The walled garden in West Dorset

Having visited for thr first time after visiting the old castle I had high hopes for the walled garden, the food on entry smelt amazing, if only we could get out hands on some of it, so as a family of 4, 4 drinks and 4 lite bites seemed not to much trouble, alas the drinks came out in 20 minutes so far so good, waiting telling my children it's ok it's busy but should be soon, lots of meals came and went for others that arrived after us, then after an hour I had to go and ask, as I qued up other people were also asking where is their food, the polite girl went to find out and the food was coming imminently. So drinks finished food after an hour and lots of the menu not available, high hopes dashed but lesson learnt. The food was hot and good but the wait was absolutely not worth it. The staff were polite and friendly but the organisation of the whole place needs a big overhaul, and if the food is going to be longer than half an hour then tell the customer, an informed customer is a happy customer.

Terrible. Menus on table were scribbled out and partially unlegible. Drinks took ages to come. Paninis were dry and mine was supposed to have cranberry on it and it was actually chilli relish. The 'salad that accompanied the panini was brown. Chips could have been nice but were so overloaded with sea salt were inedible. We were not offered any condiments and had to source it ourselves. Cakes looked looked they had been dropped on the floor. Overall a very unpleasant experience. Note to Manager - do not be so condescending with a cut and paste reply. Get your house in order and do something about it.

Arrived at 3:00pm to have lunch, even though the menu says they are serving food for example sandwiches or jacket potato to 4pm. To be told by the staff that the kitchen was closed as they didn’t have the staff to make sandwiches etc, which was funny as two of the young staff were busy talking to each other. Not impressed!

We often visit the Walled Garden Cafe and as we usually have our dog with us we are limited to sit in the garden or conservatory area which is fine. Recently we visited and noticed how filthy the conservatory area has become. The food and drink standard was good and the service was friendly but much slower than usual despite being quiet. The cafe is really letting itself down with cleanliness. There was food debris in the crease of the bench seating and alongside the bench there was a tub of water presumably put down for dogs to drink. It appeared to have been there for so long that there was a large amount of insect debris in it and the water was going green. We sat alongside a window sill that was filthy with insect dirt and it was clear that this was not recent. Around the roof support areas there were many cobwebs that had obviously been there for a long time. The lack of attention to cleanliness is really letting this cafe down and it makes you wonder about the condition of the kitchen.

Much like every other review, our experience was dirty, uncleared tables, miserable staff and amazingly, as one review stated, the cakes looked like they'd been thrown on the floor! Everybody coming to find a table had to clear it themselves and every table ended up piled high with crockery and left over food. A veritable wasp and fly haven. The state of the place made us suspicious of the health and safety, so just had a coffee and bottled water and fled.

Overcharged and staff defensive and arrogant.staff could benefit from better customer service training. Area is a pleasant walled garden

Nowhere to sit as tables dirty and not cleared, Huge waiting times and cakes that look like they had been dropped ! Won't bother again.

Love this cafe, we visited after a visit to the castle, been here a few times and it's always been great. Outside seating but I love the conservatory seating area. Safe are great, good value and great choice.

Forget the whingeing one dot reviews (One whinger said there were Ants outside in a garden centre??? Get a life!! The food was excellent not over priced with more than adequate helpings and lovely friendly staff. What's not to like?

Great cafe was doing a job in Sherborne and popped in for some lunch had heard the reviews weren’t too good but I had a very positive experience, very allergen aware witch was a nice change from other places served quickly and efficiently with a friendly and enthusiastic waiter behind the counter. would recommend if in the area

We had booked a table that morning over the phone - no problem. When we arrived it was packed and there was no table reserved for us. We found another very tiny table which was reserved later, giving us a shorter time than we wanted. We should have just gone elsewhere (plenty of great eating places in Sherborne) but we didn’t… we were told there was a 15 min wait for hot drinks. No problem. Had gone hoping for a cheese scone for lunch, but no scones available (again….) We ordered lunch and watched a very long queue form behind us - just due to busyness and only one person taking orders. Lunch came quickly. I ordered a sausage bap - sausages were tepid/ lukewarm and horribly salty. I ate it because the place was so busy and the queue so long. We then ordered coffees which again came quickly but were warm not hot. Very disappointing from a cafe we have used a lot. This was the last of a number of disappointing visits which I didn’t write reviews for, but I’ll be cautious about returning - despite the lovely staff …

This cafe has unfortunately got more expensive but gone downhill in terms of service & products. Twice they've run out of roasts by 1 o'clock. Service is painfully slow & no one seems to care at all. We won't be trying again.

