

Barely talked to us, wanted to celebrate my birthday, and they just ignored us. In covid times, is important to make clients to want to come back.

We were on our way to a restaurant but had 30 mins to spare so we went into Bishops Cave. It was busy but they found us a space ( which they properly cleaned) Staff were great as was the service - and the wine (Angels Whisper Rose and Kung Fu Girl Riesling ) plus the Truffle Pecorino cheese was superb. Thanks

Great little place to step into and escape the hustle and bustle going on outside. Wines are really nice, the food is really good and the staff are great. Well worth a visit!

Amazing Service and a great atmosphere great staff and adhering to all the social distancing so well ... great to go out and chill in a place that makes you so welcome. Thank you Cave you make COVID more happy.

This place is an absolute Gem! The staff are highly knowledgable and the food is amazing! Food looks like a small portion but certain fills your up once you start tucking in! Would highly recommend!

Fab atmosphere, delicious cheese and wine, friendly staff. Love the Bishops Cave. First time back since lockdown and all managed very well and felt very safe. Highly recommend.

It's easy to understand why this place is so popular with locals and visitors. There is such a personal, cosy feel that just gets better the more times you visit. The staff seem genuinely interested in the wine or beer you choose, the cheese you select etc. It was our first choice venue after lockdown and there we were ordering our favourites, the Starnachas, the French brie and the Cashel Blue like we were cheese experts (and it is a brilliant combination) for the £14 cheeseboard and adding the Charcuterie board and the duck pate and a couple of large glasses of wine. We also recommend the scotch eggs - we just couldn't eat everything that we love in one sitting - but we'll be back! The social distance measures worked well and the two of us left having had a wonderful evening for under £50.

Bit of a delayed review as I went for Xmas with my work colleague but the food and the staff here are absolutely amazing! Gent that served us was extremely knowledgable and talked us through all the cheeses which really helped! Would highly recommend! Best to book!!!

First class experience. Limited food menu but what is served is first class. That said, its more about the atmosphere and the fabulous range of wine and beer. Get along.

Extensive wine and beer list. Nice tables. Chacuterrie and cheese is fantastic, scotch eggs and the pork pies are amazing. Very clean and really pleasant staff - keen to explain and help you choose - highly recommend

The atmosphere is brilliant and thank you to Paul who make our experience one of a kind. He took the time to go over wines me may like and not! I’ve come out liking Chardonnay which I hated. Besides that wine or not the people were brilliant Thank you Paul!’

Just spent a wonderful couple of hours in this little gem. The food was so tasty and the young girl Serving was so helpful and friendly. A really good price and good booking service.

The reviews of Bishops Cave seem to be 4/5* or 1*. The 1* reviews are based on rude staff and the level of service received. Unfortunately our visit was definitely not a 5* experience and we are unlikely to return. There seems to be little / no interest in customer service. Our cheese platters and nibbles were ok but not amazing. Beware that the online booking system is not reliable.

Lovely evening out with friends, super wines, good choice of cheeses but not sure some of the staff could be bothered to be part of the hospitality business. Cold, did not want to interact with customers and merely functional.

We tried the gin cave last night and it was a wonderful experience. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff are great at guiding you through the huge selection of drinks. You do need to book and book early!

We have visited here on a a number of occasions, as couples, family and with groups of friends. Service, value for money and relaxed atmosphere are always a given. We have never had a negative reaction to any visit. As an adult chill out wine bar it's a must.

We had fancied cheese and biscuits as dessert that evening but the restaurant we visited hadn't served them - then we came upon this place! They mainly serve a huge selection of fine wines, special beers and cheese! The choice is massive and some cheeses I had never heard of. The staff are very knowledgeable about all so can advise. You sit on a stool at a high table and as it is always so busy you maybe sharing with other people. The cheeses you have chosen are brought on a board with grapes and chutney and a little dish with plenty of crackers. My only grouse is that it was very pricey ((£12 for a large glass of wine!) - our bill came to £37 for a cheese board and 2 glasses of wine....BUT I wouldn't have missed the experience for anything because everything about it was fantastic! It is clearly very popular with locals as was packed!

Visited the Gin Cave for the first time this weekend. The lady behind the bar was extremely friendly and attentive.

Been here a few times now as we live in st albans. Great place to end the night and go home with a belly full of lovely cheese. Also great wine advice we have discovered some lovely wines thanks to this place!

Went with my sister and a friend for lunch. My sister is dairy intolerant and they couldn't have been more helpful. We had pork pies, (which my sister could eat), a cheese board, (which, obviously, she couldn't - but they told her that, in future, she could bring some of her own vegan cheese), pickles and a bottle or two of excellent wine. The service was extremely good.

