The Palace Pavillion at Kew in Richmond upon Thames

I stopped here for lunch and ther service is abysmal. They have two staff taking orders and making drinks (very very slowly) there is no table ordering service so you have to join a long queue to order. One of the staff did not even know how to open a bottle opener. On a positive it gave us time to see the quality of food that was coming out and is nowehere near the value for the prices they were charging so decided to give the food a miss. I settled for two coffees after a 25 minute wait. This place does not know what it wants to be, a bistro or a restaurant it is not. If you want good value proper (non snack) food avoid this place and go to one of the many pubs in Kew.

I totally agree with another reviewer - Lovely day lovely surroundings - appalling lunch - Do they even know what a ceasar sald is? We had what amounted to a whole little gem lettuce quartered and piled in the middle of the plate so on first glance portion looked good but there was very little else, some soggy 'roasted" chick peas less than a tsp of some grated cheese - No dressing No egg No anchovie. We paid £14.50 for this salad and an extra £4.50 for some chicken. We did complain. Manager was very nice and seemed to be aware of this travesty andoffered us complimentary cake and coffee!! I wish I had taken a photo because it was unbelievable for such a top class venue as Kew.

A real let-down. Pleasant location. Limited choice of menu. Dishes available and not available at, apparently, random times of the day. Everything we ordered was tasteless and not hot enough. Collect your own cutlery and salt, pepper etc. As a keen supporter of Kew Gardens and a local, I was embarrassed by this distinctly below-par coffee shop.

Very disappointing food for 3 out of 5 of us. White sliced plastic bread instead of sourdough as on the menu, toasted cheese 'wedge' was again white sliced plastic bread not toasted, and with a very strange cheese. Unfortunate response to our request to order items from the 15:00 menu (?) at 14:52. Soups and coffees all tepid. Two dishes (chicken) were good.

We stopped here on a hot day in mid May for lunch and was expecting it to be expensive and maybe not that good as it was inside Kew Gardens and a potential tourist trap. Neither was true! We both had quarter chicken which itself was so succulent and seasoned to perfection. You can watch the kitchen staff preparing the food which is nice too. The lunches came with a most wonderful salad and (i think?) potatoes too. Total cost was £39.95 ( two lunches @ £16.50, a large 750ml water @ £3.95 and an apple juice @ £3.00) which I don't think is bad at all for London. Lovely setting and nice staff too but get there sharp, preferably just before lunch as it gets very busy, very quickly..

We went to the Pavilion Bar and grill for a light lunch on this glorious sunny day got a nice table in the shade under the trees. All very promising - my caesar salad was a joke - absolutely awful £12.50 for 2 chunks of lettuce a few chick peas and some utterly ghastly dressing - urgh! My husband had a pasta and pesto salad - equally awful, tasteless and dry - how do they get away with it!!

Beautiful location, clean restaurant and toilets and widely spaced in terms of covid. Opportunity to eat in with a view or outside. Unfortunately they had zero gluten free options. I checked with staff and they said they haven’t had any gluten free deliveries for months. Fair to say I went very hungry. Bumped into another couple who were also desperately looking for gluten free food, to no avail. The audacity of having signs everywhere advising to inform them of allergens, of which they do not actually cater for. Expected better.

Here with family in stunning backdrop of the pavillion. We came with our 3 kids and one of them changed his mind. The staff immediately brought over another meal and were nice enough to avoid charging for the additional meal. Really kind and accommodating particularly considering how busy it was. Can't fault the service at all.

This place serves their cream tea with no cream! When I asked the waiter why there was no cream with the scone he said they don’t serve it with cream and it came with just jam and butter. Why call it a cream tea?! They also neglect to tell you this when you are purchasing the ‘cream tea’ at the counter. A small matter I guess but just seems a bit deceitful and greedy. This place is also not cheap so you expect a bit better here.

Booked this during our day at Kew Gardens. Unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. The choice of food was limited; the portions small; the prices high; and the wine distinctly average. A glass of water for the table was promised and not delivered.

Pandemic wise this bar and grill couldn't be beaten. Guys wandering around clearing tables and sanitising tables and chairs immediately they had been vacated. As a vulnerable person, I felt safe. One way system to get food. Very clean. Food at a reasonable price taking into account you are a captured clientele. Many others jump on that bandwagon. Nice choice of food from hot to great sandwiches. A perfect place to take a break from wadering those wonderful gardens.