I don't mean to be mean-spirited, but... The Walled Garden Saturday, 21st October 2023. A cautiously pessimistic review. I am torn. Not like Imbruglia, naked and alone or whatever, but more a feeling I have about posting this review without sounding mean-spirited. Family Zeus and I were in south-west UK and visiting Mrs. Zeus's side of the family for a rampage through British countryside and Sherbourne was in our sights. We had intended visiting one of the castles but confusion doubled-down and we ended up at Castle Gardens Garden Centre which was fine and dandy for us because it felt impulsive and daring. We walked through the garden centre which sold exactly as advertised. We also walked through, I guess, two and a half miles of Christmas display which was so intense that by the time I crossed the finish line at the exit I thought we had been a test-case family at a Christmas All Year theme park. I felt like I had eaten a bag of candy canes every hundred metres and swam out of the exit with heart arrhythmia. The final singing penguin display brought violent spasms to my head veins. Which possibly means my experience of The Walled Garden was tainted. The fact that the business of Christmas began in many shops several weeks ago and was in full swing before Halloween and Guy Fawkes, was a partial factor for my mood hitting the fan - with a capital S. I know Christmas early selling has been going on for years but somewhere in all these four months of festivities lies a story that is nearly a full two thousand and twenty three years old. Yes, I am not religious. Yes, I believe in Christmas - AT CHRISTMAS. Yes, I am saying "yes" a lot because I want to portray an aura of cynical positivity in this review. All because I am avoiding "mean-spirited". Nevertheless, my review stands and I'm not even sure I correctly used cynical. After Christmas in October was ruined, we went to The Walled Garden restaurant, which at the time of posting this is showing 34th out of 34 restaurants in Sherbourne. Other reviewers have mentioned rude staff. On the day we were there the staff were fine. The jolly chaps behind the counter were friendly. The nice man at the order point was helpful. Others have mentioned long waiting times and being overpriced. I can only tell you about my order on that day. The Walled Garden restaurant was a lovely building. It was busy and staff were efficiently dashing to and from tables. A friendly customer leaned over from another table flashing a receipt and said conspiratorially, "Would you like a 5% discount for your order? I found it at the bottom of my pocket". I took the receipt with gratitude and noted his demeanour. He knew something I didn't, but the 'bottom of his pocket' comment made me more concerned about hygiene above anything else and he disappeared before I could ask. Perhaps the problem lay with us. We were slightly fussy with our order, wanting a hotdog without chutney or anything else, a burger without any relish and stuff, a bowl of rustic fries, a cappuccino and three cold drinks. The burgers had sold out but even this information was delivered with sincere apologies so the service on this day was polite and fine. With the burger off-menu, we went for two bowls of rustic fries. Perhaps the problem lay with me. I wasn't adding up the order as family Zeus made their decisions and I tapped it into my phone and made my way to the order point. Oops! I nearly forgot the 5% discount. The nice man at the order point took it, processed it and said... Words. I'm sure I heard "29 pounds" I went hot, cold and then I went robotic. I looked through the nice man at the order point like I was looking into his soul with dead eyes. He glowed grey somehow and a piece of me died a little as I used contactless to finalise the transaction. I watched myself pay from an out of body experience. I staggered back to the table. No receipt was offered. My mind had been jacked. Mrs. Zeus showed concern but I hid it well (enough). What follows is quite a cold version of events to avoid being mean-spirited, although even I would argue to have gone on too far and too long with this review. Drinks arrived. Cappuccino was barely warm and inoffensive and and went down in a few gulps, but this happens in many places in my UK experience. It wasn't of continental standard. The mango was a branded bottle and the same with the lemonade which was either Victorian cloudy or a San Pellegrino lemon drink, which was tasty but where was the bog-standard versions for the plebs like us? Then the food. The hot dog was two sausages, each in an equivalent length of thick baguette. We asked for nothing else - and got nothing else. The fries were a small silver cup containing at least one whole medium-small potato cut into chips and deep fried to an oily crunch. I think they were tasty but they were also oily but also tasty but also oily but... snap out if it! Two of these cups would have made a side portion but at £4.50 each for one potato, I wasn't going to risk it. Then I just got cross. Even with labour costs, farming, preparing, cooking and overheads, this meal was not worth £29. Others will disagree. I respect them. Broken down, the meal was: 2 x 5 inch pieces of buttered baguette from the same baguette. 2 x sausages 2 x medium-small chipped, fried potatoes 1 x cappuccino 2 x Frobisher's mango juice drinks 1 x San Pellegrino lemon drink Yes, it was my fault for not checking the prices. Yes, this review is more about me at this point than about the food but I suppose what I could have posted is a couple of lines that everything came as ordered but I felt slightly railroaded and paid the price. In a one line review. The food was quite expensive for what we received. We didn't buy anything in the garden centre so I suppose what they don't sell there gets covered by somebody ordering a tin cup of one medium-small potato. Even with all the chutney and relish and stuff, the price would suck. So then, the problem did lie with me. The prices were there. The service was fine. The place was busy. I didn't check prices. It was my fault all the way but I feel a responsibility to provide information to check the price before you buy. What a pointless review! Now I'm cross at myself. Of course, check the prices before you buy anything. Wherever you go. Look both ways before crossing a road. Measure your wall before drilling a hole. Love thy neighbour... whatever. Now I just feel old. Which I am, if you can't already tell. Whatever? 5 stars all round! No, I can't do it. I am torn... More like a 2 but perhaps a generous 3 to be kind. ...

