The Pantry in Stratford-on-Avon

Coffee was ok. Staff were lovely. But, for the price, the portions of cake were tiny. And the banana cake was dry and tasteless. Not great.

Pleasant enough to look at. Friendly staff, but made a few mistakes with the order. Cake was rather disappointing. My slice was served as a jumble of crumbs and bits of cake in a paper box; it was replaced with no problem. Coffee tasted very ordinary. When we asked whether we could have a scone with butter she said the don't have any butter only jam and cream. We asked was there a healthy cake option but there wasn't really.

Found this great place to have a coffee and slice of cake. Really friendly staff and welcoming, with a fantastic range of options for food and drinks, including gluten free. Relaxed atmosphere and good music.

My first visit here, nicely decorated and very friendly staff, served by Emily. Comfy seating, good selection of drinks and cakes. Nice views of the River Avon.

Have visited Josephine's for coffee and an occasional pastry several times a week for several months. Have always found staff friendly and efficient, especially Sylvia and Alice. Coffee is good, which is why we return.

What a lovely little gem of a place. Airy and comfortable. The tea and coffee was good quality & delicious. Highly recommend the Biscoff cheesecake. Excellent service provided by a lovely lady.

Called in for a drink mid afternoon with friends, the girl serving was on her own but the service was efficient and quick although no small talk, the place was clean but the gents toilet was not the best, there was no hand drier or towels,

Stopped for coffee and sandwich on a busy Monday afternoon. Staff pleasant, coffee freshly prepared, and beautifully presented sandwich. Reasonably priced for the area. Strange it wasnt busier. Limited menu, but well done

Went in here to order three takeaway drinks before catching a bus. Waited 20 minutes and had to ask why people who came in after us were being served before us. The 'baristas' couldn't have cared less. Of course, we missed the bus. Definitely will not be returning.

35 mins wait for two coffees Superb location which is why I imagine they can keep going One cake (coffee) to choose from Go elsewhere

I have been going to the pantry off and on since it opened, we haven’t been for a while and we were on that side of the river after a morning walk, so decided to grab a tea. We got a table very easily as it was quiet. We ordered 3 decaf teas, a latte and a babyccino. The first thing was the lack of options, the pantry used to have a brilliant selection of loose tea available, now it’s just the basics which are overpriced. We sat down and waited. The lack of basic cafe/communication skills resulted in me having to go and get our order while it sat on the counter quietly cooling on its own. The cups were grimy/dirty we asked to replace one cup and was met with a reaction like we’d just insulted a family member. The tea pots either needed scrubbing hard or binning, and we were missing 2 drink. The latte eventually arrived and was not worth the wait the milk was burnt and the grind was off (I have some experience working in a coffee shop) and the babyccino was something…..not a babyccino but something! A family member needed a sugar boost (diabetic) and went to the counter to buy a 4 finger basic KitKat and was charged £1.40! It’s safe to say if it wasn’t needed we would not have payed this! It saddens me to see such a lovely coffee shop like this, it still looks great and is in a lovely location but I would not recommend at all. Yes most things like this have increased in price but I think the pantry staff should wear stripped tops and masks to give you some inclination on what is about to happen when you enter. Walk through the town towards the birthplace and visit Hobsons it’s worlds better.

I was lucky enough to find this place when I was walking my dog and the rain started to pour down. This cafe is dog friendly and in a great location of Stratford! The staff were kind and very accommodating. Definitely worth a visit!

The place offers a calming and comfortable atmosphere, the staff is very friendly and helpful. My girlfriend and I felt looked after and nowadays that's a rare experience to have with these types of places. The price list is on the high end but you get what you pay for and their selection of coffee and cakes was great! (as it should be expected from a coffee shop) My only complaint is that when the place gets packed, the waiting times are inescapable. We waited around for a while so my advice would be to plan your visit on their busy days or you might end up waiting for a table. Other than that, I highly recommend it!

