The Old Courthouse Cafe in Barnet

I first reviewed this cafe in the first year it was opened. I still rate the raspberry friand available here and to be honest only pop in for that as I walk through the park now rather than stopping for a coffee. The last two times I have ordered a coffee it's unfortunately been way too hot and left a slight burnt taste. The cafe is small with a large outdoor space which families with small kids seem to enjoy. The cafe itself really needs a bit of spruce, more and more things seem to take over the indoor seating space, almost like a storage spot it just feels like it needs a refresh.

Just how stupid can you get, tried to have lunch here for 2 adults and toddler grandchild We have the baby’s food with us but apparently we are not allowed to feed her even though we would be ordering lunch for ourselves because rules are rules! Sheer crass stupidity!

The cafe and gardens are great for kids. We love coming with our grandchildren where they can play safely with all the toys. Great coffee and home made biscuits are yummy!

Really lovely cafe with large outdoor seating areas, lot of toys for kids to play. Food and coffee’s are delicious 😋 Also they sell Italian ice cream 🍦

Beautiful cafe in stunning surroundings. So much for the kids to do outside, the staff are so kind and the sandwiches / coffees / cakes were fantastic. Such a lovely cafe that we spent a very relaxing (even with the kids), whole afternoon in the sun. We will be coming back lots. Very much recommend to anybody in the area.

The staff are always lovely and go above and beyond, there are fresh croissants and cakes everyday and the avocado on toast is perfect! Highly recommend :)

My favourite place for coffee. Lovely outside seating,(with covers for when it's raining) great coffee and homemade cakes. The staff are always so friendly and helpful.

I will never go back to this cafe again I have been going since it opened I understand the circumstances have changed due to covid19 but I went in today to buy a coffe and my child was desperate for the toilet I asked the lady could he use the toilet if possible and I would wait outside she was so rude and obnoxious my child was very upset I have been coming with friends to this cafe for a long time but I will NOT return. I went back to the park and even a stranger one of the parents asked me had they let him use the toilet to which I said no and the lady told me she refuses to go in there as the lady is so rude! not a good look and I hope no one is spoken to in the manor I experienced today.

I have been coming here regularly and they have the best coffee. Their scrambled eggs are the best and love the tuna apple sandwich. Also if you like homemade cakes, this is the place to come. Sophia also makes them for my kids birthdays. A little gem in Barnet.

Wonderful little cafe within pleasant, well kept gardens with playground discovered by chance today as nearby Barnet Museum wasn't open yet. Delightful staff - prompt service and absolutely delicious top quality home-made food and drink - I tried the unusual sounding toasted tuna/apple sourdough sandwich which came with a tasty salad with dressing(!) and cappuccino - perfect taste and temperature - Bel my 4 year old grand-daughter had cheese sandwich and frothy milk drink. Plenty of books and games for the children - ultra 'family-friendly'. Superb - thoroughly recommended.

Very helpful staff, delicious cake, good coffee and tea. Nice touches with magnetic fishing game for the children - and adults. Looked like a good range of food for such a small place. Hope they are able to keep going, not sure how many of those that pass along main road nearby know that it is there.

I saw this little gem listed near me when I was dropping my kids off at school on Saturday morning. Now, first things first, finding the place! As you walk/drive down the main road there is a tiny driveway, it is down that driveway then as you enter the car park walk down the path to your left. Just me so smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, toast and a latte. I had never had the smoked salmon mixed into the eggs before but I wasn't disappointed. Delicious. Brilliant little hidden gem of a cafe which I will return to regularly.

After reading and hearing wonderful things about this little gem we thought we would try for ourselves. Despite online saying they close at 17.00 they said they were closing at 16.00 today. We arrived at 15.5o and they still happily made us a hot drink to go With our yummy pieces of cake! We will defo be returning this cute little cafe (4 indoor tables!) was dog friendly ...... yes our chihuahua was allowed in!!! Can’t wait to try the savoury lunch menu!

Always lovey! Shame it closes at 5pm in the summer holidays. Would be amazing if it opened later so we could take children there after Nursery/school.

Had no idea this was here until a friend took us this weekend. Nice to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine with friends. Food good and efficient service. Looking forward to going lots this summer.

Staff are unfailingly friendly, the tuna & apple sandwich is delicious, and the coffee and hot chocolate beat the chains hand down. Shame about the lack of wifi though, unfortunately I don't agree that the 4G connection is good, although I can see that it's not really big enough to accommodate people nursing a coffee for hours just to use the wifi.