Ordered at the till and when I offered the 5% discount ticket from the Castle told. Too late, I’ve pressed the button to total the bill. REALLY! Too lazy to ask how to void the transaction? Prompt service, but the coffee was luke warm. They brought another, slightly hotter. As for the tea, almost as much tea as water in the teapot and no separate hot water. Couldn’t be bothered to complain again so only drank less than one cup. SUGGESTION Maybe cut down on the quantity of tea leaves in the pot and reduce the price!

Upon arrival we were spoken to very rudely and abruptly by a member of staff. Did not stay and walked into town instead where there are plenty of other cafés with friendly staff and which are not so over priced. Would not return and if you are visiting the castle, like us, I would recommend you take your own flask or go into town first

I've been coming for several years now and I cant say I've noticed any decline in the service. Staff are a bit odd but pleasant enough. Reasonably fast service . The cakes have always been too expensive. Only complaint is Wi-Fi hardly ever works and lots of ANTS

The member of staff serving me has the first prize for the most rude person. I spent nearly 7pounds on 2 coffees and I shall never return here. I am proud to say I was a waitress once and I took pride in my work.

If this is to be the cafe/restaurant for Sherborne Castle then it’s a real shame especially as it used to be lovely a fab place serving great food and giving great service however we have been a couple of times now over the last month or so and it is consistently bad. The staff don’t seem to care and the way you order is confusing and yet could be easily solved (staff get annoyed if you go to the wrong counter). When we arrived a lot of the tables were empty and yet not cleared and even when your food came the staff did not take away the dirty plates from the previous occupants. Having looked at previous reviews I see that all you get in reply is a standard response. They are clearly not listening which is a real shame as this could be an exceptional venue.

We have always enjoyed visiting the Walled Garden but had not visited since the new addition. We expected it to be busy given the time of year so booked a table which was ready and waiting and we’re told we could move to a quieter area if we wished. This we did. We chose from the menu twice and both options were not available but still on the menu? We were made aware of a very small blackboard which was not very prominent at all which listed unavailable items.We eventually settled for a panini,soup and two coffees. The food was quite prompt in arriving and was very good. Still no coffee by the time our food was finished. It eventually arrived having waited 30 minutes for it. We then ordered cake which was forgotten so we eventually asked for it to be put in a bag for us to take away. There seemed to be two systems working. One or food and one for coffee and it didn’t work. The toilets left a lot to be desired. In short this place has gone down hill in terms of its attention to service. A great shame.

Turned up for our table booked at 1, The staff were milling around in Woolf hats. Apparently there was a tech problem meaning they couldn’t take food orders as it wouldn’t go through to kitchen.( obviously writing orders on an order pad was a thing of the past) More items on the not available list than on the menu. Maybe less attention to the Christmas display and more on the quite unpleasant Walled Garden cafe.

Used the restaurant here before, several times and it was always lovely and well priced, with very good service, However, I’m not sure if it was a one off or not, but last Saturday was terrible, the table was left dirty. No menu only bacon sandwiches on offer , £8.50 for two slices of bread and two slices of cold bacon!!,, , we waited ages for these , was offered sauce which came out after we had waited so long we’d eaten the sandwiches, Hopefully it was a one off, but would be very reluctant to try again. Sorry

Visited today my wife and daughter - spent almost £10 per sandwich. Waited half an hour until food arrived. Also waited a further 20 mins after food arrived, for a coffee and a can of coke. Asked for some mayonnaise when food turned up, had to go back and ask three more times before we eventually got some. The staff seemed rushed off their feet. Tables were not even close to full so dread to think what it would be like when actually busy. Not a sign of an apology at how long food/drinks were taking. Wasn’t only us as there was an elderly couple sat behind us who had ordered a slice of cake and a coffee and they had been waiting over half an hour for that as well. This is the second time in 3 year we have visitors. Had exactly the same experience last time as well. Unacceptable and terrible.

We visited the restaurant today for coffee and breakfast. The food was lovely,good quality, freshly cooked and plentiful. A sausage and egg sandwich and avocado on toast with eggs were delicious and the portions large, Good quality coffees too Everyone was friendly and welcoming and even a home made dog biscuit was gratefully received by the hound. Thoroughly enjoyed thank you to the restaurant team.

