The Willow Tree Cafe in Daventry

My god I stood in that queue for 20 mins while the person behind the counter made TWO coffees. There was a queue of people in front of me so I decided to leave as I only wanted to buy a couple of bottles of water after a run and it’d have taken me longer to get the drinks that it did to run the 10k around the reservoir. 😂

Ordered 2 coffees and 2 sausage baps waited 15 minutes for coffees ! Sat outside with a monitor that shakes when food is ready another 10 minutes passed so 25 minutes coffee drank and still no food, asked in cafe young girl went behind to kitchen came back and said be 10 minutes lol I asked why as we ordered 25 minutes ago and drinks were drunk she just shrugged shoulders and said I don't know why? About 10 later buzzer went and food was ready! Crazy wait not even that busy. Food was good though. Sadly we will not use again as this has happened previously. After you visit jump in car and pop to workhouse in Brixworth Same sort of price but served promptly Owner needs to address these issues

Shocking service, waited 15 minutes just to order 2 ice creams. Didn't bother ordering coffee as I didn't have an extra 3064 minutes for them to make it as had to walk back to the car for the car park supposedly closing at 4.30pm!

Popped in for a coffee after Park Run - this is the first time I'd actually been in since the refurbishment. Very impressed!

Visited on a beautiful Sunday mid afternoon. Wasn’t very busy around the cafe so decided to purchase x2 cappuccinos…………. Very disappointed - only 2 orders in front of me ……. 1 order tea & cake, 2nd order x2 coffees, then my order…………. In total we had to wait 35minutes ! Ridiculous…….never again. My advice is take your own refreshments!!!!

Visited today with a 2 kids and took them in for some chips as a treat. 50 minute wait and had to chase the order twice. Apparently they were very busy (not really - hardly anyone in there!!) No serviettes, had to keep asking and in the toilets the toilet roll holders were taped shut. Also the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling didnt really do it for me. Wont be visiting again, its a shame as good location

Decided to take a walk and then a treat at the cafe . Absolutely awful cafe. Dirty cutlery and no forks and was told none available as dirty . £35 quid for three awful chicken burgers and four drinks. Tables outside were filthy and litter everywhere on floors and tables. There was five staff and I would say two were trying the others were mulling about. The cutlery area was dirty and no serviettes or cutlery. Shocking you should be ashamed whoever owns this business. There was a table outside which was absolutely filled with dirty plates and food . This was Mother’s Day for us and eating out as a family is a treat but totally disappointing. Whilst waiting for the drinks you could see in the back kitchen area and that didn’t look great either. Next time we will take a flask and picnic !

Hardy individuals sitting outside with a dog. Ordered cappuccino, latte, sandwich and toasties. Coffees were done immediately, and if the food had arrived quickly then they would have been okay. I waited and waited, 26 minutes later with 2 stone cold coffees the food finally arrived. Asked for 2 new coffees as I was not prepared to accept them after waiting so long, was given 2 new ones but my husband said his was lukewarm. The food was acceptable but surely a toastie and a sandwich does not take that long to prepare.

BAD waited 1 hour for a cheese and ham toaster would defo not recommend to eat at as I have been eating for very long. Service was polite however it’s still overpriced and long waiting times

Popped in for a quick sorry even took 10 minutes as the service is so slow!! x2 bottles of drink and ice cream didn't even check price, wasn't til I checked my online banking they charged me £8!!! Yes that's right £8 for two bottles of drink and a ice cream absolute daylight robbery!! Unless you are stupid avoid at all costs!!!

After cycling round Pitsford with my 7 year old we were really looking forward to popping into the cafe to grab lunch before heading home. The food smelt amazing and there was a fairly good selection but the wait to be served was ridiculous, after waiting for 20 minutes with no one in front of us in the queue a large group came into the cafe and commandeered all the tables and seating leaving us with nowhere to sit inside and it had just started to rain. In the end we just bought drinks as left. Such a disappointing end to what had been a lovely day out. There are signs up saying it is under new management but there was no management in sight and it was extremely disorganised.

Was told there were no fries left, next person walks away with fish and chips. Hot dog came with no utensils to apply sauce, richmond sausage in tesco basic bun. Mini egg latte was latte with mini egg on top. Other than that class.

On a cold walk around Pitsford Reservoir decided to pause for hot drink. Ordered two regular take away hot chocolates at £2.50 each. These are the worst hot drinks I’ve ever bought. Only half a cup full and within 60 seconds the slightly frothy top had disappeared as all the powder sank to the bottom of the cup leaving a tasteless brown watery liquid. Complete rip off. Would never purchase anything from here again and certainly would not recommend to anyone.

As most people do, we stopped off 2/3 way round our circular walk round Pitsford Reservoir. It was a Friday, not too busy, and a rare dry day in October. Without a word of a lie, the hot chocolate with cream, marshmallows & chocolate flake was the best we've ever had. And into our 60's, we've had a few! It gave us a well earned rest and sugar rush, ready to face the final part of the walk. We would have rated it 5 stars but had to wait ages in a queue of only 4, and it just seemed to take forever to be served, though the staff were very friendly.

