The Refectory in Newark and Sherwood

Called enroute to Newark for lunch . Great food and service but be warned ! The prices are very steep . A cheese and ham panini albeit served with fresh small salad and a few crisps is top price at just under £13 ! Add a small dessert and tea for a £21.65 total is way up their for what is basically a cafe and not a restaurant experience .

Lovely cafe in grounds of southwell minster. Varied menu and special board. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Able to offer differing dietary requirements. I recommend this place for anything from coffee and cake to a delicious meal.

A lovely venue to meet for lunch but food overpriced for what it is and not very good. I had the avocado with poached egg on sourdough. It was about £12.95 for one slice of bread with no butter. The bread was very dry, the egg was over cooked and very hard and the tomatoes were cold. 2 other people dining with me had paninis which they both said were dry and lacked filling. The 3rd person had the marinated chicken flatbread which was probably the best option on offer. Not impressed and would not recommend or eat there again.

We wouldn't eat here again. The meal we wanted to order was not available so we ordered the pulled pork wrap with chips and salad from the specials board. The chips were all right, as was the salad, what there was of it. The wrap was very unpleasant. The meal was overpriced for what it was.

Absolutely fantastic lunch here before we went in to see The Longest Yarn in the Minster. The place was exceptionally busy, but the staff did brilliantly to get everyone seated and the food and drinks came promptly and it was all hot and fresh. Lovely choice of specials as well as main menu. Went back later for a pot of tea before heading home. Staff did so well to handle the volume of customers due to the exhibition in the Minster. Highly recommend.

couldn’t have had a better experience!! despite the entire cafe being packed (due to an event on at the minster) we were greeted by a friendly face and had a warm welcome. there was a short wait as expected however the staff were very polite and were working as quickly as possible. the food came quickly, well presented and was absolutely delicious. there is a variety of different options and everyone is catered for. we thoroughly enjoyed our mains and desserts and would definitely recommend! 10/10 food & 10/10 customer service :)

We have beeb going here for 8 years and have always found the service, food and ambience to be impeccable and highly recommended. They have been inundated with customers these last few days due to an event at the local Southwell Minster, however they have kept up the brilliant service as usual.

We came to Minster to see The longest yarn exhibition. After a long trip we decided to have a drink at the Refectory. The cafe was full and a few tables were marked as "reserved". We were offered to wait for the table which we did. When sat down we were told it's table service. A few more people seemed to be waiting to make orders but nobody came to take orders. Some of us came to the counter but were told to go back and sit. The lady said she would come to us. Meanwhile, she and another staff just stood at counter chatting. A few of the customers left without orders. We met some of them in another cafe... Absolutely disappointed, never again.

Really surprised with the variety of food on offer here considering the usual food that is on sale at cafes supporting landmarks. The special board had some really interesting options. The food was delicious and not overly priced. The same food in a gastro pub would have been more expensive. The team were really friendly. Happily go again.

The food is very good here but my sister wanted only a small sandwich and asked for the children’s menu sandwich. She was refused as an adult cannot order from the children’s menu. There was no rationale for this and she had nothing to eat. Very disappointing as I was taking her as a guest and had recommended this place.

Lovely fresh food, friendly staff, ok atmosphere, but utterly ridiculous prices for the portion sizes.

Excellent place to sit and relax over a delicious coffee and mouthwatering cake. Wide choice of drinks and cakes available to choose from, including gluten-free and vegetarian options. Set in the grounds of the picturesque and historic Southwell Minster, it also is paet of a shop offering unique gifts including jewellery, scarves, soaps and books, to name a few, birg religious and non-religious. Worth a visit.

On a recent visit to Southwell Minster with my nephew and his wife, we decided to have lunch in The Refectory. The food was outstanding and the staff, led by Abi, were superb. I would highly recommend a visit.

In the area to visit an exhibition at Southwell Minster and popped in for a drink but decided to have some breakfast. Staff were great, friendly, welcoming and polite. The food was fantastic, I couldn’t fault it at all. It was fresh and tasty, piping hot and although perhaps on the slightly pricier side, I felt it was worth it for the quality. I will definitely visit again.