We were told that we would be given a 10% discount, having visited the castle gardens earlier in the day. When we ordered at the walled garden we showed the ticket which we had been given when we went round the castle garden. But we were then told that we did not have "the right bit of paper" so it was not possible for us to have the promised discount. We had no way of knowing that we should (apparently) have been given some other paper when we paid to visit the castle gardens. Although the amount of the discount would have been relatively small, we thought that this was very poor. The prices were quite expensive.

Very very poor value for money. £8.95 for an ordinary sliced bread cheese and ham toastie with tiny salad garnish which actually arrived as cheese and tuna! So I took it back and the staff had the chef make the correct one but of course...

Went with my partner to look at the Christmas displays as we do every year. These are as nice as ever. We went to the cafe just before, and I just want to say how disappointed I was. We ordered 2 toasties, a latte and...

Here's what I purchased... A flat white, a rocky road cake and a small glass of milk for a 2 year old child. Here's what I paid.... £8.30! You do the math.

I understand that Covid has made things difficult, BUT that is no excuse for keeping your customers in an icebox. It is freezing in there! So much so that your (expensive) hot chocolate cools down before you have had a chance to enjoy its warming...

After a lovely visit to the garden centre and the amazing Christmas display we went to the restaurant with our grandchildren for some food. The staff were very friendly and helpful, but that was it. The queue to order was long, but with only one...

I visited today with my mum in law for coffee & cake after a lovely time looking at the Christmas display. Inside has very few tables & could easily & safely fit more in - they were all full so we managed to get a...

I had a egg and cress sandwich which I did eat as I was so hungry, but the quality was terrible, the bread wasn’t fresh, they had used a cheap spread and the filling was very mean.. There was a grim bit of salad on...

The Castle Gardens garden centre cafe The Walled Garden can be found in the back right corner of the centre. A few changes since I was last here and initially was a bit confused as to where it was and how to get in -...

This was a Saturday morning visit, the restaurant is at the back of the garden centre, with tables inside, on a covered decking and outside courtyard. Very friendly, diligent staff, very enjoyable full English breakfast for two. Good coffee, very good value for money and...

Been many times before and service always slow. Such a shame as the young staff are very friendly and polite. They just need to work more as a team and focus on the job in hand. Far too much idle chatter going on. The service...

Have loved eating at the restaurant many times for over 20 years and the quality of food was fantastic. Since COVID the quality of the food seems to have plummeted and the menu is very limited, often not having food advertised on boards.. Have been...

This is definitely one of my favourite cafes in Dorset. Love the courtyard and verandah seating areas. Very peaceful and just a lovely setting. The food is good too. I had the chicken ceasar salad which was lovely. The others had the eggs, salmon and...

My Partner and I came here on Saturday after visting the Toy Barn, I had ham egg and wedges, my partner had Ploughmans sandwich, his sandwich was £10 and mine was £12.50, a bit on the expensive side, my partner enjoyed the sandwhich, My eggs...

We had the nicest Caesar salad that I have had InA long time. Fresh veg tasty dressing crunchy croutons and beautifully cooked chicken

When we arrived, it was clear that the café was extremely busy. It's also very clear that the staff are doing their level best to cope with ensuring they follow the covid-safe guidelines, whilst dealing with vast numbers of people and possibly too few staff,...

An off putting experience after being chastised by staff. This member of staff called Ed clearly embraces the official hat he wears. He takes everyone's name and number before escorting them to a table. I inadvertently failed to adhere to the rules and Ed quickly reprimanded me. When politely explaining my reason it obviously irritated him immensely and he didn't hold back with his annoyed verbal reaction.I wanted an outdoor table but this choice appeared inconvenient as Ed told me the tables were reserved. Out of nine outdoor tables there were five vacant so I didn’t understand the problem but he did manage to find me one. I was left sat at my table for more than 5 mins before a neighbouring customer gave me instructions on ordering. Ed somehow failed to mention this, probably because I had unintentionally annoyed him prior to being seated. And I wasn’t the only customer to be left uninformed for this reason.The menu on the tatty blackboard was partially illegible as the black paint had peeled off. What I did order were two hot drinks and two pieces of cake and worth the very long wait.Now, I know hygiene is very important at present but Ed carried a 5 Ltr spray container to newly vacant tables, spraying the tables and chairs abundantly whilst the breeze blew the chemical in your face and on your food. Not ideal. Ed’s dramatised enthusiasm was accentuated with good obedient customers (he’d be good in a pantomime) but those that slightly veered off course were reprimanded, myself being a victim of this, along with other customers. He would also display his displeasure with tuts and sighs.I was so put off by this experience that I won’t be returning or recommending.

After a kind man found us a table and cleaned it for us we then decided too order food or even a sandwich thats when it all fell apart ! Mmmm what sort of cafe closes a breakfast menu at 10/30am and then opens the lunch starts at 12 so I ask for a sandwich ... at 11/05am they can’t do that as they are so busy doing roast dinners ....! Even though it’s advertised on the menu boards .So if you want a cafe that doesn’t do food only drinks and cake for 90 mins this is the place to go .... I will never step in the place again ever ...

