The Black Cat Cafe in Cotswold

This used to be a really cosy cafe where you’d get decent quality coffee, cakes and toasties etc. visited today for the first time since before Covid and I’m guessing it must have changed hands. Espresso was undrinkable ( more like filter coffee) and we only ate one mouthful of the cheese ham toastie - anaemic, plastic ham and cheese. Dont like leaving negative reviews but this is more like a transport caf now which is such a shame. Won’t be back.

Excellent community cafe with fantastic coffee

What a great little place! We stopped here for a cuppa and a bite to eat whilst out on gallery deliveries in the area. There is parking in the square right outside and it’s very easy to find. The space has a log burner and plenty of tables and chairs. There are also books to read and jigsaws too :) They provide tea and coffee with cake or biscuits. Also toast with butter and jam or alternatively cuppa soups and mug shots. All payment is by donation and there is a suggested tariff, but the atmosphere is very warm and friendly and everybody is very chatty. Thank you everybody, keep up the good work :)

To my great sadness and disappointment, this beautiful and friendly community café closed extremely abruptly just two weeks ago. It is hard to fully state how large a loss this is for the town, and how much it will be missed by locals and tourists alike. It was always popular, and it was easy to understand why. Firstly, the staff. Every single time I came here, I was greeted with smiles. They made sure to learn my name, knew my typical order, and were great to chat with. Even during their busiest times they were always friendly. Secondly, the food. It was some of the best around- due in no small part to their excellent chef. A decently size menu with a great variety of options, at very reasonable prices (especially for the area and vs its nearest local competition). Lastly, atmosphere. This place had it in spades- from the busy summer tourist season, watching the world go by from a table inside with a cool drink, music in the background, to a cold winter day with the fireplaces going and nice hot food. I always felt welcome, and at home here. The sudden closure of the café is nothing short of an utter travesty. From what I've managed to learn in the past two weeks, it seems the staff of the café were given next to no notice of the closure from its directorial board- a board who have so far have provided no explanation for this. Could the café not have been saved? Could there not have been fundraisers to ensure it stays open? How can the directors of this *community* café snub the community it is serving? Surely any other course of action would have been better than what transpired here. Take their friendly chef, for example. He went on holiday at home overseas shortly before the closure, and has since learned he has no job to come back to. There was no "closing down" period, not even a "we're worried we'll close down"- even the staff themselves have said business was good. So to those directors I feel I must say this: your actions have not only displaced the wonderful staff to uncertain futures, but you've also deprived small town of its heart. And finally, I'd like to say a massive thankyou to the staff who made all my visits over the past year so wonderful.

On a dark day for me I visited alone and the atmosphere, food, coffee and staff lifted me from my black hole. Since then I’ve been back several times and it hasn’t disappointed ever. This is an absolute gem of a place with utter diamonds for staff.

Lovely little cafe with delicious sandwiches and pastries. Hot chocolate was soo good. And the people working there were very friendly.

The staff was so sweet. I really enjoyed our chat. I had a tuna melt and it was perfectly grilled. My company had the sandwich with 'pickles'. I guess it was like a chutney. I tried it and loved it, too. Would definitely recommend if you enjoy a great atmosphere in a beautiful village and want to support the local businesses. I hope I can go back soon!

Nice community cafe, in quiet town. Worth a detour off the A40 bypass/A329.

Visited on Saturday lunchtime and sat outside. The service from staff was excellent, taking time and trouble to get the order as requested. We expect friendly, competent service, don't we? It's how the staff manage any slight problems which makes the difference, and our slight problem was managed excellently. Full marks and thanks to all.

It was only a tuna melt toastie but probably the best one I have ever had! Lovely bread and I do love bread with grill lines on!

Lovely staff Great food and drink Highly recommended

This was a great stop for breakfast. The eggs Benedict was delicious! The restaurant is really charming and the staff was super friendly. Oh, and the prices were very reasonable, I was surprised how cheap it was.

Nice community cafe off the main square. Tea served with china cup and saucer from a tea pot. Lovely breakfast baps and home baked cakes.

Lovely place and a lot of space at the back. Very homely. Food wise, maybe needs a little bit more additional portion. Will recommend to everyone to visit that place. Reasonable price.

Lovely cafe, friendly service, tasty offerings

Very tasty coffee and croissant. Friendly staff.

A great abs friendly experience. All staff were kind and talkative. Really excellent food and drinks. A fantastic hot food selection!