This was a rushed visit just to meet some friends before dashing off. I wasn't going to eat but liked the look of the sour dough bread on the menu board. The staff were lovely, rushing together a speed order of sour dough toast with butter and marmalade, the recommendation of the manager, which they packed up in a little bag for my journey. What a fantastic treat. Shame I don't live in Barnet and won't get too many chances to visit this tiny gem of quality. I cannot describe how nice that little bready snack was. Thanks for making my morning!

Love taking my kids in here as the staff are always friendly and the food is very good. Love the little shelf with stuff from the locals and independent locals.

We’ve just returned from a delightful family breakfast at this gem of a cafe.

This used to be such a great hidden gem! A real family favourite for breakfast at the weekend serving great quality food at fair prices. Now the toilet seems to be permanently ‘out of order’ at the weekend although miraculously working again today. I suppose the owners are trying to stop ordinary park users from using it. Indeed there is a notice to that effect on the door.

My partner and I went on a week day late morning, the cafe had as many staff in it than customers so we thought we will get quick and efficient service. We ordered bacon, scrambled eggs and sourdough and bacon, beans on sourdough and 2 cups of tea and it was over £16 which is a lot for the portion size and quality. The beans were cold, the bacon and the scrambled eggs are average. Service was so slow and we didn’t get our tea until after our food arrived, which seemed to take an age. It’s a sweet little cafe but the food isn’t as good as it could and should be for the price. Staff were nice but felt as though they were put out by me asking for hotter beans. Sorry I do like my food hot, problem when you microwave food is it’s steaming but not hot all the way through unless you stir half way. I have an issue with any cafe/restaurant that uses a microwave anyway. I understand it’s a small place but they don’t need a microwave. It’s a nice setting, I imagine for a coffee especially in the summer it’s lovely but don’t expect much food wise.

This is a great cafe for families. There's lots of seating space and a bouncy castle in the summer time. It's next to a lovely park for children as well.

This place is a gem. Staffed by caring helpful people, beautiful setting, convenient to the High Street, great quality and a selection of food (and baby food!) and a bouncy castle for little kids.

We were three travelers far from home (the U.S.) searching for a simple local breakfast of a Sunday morning. We couldn't have been happier to find that this charming spot was open and still serving breakfast at 10am. Thanks to Google maps I spotted this place just a few minutes from our AirBnB and we made the walk over on a perfectly English overcast morning. The ladies behind the counter were warm and welcoming and handled our Americaness with aplomb! We all had espresso drinks and breakfasts with toast and eggs and bacon. The sourdough bread for toast was wonderful as were the eggs and bacon and the coffee drinks. We also had our first taste of English Crumpets. As fans of English muffins, these were fantastic! Like a slightly more luxurious version of English muffiins. Finding local places like this slightly off the beaten path provide some of the best moments of travel abroad.

Deliciosa comida fresca en el medio del parque. Cerca de la zona de juegos para niños. La comida y el café son frescos y sabrosos y de precio bastante. Maravilloso pase para el desayuno, almuerzo o café con un bocado. La suerte de tener este justo por nuestro High Street.

Court House Cafe es un café pequeño y pintoresco en el parque con sabrosos sandwiches y tartas caseras que se derriten en la boca - el personal es amable y acogedor. Afuera, en el verano es un auténtico lujo.

Almorzar en la cafetería del diminuto regularmente con DiL y nieto de 2 5. Pequeño menú riquísimo atún y especialmente su sandwich tostado en masa de manzana amarga. Haga lácteos gratis huevos revueltos sobre una tostada a la lactosa para mi nieto sin ningún problema. Tés y cafés de primera clase y una gran váter limpio también.

Personas en este cálido y acogedor café maravilloso. El parque es tranquilo y el personal que lleva el hacer que todo el mundo cafe sentir bienvenidos. Sobre todo merecen todo nuestro apoyo, ya que recientemente entraron a, pero nos las arreglamos para conseguir todo rápidamente volver a estar en forma con sonrisas. Traslado y disfrutar!

Fab setting with the park in High Barnet, many people don't even know it is here, offers various lunches for adults and children, although to be honest I have just had a coffee from there, well a few, the staff are just lovely and it's always busy with families. Really lovely setting - will be a shame when the winter hits and you cant sit outside as the inside is "diddy"

Lovely outdoor area geared towards young families. Large bouncy castles for the kids to play on whilst you enjoy a hot cup of coffee.

Took my grandson here today and was appalled with the surroundings that are not only unkempt but potentially dangerous for crawling babies and toddlers alike - in fact if an official had visited from Health & Safety there would have been a few questions raised for sure. There are house bricks lying on the ground, the sides of the dirty white tent were flapping in the wind, there are rope nooses hanging down where a child could only too easily get their head caught in and heaps of old plastic and rubbish lying on the floor inside the tent. This was at 11am this morning and the site was exactly the same at 4.30pm this evening - perhaps the proprietor needs a course in Health & Safety or is he/she just oblivious to the grubby and dilapidated mess the grounds are in. I was not!

