The Deli @ Castle Ashby in South Northamptonshire

This tucked away gem of a unique shopping and eating place is just wonderful. To find a small and unique cafe that uses real napkins already had me sold before I even stepped in. The breakfast and lunch menus are varied and the food just delicious. To top it all it’s also vegan so there (but I’m not incidentally). You can sit inside or outside, if the English weather allows, with gentle music, and wraps provided to keep you warm. There are so many lovely touches which I love. I usually come here with my daughter and her dogs (they are very well behaved). There is water available for the dogs as well as a little bowl of dog treats. The food is cooked to order and the Pastel de Nata not only comes warm but sprinkled with icing sugar and a little edible flower. The attention to detail continues…. And as for the Deli, well. If you can’t find some delicious and unexpected delicacy amongst all the fantastic range of cheeses, meats, wines, breads and jars of really different flavours then I suggest you just go round the store again. But one of the best things of these two hidden gems is the people: do you remember the days when everyone you met was nice? You will come away replete and happy. Enjoy!

The menu contains very good quality food, and the staff are friendly. The lady who runs this and the deli shop is a bit of a legend. There is a little wait most times when you go for brunch owing to how busy it is. Basically everyone turns up at 10am and orders at the same time. If you want a good quality, fresh breakfast, this is the best you'll get for miles.

Fantastic place - delicious food & wine.

Wow what a money pit....! You have to go up and order and pay upfront, if paying by card there's a screen that asks you to give a tip (with various percentages) before you experience the food and service. The food and drink is randomly placed on the table and you're left to get on with it, no return to check everything is okay. My partner ordered the hummus and it came with two small pieces of flat bread and definitely not enough to eat the hummus even after I helped myself to some on my plate without bread, so my partner asked for more bread and was told that'll be £1.50 extra, we had just spent just short of £40 on two dishes and drinks each. I do believe I overheard the waitress come to the table next to us and say something wasn't available on the menu after taking the order at the till and the gentleman ordered something else and then the waitress came back and said please can you pay the difference once you've finished. Whilst I would have said something my partner asked me not too, I did find the staff very sterile and project they are more important than they are.

An outstanding deli with a fantastic range of cheese, charcuterie, wine and other food. There are fabulous fruit and vegetables too. There's an excellent café next door that uses lots of their products, so if you're anywhere close by, make sure you drop in, as it's the best place to eat for miles around. Very highly recommended

Nice café in courtyard had the 6 quid sausage roll which was very nice

An absolutely fabulous deli, filled floor to ceiling with delicious goodies and all served with a warm smile. Will definitely be back!

The Eatery is thoroughly deserving of five stars. We both ordered the Ploughmans today and can honestly say I have never been more pleasantly surprised with a meal before. When the waitress brought the board out I assumed it was for us to share, and then she brought another for my other half. Everything on the board was delicious! I was amazed at the portion sizes. It felt very good value. We absolutely loved it. I can’t believe I haven’t been here before. I will most certainly be back to try lots more of the menu. The breakfast menu looks good. Really nice staff and a lovely relaxing atmosphere. Thoughtful little touches everywhere like blankets outside and a basket of sun screen. Brilliant!

We have a walk meet here 2pm every Tuesday and walk for an 1hr and then back for refreshments. Come and join us

A bit pricey, but the food looks amazing — would love some more vegan options.

Great food but expensive. Staff seem disorganised.

One of the best casual dining food places in the country. The Eatery at the Deli has never disappointed us, and in fact has ruined most local restaurants for us because they just don’t compare to the consistently delicious food and lovely service we get here. The food is always incredible, the service is fantastic and we’re always welcomed with treats when we bring our dogs in for breakfast or lunch. They also have a really decent vegan and veggie menu and often have vegan options on the specials menu. Everything here is made with care and skill and you can taste it. The presentation is always beautiful (including edible flowers) and they have proper cloth napkins which always feels like a bit of treat. As someone who LOVES her food and designs whole holidays around good food, I don’t make any of these statements lightly. I’m not interested in paying for average food - especially when a rubbish sandwich and coffee at Pret costs at least £10. Given the impeccable quality I actually think the Eatery at the Deli offers good value. 10/10 every time which is why we visit as often as we can.