Food was delicious for lunch. We had spatchcock tikka chicken and roasted celeriac. Lovely setting too with outdoor tables under vines set in Kew Gardens. Staff very friendly - allergen information very good for nut allergy and gluten free food and more. Best Covid aware restaurant have been to recently - staff and signs very clear with instructions and tables sanitised regularly. Chairs are leaned on the table so you can see which have and have not been sanitised. One way through restaurant and then food delivered to your table. Menus are laminated and once picked up there’s somewhere else for you to put them back so they can be disinfected. Hand sanitizer available throughout the gardens and at every entrance. Would recommend for lunch and a beautiful place to sit!!

Dirty cutlery, poor service, overpriced food and drink. Plant burger ok but tiny portion of sides. Ribs sauce was sweet and sickly. Coffee tasteless and watery. Avoid!

little choice for vegetarians unless you like horrible and wildly overpriced vegan cheese. Arrogant unhelpful staff, such a shame because the restaurant is in such a beautiful setting and could be really special but it is obvious that the only thing that is cared about is making as big a profit margin as possible. You can eat so very much better, for so much less, locally and enjoy smiling helpful service. Avoid!

The Pavilion has poor quality food and offers very little choice. Cannot get much to eat after 3pm. Sandwich selection is really limited and located in a tiny alcove. Clearly they want visitors to buy meals rather than sandwiches so why don't they improve the quality and range of sandwiches? As others have noted, the restaurant is dirty, tables left uncleaned and no replenishment of water or cutlery. Staff are dismissive to the point of rudeness. The old Pavilion restaurant was much better and the previous staff were lovely, friendly and efficient. Kew Gardens 's selection of catering companies deteriorates each time they choose a new company.

Needs to get over itself. Can of Pepsi £2.80 caramel wafer £1.80 seriously!!!!! Food average, queue system for food time consuming. Taking advantage of a captive audience, that's it in a nutshell.

My friend and I had planned to have a meal at the Pavilion but weren't that impressed with the menu choices. Instead we opted for just cake & hot chocolate. The staff were miserable, avoiding eye contact at the bar which rendered you invisible, and were then squabbling amongst themselves. Many of the tables hadn't been cleared and those which been cleared still had food crumbs & residue on the tables. No-one bothered picking up dropped napkins from the floor so overall there was an appearance of the restaurant being dirty. The hot chocolate was so weak it barely tasted of chocolate. The only redeeming items were the 2 cakes which were very nice but expensive at £4 each. In total we paid £15 for 2 hot drinks & 2 cakes in a miserable dirty environment. Never again! Kew Gardens must do better than this offering to visitors

Their website gives incorrect information. It says light plates until 4.30, well, last Sunday (20th) the woman on duty told me it is actually 4.00. V. disappointing. Sort out your website...

Came here for dinner when seeing the Chihuly Nights exhibition. They have slightly rebranded as Pavilion bar & grill with a new menu. Prices are on the expensive side but that is to be expected inside the gardens I guess. It seems staff have learnt the lessons and were better organised than suggested by previous guests. Staff were attentive and welcoming. Most people were there for drinks; I was there for food and staff pointed me to a separate queue which sped things up. Food arrived much quicker than I thought and was fresh. Portion size was reasonable. There was a live band and I sat at a table right next to them and it was a bit loud. There is a self-service water station. The is a small shop next to the dining area. Overall not a bad visit.

We had booked tickets to see Chihuly at night at Kew ( which was amazing ) & after noticing that The Pavilion had re-opened we were looking forward to going there for dinner. Previously the Pavilion had served great salads, quiches, cakes etc Although the staff were miserable & it was dis-organised the food was good & we loved sitting outside in the summer.We went there on Thursday evening & they were busy, we had to queue for 15 minutes just to order, it seemed very chaotic & dis-organised. Credit to the staff they were lovely & friendly. We eventually ordered, then you have to wait for your drinks, get your own cutlery & condiments. Now for the prices they are serving you do expect a bit of service.The food came out very quickly & whilst it tasted fine it was cold, by this time the queue was out of the door. The portion of chips with the burger was tiny, floppy & cold, the burger was cold as well. The other dishes also had cold chips, for the prices they charge it was very disappointing. Also the selection of dishes wasn’t great, I just don't understand why Kew struggles so much with it’s eateries. Years ago the food used to be great with a good variety amongst the different places, now they just seem to be more interested in charging steep prices with no care or pride in what they offer. Such a shame as the staff were lovely but they must be missing out on a fortune in sales.