Taking the children to the park isn't nearly so bad when you have a cafe like The Old Courthouse! The service is always friendly (if sometimes a little slow) but the kids love the toasted sandwiches, and the club is also good. I don't seem to be able to resist the cakes either!!

Stopped by here for coffee and sandwich. Also ice-cream. Cafe is in a leafy park behind the Courthouse with amenities and tables set up outside. Pleasant stroll around the gardens, well worth a visit!

great park, full of things to do and great for just relaxing, food average for a park café, but the area its in is very nice, when we were there they had a pony ride available,how bad was that.

We have been going to this gem of a cafe nearly every day for the last few years. The staff are lovely, the freshly prepared food is delicious and coffee is great too. They cater for all the family and will happily accommodate the fussy ones too. A really good place to take the children to enjoy a treat from the cafe and the surrounding park. Cannot fault it!

I felt compelled to write a review following a visit to the cafe today which is a first for me but I was so incensed by the experience we had that I had to write it down!I visited today with my sister, her 3 year old daughter, 5 month old son and my 14 month old son and ordered two of the Courthouse special sandwiches plus various drinks for myself and her spending £25. Our children had their own food which I had made due to their fussiness and preference for very specific items! I am sure any one with young Children can appreciate you just want them to eat and will therefore give them whatever is required for this to happen. After eating our sandwiches I was informed by an employee that going forward they wouldn't be able to allow our children to eat their own food as they provide an extensive children's menu themselves and we had effectively given them a "picnic" in the cafe! I apologised and said that I didn't realise that we were not allowed to feed our children there and was asked to understand that when they are very busy in summer months and families take up their seats effectively to feed their family a picnic it becomes difficult for them to seat all of their customers. It is worth pointing out that we were the ONLY people in the cafe! Whilst I appreciate that they may have some people who go there to feed their children and order one drink, this is not us and unfortunately if I am unable to give the children the food I know that they will eat there then it becomes untenable for me to eat there going forward. There was a bit of back tracking at this point and I was told that my son (14 months) would be able to have his own food as he is a baby but our 3 year old would not as she could have some thing off the menu. I see a few options for the cafe going forward to make this policy work:- clearly state it to all customers as soon as they walk in that any child MUST eat some thing from the menu so that you can make a decision of whether you dine there- charge a subsidy for children that will only eat their own food to enable them to sit with their dining parents- extend their menu to cater for all childrenIf the cafe would like to cut fist sized chunks of cucumber minus the skin, stamp sized ham sandwiches on white bread minus the crusts with wafer thin unsmoked ham and prepare bite sized pieces of mango and strawberries then I would be ecstatic as it would save me preparing them and I would be more than happy to pay for these. They may feel that they have an extensive kids menu but it may be worth noting that not all kids will eat the food on it.Ultimately we went there today to enjoy the food that we have enjoyed on many occasions before, not to use the facilities to merely feed our children but to try and accommodate them in our enjoyment by aligning to their lunchtimes. Instead we were informed that this will not work in the future and therefore means that unfortunately we can no longer dine here. Such a shame as we felt like we had found a little haven in Barnet

The cafe is tucked away in Barnet's Park behind the Old Court House and Museum and close to the church, the High Street and local bus stops. I know it well having been going there since childhood and I am now in my 60's and often walk my dog there. The cafe is quite small but provides a warm and friendly atmosphere for everyone including the dog! AND they do the best hot chocolate anywhere in Barnet. Great for those nippy days. I highly recommend this cafe to everyone. I am only sorry that it isn't mine, I viewed it but was just too late - it was already under offer. Rats!

This is a gorgeous cafe. It's a shame it's so tucked away, which means you don't come across it by accident. But that's also lucky for the people who know about it, as there aren't many tables! The drinks are piping hot and very tasty, the food is delicious, and the whole place is beautifully done, with prints, candles etc. from local artists and businesses. They can get a bit overwhelmed when it's busy, and they sometimes run out of basics, but they're friendly and hardworking. I love that they automatically give you a whole jug of tap water (chilled, and with fresh mint leaves!). They have outdoor picnic tables which are lovely in the summer.

Needed to go to Barnet, and friend recommended this cafe for lunch, found close to Court House in park grounds, two minutes from High Street. All that has been recorded here is so true, cozy, good atmosphere, and delicious food with lovely peaceful outlook. We both had toasted chicken and parma ham, cheddar sourdough - 'Courthouse Special' and it's worth travelling for! Reasonable prices too, had to resist carrot cake but looked good too. Will definitely return.