Fantastic food and a delightful place to eat with friends. Would highly recommend

Very limited menu and very expensive.

We left the M1 in search of a lovely place for lunch, and we were so happy we did. The tapas were delicious, from a range of cuisines, the service was friendly and the surroundings were relaxing. We will definitely return next time we are travelling north.

Great place for breakfast/brunch - have visited a couple of times for business brunches, return this time with my wife, then picked up a pack of that lovely bacon

A brilliant venue for lunch or just cake/coffee. Quality is first class and menu is really unique. The staff are welcoming and go beyond to make you feel at home.

Thay make fantastic flap Jack's

Excellent deli. Really good selection of continental foods. The pork pies are very tasty (it is so good to find a pie with gelatin in).

Best shop in the county, if you want to eat well… By a country mile!

Delicious food, the brunch options are great and the coffee is good too!

After a wonderful walk around Castle Ashby and a disappointing reception at The Falcon Hotel we were very pleased to be warmly looked after here. Lovely location with blankets to keep you warm outside. The food is amazing and the cakes even more so! We were also given a bowl of fresh water and dog biscuits for our dachshund, Harry. Thank you for a very tasty lunch, we will be returning.

A lovely place to have lunch, good coffee and delicious food. It also has a place to buy deli food.

A lovely place for a cup of coffee or a spot of lunch. The staff are always very welcoming and the food is delicious. I’ve tasted quite a lot of their seasonal soups over the autumn and winter. They are always superb.

Wonderful artisan produce served and prepared in the eatery. No need to order from Fortnum and Mason as everything for food connoisseurs is available at this creative and friendly delicatessen.

Great place to eat for veggies, vegans and meat eaters. The vegan breakfast is particularly good, and there is a great selection of cakes to accompany the coffee.

The cafe has a pretentious savoury menu that sounds better than the reality. Coffee, cakes, and sweet food O.K though. Not much that is suitable for children. The Deli is overpriced

Wonderful venue,fabulous menu, great atmosphere with friendly staff. The Deli has an amazing selection to choose from. Continued success with all that you do.

My Granddaughter says that the hot chocolate is the best 'ever'

I wish we could find such high quality fayre on all our Sunday walks. Very well worth a visit..

We went to The Deli @ Castle Ashby for a brunch. It's a really nice vibe place. Decorated with taste, every detail delighted and added charm to this place. We ordered appetizers, mixed olives, houmus, chorizo and croquettes. Everything was served very quickly and was delicious, but the Iberico crispy pork rashers were fantastic! We were equally delighted with the macaroni cheese, the high quality of the food and the presentation of the dish delighted us. The service is very friendly and at the highest level. After the amazing meal, we visited the shop right next to the restaurant. The selection of products from around the world is stunning! We will definitely come back there and highly recommend this charming place where you can treat yourself! Kinga

What a fantastic and delightful hidden gem! The Deli is full to the brim with weird and wonderful products from all over the world, and would delight any foodie out there. The owner has recently taken over the cafe next door and what a transformation from a tired little tearoom into a modern eatery with a varied menu to suit all palates. I had some plates from the small eats menu. The duck confit and Parmentier potatoes was to die for, and the mac & cheese was next level food. My friend ate from the vegan menu and also had the mac & cheese which they said was the best they had ever had. I will definitely return and will be ordering my Christmas cheese online later this evening!

Great place for food and coffee ☕ Lovely staff and setting

Looking forward to going for lunch today. Didn't realise it was under new ownership. The atmosphere was very cold, the menu was awful. The only hot meal was lasagne, which l can honestly say it's the worst I have ever had. Luke warm, very dry gristly mince, no sauce and burnt and dry all around the edges.Think it must have been microwaved too many times Served with half a plate of leaves.HORRIBLE. Whilst we were there several people walked in and out again saying they were unhappy.Very expensive for what they offee

Even the staff agreed this has got an extremely expensive place to shop, eat or even just have a drink! There are far superior places to go for a similar cost.