Lovely little café with friendly staff and amazing food!

Popped in for a toastie and a cup of tea. Both excellent and served with a smile.

Excellent Americano with scones. No higher compliment!

Excellent home-made scone and a lovely pot of tea - the other cakes looked delicious and they have a good range of light meals and snacks - comfortable and friendly service - this community cafe puts a lot of far more expensive Cotswold tea shops to shame - stop here if you come to Northleach or are on the A40 whihc by passes the village - it's a 2 min detour and well worth it

Very cosy cafe with fresh cooked food and homely ambience. Food is very delicious and fresh.

Friendly staff and good range of drinks and cakes

A wonderful find. Really welcoming and accommodating staff. Food was delicious and well priced. The hot chocolates and coffee were really lovely too!

Amazing food and great atmosphere!

Really nice coffee served here by really nice people. And a pain-au-chocolate and you've got an ideal rest stop on a day out on the motor bike.

Good place to stop for a coffee on a cycle ride

Lovely cafe offering a range of lunches, pies, cakes and drinks. Located in centre of the market square it is ideal. Cost and quality is very good.

We enjoyed two lovely cups of coffee served by a very pleasant lady

Stopped here whilst out on a bike ride, was very friendly and helpful. Coffee was great and had a lovely selection of cakes too! I glanced up at the menu on a board above me and it looked superb with a vast array of different foods from breakfast menu's to lunches. Definitely worth a future visit!

Lovely cafe, amazing foods, great location nice vibe

Nice, simple menu. Good coffee. Attentive staff.

Good coffee and nice food. What more can a cyclist need. Brilliant service too.

The food is always wonderful and a good selection on the menu. The staff are extremely friendly and warm. Still no Puffin baps though!!

Cosy and good value. Lovely coffee.

What a find! Nice service, really good coffee and lovely food.

Quite a charming place! The coffee is great and the food is yummy..... Does get rather busy, but I'd go back there anytime... The smoked salmon & scrambled eggs are really good!

Very comfortable and pleasant great food friendly staff and good prices will call again Thank you

As a family we went to the Black Cat Cafe 3 times in the 3 day break we were there! I think that speaks for itself. Friendly staff, delicious goat's cheese salads, veggie breakfasts and a bacon bap my 7 year old son thoroughly enjoyed, he chose it the 3 times we went!! Loved their Mochas too! Thank you! You are doing a fab job 👏

We enjoyed a great cup of coffee and cake. The staff were very friendly. We will be back for lunch very soon. 👍

Menu pricing not consistent - some items seemed cheaper (£5 for a toasted sandwich) others expensive (£12 for a ploughman’s). My husband ordered the ploughman’s and it was teeny tiny for the money - a small amount of bread & cheese with 2 slices of very fatty ham, a bit of rocket, 4 small pickled onions, 2 gherkins & some chutney - not worth anymore than £8. Limited selection of soft drinks. Staff not very knowledgeable. I think it has recently been taken on as a community enterprise so these might just be teething issues and things to consider improving.

Delicious,very clean and cozy! Staff really friendly!

Came to this lovely cafe after a wet walk in Chedworth. It is a very sweet cafe with big tables. It's fog friendly and even provided some treats! The cake and coffee was absolutely lovely! Will definitely come again if back this way.

Recently visited Northleach (having not long moved into the Cotswolds area) and wanted to try this café having passed it a couple of times. The first thing to notice was how friendly and attentive the staff were. Some great choices on the menu (I went for the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs combo with toast). The smoked salmon was very high quality (no tough bits) and the scrambled eggs were fluffy and perfect. A lovely setting with great food and friendly staff - what more would you want?.....oh yeah - a sensible price.... and it was! I will be back - thank you!

We called in around midday and the cafe was serving both the breakfast and lunch menu. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. Real fire was on. They made half size sandwiches for the children and there was a high chair available. The sandwiches, toasties and eggs benedict were delicious. Coffee was excellent. Great place with great values. Good value for money.

Kind staff, very tasty food, vegetarian friendly, very nice cakes. Had their bacon baps, lemon drizzle cake and bubble and squeak.

We have visited The Black Cat several times with our little dog. On each visit we have received a friendly welcome and have enjoyed the reasonably priced food and hot drinks. Tea is served 'properly' in a china tea pot and scones and tea cakes are excellent. On our next visit we are looking forward to trying the toasted sandwiches. The seating areas are spotlessly clean and very comfortable. There is also a garden area which children enjoy. It is family and dog friendly and the staff are delightful. It is currently open Mondays-Fridays and well worth a visit. . .