This place is a small, cosy cafe that serves lovely food and drinks. I've been here for lunch a couple of times and highly recommend the sandwiches on sourdough. The cakes always look lovely. There is a small menu for breakfast (porridge, pastries, eggs, bacon), lunch (soup, toasted sandwiches) and snacks (homemade cakes, tarts) and I'd like to come back for breakfast soon.

Went to the courthouse cafe for lunch with my 3 year old son. I had a gorgeous mozzarella, tomato and pesto toastie and my little one had eggs on toast and delicious cake. My son was very happy with the bouncy castle in the cafe grounds and park nearby. I was very happy sitting with a cup of tea in the sun watching him play. Win-win for both of us, in a perfect setting.

We have been coming to this cafe ever since we moved to Barnet a couple years ago, and can safely say it has the best coffee around. Not only that but the freshly home made cakes make every visit a great treat.We had our son's 4th birthday party at the Old courthouse, the kids loved having their food, games and bouncy castle by the gazebo. Sophia the owner went the extra mile and decorated the place beautifully. We highly recommend this place for any kids get together after school or for a nice quiet coffee morning !

Lovely lunch in the autumn sunshine. Lots of choice. Home cooked food. Friendly staff and gluten free options available.

Visited here on a lovely warm Sunday afternoon after reading various reviews on Trip Advisor - had lived in Barnet for years but never knew about this little place. The café was staffed but young adults who had no idea about customer service. They were neither friendly and rather abrupt. The last piece of coffee cake was sitting on display sweating in the heat and had been uncovered since morning. The other cakes that were left at the end of the afternoon noon were covered but none of the cakes were in a chilled cabinet - we had two drinks and one not overly generous slice of cake and it came to £9. Rather expensive we thought for sitting in a park at a wooden picnic table. The people serving could do with a lesson in customer service and I thought if you handle money you should not be handling food and touching the cake you slice for customers but I could be wrong...

Nice atmosphere and friendly welcome. Coffee can be a bit slow to arrive but hopefully that will improve over time. Good community links and in summer a great place for young and old alike

We've been coming here for a good couple of years and we love it. Menu simple and unfussy, and great to sit outdoors in the sunshine. Inside is on the small side can get a little cramped so may be better to go there "off-peak" if it's raining. We usually have the scrambled eggs with toasted sourdough bread for breakfast or one of their "club" sandwiches for lunch, washed down with a lovely coffee or one of their proper "adult" hot chocolates. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. See you there!

A short walk from Barnet high street is this fantastic little cafe in a park. The coffee was perfect and the club sandwich was excellent. A lovely Sunday snack in a beautiful little park.

What a lovely find!.A friend and I had lunch here today. For me it was wonderful to ask about gluten free and to be served a sandwich .lovely. I continually find small cafes like this make somuch effort compared to high st chains. Also I would far rather support these lovely places .Clean, homemaade cakes,friendly service. Perfect.

My 3 year old daughter and I love this place! Delicious food - try the club sarnie - divine! And a great cup of tea My little one is entertained bouncing with friends and I get to chill and catch up with friends in this peaceful and beautiful setting.Now if I'm being really picky I'd like to suggest they expand their kids menu to offer foods such as pasta and simple pastries like cheese straws.Overal a lovely place with great food, helpful staff, entertainment for kids all within a peaceful and safe setting - happy days!

Lovely in a sunny day! Join the crowds basking in the sun, snacking and chatting! Be prepared for crowds but it's worth the wait!

Love this place, coffee, breakfast and sandwiches all tip top and always a lovely welcome. Highly recommended

A lovely small café in Old Courthouse Gardens, Barnet. Friendly staff, good coffee and cakes etc. and beautiful surroundings with plenty of space for children to run about in the grounds. Bouncy castle back at Easter, too!.

Lovely! A hidden gem in North London which you should seek out. My wife and I were looking for somewhere we could call our local place for good food, atmosphere and good service, we found all these here. The staff are attentive, the food is lovely and the owner lovely. As a wheelchair user I was pleased to find it fully accessible too! We will be going back regularly for sure.

I have been to the The Old Courthouse Cafe on Numerous ocassions and it never fails to impress me. From top quality food to a first class service this is a Cafe that you want to return to again and again. The food is all homemade and the cakes and buns are to die for. Lunches and breakfasts are freshly made to order and they are always of the highest quality. Not to mention the fabulous coffee and lattes. They also cater for people who have a gluten free diet so this is a great advantage.So many Cafe's are a franchise now where the staff neither know you or care about you but that's not the case wih this Cafe - Liam the Manager is always so welcoming and friendly and this refreshing trait is passed on to all his staff. I highly recommend the The Old Court House Cafe in the Park in High Barnet , I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

It was only by Trip Advisors advice that my sister found this beautiful cafe and I was lucky to gain from her experience. A beautiful independent cafe with the freshest of produce, the friendliest of staff and the quirkiness of having an actual personality - a characteristic that is missing from chains like Starbucks, Costa, etc. I would highly recommend that they improve signage to this sweet coffee shop as it is being highly ignored and overlooked.