Enjoyed a lovely lunch here. Everything was very well managed with the new Covid restrictions. The food was delicious, homemade and very well presented. The staff were very efficient and charming.

We arrived just after 11, and the cafe was quite busy, but not rammed. It took over 30 minutes for the table to be cleared, this was done in stages over the course of our visit, and a couple of items from the previous people were still there after we left.our coffee and cake was delivered within 40 minutes of being ordered.The staff were pleasant and apologised for the delay, but could have done with being better organised to be honest.our Scones were great, the flapjack was ok

I visited with a friend for lunch. We sat in the conservatory and a waitress came to our table reasonably quickly. We asked what soup it was and when told it was sweet potato, parsnip and tarragon (my favourite) decided to try it. Was not disappointed as it was delicious, the bread was nice and fresh too and my rose wine was nicely chilled. All waiting staff were friendly and efficient - the only downside to my visit was a group of noisy people at the adjacent table and a screaming baby, but that can't be helped! This was a vast improvement on my visit in November when I was really disappointed in the service and general atmosphere. A great improvement seems to have taken place. Well done to all concerned!

Very helpful staff. And a good size meal. And a lovely cup of tea. The whole garden centre the staff was fantastic helpful.

We decided on a trip out to see the Christmas display at this garden centre. Knowing they can be busy we booked a table for lunch in the restaurant. Arrived on time and order was taken. An over forty minute wait we found to be totally unacceptable. Part way through the wait we were told the food was being prepared only to be told again 15 minutes later the food was just being prepared. Others who came after us did not seem to be waiting as long as we did. Totally unacceptable and very disappointing, it spoiled an otherwise pleasant trip out.

I don't often give a 5 star rating but I think the Sunday lunch we had last Sunday warrants it. There were 6 of us, Nut roast - excellent and so to was the rare roast beef and the pork. The roast potatoes were outstanding (quite often a disappointment elsewhere). A good variety of vegetable. The Victoria sandwich cake was fressh and delicious so too was the chocolate brownie and apple crumble.Thank you. You were very busy but we received good service.

Always a nice escape for a cuppa and a slice of cake in the Walled Garden cafe in the Castle Gardens Garden Centre, Sherborne.Today was a nice treat however the staff were struggling to cope. Busy with Sunday lunch orders and the young staff were run off their feet. Service was a little slow and delayed however still pleasant. Cake nice and fresh, hubby enjoyed his coffee and I am loving the loose tea in the tea pot - very tasty and refreshing.

Visited yesterday for lunch.Ordered bacon brie and cranberry toasted sandwiches served with alleged wedges salad and coleslaw,It was dire.The toastie had some sort of brie ( had brie crusts finely sliced on top of filling, odd ) the wedges were like stale soft soggy roast potatoes cut into large chunks,coleslaw was watery and had a strange sour taste with thick slices of fennel (couldn't bite through it) the salad leaves were warm and limp (not nice to eat ) All in all a very nasty meal.I did not complain at the time as the place was full and didn't want to make a scene.,so we will not return to this garden centre again.Gave it 1 rating for the friendly lady who took our order.We were so surprised giving all the good comments on tripadvisor..

A hot afternoon, looking forward to a new venue... and I found exactly what was needed. Delightful restaurant hidden away at the end of Castle Gardens Centre with outdoor seating as well as plenty of indoor rooms. A table laden with cakes, scones and other delicacies was very tempting and I was soon ushered to a place overlooking the colourful plants. I enjoyed a very generous slice of fruit cake with a pot of tea and the Sunday paper.

We love visiting the café at Castle Gardens Garden Centre and try to get there once a week if we can. We have enjoyed the occasional Sunday lunch, weekday lunches and this morning we had our favourite weekly early morning tea with shared teacake (the teacakes are big!) The café has a relaxed and welcoming ambiance and every member of staff is a delight; friendly, efficient and good humoured. We always leave with a smile on our face!

Returned for a cuppa in the cafe in Castle Gardens Garden Centre. Lovely choice of naughty treats near the till - decided to try the caramel slice and what a treat, absolutely gorgeous.Found a table outside in the back garden - what a lovely spot with Robins flying around and landing. Table service by young charming staff - what is not to like. A lovely escape, will be back again shortly.

Recently travelled to this garden centre/cafe after getting a recommendation from someone. It's not exactly local, but thought we'd give it a try. Garden center itself is great, but have a very disappointing visit to the cafe after not being able to order food as they had run out of bread. They don't have the biggest menu on a Sunday (can't comment on other days as only been on a Sunday) so choices are very limited. Didn't want a meal and really the only other thing was a sandwich. Unfortunately they had run out of bread. Backup plan was a jacket potato, but that was also out.. as was one of the main meals. Seeing as it's a very limited menu, that was a good amount of the menu unavailable. Hadn't eaten thus far that day, so didn't want anything sweet. So, was left hungry. Was 4pm by the time we got home and as you can imagine, quite hungry at that point.