Good refreshing food, clean and interesting cafe with plenty of books, oldie world cafe with low beam ceilings and fireplace, in a beautiful market town.

Had coffee and freshly baked fruit scones - scrumptious - friendly service and excellent value for money.

Arrived just before closing time desperate for a drink. The young lady serving was happy to provides cake and make a sandwich when many places would turn you away. Great example of good service.

What a wonderful cafe! Set in a gorgeous location the black cat offers tasty food and drink in a warm, relaxed setting. The staff are always cheery and helpful and keen to provide a good service. They do a great chai latte, and lots of coffees/teas and soft drinks to suit everyone. Also the cake selection is amazing! There is a wide variety of menu choices. The cafe is welcoming and comfortable, with great books that you can take for a donation, and the soft background music is a welcome accompaniment. It’s clean and tidy with lovely decor and even tables outside. I’ve met some really nice people in the cafe on my visits, and think it’s a great spot to drop by for coffee and cake with friends, or treat yourself to a nice lunch. If you haven’t tried it yet ~ do. It’s a real find.

Very nice cafe, very attentive staff and the food was very good at a reasonable price.

Draughty because of open doors for Covid. Good soup and sandwich but scone very hard (? defrosted).

Piacevole luogo dove potersi fermare per un tè. Ambiente accogliente e familiare.

Lovely, local cafe with polite and friendly staff. They do a "pass it on" scheme to support the local town which is brilliant. Covid restrictions in place i.e. masks so made us feel safe. Food is lovely too along with the coffee. Support local business and do visit.

Comfortable, cosy and friendly. Good choice range of cakes and savoury food.

Stopped here on the way to the South West. We had toasties and coffees. The toasties were fantastic, jam packed full of fillings, and the coffee was smooth and flavourful. Exceptionally good value for money. Would really recommend.

We ordered 4 takeaway sandwiches a couple of days in advance as we were very busy that day. Sandwiches were ready and in the fridge when my husband went to collect them. They were THE BEST smoked salmon and cream cheese sarnie ever...nothing was skimped...

Genuinely unbelievable food! Walked in- thought it was just a standard cute cafe. Blown away by the quality of my cooked brekky- remembered remarking at the time that that was the best one I’d ever had. Tasted like quality produce - suspect local, and extremely...

What a really superb venue for lunch, quality sandwiches/soup/cakes and hot drinks. Everything was fresh and tasty, served by very welcoming staff and at competitive prices. We had previously called into the nearby ‘Prison’ cafe, where prices were more than double and had a more...

Disappointing atmosphere no wifi connection, alarm continuesd bleeping throught meal staff inattentive. smoky bacon and black pudding served withoutwarning i dislike smoked product and find blood pudding revolting. Please ask give a choice. Like u do with the bread

Excellent croissant and so nice to be served tea in a China cup and saucer from my own China tea pot.

They take time to make customers, feel happy and welcomed.

So good we visited twice on our trip away before lock down. Breakfast was superb with huge tables ensuring safe service at a distance but promptly served with thick sliced bread, beans, sausage and bacon plus tomatoes. Second time we had homemade parsnip, apples and...

Having read reviews and being cat lovers we were determined to visit and were delighted we did. Being popular we had a short socially distanced wait outside but a friendly welcome once inside and yes, as another reviewer had said, the best coffee around. Lovely...

Lovely cosy cafe. Friendly staff, yummy cakes and good cafe. The perfect place to have a chiillout afternoon. We will come again. Thank you 😊

Called at this cafe for a take away lunch whilst visiting Northleach. The cafe is centrally located and there is a small car park right outside. We had excellent bacon sandwiches made with very good bread and lashings of very tasty bacon, a very nice...

found on google on day out. had nice hot soup and tostie, bread nice and fresh even though it was end of day. piece of cake was big enough for 2. covid 19 ready. staff freindly. FREE parking out side in market square. but not...

Friendly staff, great food and excellent coffee. Well worth a visit.

I stopped here on a long bike ride and received a warm welcome along with a good vegetarian brunch and hot chocolate. I'd certainly go back next time I'm passing.

Coffee nice and hot. Lovely staff. But it was not very warm as there was a cold wind blowing in.