I came upon this cafe almost a year ago , when I was having some building work done in my house and let's just say it wasn't going according to plan! Feeling very stressed and in need of an escape, I wandered into the then "new "park Cafe. I was the first customer of the day and I was greeted so warmly by Liam (the manager). He made me some delicious toast and a fabulous coffee. The care and attention to detail in the preparation and presentation of this simple food order really made me smile, My butter came in a little dish, as did my jam and a few minutes later I was presented with a lovely jug of water with some fresh mint and a little glass.It was a beautiful spring day and two coffees later I left with a spring in my step and a feeling that I had fallen upon a little gem of a cafe with a person managing it so well that I would have to become a frequent visitor.One year later I love this cafe and its staff, it's like my home from home, where I go and am guaranteed to leave with the same spring in my step.and a smile on my face. It's such a lovely place, the food is delicious and the coffee is fabulous, Liam is an amazing manager, he cares about everything he does, all the little details that make you feel special, a valued customer/ friend and someone that he and his staff genuinely want to take care of and please.I have watched him get to know all his customers and their families, even their pets!! He addresses his regulars by their names, he knows how they like their food and drinks. It's a pleasure in this day and age to have someone with such a strong sense for customer care, he should be cloned and put into all my favourite places and then I would never have to cook again lolThanks to Liam and his team we now have a beautiful local cafe where we can go when we want to be spoiled with fab food, fab service and on occasion we can shop at their lovely vintage market stalls, enjoy a bbq, an outdoor movie night and go ice skating at Christmas and enjoy the odd little tipple (licence permitted) to name but a few of the events that Liam has organised. There are some lovely locally produced gifts, candles, pottery, pet accessories and jewelleryfor sale in the cafe. The walls are adorned with some paintings/prints for sale from local artist. All of this adds to the feeling of it being a part of our community rather than a stand alone cafe. Barnet is truly all the better for having the lovely Liam amongst us, brightening our days with his warmth, humour and smiling face not to mention his wonderfully trained team! Well done to all at our little gem of a cafe, "The old courthouse cafe" it's all 10''s from me .... with a spoonful of jam to finish !!!

Set in the park behind The old Registry Office in Barnet Wood St, this cafedoes all homemade food, from cakes to lunches& fab coffee. The staff are extremely welcoming!

This a new and very welcome addition to High Barnet. Lots of activities around the cafe. Sunday kids yoga, ice rink at xmas, outdoor screenings etc. It is a lovely addition to the community in a lovely little park. Sometimes the service can be very slow and the food is a bit limited. Hopefully this will change when they get a proper kitchen. But they do Gluten free sandwiches (and some cakes usually) which is blessing for me and the coffee is pretty good.

Well done, luscious Liam(!) & all the staff & stall holders for a great event. Stalls were Christmassy, children obviously enjoyed skating & Santa and I enjoyed the mulled wine! Great weather helped the festive atmosphere! Jill

I would never have found this lovely cafe had it not been for Trip Advisor! We called in on Saturday at lunch-time and enjoyed a lovely sandwich and salad lunch. It is good to find an independent cafe which is popular with local families and in an attractive setting.

Nicely set in the local park - and still obligingly open at 4.30 just as the rain started! Friendly people and a huge choice of both food and drink. Just felt the prices are a bit steep - but hope they survive in these hard times

I can't help replying this to one reviewer further below. What I love most about the Old Courthouse Cafè, amongst other things, it is that it sticks to the true authentic flavour and tradition of coffee...and this is said by an Italian who has lived abroad for 16 years and has often struggled to find good coffee outside Italy or Latin America :-)

I write very few reviews, but this is actually my second for the courthouse cafe. Love the food, the atmosphere is fantastic and the courthouse club sandwich is so good I rarely try anything else! If you live anywhere near high barnet you are missing out if you have not visited the old Courthouse cafe.

I went there for a retirement party & we all sat outside under a marquee. The food was a set meal chosen as a Caribean theme for the retiree & because I am not a spicey food lover was not the best meal I have had but my friends all loved it. Service was excellent .

I lovw going to this cafe for its lovely cosy relaxing atmosphere, in the heart of our local park, and for the warmth of his staff. It is also child-friendly and always comes up with interesting initiatives for the local community. Strongly recommended!