Friendly staff and great coffee, in a beautiful location by the river. Barista seemed to be breezing through the rush, clearly management are doing something right👌🏻

We visited during half term! The lady and her colleague were so lovely! Even though it was a busy Saturday, our little dog was still looked after with a doggy bowl and a treat! Highly recommend, great atmosphere and perfect location

This is a lovely little coffee shop based just next door to the Cox's yard. My husband and I took our kids there on a Saturday and despite it being busy the staff were quick to make our coffees and offer us advice on places to take the kids on our day out. The weather was decent so the lovely young lady running the place suggested we visit the Clifford garden centre as it has a playground for little ones and nice shops to look around. This would be a gem in the summer and we will definitely be returning. My little boy loved the chocolate fudge cake!

The Pantry This place ‘looks’ lovely, but don’t be deceived. We popped in today (Friday afternoon) for a tea and cappuccino. I was interested in grabbing a bite to eat until I realised that a simple cheese sandwich was £4.90!! When we arrived there were only 2 people waiting to be served and they were already sat at tables. We were at the front of the queue, so I thought that the service would be quick. We were ignored for approximately 5 minutes whilst (I’m assuming) the manager counted money out of the till and had a conversation with a member of staff. The initial greeting was cold to say the least; no smile, no chit-chat, no small talk. I purposely was over polite when ordering, in the hope that I would receive the same in return. I didn’t. It took 10 minutes for our tea and cappuccino to arrive. Overall really disappointing service, I don’t think the waiting staff even wanted to be there. If you want over priced tea, sandwiches and no form of customer service, this is the place for you. I was really hoping that this would be a lovely end to our bus tour of Stratford-Upon-Avon, but unfortunately it was far from that.

Limited menu, executed relatively poorly. Very much a style over substance vibe. One member of staff worked her socks off whilst another played with her phone constantly. Ignoring orders. Overpriced and would not return given the lovely cafes around

Probably the most expensive ice cream in Stratford upon Avon! We ordered 2 single scoops of ice cream. For £3.25 each, we were given a desert spoonful. We did ask for more and after being told that what we had been given (a half empty...

Stopped here for a coffee during our visit to Stratford. The cafe is conveniently close to the river and town centre and offers outdoor seating. The staff were friendly and efficient and our coffee delicious..

Visited last Friday afternoon... Only drinks available and a few pieces of cakes.. No sandwiches or other snacks available.. Not a great place to visit if hungry..

We visited The Pantry for tea and scones during our recent visit to Stratford. The staff were friendly and our scones were delicious. I didn't get chance to finish my tea though, due to us leaving promptly because we felt uncomfortable with the lack of...

Absolutely appalling service by one member of staff (tall lady with dark hair). Spoke to people in a disgusting manner. Other two members of staff were lovely and very apologetic. Incredibly disappointed by the experience as she let the whole establishment down. Multiple people put...

Lovely hot coffee , friendly staff, very clean , a nice location to meet up with friends , would recommend

This is an ideal place for a light lunch and probably great for any other time you want a break. We enjoyed really tasty, freshly made sandwiches and not only was the food good but so was the service. It’s location is very convenient to...

Popped in again to the Pantry and had lunch. The sandwiches were freshly made, excellent value for money and delicious. The atmosphere was great, staff attentive, cheery and helpful. Would highly recommend.

The best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted! Each sip was so lovely and chocolatey, the staff were nice and the ambiance was pleasant🥰 will defo visit you guys again

Pleasant experience for us. We were welcomed and enjoyed drinks and toasties. All enjoyable and resonably priced. Very nice decor and right by the marina. Did notice outside seating for a warm sunny day.

Called in for coffee on the way to the Butterfly Farm. So lovely we went back for lunch. Delicious freshly made toasted sandwiches, gorgeous cakes. Meals made to order so be prepared for a wait but worth it. Decor had plenty to keep us looking...

Went in for pot of tea. Nice. Menu very reasonable. Close to theatre. Liked bikes and lights decoration.

Worth a visit, though if your in a hurry to eat, it’s not the place for you - the food is made fresh and when it’s busy there can be a wait, but do as we did, grab a coffee/pot of tea and take a...

We have visited the pantry before and had nice food with good service but this time something has definitely gone wrong ! The shop was half full when we arrived and the people at the next table where complaining that they had waited 35minutes for...