2 children’s basic toasties, 2 milkshakes, 2 coffees, £25.50. 2 hungry grandparents who won’t be back. Friendly staff and, strangely, plenty of tables free in the school holidays.

the cafe seemed to have a nice decor but that is about it.i had 2 scoops of chocolate ice cream for 7 pounds which i thought was daylight robbery.a salad was 15 pounds.i saw that advertised on the specials board.i really dont know where they get thier prices from.i will never go there again because of thier ridiculously high prices.if you are rich then go but i would never recommend the place,save your money go somewhere else

With a visiting choir who were singing in the Minster, we had lunch between services and rehearsals. Due to the numbers of us, they accommodated us with extra specials which were cooked fresh. I had the wild garlic risotto, this was delicious, tasted clean and fresh.

Beautiful venue, friendly and efficient staff and one of the best fish and chip meals I've ever had. Thank you! I love the way you've even paid attention to the sound deadening with tasteful kneeler arrangements in the rafters.

Cauliflower cheese and roast potatoes absolutely delicious. Full marks. Would be great if they always had it on the menu.

Ideal place to go for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. Menus are full of freshly made dishes using local produce wherever possible. Plenty of gluten free, vegetarian and vegan dishes are available. Set in the grounds of Southwell Minster, a beautiful location. Gets busy at lunchtime so get there early- though menus change at 11.45 from breakfast to lunch, though its good to get a table. Well worth a visit.

I had lunch here recently with my disabled mother. The food was excellent and a nice ambience. The toasted ciabatta and the coffee and chocolate brownie I had afterwards were very good.

I can agree with the last couple of reviews. A friend & I went in for coffee & a cake when on a day out in Southwell. After waiting to be seated for sometime we left & eventually called into the Old Theatre, which was...

This was one of my favourite haunts in Southwell being situated near the Minster but not anymore. The food is great but the service not. There are plenty of servers on for the size of the restaurant but they are over officious to the point...

What a welcome to Southwell! Waited and waited to be seated as staff walked and pushed past. No one greeted us. No one made eye contact. No one said good morning. Nobody minds waiting if they are greeted by a friendly “Good morning, we’ll be...

Lovely comfortable and attractive venue, delightful staff, very nice well-prepared food. Coffee is not very good though, bland, weak and no real coffee flavour, probably because it’s made by machine and not a person…

The menu is very good but it gets better when you look at the specials. They are that bit more interesting than you average specials board. And the food is delicious, very well cooked and very good value. The refectory is in the grounds of...

Lovely lunch with a friend! Both had the Pressed Ham Hock, Peasepudding & Chutney on Soughdough.. Blooming Gorgeous! Good Wine list Pinot was refreshing! Service was good, friendly but unobtrusive. Pleased to see it was Dog friendly too! Lovely Vista of Southwell Minster.

This was our first visit. We had our grandson with us who is 10 months. The staff were really friendly. We arrived 10 minutes before the breakfast menu ended so decided to wait for the lunch menu, we both opted for the cheese & ham...

We were visiting the Minster and stopped here to use the facilities and have a coffee and snack. However we were pounced on for using the toilet before going into the cafe and then when we tried to go into the cafe we were asked...

Friendly staff , generous portions , delicious tea . I had veggie breakfast and my husband had full English - both really tasty .

Enjoyed a lighter lunch here. I had the mushroom, Brie and spinach panini, delicious. It came with crisps and a dressed salad that was more than a few leaves and a slice of tomato. My husband had the sausage and onion panini and was equally...

Loved it. Sat outside looking across the grounds of the minster, church bells ringing for a wedding. Friendly efficient service. A good range of choices on the menu. My partner had mushrooms in a garlic sauce and I had a sausage and onion panini -...

We visit the Refectory quite often because we really enjoy the coffee, food and Tamzin and Abigail along with the rest of the staff always make us feel very welcome. We booked a table on Tuesday for lunch with our friends, you don’t have to...

We sat inside for a coffee and cake. It was quiet and the cakes and drinks were good. It seemed all very Covid compliant .

Had lunch today having booked about ten days ago. The staff member remembered my call and had set out the tables to fit with our social distancing needs. The menu was restricted, but our food arrived promptly and was good. The toilets were well organised...

Been craving cake for ages - today I was meeting a friend for coffee, so it seemed like the ideal opportunity - coffee & cake at the Refectory ..... checked out all the cakes and opted for Lemon & Elderflower - great choice, absolutely delicious!...

Pleasant setting overlooking Southwell Minster, situated next to the Minster shop. Arrived early for lunch - which starts at 12 - noticing a number of tables already booked or taken, though some spaces available. Glad we did as lunch was mouthwatering delicious and excellent value...