Coffee. service, food brilliant, what ever you do, do not start the dreadfull flavoured syrups suggested by one reviewer! To the purists amoungst us they are defo taboo. The cafe has become a hub for Barnet but shhh don't tell everyone. Good luck for the future.

Always looking for good coffee and cake and I have found it in a lovely setting in a park at the back of the doctors in Barnet. They use Doppio coffee which I have never heard of but it is delicious. The cafe itself feels very homely and on a lovely sunny day when you can sit outside, it is a little haven away from the hustle and bustle of Barnet.Haven't had any lunch there yet but the menu looks varied and not too expensive. I have only visited in the week and even though there were a few Mums and children there it was quiet and relaxing.Liam the owner is very approachable and is very proud of his cafe and his coffee. I will definitely be going back!

Definitely a good addition to the park and High Barnet as a whole. Service has been slow most times we've visited so don't pop in when you're in a hurry! Disappointed that skimmed milk is still not an option for hot drinks - not very fat-fighter friendly!!!

This place changed hands some months ago and the transformation is amazing! We come here a lot and personally can't fault the coffee, OK,so its not made at great pace which can be a bit frustrating but I disagree with the previous reviewer or perhaps they were just unlucky, the scrambled eggs are made in a pan not microwave, gluten free bread if you want it, club sandwich about 4 inches tall and you are surrounded by beautiful gardens. Nice touch, we were sitting outside one sunny day and without being asked they bring out iced water for everyone. Lots of stuff going on, bouncy castle at the weekend, movers and shakers for toddlers on a Sunday, all in all a really family orientated haven in Barnet.

Visited this place because of the good reviews on here. Was a bit dissapointed that there were only four things on the lunch menu. Soup or sandwiches. I opted for a club sandwich for 5.40. It was minimal filling and lots of bread with an overdressed side salad. Coffee was ok but didn't have any syrups to flavour the coffee. All a bit average really, sorry

Took my Mum here for lunch. She hadn't been well and could only eat a very limited diet and nothing on the menu. The staff at the Cafe were more than happy to accomodate us and produced a special lunch for her.I had one of the specials of the day, a delicious tabbouleh salad bursting with fresh summer flavours. The only slight downside was that there were no homemade cakes to follow, apart from Lemon drizzle. They had had such a good day the previous day, they were all sold out and in the process of baking more. This was my first visit and certainly won't be my last. Please visit if you are in the area, you won't be disappointed.

Quality coffee, fresh and thoughtful food; the world's smallest catering kitchen. Naturally there is a bit of a wait sometimes. Everyone seems to have an opinion on how they can speed it up; probably it will just come with experience. I, for one, hope it doesn't come through pre-packed sandwiches. Any criticism can be easily dismissed though, when compared to the offerings of most other public parks within a 5 mile radius. Deserves to do well.

Thanks for making my birthday special. What a great team. Delicious food and drink served by great staff.

We were excited to hear about the new opening of the cafe in our local park several months ago and we were not to be disappointed. The cafe itself is charming and the staff lovely serving great food, the only thing that really let's this place down is the wait! On several occasions I have ordered 2 takeaway coffees whilst my daughter and husband play in the playground. A couple of times my husband came looking for me concerned as I had been so long but has since given up coming to look for me as the wait is now expected! never has it taken less than 20 minutes (quite an unreasonable wait in my opinion for 2 takeaway coffees!) and today it took 36 minutes for my coffees to be made (with only several people before me waiting mainly for hot drinks, not food) the only saving grace the coffees and pastries are top quality. I have to say it is the only negative but is probably enough to stop me popping in for a coffee or food, especially when I have my impatient toddler in tow. If the speed of service can be sorted I wouldn't hesitate to award 5 stars all round and continue to visit and support this local business.

We are so fortunate to have this lovely independent cafe in Barnet in the heart of the park. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and Liam and his team are always friendly and very attentive.The food is great - all home cooked and to a high standard. We particularly love the bacon and eggs on sourdough. There are few places in Barnet serving great home-made cakes and this is one of them! Liam is always happy to tweak what is on the menu to suit our 3 little pickles.This cafe has transformed our visits to the park into a real treat! I used to think (with some nostalgia!) that nothing would be able beat the aviary (housing the talking parrot!) that used to be on this site when I was a child, but I have to confess, this cafe has! Caroline, Barnet

I use this cafe regularly, staggering in after a game of badminton. The coffee is great and the staff always make sure we have water available as well. As mature ladies I think they may be worried we may explode! We have resisted the bouncy castle so far as the thought of having to take our shoes off, feels like a step too far, but the children love it. It is a great place to meet, the food is freshly prepared, cakes freshly baked and there is a lovely atmosphere. For the first time in years it feels as if there is once again, a sense of community beginning to build in Barnet, thanks to this gem of a cafe