I can only assume that that the cafe wasn’t expecting people on the day we called in...waited while a solitary assistant made coffee from the previous order, he then politely and efficiently took my order and my money...I took the coffees and awaited the the...

My hubby and I visited The Pantry on a visit to Stratford between Christmas and New Year. We are regular visitors to Stratford and haven’t come across The Pantry before; unfortunately, we probably won’t be returning. It is a lovely looking cafe within a great location, and feels very warm and homely inside. It was fairly busy and we ordered 2 x herbal teas, soup and a toastie. The teas were lovely and presented well. The food was really slow and 4 or 5 tables before us were complaining that they were still waiting for food. Our food took about 30-minutes to arrive. We wouldn’t have minded if they had said on ordering but they didn’t say there was a delay. It seemed to be run by people that didn’t really know what they were doing. When our food eventually arrived, the waitress half-heartedly apologised. My toastie was nice but came minus the crisps that were supposed to be included. With all the other nice cafes in Stratford, we probably won’t be returning.

Stopped here for hot chocolate which was delicious. There is a table running along the front window which offers a good place to watch people as they walk along the main street and the pretty Lygon Arms opposite.

Nice atmosphere in this modern cafe near the river. Staff friendly and the food is excellent. Toasties, sandwiches and cakes available also a hot alternative.

We (myself and my hubby alongside our two beautiful girls aged5 and 1) came across this cafe.... on arrival it was nice and spacious, which was great as there was no inconvenience bringing the buggy in.

Lovely food, interesting choice enjoyed the decor, they do need more staff, ots of interesting tea and beer !

We stumbled across The Pantry yesterday after visiting the Butterfly Farm. It was extremely clean and the staff were pleasant. Cakes were amazing and the prices were reasonable. Apart from cakes, danish pastries and scones, there seemed to be no other food available. The choice felt limiting, and there was just so much potential to offer something more, especially with a restaurant next door. Surely there could have been some toasted tea-cakes, or sandwiches. There were 4 staff, but no one helped to clear the tables. Customers had t clear their own tables. All hot food finished at 4pm. Toilets were spotless.

Firstly, food is good. Limited selection but very tasty and came quite fast. But the whole set up of the place- including have menus on boards at the till (you have to queue to get a menu) and also on a board on the wall (get out the queue to go stand by the wall and read the other half of the menu) is quite bizarre. Like many others have said, staff have no interest in being there, with one of them taking half our order, then saying to a colleague “I can’t deal with this” and having a rant about another colleague whilst we were still stood there halfway through our order. Very strange. Staff need training- they aren’t short staffed, there were four of them on the floor and there’s only about 10 tables! Personally we felt like we had inconvenienced them by ordering rather than giving them business. Give it a miss.

I cannot believe that somewhere would still use horrible disposable plastic cutlery in 2019. It completely ruined what could have been a nice lunch. Also, although good baby changing facilities and high chairs are available they do not offer a children's menu.

Would benefit from signage, visited with my dog and was only told when ordering drink that they are not allowed. Busy, grubby cafe so very surprised. Would suggest signage on the doors to help others avoid this mistake.

Simply the best ice cream in Stratford. Use the entrance from the canal basin side and you’ll be at the ice cream counter.

I popped in here eat something light, have a coffee and charge my phone. It looks quite cute from the outside, but inside it’s pretty grimy and needs a good clean. There were 2 dirty tables. I sat at the cleanest dirty table, which had crumbs on it. Staff are like robots. I ordered a cheese and onion toastie which was so full of big chunks of raw red onion that it obviously didn’t cook at all, so the toastie was totally cold. I picked most of it out, taking much of the meagre amount of cheese with it. The side salad was half a handful of something green and wilted, caked in the most sour dressing I’ve ever had the misfortune to try.