We had amazing time at Bishop’s cave with a very good service and well knowledge stuff. It‘s a must for those who likes excellent wine and cheese.👍

They offer a fantastic selection of cheese and wine and pork pies etc etc. Really really nice. Friendly staff. If I have to say anything constructive to improve on - then it would be that the bar stools are not that comfortable. But it is not stopping me!

Had a nice birthday meal here. Great selection of wine and beers (mainly bottles and cans, 3 or 4 on draft). Food was great, it’s not a meal but lots of bits and pieces. Selection of 8 to 10 items - selection could be better but you will certainly eat well.

We have been a couple of times now and every time the service has been brilliant and the huge variety of wines is amazing! Everything and anything you could want ! Highly recommend ☺️

An intimate, olde' world atmosphere where you can choose form a huge variety of cheese, along with your favourite tipple, what more do you need?

What a fab establishment, cheeses to die for and a huge selections of wines. Made to feel very welcome in here and was a lovely place to spend a Sunday evening . We will be back

We popped in to The Bishop's Cave on a busy Saturday evening and despite not booking we were luckily found space on a table reserved for later. There is an enormous selection of wines but also extensive beer offerings which went down very well with my husband. The staff were all very friendly, nothing was too much trouble and they were very knowledgeable both about the wine and the beers. We didn't order food as we had just eaten but will make a point of skipping desert next time we're out and coming to the Cave for a cheese platter and a glass or two. Would highly recommend booking as we saw many people turned away. The atmosphere is great on a Saturday evening, relaxed and friendly.

Eaten here a few times since it opened, nice to have something different on offer especially when it consists of cheese, meat, antipasto, scotch eggs and wine - what more can you ask for? Service could be slightly better, it wasn’t busy and we had to wait when asking for butter, more crackers, drinks etc and they only do 1 chutney a day and don’t serve the ones that are on sale on the counter which seems very odd? Wouldn’t put me off going again as the cheese is really good and nice to have a different style of meal out.

Lovely evening: excellent service, staff, wine, food, ambiance - very impressed and will definitely return - can highly recommend for casual catch ups or end of evening treat :)

We had an amezing next night out in a really cosy atmosphere! We could ask for any cocktails/gins/vines and cheese&charcuterie; boards and it was on our table in minutes! Definitely coming back, probably every week! Thank you for the most amezing service qs well!

Really good wine list and reasonably priced. Perfect stop off for a cheeseboard and a decent wine. Gin Cave next door also has a nice vibe.

We had a great evening catching up with family from Devon sharing wine and great food. We loved the concept of choosing the cheeses for our table and the staff were really helpful with recommendations. The fresh scotch eggs and pork pies were a great treat.

We visited on Sunday 10th March. The staff were knowledgeable and very welcoming. They spoke happily to us about the craft ales/wines and cheeses with great enthusiasm. The decor is fab, low ceilings and real beams and brickwork. We spent a few hours eating great cheese, locally produced pork pies, scotch eggs and quaffing a lovely red Malbec. A lovely place that I would recommend, and already have to friends and family. A wonderful experience, thank you all.

Something really different in St.Albans. Hidden away on Holywell Hill, we visited on the recommendation of a friend, and it was truly excellent. The service was a little slow, but it was a very busy Saturday night. No hot food for sale, but we knew that, just cheese, meats, excellent home made pork pies and equally excellent home made Scotch eggs.

Popped in for a plate of cheese and a glass of wine. Excellent selection of cheese (choose yourself), nicely presented and delicious. Wine also tasty. Wish we visited St Albans more often.

Visited with friends on a Saturday afternoon and sampled the cheeses and other side dishes like the scotch eggs and pork pies along with wine and craft beer. The selection of local produce was fantastic and reasonably priced. The service was a little slow, however the shop was really busy so they simply need more people to serve on busy days.

We visited The Bishops Cave on a busy Saturday night. We enjoyed the wine and cheese.

Popped in here after a meal, enjoyed the great hospitality and the lovely cheese and wines. Definitely worth a visit.

One of the best places I've been to for a long time. If you like amazing food (cheese and meats), then you are in for a treat.

Had a great afternoon at the Bishop’s Cave. Lovely food, excellent drinks and a really nice atmosphere. Staff were super friendly and organised. Would definitely recommend!

Came here for a pre Christmas drink and catchup with a big group of friends- the staff and management couldn’t have been more accommodating for our needs, as there were 15 of us we were slightly worried about being able to fit in, but we couldn’t have been made to feel more at home. This along with the excellent range of gin and beers made for a superb night, will definitely be back again as soon as we can all find a date!