I work very close to this cafe and it is the best thing that has happened to High Barnet. The quality of food is great, the service is always with a smile and they will always go the extra mile to ensure that all requirements are met. I have enjoyed many lunch times either on my own or with my friends/colleagues and we always return and will continue to do so. It is the only place locally that have reached out to the younger community and have created an area for young children to enjoy. Keep up the great work

What an amazing place. Great coffee, even better food (served with side salads and dressings that are actually edible) and friendly staff.However the best bit about the cafe is the fact that so much effort has been put into the place, the little details and the events they host. I had to wait a little longer than expected to get my coffee on one visit but who cares!!! My daughters were running around the park, I bumped into some friends and the sun was shining. What other cafe puts so much effort into serving the local community, offers the children a free bouncy castle, hosts special events and serves such a variety of tasty and healthy food and drink.Hats off to all involved in this amazing little place. It makes living in High Barnet even better and you deserve all the success and support you can get.

Tucked away behind Barnet's old Court House is this wonderful cafe, the staff are pleasant and the breakfast served was delicious ( A massive portion of sourdough bread, scrambled eggs and bacon ) the food is not instant as it is all cooked to order and worth the wait.

We have been regulars at this cafe since it opened about last October. Have to say it is going from strength to strength. The quality of the food, the service and pleasantness of all the staff who who work there put it way at the top. I was stunned to read an unpleasant review about it. However, on reading carefully through it and Liam's reply, I see a customer who made unreasonable requests and became rather vindictive when she did not get her way. Hope she does not go there again, no business needs customers like that! My advice to anybody who may be put off by that rather unpleasant complaint, don't be!! Go there, judge for yourself, you will not be disappointed .Rod, Liz and Coco.

I paid a visit on Saturday morning with my husband for brunch purely based on the reviews on this site. It is only a 10 minute drive from my house but I did not know it was here. The food was lovely. I had crumpets and hubby had bacon and egg on sour dough bread. Everything is cooked to order and the menu is big enough to satisfy all tastes. The staff were helpful, friendly and warm. We were made to feel very welcome and it was great to be able to sit outside in the sunshine. I will go back without a doubt and will be recommending to all my friends. Well done Old Courthouse for creating a little oasis in Barnet

I went for lunch to this lovely cafe with my 8 months daughter and few other mums and babies last week and I can't even begin to describe how disappointed I was when I was told that my 8 months old daughter is not allowed to eat her lunch there with me (I just order myself food and drink worth £12.50) most of the babies who were there with me are doing baby lead weaning what means that they eat food which is not mash up so I was informed by the manager that I should order from their children menu so I explain to the manager that they are not children they are babies and you have to be very carful with what they eat as they just started eating solids and they to small to eat from their children menu so the manager was keep going on how much money they spend on benches and bouncy castle and people bring their own lunches the students bring own sandwiches so I kindly explain again that our babies are only 8 months old and I have order my lunch and paid for it but unfortunately my baby is to small to eat anything from the cafés lovely food selection and that it is a bit harsh to compare our babies to the students but the manager was not having any of it he just said that if the food was mashed up babies could have their lunch here but if it is not mashed up it is as he called "adult food" and he can't afford people seeing babies eating this food so whatever I said I felt like he is discriminating our babies cose they not following the traditional weaning path that they are different so they not welcome I am very disappointed as the food there is very good and we had great experience there before but now I feel like the staff was taking their frustration on our babies. We go out a lot with other mums and babies to all the cafe , restaurants and pubs around high barnet high street and everywhere we are very welcome and every one is very accommodating for us and our babies so I was shocked and surprise by this cafe manager reaction and how he treats paying customers.

Found this place on Tripadvisor and read all the glowing reviews which are completely justified. Beautiful little interior with bunting and a lots of tables outside to enjoy the sun... Great coffees, cakes to die for (the best carrot cake ever!) and charmingly served. What more could you ask for in a local cafe? Will be returning, again... and possibly again... and...

Wonderful little park cafe with tables inside and outside. Very clean and bright; lovely staff; all food freshly cooked including some very lovely cakes; delicious and healthy options with some unusual touches. I especially like the sourdough bread, the minty water caraffes and the hot chocolate is the best you'll find anywhere.

Arrived just before closing cake was dry coffee was only half a cup of cold staff just wanted to go home don't know why this is so good terrible won't be going back

Went to this tiny but excellent little cafe with a friend who looks after her grand-sons in the area. They have a delicious range of organic teas and I came away with a packet of the Earl Grey, having drunk two cups on the premises and eaten a slice of their very yummy,moist carrot cake. All the staff were very friendly and didn't mind me hanging around with the baby whilst my friend went to collect the other little boy from nursery. Prices are quite high but personally I'm happy to pay for quality food, service and friendliness. What a lovely place.