We had just arrived in Stratford and were dying for a hot drink and snack, we walked past The pantry which was quiet (perhaps we should have seen that as a sign and kept walking), we went to the food counter where a lady was complaining she had not been given her food (another sign), anyhow we ordered a toastie and a leek and potato tart along with a cappuccino and chai latte, we took the drinks outside and waited and waited and then we waited some more, my Chai latte had gone cold, we waited for 20 minutes, others had come in and left with cakes, ice creams etc. We decided to go the counter and ask where our food was, the girl who served us had not pressed the magic button to send the order to the kitchen even though she had taken the tart into the kitchen herself. We asked for and got our money back for the food, there was only a half hearted apology by the staff. I suggest that you give this place a miss, there are probably many cafe's that are so much better than this one, I just wished we had gone to one. I think the owners should check their staff understand the ordering system.

The decor and ambiance of the place is appealing but the young waitress/server with long dark hair and yellow nail polish could barely grunt, let alone smile, while the other girls were friendly, working hard and excellent with customers this girl was quite ignorant , what a let down when others were working so hard. The toilets were quite dirty , they needed a good clean and dust, months worth of dust, again a let down, the food was ok, nothing more, it's the kind of place that needs the owner / manager to to take charge and improve things as it's a great location and the decor is interesting but there are lots of other places to go in Stratford and people will just do that. What a shame.

What a treasure to stumble on! Grest food and service at a reasonable price! Highly recommended! Right behind Shakespeare's statue!

I visited The Pantry a couple of times during a weekend away in Stratford upon Avon and was really impressed. It is located in a lovely old building near the park and river. The coffee was delicious as were the cakes that we had. Even though it was March, it was lovely sitting outside in the sun but it was also cosy to sit inside the following day when it was cooler. The staff were friendly and the service great. Well worth a visit!

It was busy the day of the river festival, but we got a table, the cakes were delicious and the coffee did the trick!

Visited here during the River Festival. Found a table ready to order food and drink. Luckily for us we visited the cloakroom before ordering. My friend came back actually wretching to tell me that one toilet was covered in menstrual blood and the other looked like it hadn't been cleaned for days. I felt so bad when I entered as I could hear a mother and child enter into the next cubicle where there had been blood everywhere and the lady was trying to explain away the sight. Please see photo of the toilet I entered and the sign above. Needless to say after using the facilities we left. God knows what the kitchen was like. We didn't want to take the chance of ordering food so I cannot comment on its quality.

The title says it all. Friendly attentive staff. Food was lovely and the coffee amazing. Enjoyed it so much we returned later that day for a second helping.

The overall appearance of the cafe was charming and the range of teas and coffees and the food displays good.

Don’t bother here- not even the staff do! Pretty much all the tables needed cleaning, and they actually seemed upset that you wanted to order food! Can you imagine that- me wanting to buy food that pay THEIR wages?!

Just had a coffee in the Pantry, was served was Lucy who was a delight. She provided fantastic service and her smile was contagious. Thank you for a great moment, will definitely be back (great coffee and loose leaf tea choice).

On reading some of the reviews below I have to say I am totally shocked!

Lovely place to sit in the sun for a cup of coffee and a toastie. Close to the centre. Wheelchair friendly around the other side, otherwise steps to get in

We went to the pantry for some lunch today, it was lovely and sunny so we sat outside. There was some glass on floor by the outside tables which the waitress said they could not clear up which we thought a little weird and was worried as have a toddler. We stayed but moved further away from the glass, food and coffee was lovely and reasonably priced, although took a little longer than expected to come out for just toasties but they did appolagise for the wait and waitresses were lovely too. There was quite a bit of empty plates and cups left on tables around us and the staff were either on phone texting or in kitchen chatting and eating Ice cream. I think this place would be an easy 5star if the staff were just a little more conscientious and cleaned up and concentrated on customer service more.

Won’t bother going here again. Was told I had to sit outside with my dog, despite inside being empty. Not impressed given most coffee shops and cafés in Stratford allow dogs.

We came here yesterday lunch.The staff are the most absent, rude, uninterested people. No hello, goodbye, thank you or single smile. I have worked in hospitality for over 6 years and no the most important part of a customer experience is the service. The young girl who was working even stood scrolling through her phone while she was serving somebody complete No-no. Only came in here because the venue looked sweet. We came in here for two quick drinks but ended up not even finishing them. The americano coffee was rancid had big coffee grinds in it and the pot of green tea was unwashed and far too bitter to drink as the basket had been filled up with way too much tea. There was also dirt everywhere, old food stuck down the side of benches and tables, Unwiped tables that you had to clear yourself if you wanted to sit down. Miserable staff could be forgiven if the drinks were nice but it was a complete waste of money and time. Such a waste of a sweet cafe and great location. I think the staff need much needed coffee training and customer service training. And whoever runs the venue should really leave reliable, enthusiastic staff to run the shifts if they want to build a firm and returning customer base. Big shame.