I'd planned this visit for ages to eat at the new Pavilion bar and grill with my mother during a visit to Kew gardens. We found a table and had to clear it of used plates etc ourselves then found a menu and chose food. You order at the bar with a table number but I was told - at 3.03 pm after a long queue - that they stopped serving food at 3! Yet the Gardens are open until 7pm . What a wasted opportunity! Come on Kew up your game please

Decided to try the new Bar and Grill for breakfast today.Lovely setting and helpful staff but sadly these are the only plus points.The cooked offerings were bacon sandwich ,egg sandwich or sausage sandwich or a combination of each.No tomatoes ,mushrooms or any other sides.We had the bacon with two eggs.They appeared to have been microwaved ,you could barely cut through the tasteless bacon and the eggs were rubbery with the yokes broken and dry.The ' sourdough ' bread was plastic manufactured slicesAbsolutely dreadful and to be honest I doubt I will renew my membership as there are so many lovely green spaces in the area which are free and have lovely eateries.

Food has always been Kew Gardens' biggest failing. Compared with, for example, the average National Trust cafe, the eating places at Kew have served unappetising food in unattractive venues. Then they opened the Botanical with its lakeside setting and friendly waiting staff, and a decent brunch menu. Shame they didn't just serve that all day, really.

Really enjoyed my lunch here yesterday. I chose the vegetable stack as a gluten free option, and it was absolutely delicious, if perhaps on the tepid side. ROAST VEGAN HALLOUMI & VEGETABLE STACK . Served very promptly, on a base of mushroom with roasted peppers and a side of scrumptious sweet potato, and a marvellous outside setting to boot.

Gorgeous salmon salad. Good menu. Great size portions and wonderful views. Inside and outside seating areas. Excellent service.

We were eagerly anticipating it's opening, having watched the building work over the past months. Unfortunately we were disappointed! The setting is nice enough, especially outside amongst the vines. But the menu is fussy and very expensive. Sadly no longer a place where we will go to have a nice snack during our many visits.

The old pavilion restaurant had many problems and we hoped these would be addressed in its new incarnation. How can they have got it so wrong.

It’s not cheap. Almost £16 for a burger and a coffee. Vegan burger was cold, falling apart, buns weren’t fresh. Pff. I could have saved at least £12 and eat a better burger in McDonalds. Avoid this place.

The new building looks great, but sadly the food and service are very poor. Gordon Ramsey would surely be shouting obscenities if he visited and saw the quality of food on offer.

The Pavillion Restaurant has been rebuilt and it could be fantastic...but it is not there yet. We went a week or so after the new building was open and the queues were awful. You needed to queue to place an order and then wait at a table for your food to be brought to you...and the delays were long.

Probably the handiest restaurant for lunch while visiting Kew Gardens. Not cheap but reasonable value and good quality food for such a busy cafeteria-style place. Efficient and friendly staff ensured that all went well. We had to share a table with another couple but that was fine in these circumstances.

We had a great evening visiting Christmas at Kew ( age range 1 - 62) so many magical lights to see. We should have allowed at least 2 hours. We will definitely do this again - thank you Kew Gardens!

Booked dinner for after Christmas lights at Kew. Dinner was and additional £35 (not including lights). It comprised of a large glass of mulled wine (not usually a fan but nice and sweet and piping hot) and 2 course meal. We all had the sea bass which had a nice flavour but only came with a little bit of kale on the side. My friend commented -’surely they could have included a carb.’ Even half a potato would have been appreciated. Enjoyed the plum tart as they plums could easily be scrapped off (not a fan of cooked fruit so didn’t want the fruit cake either). Lovely service and had a great seat by the window so we could still see the Frozen installation but really not enough food for the price aid.