One of the guides at The Workhouse at Southwell (National Trust property) mentioned The Refectory but we never imagined what a fantastic Sunday lunch awaited us. Our party of 3 all ordered a different dish and all of us were impressed with our choice. Very...

We had soup and bread and were pleased as it tasted delicious, but then we both strated to have sharp shards in our mouth. I think they were pieces of thyme, but not sure as they were very hard and sharp. I told the waitress,...

Impressive food served in a pleasant atmosphere with good, efficient staff. Tremendous Panini (served weirdly with a small pot of coldish soup) Worth visiting for the Panini.

My wife and I called in during a visit to the nearby Minster, and found the Refectory to be a cosy, welcoming place with an adjacent gift shop. We both had the fish, chips and peas with soft drinks, and thoroughly enjoyed the well prepared...

During a visit to Southwell we had a coffee in the Refectory cafe, the coffee and food was really good, a little expensive. The restaurant was clean as were the toilets, the staff were friendly and helpful with questions. I would use again, but not...

Called in for a coffee and two small pieces of fruit cake at a cost of £11.50! Well over priced for what we paid. Nice enough place and lovely staff too.

I have previously reviewed this restaurant and thought I'd give it another try only to find that things had only got worse since my previous visit. I thankfully found a table easily on this occasion and ordered three coffees. I had noticed there were no...

I found it rather strange that although the cafe is open until five o'clock, only drinks and the remnants of the day's cake are on sale after three o'clock. The kitchen seems to be entirely shut down at that time, so even my modest request...

Arrived early but there were plenty of people there having breakfast. Decided on scrambled eggs on white bread with a pot of tea. The bread was delicious and the eggs well cooked. It was a delicious meal served by polite and efficient staff. The toilets...

Found this by chance and had the most delicious breakfast gull english not swimming in fat it really hit the spot. And was very reasonable only £8 .95 well worth a visit.

We were looking forward to trying out the Refectory - we booked a table for Sunday lunch, then tried it out on Saturday. The fish and chips (on Saturday) were a disappointment - soggy batter, flabby fish. The Sunday roast was an improvement, though the...

Visited on Friday 23rd August. Very busy as the Minster had a music festival. The menu was excellent. Service with a smile and we didn't wait long. The food was excellent too and good value. Sandwiches full of filling and really enough for two. Would...

A lovely building, sympathetically built in harmony with the ancient surroundings, but the interior was rather disappointingly plain, just a cafe with plain tables and no frills. We stopped for a coffee in a group of six middle-aged to elderly gentlefolk but found we were...

I've visited the refectory on a few occasions for a quick coffee, and each time it has been very difficult to even find a table. Therefore, if you are planning on visiting here for a meal I would definitely recommend booking a table in advance...

We are regular visitors on a Sunday lunchtime and it is always busy, but this Sunday (11 August) it was absolutely rammed. Despite this the service was very helpful and friendly and the meal of the usual good quality. It is good to see they...

we booked a table here on a Tuesday lunch. Good job we did as there was not one table free! we had a lovely lunch consisting of sandwiches and fries. They had run out of paninis. Obviously a popular place. we will be back!

I called in for a coffee with a friend. We sat at a table outside overlooking the Minster. Lovely lattes with decaf options too. Really friendly and helpful staff, especially Tamsin and Abigail. I would definitely recommend a visit.

Last Friday my partner and I decided to have a lunch out at The Refectory. The service was excellent and the food great; however, a Goats Cheese salad and a BLT together with 2 soft drinks came to £21! A little expensive

Situated in the grounds of Southwell Minster there is always a warm friendly atmosphere and good food to be found there.

Stopped off here for late lunch, a real gem of a place, food was great, I had the pulled pork in Ciabatta, though the Ciabatta was to big could be a bit smaller, the pork was not dry and very tasty. My wife had fish and chips with mushy peas, fish could have been bigger, but the batter was excellent, compared too where we had been before, Staunton Arms, this was excellent value for money. My wife has the fruit crumble, which she was unable to finish, large portion, though it was a tad sweet for my liking.