Sadly, we had the misfortune to visit The Pantry again last week. I swore I would never go again after our last visit, but we had a baby that needed feeding so needed to head to somewhere warm. We were a group of 11, and were looking for one of the bigger tables to squeeze round. I asked an older lady (with attitude) if the table was free but I didn't hear her mumbled reply. I asked her to repeat herself, to which she snapped "yes". No further niceties. At the till, I asked if they had any diet drinks. I got a curt "no" in response. Nothing else, no apology, no pointing me towards the free water station, nothing. We went to select some cakes and was told "you can't help yourself, we do it for you" .....but the plates and tongs are right at the front of the counter, not behind the counter, so how was I to know this?! The final straw was when we were getting up to leave and the older (very rude) lady practically pushed past me to clear the table while I was still getting my coat on. Not one single member of staff smiled, made eye contact, or attempted to make sure our experience was a pleasant one. This place could be a goldmine, but they need to find staff that actually want to work there, and are interested in helping customers and don't look so darn miserable. The quality of the food and coffee is irrelevant if the staff are this unhelpful!

We came for lunch and ordered sandwiches, stew and soup with drinks for our group. My mum's soup (creamy vegetable) came with added texture, best described as straw. The waitress claimed it was rosemary, it looked nothing like any rosemary I've grown, dried, cooked with.

Lovely coffee and drinks and some beautiful cakes, just what we needed after walking round Stratford in the cold. Nice atmosphere and lovely and warm. Highly recommended.

The setting is spot on with good footfall. The premises are cosy with mixed seating that most customers can access. However, the range of freshly prepared food was limited as was the range of cakes. Coffee was OK but not great. Service was average and the toilet was grubby. What a shame, this place could be so much better particularly as it’s situated in a tourist trap like Stratford.

Cute setting and a nice interior .... but that’s about all the positives.

Comfortable, friendly staff, good choice of drinks and snacks. Good to see the single use cutlery was not plastic.

The coffee was very very weak and, when mentioned, this I was told I should have asked for another shot. This option was never offered. overall a great disappointment in what is a lovely venue. The 'boss' who was in earshot of my conversation with the server but chose to say nothing.

We wanted a light lunch and enjoyed soup and a sandwich each. The food was served nicely and the owners were very pleasant and friendly.

Went in for coffee and there was one young girl serving, she didn’t say a word other than telling us it was £5.didnt smile or even make eye contact. She had long hair hanging over her shoulders and picked up the cups from the rim. She then sat on the counter on her phone. She created a very unfriendly atmosphere..

Average coffee that is made better by the free toast (although you have to be there early as it goes really quickly).

Very comfortable and relaxed setting, in particular the padded snugs.

Well, what can I say...the service from the front of house is grumpy, no communication, no greeting, no smiles, surly. Chef came out..."I can do what I like, I'm the boss". No wonder the staff are so unhappy. Couldn't wait to get out of the place quick enough. Such a shame as it's quite a quaint cafe on a good location.

Great tea / coffee emporium! Good selection of cakes & sandwiches FREE toast in the morning when purchasing tea & coffee Friendly staff

Lovely coffee and cake. Mouth watering bake well tart. Nice produce and well presented :) I would definitely go back

What a disappointment after a long mornings walk around Bills fair city only to find this cafe a bit $hitty

Awful service , very unhelpful staff ladies toilets were disgusting with the sanitary bins overflowing. Overpriced underwhelmed !

Staff not very helpful. 9 of us in total just wanting a bite to eat at lunch. Staff not helpful or friendly not a warm welcome at all. Appears no management present to take control. Toilets are actually an environmental health issue just glad you didn't get a visit!! Looks lovely from outside but what a shame about the staff. Was going to mention to girl serving but felt it wasn't fair as she appears to be young and probably not in a managerial position.