Very nice and relaxing to stop and have a very enjoyable pot of tea and sit and people watch while re gaining back the energy to go take a look at the other sites to see in Kew

식사는 카페테리아 식으로 평범했으나 로얄 보타닉 가든을 보면서 간단한 식사와 와인 한잔 하는 것도 좋습니다. 날씨 좋을 때는 실내가 좀 더워요. 야외좌석을 추천합니다.

at almost £10 for some dry fish off cuts in breadcrumbs and some chips on a paper plate this is very poor value for money.

After walking several hours on the grounds, this restaurant provided delicious warm dishes. The pricing was actually very reasonable.

We tried this 1 later in the afternoon but again very expensive and not enough choice. Could do with better informed staff. Even the sandwiches were not very nice. It was a shame we could have given 5 stars if the foos had more choice and the price was more reasonable.

After a visit in the beautiful Kew Garden on a sunny afternoon, we decided to take a rest at this Cafe. We were impressed by the terasse and the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy some sun. This was the best bit of this place. Avoid everything else! We bought a pecan pie (very mediocre, less pecan more jelly) 1 slice of bread baked with cheese and pesto (OK taste but super expensive) one can of beverage and one Café from the machine in a paper cup because they didn't had cups anymore (I asked the waiter (this coffee out of the machine was maybe worth 20 pence? And they charge what? 2,6! Crazy ) everything is obviously self service. To pay for this "snack" nearly 13 pounds was just unbelievable. Skip it and enjoy the sun from one of the benches in the garden.

We chose the "choose 3 different things" and it was surprisingly good for the price. The seating ouside beneath the vines was very cosy. Nice staff. Good cakes, too.

A dry bun, large leaf of iceberg lettuce, cheese?, dry beefburger and soggy chips was not appetizing. My local pub charges less money for a tasty burger that includes, cheese, cheddar or stilton, onions, bacon and a homemade burger and tasty chips. This garden is delightful and many people were enjoying the day but not the lunch.

And I don't just mean for food.. Which was pretty rough..not a great deal of choice ...hot food was precooked and reheated on bbq..staff pleasant but not very efficient, facilities not brilliant...

Paramos en el café para algunos pasteles, en años anteriores el pastel en Kew ha sido deliciosa y a buen precio. Sin embargo, el precio han subido el tamaño de las porciones han bajado y la calidad de la tarta era pobre. Por el precio que China espera platos y tazas. £2 para una bolsa de té en una taza de papel! ?

thefood was fine and service ok, nothing much more to add. Good day out with friends and family……………

Es un autoservicio de cafetería estilo debenhams, no de restaurante. Tuve el pollo asado con hortalizas de raíz": este era 1 pequeñas piernas de pollo con col (las verduras de raíz supongo! Cubiertas con algunas ensaladas) hojas. Este coste de £11. 50. . . . . También tuve un bol pequeño de patatas asadas, que cuesta 3 libras. 95. Me sentí completamente estafado. Sí, los asientos al aire libre es precioso y el personal es agradable pero no compensa la mala calidad, comida cara.

Este es un restaurante estilo cafetería en los terrenos de los jardines botánicos reales de Kew.

Por desgracia, la comida era nadar en varios salsa y no de los cientos de vegetales frescos tienen disponible por 2.45. La izquierda más de lo que era parecía terrible. Tuvimos que comer la venta y estaba lleno de queso salado

Like the other two Peyton & Bryne outlets inside Kew Gardens they are basically overpriced. The outside seating area however is lovely; sitting under the giant grapevines in the shade on a hot summers day is really nice. The staff are friendly but the wait times can be long - not enough staff? The same person makes the hot drinks and takes the money, so only one person can be served at a time.

Excellent food. We have eaten at this restaurant many times. The food is fresh, uncomplicated and well catered for vegetarians (although I am not one). The chefs are always willing to accommodate some requests.

Es ist wirklich schön auf der Terrasse im Freien zu sitzen!Bis man zu seiner gewünschten Speise kommt, dauert es wirklich ziemlich lange. An der Kaffeetheke hat nur eine Person bedient bei einer langen Schlange von Gästen.Da paßt offenbar beim Management was nicht!Ich hatte eine Schokoladentorte, die recht gut geschmeckt hat, aber trotzdem überteuert war.