We went for brunch and the staff were really friendly and the food was good. Definitely worth a visit.

It's a nice place to have drink and eat the staff was friendly and helpful

Lovely community cafe, enjoyed a great flat white, staff were very pleasant and all safety measures were in place.

They were able to make gluten free options for all of the sandwiches and toasties etc, and ours were lovely

Very friendly and relaxed. Good coffee and cake.

Really nice little cafe had Greek salad and was so fresh, recommend for an afternoon brew or sandwich 👌

Great food, friendly service, all Covid 19 safety measures in place. Staff managing both eat in and take out options. We ate in the lovely cosy environment but it was fabulous to see about half a dozen people all queuing outside to pick up their...

Lovely café with friendly staff. We had a mozzarella toastie, bacon bap and brownie - all very nice! 👍

Visited today..... Cold weather but gave friend & myself a warm welcome..menu is varied,well priced & we were served promptly. If you visit Northleach,stop here.

Lovely little cafe. My dogs loved it. They have a water bowl and a treat jar. The food was really nice and even took some brownies to take away

Food is always delicious and staff very friendly

Stopped for a quick bite of lunch, albeit a bit late in the day. The sausage roll was fabulous, very tasty. Service was very slow though.

Really nice warm atmosphere. Fantastic food and very dog friendly.

Went for breakfast and had the full english breakfast! All I can say is just fantastic. And the home made cakes, WOW they have something for everyone, from classic victoria sponge to a VEGAN chocolate brownie and cheese!!! Really nice to see a small community run cafe providing food that anyone can eat! Will be back soon!!!!!!!!!

Fue a tomar un desayuno rápido con una amiga, tenía la burbuja y el chirrido con un huevo escalfado y tocino y le encantaba tanto que casi lo ordenó de nuevo. Pedí el inglés completo y fue fantástico, honestamente impresionante, uno de los mejores desayunos que he tenido en mucho tiempo. También pedimos algunos sandwiches de comida para llevar para amigos y tomamos un bocado y necesitábamos saber de dónde los habíamos sacado. ¡También una variedad de pasteles veganos y sin gluten! Si estás en o cerca del área de Northleach, ve a visitarlo, ¡no te decepcionará! ! !

great breakfast baps all day, great coffee, nice seating areas, log fire, very comfortable cafe to stop at after a country walk, my favourite in northleach area.

Friendly, clean and what Northleach needs. Well done to all involved 🤞

Increíble lugar para bollos de café, espinacas y queso. Siéntate al lado de uno de los dos quemadores de leña. Elija un libro de las estanterías, para leer en el café o llevar a casa y pagar. El dinero irá a una organización benéfica local o grupo local. Encantador hallazgo.

Excellent "Calorie Free" vegan chocolate cake! And lots of other goodies.

A delightful community cafe which is definitely worth a visit! delightful location and delightful in all respects! I thoroughly recommend!

Lovely staff and fab cakes with sausage rolls that are awesome!

Whilst passing through Northleach I stopped at the black cat cafe with my son. We found the staff very friendly. The food was freshly prepared and the cakes all cooked in house. There was plenty of choice and the staff were able to accommodate when I went off menu. The cafe used to be house and has not been too messed about. There was an inviting log fire and several little rooms with tables or comfy seating in each. I had a coffee and cake and my son had similar. We then decided to have a panini. Nicely filled and a little side salad. Delicious. The only negative is the price which is a little high. I have been back a couple of times since though.

Great advert for northleach. Tea cakes were beautiful

Our visit brightened up a damp November day after we had visited the Roman villa at Chedworth. Very nice to find a cafe with its own distinctive atmosphere. Good choice of food including for our vegan daughter.

A Community cafe just by the town square. Friendly welcoming young staff and a good offering of tasty lunches.

El Gato Negro estuvo a la altura de las críticas de TA. Un lugar peculiar que dio la bienvenida a los nietos con nosotros. Estacionamiento cerca de FOC, a diferencia de otros lugares. ¡No está lleno de fiestas como otros lugares de Cotswolds ese día! Buen café y comida. Buenas revistas. Compramos un libro usado de su colección por una donación. Una iglesia digna de una foto a la vuelta de la esquina. Un pequeño lugar feliz lejos de los turistas.

Lovely place and great service.

Lovely full english! All cooked fresh would definitely re visit when working there again! Flat white was lovely and strong too. 👌🏼 5*'s

Great coffee and cake - well worth a stop.