There is a great Garden Centre view, and outside seating when required. Light meals are tasty and well presented. The Homemade cakes are great, and some Gluten Free too. There's an excellent range of plants outside to buy from the Castle Gardens Centre.

Had lunch here, the café was very busy considering it was a weekday, this might have been because the Garden Centre was selling their Christmas trees etc.? I had a Steak and Onion Pie, it was dire, mostly onion and the little steak it contained was very tough and chewy.

Great food, great staff and great location. The menu is not huge in size but massive in the pleasure it gives, enjoy.

My wife and I dropped in for a quick bite to eat and a coffee today, we ordered a lemonade, coffee latte, toasted tea cake and a slice of coffee cake. We waited 15 minutes for the first item to arrive, the lemonade. Second to arrive was the toasted tea cake. After another 10 minute wait, the coffee arrived, finally after a further 10 minutes the coffee cake arrived. In all we waited 35 minutes for a very simple order. The staff we not customer friendly, but they were busy to be fair. The food was ok, not special. Unfortunately we have visited before and suffered the same level of service, you’d think we would have learned our lesson, well we have now. Not likely to pop in again.

When we arrived we found a table and sat down. After a good 5 minutes I went to the counter and checked with a member of staff if it was table service. She confirmed it was so I went back to my table. After another 10-15 minute wait I found some menus myself and then went up to the counter and ordered. Such poor service due to the lack of organisation and not enough staff!!!

My daughter and I called in today for a drink but then decided to stay for a roast lunch.There were 3 tables available all of which seated 4-6 so we had no choice but to sit at one of them, given this was at half past 2 and the main lunchtime sitting was over I thought it would be ok. A young waiter finally came to the table , no greeting or preamble he just said " is there anyone else sitting with you?" I replied there wasn't he then said " could you find more suitable seating?" . I felt incrediably embarrassed and rather annoyed at his lack of manners or anything approaching good service. He could so easily have greeted us then asked if HE could find us a better or more appropriate table but instead he chose to be rude and not at all customer focused. He had clearly forgotten that I was a paying customer!!

Popped in to grab a quick bite and buy some plants from the garden centre. I decided to sample their homemade soup of the day and as it was a lovely day I sat in the conservatory with the doors wide open. Glorious.

THAT was a fantastic roast dinner! Complements to the chef because that beef was so tender and cooked to perfection! The spuds and veggies were also extremely tasty and it was nice to see what looked like home grown mini carrots make an appearance! Round of applause

Have not been in here for a while and brought my friend here for lunch. Waitress service which makes a pleasant change and the staff were lovely. Choice of seats both inside and out including the conservatory at the front near the entrance.

A completely relaxing environment amidst the Castle Gardens Garden Centre. Family and pet friendly a great welcome awaits.

What a great idea,if you are not hungry you can actually order half a sandwich or enjoy their superb menu range

I didn't really enjoy this cafe when I visited it a year or so again, however, it seems to have had a total transformation. The staff are absolutely lovely and so attentive. From the young guy, who I think now manages it, to the waiting staff. My kids used to love the guy who manages it when he worked in his previous role in Yeovil and entertained them with great magic tricks. I visited it with my mum and she's already booked a date with me to come back so that we can go there for lunch. I can't mark it as excellent as we've only ever had drinks and pastries - not had lunch as yet.

We came here for lunch after visiting Sherborne Castle. We had a light lunch sharing a prawn sandwich because we were going out to dinner in the evening. I had a glass of wine. Both the sandwich and the wine were good.

I come here regularly as I have never tasted carrot cake like theirs. I have brought friends and family here over the years and they have all become hooked and regular customers. How disappointed today were we (with a friend who I meet here often) when we ordered the carrot cake. It seemed the usual cake lady is on a well deserved break, but whoever has stepped in has let the place down immensely. It’s such a shame. We left very fed up. We’ve never had a bad experience here and love coming so much. On a positive note the staff are always very welcoming courteous and polite.

We arrived at lunch time on a Sunday and the restaurant was busy. Found a table, and looked at the very expensive menu. Decided on half a sandwich (£3.25!!!) and a cup of tea. Waited for over half an hr and the drinks arrived, shortly followed by the food. What we had was ok but so overpriced and took so long to arrive. All the while we were waiting, waiters were asking tables whether they had ordered. Instead of doing this, and adding to your workload, why not give a hand in the kitchen to help them catch up with orders you already have? Food was coming out to the wrong tables and we witnessed people leaving before their orders arrived. Won't bother eating here again, I wish we'd fed our daughter in the car, would have given us more time to look around. Avoid!!