We were pleasantly surprised at the quality and range of food available. Generally we find cafes or restaurants in attractions like this to be overpriced fast food fodder but not here! The food was fab! It looked home made rather than mass produced. Salads, quiches, pies, yummy! Hubby had salmon fish cakes with beetroot slaw, I had chicken leg with mustard potatoes and kidney beans, about £8 per meal. We thought for the quality this was good value. The cakes were tasty. Hubby approved of the espresso too! The other cafes and restaurants also offered a good range. Defo recommended!

I have reviewed this restaurant in my main Kew review so this is a summary! Over priced, limited choice, poor food quality (cold mash, dry pies), paper plates, plastic cutlery, non-descript seating area. Better option is to take a picnic with you!

Visiting Kew Gardens you will need to stop for a break and this is the right place for something nice to eat

Long, slow moving queues for poor quality, expensive food and inadequate, dirty seating/tables. Bring a picnic or visit nearby cafes/restaurants first!

We visited on a Saturday afternoon toward the end of Sept 2015. Rugby World Cup was in full-swing so perhaps this explains the crowds ? Large hall, plenty of food-variety and plenty of seating in the pavillion at large [shared] tables. Dining experience was fine - but expensive. One couple in front of us at the checkout were preparing to pay for two lunches - cash in-hand - but to had to reach for the plastic when the bill was totalled : £45. Excessive I thought myself. Lunch in a garden restaurant for 2 people shouldn't cost £45 ? Bear in mind one has to select one's own food and then share a table with screaming children.

Lovely cup of tea, but had hoped for a reasonable choice of hot food. Sadly not. Guess this is because of the time of year and not many visitors. Will take my own picnic on my next visit.

We have been coming to Kew for years as we really love the gardens but the catering facilities have deteriorated to an all time low. We visited the Pavilion Restaurant today, where we were served insipid watery soup in a polystyrene cup , drinks in polystyrene cups and cake on polystyrene plates! The cutlery was plastic ! We were told that the reason that there was no proper tableware was because the place was soon closing for the winter. This was not true as the same polystyrene and plastic was being used in the Victoria Plaza Restaurant which stays open all year. Although we love the gardens, we are very disappointed that the catering facilities are so bad. It is not cheap to eat at Kew but what's on offer does not match the price.

We stopped for a rest and had some great food, the only thing I could find fault with is when you have been served with your food (hot) you then have to queue up to pay sometimes the queue could be quite long and waiting 10 mins so the food had gone cool.

The location is great, of course being in Kew Gardens helps, but that's about the only good thing that can be said about this place. Ugly looking building from the outside and not much better on the inside, think school canteen crossed with cheap cafe and draughty greenhouse (how it can call itself a "restaurant" is beyond me). Self-service, which I don't mind if the food is good, but it was most certainly not and at £9-50 for a roll, £5-00 for a small slice of cake & £15-00 for a hot meal (consisting of only 3 small items) it was stupidly overpriced!! I don't expect to pay that sort of money & have to sit at a dirty table to eat my lunch having to drink my £2-50 coffee out of a plastic cup!! I wonder what Mr Oliver Peyton would have to say about the food etc being served in his name! My advice is DON'T eat here unless you don't mind being ripped off!!!

This place has a great range of food and drinks to suit most tastes. It is situated in a good location in the gardens. There is both inside and outside dining. Toilets were clean.

Coffee was good. Cakes and pastries unimpressive. Loos clean when we visited. It was a nice day so sitting outside was pleasant. I think Kew could do better.

Located in Kew Gardens is a wonderful place to be, especially sitting outdoors. The food is good and of the healthy type but is overpriced. Mediocre wine very overpriced and IMPOSSIBLE to find a clean glass from which to drink it!

Lovely food in here however I found it was quite expensive. Not particularly great when the coffee is in a plastic cup would have preferred a proper cup, otherwise very nice food.

£9.50 for a "large" bowl of salad (about the size of half a large grapefruit)??Can of lemonade £1.90Nobody serving at the hot food counter and, when they did arrive, broke off half way through serving to chat to a friend.Nobody at the till until 6 people were queuing. By the time we'd paid and sat down the food was cold.On leaving to go to the Underground station we found a good selection of eateries to choose from - go there instead.