Just calling in for coffee and cake, Great choice of cakes available, service was very good and a really nice atmosphere, quite a friendly, welcoming buzz. some of the meals looked great as they were served around us. We will certainly try a meal sometime. a little gem, and obviously well visited.

very good service and excellent food. would certainly recommend. it is beside the cathedral with wonderful views. a must for foodies

A well organised café with a good range of snacks and drinks. Clean and well set out tables. Friendly prompt service bought our cappuccino and two Earl Grey’s to the table. Good value at £6.80

We go into the Refectory whenever we visit Southwell. The restaurant is clean and welcoming and very popular. The staff are helpful and friendly. The menu varied, but my favourite lunch time snack is the Soup of the day. They have a nice selection of cakes available too.

We visit all the time with our dogs, Abi and Tamsin are brilliant. Very kind and friendly and the food is great.

Checked their website before going to see when they were open. Got there and told they'd just stopped serving food - but it was only 3.15, and they open until 5. No apology, manager and supervisor acted like it was my fault and that I was stupid. Told me I should have rung to check! I suggested the Southwell Minster Refectory website should give serving times. They said they were nothing to do with the Minster. The Minster is glorious and should dismiss whatever agency is running a crap cafe in their name.

Honestly, it was a quick and breezy stop yet such a beautiful time. Staff are well mannered and knowledgeable. Food was excellent (compliments to the chefs). Kudos, to all of you. I'll be back.

Very friendly and helpful stall, they really couldn’t have done more, delicious freshly prepared food and the most beautiful setting.

We visited today with our two week old baby and my retired parents.

Menu is varied and good value. Absolutely delicious food, better than others around the corner 😉 Well priced and convenient. Love it.

Having taken our time visiting the minster we felt we wanted a cuppa and some light snack. This cafe is in the minster grounds and serves excellent cakes and other goodies. A good selection of teas and apparently their coffee is great too

This is a great place for light lunches we have never been disappointed with the excellent soups and cakes. Good service and very popular

Had a lovely vegan meal here recently. Only criticism is there was only one vegan choice on the menu -hence just 4 stars, but having said that it was very good. The service is good and you get a lot of food for your money. Lovely little cafe.

We visited as recommended by our friend. We have visited southwell a lot and sampled coffee and cake at most cafes / coffee shops in the vicinity. We enjoyed our visit here today as the cafe is spacious, clean and the staff were lovely.

We called in and had delicious sandwiches at lunch time. They were rather bigger than we expected, but very tasty. The cafe seems to have quite an extensive menu. Everywhere very clean and the young staff very enthusiastic.

Had breakfast here today with 5 friends. Only disappointment was the fact that poached eggs weren't available on our cooked breakfasts. We were only told this when the plates were delivered otherwise would have chosen a different option. Seems ridiculous when you can have poached eggs on toast.!!!

My daughter has allergies, for a few weeks they seemed ok with us taking out what she couldn’t have and only having what is safe. This was nothing they didn’t already serve, something already available on the menu minus the unsafe items.

Do not visit this place if you have allergies, they are not willing to compromise to accommodate such things. We had been going to this venue every Saturday for a few months. As my daughter is breast feeding and her baby is allergic to dairy products, eggs and soya she had been having bacon, hash brown (checked) and baked beans (also checked). When we went on Saturday they said they could no longer do this and only items as listed on the menu could be purchased. Therefore we left and went elsewhere. We were not asking for anything unusual and the items we did want, that being bacon, hash browns and beans all appear on the breakfast menu so it's not as if they would be getting something out especially. We will not be going again.

Beautiful sandwiches with gorgeous fresh bread. Very clean. Toilets very clean . Reasonably priced for 2 sandwiches and drinks.

Visiting the Minster on a cold and wet day, we were delighted to find a table to share. It is very popular!The paninis were delicious, with a choice of bread and filling. The bacon, brie and cranberry was filling and good value. They take the order at the counter and then bring it over to you. The loos are convenient and there is a shop with some interesting items in it.

A nice little cafe serving great looking food. We only had hot drinks and cakes which were delicious. Pleasant setting. Gift shop too. Very clean loos.

Popped in after 6 years overseas and was pleasantly surprised. Lovely looking cafe, and the food was to die for. We had simple paninis but they were delicious. The other main meals coming out the kitchen also looked amazing! Lovely little place, will definitely be back.

set within the grounds of the minster this cafe is a lovely looking place. we both ordered paninis. The cafe loses points for us because the staff were all a bit surly. My friend asked about allergies and was met with a not very helpful response in a surly manner. we then found the scrutiny of the staff a bit off putting as they watched us eat... bit odd... that aside from that the food was delicious, well cooked and looked appetising. The surroundings are so lovely we will most certainly be back to visit again.