My local garden centre, just a short walk from entering a superb location just a short distance from Sherborne town centre but with ease of access. Pop in now until Xmas and enjoy the best Christmas grotto I have seen since living in Germany. The restaurant is a very pleasing place with inside and outer seating all making for a very pleasant experience. Food is excellent and the coffee is up there with the very best I have treated in many a year. You can spend for hours just looking, eating and enjoying. I will guarantee you will return.

Looked around the beautiful Christmas display then decided to have lunch. Cafe was busy as 12.20. Found a table that we had to share. The three of us decided on toasted brie, bacon and cranberry toasties. The drinks arrived promptly but then we sat and waited for half an hour. Think the chef had gone to France for the brie!!! We ordered two on white bread and one on granary bread. When they eventually arrived two were granary and one white. We had waited so long couldn't be bothered to point out the mistake as probably have to wait another half hour for the correct toastie. Very overpriced £ 6.95 each.

We popped in late (4pm) on a Sunday afternoon. Other coffee shops in the town had closed. The walled garden are happy to serve until 4.30. They were friendly, helpful and the cakes are delicious. The tea was loose leaf - always better than tea bags. Fabulous, thank you!!

By chance I have visited The Walled Garden twice in two weeks. The first time before half term. We arrived at 1.00 and ordered the soup of the day, only to be told that they had sold out. That seemed a bit early to have sold out, but we had the goats cheese, beetroot salad and that was delicious.

What a let down for Castle Gardens. Went into the coffee shop and oh dear how disappointing. Had to wait 15 minutes before someone acknowledged us. Then another long wait before order arrived. Only the coffee came which was luke warm and no cake!! My daughter then went to the counter and our cakes where just sat there. So she brought them to our table. When i went to pay the couldnt find the ticket. Absolute shambles!!!!

Have been visiting this cafe for many years and it's always been excellent: quality food in nice surroundings.

Family trip to a lovely garden centre, but let down very badly by the coffee shop.

the service was very slow once we had ordered an omelette and soup and a glass of water.

Best Sunday lunch in the area, helpful staff, great food not warmed up!5 star rating. Will be going back time and again

Called in for coffee and booked a table for lunch expecting everywhere to be full on Fathers Day . Quieter than previous visits (over 5 years ago) Roasts were good, Staff attentive & cost about average for a Sunday roast

I have been visiting this restaurant for many years and on a whole have never had to much to complain about,that is until my most recent visit in June. I had booked a table for the four of us but when we looked at the menu it was shocking. There was very little choice unless you love fish and salads! The most shocking thing was the very high price increases for very simple meals on offer.I wish we had just walked out again but felt bad if we did so we reluctantly ordered food we did not really feel like eating.that was the mistake!Three of us ordered the baked potatoes and all of them arrived stone cold and looked and tasted like they were from yesterday,in fact inedible!disgusting for the cost!One of us ordered a tuna/mayo sandwich ,well for £6.95 what can I say,two thin pieces of bread and a small pot of salad and that was it,a value sandwich from Tesco would have been better quality.So I talked to the staff about it and they really did not seem to care that the meal was disgusting and cost £41.00 and we left most of the food.WILL NOT BE RETURNING ANY TIME SOON .

What a disappointing lunch. I ordered a Caesar salad which turned out to be chicken lettuce and croutons with a small amount of sauce!! That's not a Caesar salad. Others in our party ordered omelettes and couscous salad both of which were average at best. This restaurant has always been over priced but yet again the prices have gone up and the quality and quantity have decreased.

Such a disappointment. We were hoping for the amazing breakfast that they used to do! Definitely won't bother again. One slice of toast which was already buttered. One mushroom, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1 sausage, 2 rashers of hard overcooked bacon, 1 greasy over cooked egg ( I asked for a runny yolk ). No option of poached egg available. Service wasn't great either. All for £8.75.

The service was the best thing about this meal. It came with a smile. The food itself was no better (and no worse) than ok.

Table service in garden centre tea shopGreat selection of freshly made cakes.Very good "special" mocha

Lovely fully loaded prawn sandwich and creamy garlic mushrooms. Good friendly service. Would visit again.

Our food was good quality and tasty however the tables were not wiped clean and the milk jug was filthy.

Called in Christmas week,and no surprise to find them very busy indeed.However ,despite the restaurant being full,we received very prompt and efficient service,and we enjoyed an excellent meal at a reasonable price.Well done and thank you!