The food is overpriced and very out in the open to all hands, coughing, sneezing and flies....certainly not the best for the hygiene concious..... the labeling is very nondescript and a real minefield for anyone with allergies outside of the big 13....take your own!

It is what it is: somewhere to sit down for a break whilst visiting the Gardens, but it is pricey, not particularly good and as it seems general in London these days, offering very poor service

Busy overpriced with lousy food, but to be fair no more than I was expecting inside a venue in London

le restaurant en self ,propose beaucoup de choix.l' endroit est grand et lumineux.Quand il fait beau,il y a des tables dehors bien espacées.On y trouve meme des légumes du potager .Après une longue visite,c'est le réconfort.

We went inside towards the end of the day to get a drink and ice cream . A little pricy but pleasant enough. To be expected London prices. The ice cream in tubs was very good ,chocolate ,vanilla and strawberry.

Just an average cafe with noisy children. It all looked a bit in need of a makeover. There was a bucket in the middle of the floor to catch drips from the leaking roof. In the same building was a shop selling the usual souvenirs. It however served its purpose ie somewhere to sit and have a cup of tea and a piece of cake. Other items were also available

I had a nice tea and a slice of orange and chocolate cake. The cake was nice, but if it didn't have cream inbetween the two layers it would have been very dry. My husband had a tasty blueberry muffin and coffee. The server was efficient and fast. Although it was quite pricey. But we got to sit in the sunshine and enjoy it, so who can complain? :)

The place is nice, the menue is normal, nothing special hoever it is expensive. The grape vine is perfect spot to site and enjoy your lunch.

Lunch was wholesome salads and sandwiches. The Pavilions has a good range of healthy foods. Kids sandwiches of cheese and ham were perfect for smaller appetites and salads for the grown ups. Take you lunch out to the patios and admire the vines. I'd like to go back in September to check out the grapes.

Lots of seating but food on expensive side. Couldn't find any serviettes but nice experience sat outside under grape vines

Abbiamo mangiato qui durante la visita. Piatti buoni e tipici della tradizione inglese (carne, verdura, insalate) cucinati molto bene. Abbiamo anche preso dei sandwich e delle bibite molto buone (Fentimans). Un po' caldo nei mesi estivi, consiglio di mangiare all'aperto.

I cannot remember having eating hot food here before - usually going for a cake or sandwich but today went for the roasted vegetable salad. It was a large portion and good quality but just needed something else to make it less boring tasting. I went to the Orangery a few days previously and had a slad plate of 3 salads which was far better.

We went in there for some afternoon tea. The food was exactly the same as in the Orangery and White peaks we had visited earlier and though it was 45 mins before closing time they were busy sweeping round us and one got the impression the left overs were on offer.

All we had were sandwiches and they were very good. Big portions for the price you pay. The building is big and can seat quite a big number of people inside but if you go on a sunny day seat outside as there are plenty of tables there as well. There were not really many options in relation to food: 2 sandwiches, 2 salads or Sunday roast. Also there was just 1 till accepting debit/credit cards so the queue was a bit long.

In the Summer, there is no restaurant in Kew to beat the Pavillion. There is an enormous area to eat outside with pergolas of vines and a lot of trees so you can sit in the sun or the shade.On a beautiful day, there is nothing to beat it. Kew Gardens was looking stunning and it was a sunny day. The food is not amazing but the tea and cakes were good enough for an enjoyable tea. The views are amazing and there is a lot of room for my four year old twin grandchildren to run around.It could be heaven if the food were better...but the overall impression is still positive.

Once we passed it we decided that's a perfect place to have lunch, but we were so wrong.. It's nice to sit outside and relax, maybe have a cup of tea if you don't mind waiting in a que for one about 10 min. As the choice of hot food was so little we decide to go for sandwiches. Two persons from our family took salmon sandwiches which was truly unbeatable. Taste like the spreding cheese went off some time ago. After telling this to a stuff member I got a answer that nobody else has complained! Really disappointin! Next time would take my packed lunch instead

The food here was delicious but the many, many uncleared tables outside was very off putting. The two young staff members did their best to clear up but were underequipped. They need a proper trolley with a rubbish bag attached and the ability to stack lots of crockery without it falling over. The small trolley they were using today was not fit for purpose and I felt for them!