We love walking the dog over the fields to the Deli @ Castle Ashby, and the new place to eat is perfect for a spot of lunch, or coffee and cake. There's lots of choice and some really special editions to the menu, we had the Octopus on a recent visit, and it was amazing. Helen clearly has a passion for food and wine and her and her team are very knowledgeable about their ingredients and where they come from. We can't wait for our next visit.

Lots of choice on the Eatery menu and a lovely unique place to visit.Helen and her team were great hosts. Would also highly recommend the delicious cheeses on the Deli counter.

Nice vegan options, recommend the avo on toast with roasted peppers, the bakewell tart

Food and service that puts a smile on my face ☺️

Has a few products you wouldn't find on the deli counter at a Polish shop in town, so worth the occasional visit

A nice little cafe in Castle Ashby, with a lovely atmosphere and attractive menu. Service seemed a little chaotic - and yes we had the thing another reviewer mentioned of then insisting on laying new menus flat on the table as they transitioned to lunch, seemingly unconcerned we were also using the table for our food and drinks !! - but understaffing is a national issue atm and they are recruiting. Not quite five stars as they have no child friendly options: no kids menu, and they refused to improvise from the adult menu by (say) providing a breakfast sausage and piece of toast as a solution, for any price. Their solution was that we should order the full breakfast and take home what the kid doesn't want to eat, but I can't imagine what we'd do with a box of cold cooked breakfast. Seems odd if they make the food fresh to be unable to accommodate. Just a little flexibility would be welcome!

Lovely deli to browse and buy, stop for lunch - you won't regret it! The Marconi almonds, homemade Scotch eggs and cannoli are amazing!

An interesting foodie shop with tantalising examples of cheeses, charcuterie, deli usual bits in oils etc, fresh bread, a wide range of beers and some freezers holding quiches, pies/tarts, different frozen croissants, flavoured oils, etc. They cater for Vegans and Vegetarians also. Well worth a visit if in the locality.

Great that they stock items from the amazing gluten free bakery the little bakery of happiness amazing savory pies and sweet it's

Lovely food and amazing range. Coffee was average and not to order (flat whites were very fluffy lattes) and sadly we didn't receive amazing service. Slightly passive aggressive responses and petty behaviour when we used a chair from a spare unused table. We would gladly have returned it if there were other customers but there were not. We were asked to return them and told we would be given replacements from inside but these never came and we had to stand, whilst the spare chairs outside remained unused. We were a paying party of 6 adults and 3 children squished around a small table and could have been served better. In addition the waitress moved all our drinks in the middle of us drinking and did the same to the table next to us in the middle of them eating to put large lunch menus under all the cups and plates, it was awkward and interrupting and could have waited. I felt like we were being watched and had to behave under the strict rules of the cafe rather than have any accommodation made for the customers.

Great tapas style food and a lovely atmosphere - a perfect afternoon lunch spot!

The food was fab and the staff were friendly and very helpful I definitely recommend the deli after a nice walk.

Amazing food, lovely staff and a fabulous atmosphere. Highly recommended

Nice deli, plenty of choice with a somewhat Spanish influence. Had a Croque-Monsieur, easily share between two. Take a table look at the menu and order at the till, also on the way to the till you go passed the deli counter (yum) which you can also select from, cards accepted. Nice touches, complimentary bottled of cold water and proper cotton napkins, none of this papper serviettes stuff.

Good value and a large selection on offer.

Just too many naughty but nice tempting things to buy and try. Coffee and cake were delicious.

Very nice place for coffee or lunch. Beutifiull surroundings

Great food, great coffee and really friendly helpful staff and a very dog friendly deli. Would highly recommend!

So happy to have found this wonderful deli. Amazing selection of goodies and produce. Perfect for that special gift and to treat myself! Just had a gorgeous hot chocolate with a piece of homemade cake under the cosy warm canopy (with heaters and blankets!) . I can't wait to go back and have their fabulous tapas with a glass of wine. I would definitely recommend here for quality and ambience.