Lovely staff, Dan the manager was a gent. Outstanding selection of cheese and wine too. Thoroughly good time all round. Highly recommended.

Having booked a table for four people on the 27th of December my husband, our two friends and myself arrived to find the Bishop’s Cave was closed. Subsequently I contacted them to find out what happened to my booking and to say the initial and ongoing reaction to them having taken the booking was totally disrespectful and lacking in any customer awareness and empathy. This total lack of customer focus can at best be summarised as being disinterested and at worse downright rude!

Friday night girly chit chat......i’d Heard good reviews and wasn’t disappointed....cheese was fabulous and dry very pale rose wine was a perfect accompaniment!

Stumbled on this wonderful little deli-cum-cafe-wine shop. It is run by a friendly guy called dan. Good selection of wines to buy or drink on the premises. Ate a lazy lunch of homemade scotch egg, pork pie and pate, washed down with two very good glasses of red wine. Admire the interior of this six hundred year old building.

Came here by myself, good menu and drinks menu, friendly service and overall a really nice place to visit either on your own or larger parties. I will come back again.

Went on a Thursday evening over Christmas. Make sure you book. It’s a really lovely atmosphere and the food and wine selection is great and reasonably priced. Have been a few times and you seem to take a chance on who is serving you, some far better than others.

We came here at Sunday lunchtime and had a lovely afternoon drinking good wine and tasting some delicious cheeses. We could definitely do with more places like this in St Albans and will certainly be back in the very near future!

Finally somewhere different to eat in St.Albans. A wine bar with a fine selection of cheesses, meats and nibbles. Cheeses served with a lovely chutney and mixed selection of crackers and a few grapes. Staff were friendly and knowledgable and the building being old brick and beautiful timber beams makes it feel like you have stepped back in time to a St.Albans of long ago.

Had such a wonderful time last night. Brought my one and only and snuggled up for some cheese and vino tinto - Cor blimey fabulous. Fab cheese, sumptuous wine and the best moment of the night was when the owner, Danton, (whose name I’ll never forget as it reminded me of the eponymous inferno, a favourite of mine! ) started to sing for me. He sang away in a manger , so lovely to hear with some cheese. Made me wonder what kind of cheese Jesus would want to eat, I’m sure they’d have it, such an extensive selection here! Beautiful voice. Beautiful cheese. Beautiful night.

Had some friends staying with us from Liverpool and called in as we were walking past, on the off chance we could book a table. Granted it was a Saturday so our chance was slim, but we thought we would just check.

I went here with a friends for my birthday. We enjoyed the experience and the welcoming staff so much we'll be definitely going back.

We love coming to the BC. After an event at the Alban or just wanting a low key date night with our main food fixation (CHEESE!) and good wine.

I have been to The Bishop's Cave a number of times now since it has opened and every single time has been a great experience. This is a little bit different from most places in St Albans and a nice, relaxed option.

Came here on a wet Tuesday night and it was packed. They found a table for 3 couples and we had a relaxed night of drinking some excellent wine. The wine list is excellent with so many choices covering lots of countries and styles at good range of prices. Advice on wine choices was also knowledgeable and helpful. Surprisingly fun choosing the cheeses to eat and just like the wine, varied cheeses so anyone can find their favourite. And again the advice is really helpful.

Ate at the BC on a nice Sunday afternoon. the place wasn't crowded as it was off hour but it was a delightful experience. The food (pate and charcuterie) was outstanding and the wine pairings were great. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive. Couldn't recommend higher.

Wow, what a little gem.... we booked a table on Saturday afternoon at 4pm.. we grazed for over two hours on cheese and meat boards...

The cheese boards are amazing, great wine list, friendly and knowledgeable staff and very inexpensive. Highly recommend this place

Absolutely love this place, it's got all you need for a chilled evening out, or cheeky indulgence at lunchtime. The cheese and cured meat platters are delicious, varied and good value. Loads of wine and beers to choose from. And all in a great atmosphere, in one of St Albans' historic buildings. Great service from a passionate team who know their stuff.

Cheese wine atmosphere.. what’s not to love- great reasonably priced selection of wine and cheese. Would like real quince.. Amazing

Fabulous food wine and service. Loved the platters and especially the scotch eggs. Only improvement is that we would all have loved a coffee to finish and they don’t offer this.