Wanted a cafe in Barnet area, so got on the old trip advisor and found The Old Court House was highly rated.The food is fantastic, freshly made and just real good home cooked food. I will defiantly be going back for one of their cooked breakfast's soon

Love this cafe in Barnet. It's fab for meeting with other mums for a yum hot choc or lemonade in the sunshine. I'm here a lot. Highly recommend it.

I resisted the urge for a long time to review this lovely cafe as I did not want it to be too popular! However the food is gorgeous, all fresh, homemade and delicious. The staff are so friendly, they are warm, welcoming and nothing is too much trouble. If you need a good lunch in lovely surroundings get yourself here. Just don't tell anyone else!

The Old Court House Cafe is a really well presented and polished venue, but with a real sense of warmth and familiarity about it. With chatty, approachable staff, a great selection of savoury and sweet food on the menu and excellent choices in teas, coffees and soft drinks this is a very appealing place to visit. My children, 3years and 21 months, are always keen to visit and we are made to feel most welcome, with high chairs and suitable drinks and snacks for them and without a blink of an eye from the staff at the noise and mess they mutually create! With a small but comfortable interior and plenty of outside space, this is a super place to visit and just a stone's throw from the playground, meaning it's easy to duck in for a quick take away en route. I highly recommend visiting The Old Court House Cafe and defy you to leave without sampling one if their marvellous cakes!

Had a lovely lunch at this cafe - absolutely stand-out homemade courgette and basil soup and a really tasty mozzarella sandwich to start with, following by delicious carrot cake with orange-flavoured topping. Everything is freshly made and it's so much better than the tired, pre-packaged stuff in the standard coffee chains. The setting is delightful, with flowers and greenery everywhere, and the cafe staff couldn't be more helpful and professional. The day of our visit had featured a sponsored toddler 'toddle' and the cafe had put together a special goodie bag - a sign of the thoughtful attention to details which is a hallmark of this place.

I found this online and we decided to go in for lunch with our new born. We sat in the outdoor bit, which was nicely spaced out, but the inside was lovely too! Food was really good - soup was homemade that morning, club sandwich was great! Couldn't resist the cake and that matched up too. Really recommend.

If you go down to the park todayYou’re sure of a big surprise.If you go down to the Courthouse todayYou’ll never believe your eyes!The coffee’s great and the food they makeBreakfast, soup and home baked cakes Today’s the day to treat yourself to lunch out!If you go down there then don’t be lateWho’s waiting there for you? There’s Liam, Sarah and lovely Kate They’ll make a fuss of youBut if you find they’re really busyRelax, chill out and don’t be a misery. Or stay at home…then maybe I can have a table!!

I absolutely love this hidden oasis in Barnet! The coffee is delicious, the polenta cake (both lemon and orange) are gorgeous - especially for a wheat free convert like myself... and the service by Liam and the rest of the team is second to none! I always feel welcomed here for which I would like to say thankyou! Next time I go I intend to have lunch with some of the gluten free bread that Liam gave us a taster of today....delicious.

Been here a couple of times now and gotta say we love it here. Last time we were fortunate to get cookies that literally were just coming out of the oven. Coffee tastes great whether it's a latte or cappuccino. Today I had a lovely slice of lemon cake and finished it in seconds! I have no hesitation in recommending this friendly, local cafe.

The Courthouse Cafe provide much needed shelter from the rain here this Saturday. The new BLT sandwich was a treat and the hot drinks were great.The gluten free brownie and slice of the moist chocolate cake were a perfect end to lunch.Liam and the team are friendly and a provide a fab place for a bite to eat and coffee!

The service is excellent as is the freshly prepared food. The staff are very polite and I must say that the freshly made cakes and LOCAL ice cream are fantastic. This is my favorite cafe in north London.

Went for lunch on Saturday, excellent service, even better food and the best thing was that it wasn't like a Starbucks or Costa, it's nice to see a small local business thriving. It is a really nice functional building in such a small space, extensive tasty menu. Homemade soups which are delicious and homemade cakes too! We had the courthouse club and soup and they came with a nice fresh side salad all very reasonably priced! Thanks we will be back more often

The food was lovely and very reasonably priced. The service was excellent and the people are so friendly. We arrived at 3pm and even though was late afternoon they cooked me up a lovely breakfast. We couldn't fault this place.

Lovely people, great setting. And Gluten Free sandwiches always available (the courthouse club delicious if you are a meat eater like me). Usually have gluten free cakes too - their lemon polenta and brownies are both excellent.