We had 3 soups with a single slice of bread ( a roll would have been nicer) for £4.95 but a single piece of treacle tart was £3.95. Cakes are expensive! Bottled water was reasonable but staff could have pointed out that free drinking water was available.

The Palace Pavilion is nice enough, with lots of outdoor seating. The salad bar (buffet style so open to all and sundry) was revolting. Staff were there cleaning up the dropped food but overall it was very sad looking. But maybe I just don't like buffets of any kind where the great unwashed have access.Only one soup on offer (lentils and peppercorns) with nice fresh bread - but scraped from the bottom of the pot so full of green peppercorns. Too much.Sandwiches are prepackaged. Probably good for tea and scones. They had other items liked potato wedges, baked salmon, etc that all looked appetising. Staff friendly and helpful. Overall I'd give it a miss and take a packed lunch instead.

We have usually been disappointed with eating places located within London visitor attractions, but the Pavilion restaurant was a pleasant surprise. We had pork chops with mixed roasted veggies and potato wedges - tasty and well cooked. It was also nice to be able to eat outside on a sunny day.

Unfortunately we found the Pavillion very disappointing. There wasn't much choice of food and the salad didn't look very appetizing. We had egg sandwiches but we were unable to eat them as the bread was stale.

You can see why the entrance fee to Kew has rocketed over the years, what it must cost to keep this place going with heat bills in the winter must be enormous! Having worked in Africa and holidaying in tropical climes to see the flora of these countries in London seemed bazaar. Very interesting for children as many of the plants are labelled and there is literature into what they are used for especially in medicines. We visited in the height of summer but even so it was extremely humid in the Palace it would be welcome to warm up there ona awinters day!

I had a vegetarian dish( it was a big portion) with peppermint tea, which was quite delicious! We sat outdoor, enjoying the sun and great conversation!

I've had good food but it is pricey and late afternoon has few choices. In my group of 8 most of thought it didn't have what we wanted but it does have nice desserts and tea.

Great little place. Nice coffees and cakes. I loved my Kew Muffin and would recommend them! Lunch sounded good, but we missed it as we were too far away by then and ate elsewhere.

Beautiful old building in a fab setting. Quiet fairly early in the morning. Very good and friendly staff. Excellent coffee and so many cakes to choose from!

Make no mistake the 'etc' is great. You can get beautiful cakes, biscuits and much much more. You can make a real occasion out of it

Seating could be more comfortable....and more of it. When the 'rains came down' space was at a premium. Choice of food is not wide and beverages are served either in paper, or plastic, cups.....rarely a good sign. However, staff are friendly and helpful.

Good quality, service really good though the price of a burger a little steep although it is London I suppose. A nice environment to eat and a glass of Pimms was a real tonic.

The food was good value as was the wine and the scenerylovel way to spend Sunday.kew has tried hard to ensure you experience Experience a value for money day

Excelente refeição no Palace Pavillion. Comida diferenciada, com salmão no ponto certo. Uma delícia, num dia frio e chuvoso. Ambiente claro e acolhedor ao mesmo tempo. Dá para passar o dia no parque almoçando aqui.

Buffet lunch--many choices in all price ranges, from snacks, desserts, sandwiches, and beverages to full meals...at times, there are barbeques outside on the grill..plenty of indoor and outdoor seating...

This is the best place to eat if you are visiting Kew Botanic Gardens on a sunny day. The sandwiches and cakes are well presented and tasty and the salads are good. The best thing though is the eating area outside, which has plenty of shade from clever planting and is ideal for little children to run around. We usually take our two year old grandchildren here and they love it. It is in a less busy part of the gardens but is well worth the extra walk.

always a good selection of really good sandwiches and cakes and pastries as well as soups,excellent and hot dishes and salads at lunchtime,self service and can get hectic at times with clean up of tables being a bit slack.

The dining "hall" draws down the grade one step. Plain tables, no decorations what so ever, a bit noisy. But the food tasted good and I can't complain about the prices either - pretty much as high as anywhere else in and around London.Reading the other reviews I can't say I recognize myself - one of the reviews seems to be for another cafe in Kew gardens - not this place.

On the Sunday when we visited, the queues to get food and drink stretched across the pavilion and into the gift shop next door. The food is displayed on open plates - children were picking the food up with their bare hands. examining it and then putting it back. Yuck!