We made an ad hoc visit to The Bishop’s Cave on a Friday night. The staff were wonderful, accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. We only popped in for a quick beer and ended up eating and drinking for several hours. We had an amazing cheese and meat platter and an antipasti board, all of which were divine. A great selection of beer and wine. Ambiance was just right. We will definitely be revisiting.

Went with my hubby and ordered the cheese and charcuterie platters. Super yummy, friendly, fast service. Their wine and beer collection is vast too. A definite jewel in St Albans’ crown. Make the trip!

We dropped in without a reservation at 6.50pm on Friday and all the tables were reserved. We’ll book next time. However a member of staff spotted us and we were immediately seated at a table with an 8pm reservation. Service was great and that was plenty of time for us to enjoy two large glasses of wine, stuffed peppers and the mixed cheese & meat board for £30 - just what we wanted. The clientele are parents rather than their offspring - it’s got a quirky but classy feel not seen on Holywell Hill since Claude’s galette place closed many years ago. The last time I was here it was a hairdressers. I was really sorry to see Artisan go but this is a great addition. We’ll be back.

I love this place! I have been quote a few times as am lucky enough to be local and it never fails to impress. The selection of cheese and wine is huge and the staff are more than willing to offer tips or tasters if you are unsure. The decor is great, very relaxed but chic at the same time. I have used it to meet people for a quick after-work glass of wine or an evening of munching and sipping for hours. Couldn't recommend more!

Wandered in on the off chance and we were welcomed and brought to a table navigated around the menu and we ordered a superb bottle of wine meet platter and cheese. We loved the wine and the food and the the guy that serv d us ran through the cheese explaining it’s origin . A lovely spot to stratvthe night . Reminded me of wine bars that actually are wine bars and not plastic chain .

Love this venue great atmosphere , beautiful building, friendly smiley staff. Great wine selection reasonably priced. Good selection of cheese and other snack boards. Best to book but they will do their best to squeeze you in if you just turn up.

Went for evening with friends and was really happy (and full!) at the end of the evening.

I love this place from the street it looks like a deli , but don’t be fooled it is sooo much more. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and seem genuinely happy to be there. They offer a fantastic range of wines a good all be it small selection of real ales I usually find at least two that are new to me, they also have two large fridges of bottled and canned beers. They platters are good is either cheeses of your Choice or meat or a mixed of both all very good. I highly recommend this little gem but you will probably need to book a table or be there early.

Found this from an advert and had to pop in - very glad we did. excellent wine and cheese tasting , and chatted to the owner

Great place in St Albans for the wine and cheese lover. Very good selection of both, very friendly service in particular the owner, and reasonable prices on the wine. all around recommended!

We often go to The Bishops’s Cave in St Albans and it never disappoints. Great selection of cheeses some lovely Pate, delicious Sancerre wine and above all great service! Highly recommend!

At the end of a very hot day walking, just he thing we needed.. great quality cold beer! Nice surroundings, friendly welcome and good choice. Refreshment at its best. Will definitely be back for some more Belgian beer delights

My first visit. Excellent experience. Lovely labels across the range. Some very nice cheese. Calm atmosphere. Professional staff. Such a place was missing from St.Albans. I am looking forward to my next visit.

Lovely surroundings in a very historic building. Fabulous range of wines by the glass so you can really mix and match with the cheese and meat platters on offer. Cheeses were delicious and the staff were very knowledgable. Nice to try something that is a bit different from the norm when it comes to eating out in St Albans!

This was my second visit with friends and I love it here. Great choice of wine the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. The food altougth basic cheese and cold meats is amazing and the perfect choice. You can choose your own or go with their choice all are lovely will defiantly go back soon.

Had a very enjoyable visit to this classy venue with my girlfriends. We were recommended two wines by the lovely owner (Dan) which were delicious and then he paired them with some great cheeses and meats with crackers and pickles. We found all the staff to be friendly and knowledgeable and more than happy to stop and chat even though they were busy.

What a fabulous evening! Dan (the owner) really looked after us, despite us girls not knowing what to choose. His knowledge on the wine is second to none, but at no point tried to sell to us, just advised us and was happy to suggest a delicious bottle of Chardonnay and Merlot.

My wife and I visited at lunchtime and it was quiet, only one other table was occupied by a party of 4. The problem with going first time you just don't know portion sizes. We ended up each having a mixed board and I also ordered a pork pie. The menu is quite limited, either cheese board, a charcuterie board or mixed board (cheese and meats) and a few other additions such as olives, antipasti, pate, pork pie, scotch egg etc. Service was very slow, probably because they received a wine delivery shortly after we had ordered. My wife had a glass of wine and I had a craft beer. Servings were generous and we would have been better off sharing a board rather than one each. Each board came with crackers. It would have been even better if fresh bread was also available. Our conclusion is that this probably isn't a place to go specifically to eat, but it would be fine as somewhere to go and enjoy a few glasses of wine or craft beer and then order some nibbles to soak up the alcohol.