This bistro belongs to Southwell Minster. Nice place, good for refreshments or lunch. Definitely very convenient for tourists.

Such a lovely lunch today. The rare beef salad was wonderful and the roast beef dinner was excellent quality. The food was incredibly fresh and very tasty. We will definitely return.

All round a really great place to have breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner at. Recommend

This is the cafeteria associated with Southwell Minster, and is in the cathedral grounds next to the gift shop. It is spacious and has a good ‘feel’ about it. The range of easts on offer here is not excessively large, but you can order a satisfying breakfast, lunch or in-between snack here. Access is easy, and there are toilets. Various buses stop at the door

Lovely fresh food . Halloumi cheese and roast veg . Loads of flavour , beautiful presentation. They offer a really nice healthy selection of fresh made food . Really enjoyed it . Thanks

We came back to here after a morning cuppa for lunch whilst visiting the area. The baguette and panini we had were excellent quality, great value and very tasty (and too much to eat!). It was really busy for a midweek lunchtime but staff were still efficient and helpful. Worth a visit.

Posh nosh, e.g. Moules mariniere, fish bouillabaisse.

Goodness it's a noisy place, the place was packed, children running up and down dodging people carrying trays of hot tea and soup. Some tables had no chairs because diners had moved them to seat more people at their own tables. Long wait to get served by remarkably disorganised and unfriendly staff and then another wait for someone to clear the table. I had to wipe the table myself. So why force your customers to queue up to get their food when you could easily have table service? If I fancy a second cup of tea or coffee why force me to queue up all over again? It's not a pleasant atmosphere here, vegetarians have a very limited menu and its v expensive. Not really worth the misery.

This is a friendly, reasonably priced place in a very attractive setting, which sells wholesome, home-cooked food and is carnivore and vegetarian friendly. It can get quite busy at weekends but we can generally find a table, so it has become a reliable, regular eating place for us. The plastic tables and chairs are bit clinical - if they had wooden furniture this would push it up to 5 stars :-)

Don’t just read about the food go inside and experience it... It is unbelievable at the price and variety. The staff will give you a friendly welcome and serve you well. Probably the best food and service for miles around...enjoy!

My friend and I had been to yoga and went in here for a full English breakfast. Excellent and no grease in sight.

I would like to comment on the food but after waiting at the counter for over 5 minutes and being resolutely ignored by two girls making coffee less than two feet away along with everyone else who passed by the till, i walked out. The staff took avoiding eye contact to a whole new level...surely its not too hard to say "Sorry to keep you waiting, someone will be with you shortly"?

We visited Southwell today with my in-laws who had never been.

We popped in with the children and were delighted. Good value- delicious food and good sized portions.

We came here for an evening supper during the Southwell Festival. The specials of pasta and jambalaya were generous and tasty. Prices and wine were reasonable. We also had tea and cake on another occasion and these too were very good - proper tea in china teapots.

The refectory succeeded where others failed! Offering good food, small queue, seating and a good price! Over the weekend I ate here, or had a coffee here at least 6 times! Very convenient and the staff are very friendly and efficient.

I ordered fish with salad, very pricy at £11.00. The fish in batter was oily and greasy. After a few bites, I felt queasy, returned the plate to the waitress, who offered no apology, no explanation - although she did offer me another fish! - and I was left with no food, no refund, watching my friend eat her lunch.

Lovely food and location. Enough room for prams and is baby and child friendly. Nice lighting and a relaxed atmosphere. Will definitely come again.

Habitación agradable, pero lo hacen muy ruidoso acústica cuando hay mucha gente. Pensamos que la comida algo caros. £7. 50 para una rebanada de pan con queso, adornado con ensalada de hojas y unos cebolla condimentos creo un poco caro. La mayoría de los especiales, arrancadas de la junta por 13:30. Patatas fritas estaban "lo siento".

Un gran lugar donde parar para comer algo, ya sea visitando la Catedral o de paso a través de Southwell. Muy buena variedad de bocadillos recién preparados y la comida y las porciones eran suficientes para raíz dos adolescentes con hambre! Aparcamiento gratuito para 2 horas justo enfrente de la catedral y el refectorio. El café está pegado a la catedral, que también merece una visita.