We popped in for lunch on a busy Saturday with our dog. We weren't sure if we could take the dog but he was made very welcome - even given a biscuit.My husband had soup which he very much enjoyed. I asked for a sausage sandwich which is on the breakfast menu, which had ended for the day. The staff kindly said this was OK, and the sausage sandwich was excellent.Staff were friendly and helpful dealing with a high turnover of people on a busy day. Lovely lunch

Having been here on a number of previous occasions, we thought we would visit the garden centre and have some lunch here. Well - the service was absolutely dreadful, the staff seemed to have no idea what they were doing and the manager - well he just floated around getting very precious about the tables. I had booked well in advance for 4 and we were now only 3. He virtually forced us to a table in the window by the door which was drafty and cold so we had to keep our coats on all during lunch. It took ages for a waitress to come to the table and only after I got up and went to find one did someone come over. We ordered from the specials menu thinking that everything on there would be readily available. After at least a 20 minute wait having already had our drinks for ages, one plate arrived missing the cauliflower cheese with no explanation. Another 5 minutes and a pathetic excuse for fish pie arrived slopped on the plate - no vegetables and once I had tasted it no seasoning either. Then nothing. Our third party member was waiting and waiting. I eventually went to find the manager who said he had no idea where her lunch had gone and it probably went to another table. Two of us had almost finished our meal when hers eventually arrived. If we had waited ours would have been stone cold. We had a very weak apology but nothing else. When asked about the cauliflower cheese we were told it had run out.To finish it all the card payment machine was broken so we had to trail to the shop to pay for lunch. I didn't leave a tip and I did speak to the manager of the Garden Centre about this very disappointing and expensive experience - definitely not to be repeated. The only good thing was that the cottage pie was good.

We use this garden centre regularly and generally pop in for a snack or drink.The last time we went in (6th November, Sunday)we waited ages to get served, then continued to wait ,and wait and then watch people who came in after us and order after us be served and then we started to get irritated.I went to the counter and there was a mass of paper orders on the table and no organisation.Staff were rummaging through them and there did not seem to be anyone in overall charge. When I asked when our order would be ready I was told they were very busy. Being told anywhere that provides a service that they are busy is like red rag to a bull as far as I'm concerned. If somewhere is busy 'thats good!" It means the potential is there to make money and management and staff look to it and get their act into gear.Especially on a sunday when the world and its mother goes to a garden centre tea shop!The sad thing is the cake we had ( carrot ) was delicious but we were so irritated by the disorganisation we did not enjoy it particularly.

This place is an absolute shocker. The food and service are abysmal. Probably explained by the fact that they employ their staff at £5.30 an hour! If you want kids cooking and serving your food then stay at home and let your own kids do it. How the bloody hell are these people getting away with it?

Really good sunday lunch- not the cheapest but worth it, everything very tasty. The puddings all have that homemade taste. You may need to book if there's a few of you or you plan to go at 'prime time'

Twice tried to get served here. Gave up both times . Staff larking about and chatting to each other. Ignored us yet insist on table service. Garden center is good and well stocked

Toasted teacakes, cream teas, quiche, salads, cake and baguettes, all washed down by a range of teas and coffees - or locally produced wines. Nice. Just what you want after a tour around the house and gardens. Only don't be in a rush - the service is pleasant, but rather slow.

Had lunch here while visiting family in the area. The food we had was very good, however.... It was only 1 pm and already run out of vegetables so it was salad with fish pie and everything else. The serving staff badly need some training - had to be prompted to bring things such as cutlery - which was handed to us by the waitress holding the prongs of the forks! The chef is obviously good at his job as the food was tasty and hot. If they had a competent manager overseeing things it could well be worth 5 stars.

I have read some of the comments on here, and must be at a different place. We had lunch here today and the staff and food was excellent, we both had an omelette, with fresh salad and new potatoes, lovely at just 7.95 each. The home made deserts are just great, with a selection of custard,cream, or ice cream, Can't fault this place, and my Bishop of Landuff is flowering like mad !!!

Varied and excellent menu choice of which much is home made.Very good service and all at reasonable prices.Well worth visiting.

gone downhill so much, very disappointing, staff stood around chatting, food poor, burnt bacon in the sandwiches, bread dry so ended up eating a few crisps plus a drink for £38!

We have been regular customers here for several years, and always enjoyed our visits. However, recently the waitress service has become so poor we have had to go inside and ask for what we wanted while staff stood around chatting. Becoming less and less likely to revisit.

This is the cafe in the garden centre in Sherborne. The garden centre is a big one and independent, with friendly staff and lots of stock, a nice place for plant lovers to browse. The cafe offers a nice, unpretentious range of food, reasonably priced, not very sophisticated but tasty and in generous proportions.

We have eaten here several times over the past year, and at times, especially weekends the service can be slow. Today we were served by a lovely older woman and a younger one, Kingi, very quick and on the ball. My wife had the wonderful home made Shepherds pie, and I had the Bacon & mushroom omelet , with salad and new potatoes, lovely. Followed up by the banoffee very nice. This is good value, well presented home made food,we shall return as always.