Sadly the Lattes arrived Luke warm and half full of froth. A black filtered coffee was so strong and even when watered down it was still too strong so it wasn’t drunk. There was no ice for the cold drinks. Service and decor great but for us was a complete waste of money and went elsewhere to get another coffee and some hot lattes.

We went for breakfast but they don’t really serve breakfast as such so instead we got some savoury muffins etc which were nice.

We have visited numerous times and always found the staff friendly, helpful and cheery. Coffee is fab, especially the de-caff, you cannot taste a difference. Would highly recommend The Pantry.

We have had nice drinks here before but on this occasion we visited the Stratford River Festival and had artisan sandwiches at The Pantry. Lovely fresh bread with tasty fillings and salad leaf accompaniment - usual very good choice of soft drinks. Recommended

We went for a spot of lunch here on a Monday afternoon and there was only 4 tables of people in. It wasn't clear how we were to order as we were able to go get some of our own stuff but other stuff they had to get for us. It took 10 minutes for them to heat a quiche up and when I went to change our baby the facilities were disgusting.

Been in here a few times now. Coffee is decent but the place always feels a little bit soulless. This might be to do with the open plan set up but somehow something is lacking.

We loved the relaxed - but not casual - atmosphere. We had a late breakfast of coffee and pastries and thought it was so good we went back the next day. Just as good on a second visit! A little gem that's well worth a visit.

Visited The Pantry a few times now and it's been very nice each time. Friendly and helpful staff. Great for sandwiches, cakes and drinks. Nice coffee. Great selection of ice creams if you've room after having one of their delicious thick cut sandwiches. Nice atmosphere.

Cannot find the Pantry listed but this is right next door & hope it's the same owners! Very pleasant quirky coffee shop with snacks & ices. Just had to say very clean, smart, well done.

They advertise their tea as being loose leaf but when it came it was a tiny tea bag!!!! And they charge you £2.70 for the privilege. I can get 160 at least for that in any supermarket. I said yes to table service, you order at the counter and they deliver to the table

Visited on a cold sunday lunchtime. was attracted by sign that soup and artisan sandwiches.

I was looking for some lunch on Easter Bank Holiday Monday and this looked nice so my wife and I went in and sat down at a table.

The Pantry has got a lovely selection of teas, served with a smile!

Went into the Pantry at lunchtime today. Stood looking around as had never been there before, no staff member asked us if we needed any help. We eventually went up to a staff member and asked what sandwiches they had and was abruptly told they were in the chiller cabinet. We went over and found only three fillings, all meat. We went back to the staff member and was told that was all they had, when we said we were vegetarian he just looked and said nothing.

Looks a lovely little cafe but the staff were not interested in the customers. The tea was very nice but knowledge of their products weren’t very good serving milk with Jasmin tea! ‘Have a nice day’ goes a long way. The overall experience didn’t justify the price. Great shame.

Lovely home made soup and cakes.nice and warm and cosy. Very pretty and comfortable. In a lovey setting winter, spring or summer, what ever time of the year you visit you won't be disappointed

We stopped here for coffee on the way to the Butterfly Farm. The Pantry is light and airy with displays on the shelves and a hanging bicycle reminding me of my grandma's house. Good tasty food and biodegradable knives for our cakes.

Lovely ambience & vibe, cute booths and decorations. Delicious warm drinks & lots of options for snacky foods. Friendly staff and great atmosphere

We stopped here for drinks during our walk in Stratford.

a very nice cafe along the canal in the bancroft gardens..had a lovely cup of hot chocolate..they had good sanwitches..very cute and quaint cafe..

Called in a couple of times for a warm drink and on second visit had a very nice piece of cake. Reasonable price and service and nice to sit and watch the world passing by.

Lovely area, and nice surroundings. But the staff really let this place down.

We had just taken the open top sightseeing tour across the road and after the hour round trip were quite frozen.

Great quiet place for visit. Good coffey made by lovely lady Evelyn. Also really good sandwiches and beef stew. I like vintage design in this place. I really recommend this coffey shop...