Lovely wine bar in a fabulous old building. Wide selection of wines with very good choice of house wines at reasonable prices. Attentive & knowledgeable staff. Will be back very soon.

We don’t usually walk up or down Holywell Hill but doing so today, I was intrigued by the classy looking wine, cheese and craft beer bar. Although not intending to lunch there, we thought we would check the place out. We were met with surly, monosyllabic indifference by the guy behind the cheese counter who made absolutely no effort to find out our level of interest, neither did he offer any words of welcome so, Bishops Cave, whatever the quality of your proposition, I’m afraid we’ll never know as you spectactularily failed the first rule of good customer service.

Simply fabulous evening. If you want a wine and cheese evening, then this is the place to go. You choose your cheese and wine from the display and away you go. There are meat meze platters too. You sit on bar stools and drink your wine. Lovely atmosphere. Only thing missing, is bread!!

Just come back from the Bishops Cave in St Albans, wanting for nothing more. Attentive and lovely staff. Gorgeous cheese, wonderful Chianti. I cannot wait to go back here. What a lovely atmosphere. Thank you for bringing an adult feel establishment to the town !

Excellent selection of wines and craft beers. Cheese board with chutneys and crackers with a bottle of your favourite wine or beer, when you fancy a snack and stay for hours! Love it, will be back

I was part of a birthday party which was spoilt by the service and poor management. The food and wine were good but when we asked for more, it took a long time to arrive. We had to constantly ask for things including, more glasses, more plates, serviettes, and even cocktail sticks.

Delicious selection of cheeses and wines in a very cosy place. If you like mature cheeses, they have a highly recommended Scottish one. The staff is downright charming and it's worth following their advice for a great wine and food pairing

I’ve been here twice recently with friends. Greatly enjoyed it. Really straightforward wine list with a range of ‘house’ options. The NZ Sauvignon Blanc and the Malbec were both easy drinking and tasty.

Absolutely love the Bishop's Cave. The selection of wine and cheese are great, the staff are always friendly and helpful and there is a great ambience.

Smart wine bar with an excellent wine list and delicious food in generous portions The staff were friendly and efficient. As we were having dinner later, we limited our intake of drink & food. Given free rein, I know we would have happily spent a lot more time there, thoroughly enjoying more wine & food!

Came here with Friends on a Tuesday evening after work.

A great place to indulge in an overdose of great cheese and fabulous wine none of which you'll find in your regular supermarket

This new pub to St Albans, very well presented, never anyone in there, but tables are always fully booked. Staff ignore you and if they speak to you unhelpful. We have been in the twice, but never bought a drink as the Staff obviously thought we were not the right type of people to be in there. We were either too old or didn't look posh enough. who knows.

We came here last week when the weather was bad and had a friendly cosy evening enjoying a couple of bottles of great Pinot and sharing two cheese platters. Service was excellent and very helpful when selecting the cheese - we knew what we wanted with the wine!!

Great vibe friendly knowledgeable staff great selection of house wines at reasonable prices along with an extensive wine list. A wide variety of cheese and cold meats highly recommend this bar best place in St Albans for wine lovers

Great place for a catch up over wine and cheese. Good relaxed atmosphere. Staff are happy for you to stay as long as you like.

The food and cheese boards were outstanding. Staff informative, enthusiastic and felt as though they were friends. The wines were excellent even though we had Kiwi wines. The best chilled and relaxed Saturday afternoon in years. And the creamy gorgonzola was to die for.

Visited with a group of lady friends. Service extremely friendly. Wine lovely and light and cheeses delicious. Highly recommend, will be back again for sure

Really stylish and welcoming place with great wine, lovely cheeses and meats, tasty accompaniments and attentive, knowledgeable and caring staff. What's not to like?!

Loved this place. Superb atmosphere, really knowledgeable proprietor. Very friendly. Advised on a variety of wines and cheese. We had two boards, one of cheese and one of meats. They were both excellent especially the Red wine farmer, a Swiss cheese. Really enjoyable lunch. Recommend booking ahead it won’t allow me to ra k this restaurant but I would give it 5 throughout

We called in here for a drink before going on elsewhere for dinner. Even though we hadn’t booked a table, the staff were very friendly and found us a table. Excellent choice of wines and beers. I tried a staff recommendation on the beer, and it was excellent.