Amazing products,fab tasty,fresh vegetables, fab scone ,fab brownie, absolutely recommended!

Great variety of different things.

A well stacked deli and friendly staff. We ended up buying lots of lovely goodies and will be making a return visit for sure.

An amazing find with such a wide range of products, most that you will not find anywhere else in the county. If you have the time, I can highly recommend grabbing a table under the awning and having some freshly prepared food with a glass (or two) of vino. This is what Northants has been missing for a long time!

Small selection of typical farm shop items, however, over priced on some items.

Always good food, friendly helpful staff, looking forward to my next visit

Stopped here on a bike ride with the Winslow Wheelers. Great cafe & Deli with super friendly staff that made us feel very welcome.

Bought a, piece of chicken and ham pie. Hadnt been kept refrigerated just on top of counter. 2 days later I got food poisoning from it. Must have been that. Dispite that they were lovely staff and very friendly.

Super tapas-style small plate lunch, all freshly prepared and charmingly served outside in the beautiful surroundings of Castle Ashby Courtyard. They're obviously passionate about food quality and we were made to feel very welcome. Highly recommend!

What a great place! So much food and drink to choose from. The staff were lovely and couldn't have been more helpful. I just love good quality local produce. Also had a coffee which was really good and came with a chunk of fudge which was also AMAZING. Thank you for your service, will be back!

It's now been a year since we discovered this lovely deli. Helen and her team have been delivering to us every week, with great fresh fruit and veg, we've tried lots and lots of things from the cheeses, deli goodies, (cannoli are fantastic) to plants, she's always adding new things, which we take great pleasure in trying. Always incredibly friendly and helpful, nothing is too much trouble. Can't praise them enough. We highly recommend this little shop of delights. Keep doing what you do. Thank you so much for everything. Sue & Cliff Y, Gt Billing.

Wonderful sandwiches and cakes . The deli is great

A Brilliant Deli and coffee / tea / savoury & cake experience. The two ladies in particular are excellent hosts.. putting the customers first... so refreshing a great business that deserves to be applauded! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😉👍🏻!!

Lovely munchies, always something nice, good quality here.

Had the most delicious Cannoli here today. The coffee was fab too...and the staff were so helpful and friendly. Love this place!

Love it , lots of lovely goodies .

Tasty food served in clean surroundings by friendly staff.

Hi, went into deli after walking around Gardens. Baguettes really tasty, and they don't skimp on the fillings. We had prawns. Good coffee too.

Produce is fresh and delicious. Everything we have ever purchased from the Deli has been top quality with a huge variety of products to choose from. The restaurant serves delicious food and drinks and the staff are really friendly. We have been having deliveries from the Deli during our shielding period. Absolute lifesaver. Thank you.

Lovely produce and friendly staff. Looking forward to being able to eat there again

Very good quality and customer service. It is great to look at their website and to then phone and order a personalised hamper type gift that they either deliver locally or send by courier all over the country. Would highly recomend.

Nice produce lovely staff. We visit whenever we are in the area.

I usually walk across the fields and have a specialist ice cream. Nice setting with various shops. The Deli is a delight, worth a visit anytime.

What a find! Delicious little cafe in the Deli.

A newly refurbished Deli at the Castle Ashby farm courtyard! A fabulous selection of deli items all of which are locally sourced from the estate and local surrounding areas; pork pies, flat breads, bacon, sausages and scotch eggs to name a few! complimented by a selection of craft beers, wines and daily essentials. We really enjoying chatting to the proprieters, a fabulously helpful and warm welcoming mum and daughter duo, who both create delicious cullenary creations for takeaway or eat in, from cakes to the "best!" meatballs I have ever tasted! Fresh bread is delivered everyday by The good loaf and a different fresh hot lunch meal on offer everyday. Please please support these guys as there efforts are really paying off the to the local and wider community! #supportlocal