We stopped off here as a half way point on a bike ride. The food came quickly enough and was ok; my daughter and I had a hot dog whilst my dad had a burger (I wish I’d gone for that, it looked nicer than mine). It was what I expected. We also had an ice cream which my daughter enjoyed. I wouldn’t go as a ‘destination’ eatery, but it was more than sufficient for what we wanted.

Called in today for a baked potato with chilli and a coffee during my cycle ride. I asked that the butter was added to the potato BEFORE putting on the chilli to keep it simple. My meal not only took ages to arrive (there were no more than half a dozen people in the cafe when I arrived), but the butter was on the side of the plate in a packet. Whilst that may not be the end of the world, the chilli was really weak and watery. I also asked for the wi-fi code but whilst there are two wi-fi accounts at the cafe, there is not one for their customers. A pretty basic thing to expect these days.The staff were pleasant enough and very helpful and so it wouldn't take much to make this a much happier experience but cleary work needs to be done.

We regularly visit the country park with our four legged friend. Always a good walk and nearly always finish with a visit to the cafe, (albeit we sit outside the cafe with our furiend) for a hot drink and snack. Today’s visit was exceptionally good along with helpful staff. Our food was made to order quality sandwiches & drinks were great! Thank you. We will be back soon.

We only had cappacino to drink but all the food there looked nice and well presented.Staff were nice aswell.It was nice to sit outside on the benches in the sun.

We stopped only for drinks, but saw lots of food being served. The cafe seemed to be just okay, nothing special yet very expensive. At the time we were there we were surrounded by lots of wasps.

we sat outside after our walk for a rest and had hot drinks and an ice cream. Though a bit expensive. Too many wasps as old crockery etc not collected very promptly

Potential for a good cafe here. Cheese and Tomato sandwich with the mildest cheese possible. Scone like one out of a supermarket multipack. Tea, a teabag in a mug.

Staff lacking English language and when asked what oil food is cooked in the reply was "I don't know, big thing!" Visited here on a work outing but won't be returning. Shockingly bad customer service Won't be visiting again

Read lots of negative reviews but thought we’d go anyway and glad we did. Yes it is slightly overpriced but the food was good with plenty of choice, portions probably too big and the service quick. We didn’t go with the intention of befriending the serving staff as others seemed to but from my limited communication with them they all seemed polite and friendly. Highly recommended unlike the expensive parking (which can easily be avoided)

Have visited this cafe numerous times and can honestly say the staff are as miserable and demotivated as you are ever going to meet. I don’t blame them I blame their managers. Whoever owns this cafe needs to understand you only get out what you put in!! Look after and motivate your team, serve great food and that will reflect in sales and happy customers :)

Really lovely country park overlooking Pitsford water, perfect, but it ends there ! Tables were dirty, one waitress was Ok but the other one was rude unfriendly and clearly hates her job, and the food, well it was appalling, everything was cheap cheap cheap, from the grey inside of fish fingers, to the vile beans, tasteless baguette, cheap cup of tea, and nasty cheap condiments, It could be so different with some passion and thought. We will never eat here again.

You can only review as you find and I was surprised to see so many negative comments from other users. We ordered baguettes which were delicious and filling, the tea was nice, and the cake afterwards was also nice. Yes it could be cheaper but bring your own food if you dont want to pay. The service in and out was quick and courteous so not sure what these people want from a park cafe...

I thought the food was tasty and offered outstanding value - my husband’s £5.65 mozzarella and tomato baguette with potato wedges would have served both of us. My £3.60 tuna sandwich was very well filled. The waitresses perhaps weren’t the friendliest. Sat outside in the sun overlooking the lake, very happy. I would say this was a weekday much in term time - I bet it’s not quite so peaceful at weekends!

Visited here with friends, we arrived just as the café was opening, so went off for a little walk to give them a chance to get set up etc. Plenty of seating inside and out and a reasonable menu both in choice and price. However the young lady who served us made it plainly obvious she didn't want to be there... Very snappy and wholly unhelpful when presented with the simplest of questions... The food itself was a generous portion and nicely presented but again the attitude of the same member of staff when bringing it out to the table was much below par...

After a chilled strolled it was time to warm up and the only place to do it at the park is this cafe.

We stop here most Saturdays – either as a half-way break or as an end reward on the full Pitsford Water walk. Yes, it’s had its problems in the past, but the coffee has always been excellent, and the food has often been very good indeed.

I've been twice in the last couple of months after a break of several years. It used to be good value and a good stop for reasonable food in a nice-enough environment. Now there are rude and disinterested staff, dirty tables, cold coffee and a stale scones...clearly the 'captive audience' from the country park is the only reason this awful place is still open. A quick google search suggests there are plenty of cafes/pubs near-by with much better food and service...I will get back in my car after my next visit!

The reviewers comments that the willow tree could be so much better are spot on . Admittedly the place wasn’t busy when I visited but it felt like all the joy had been sucked out of it . Staff didnt feel at all welcoming and seemed utterly disengaged which isa real shame because in a spot like this it could and should surely be so much better. My toastie was actually very good and served very quickly but but was accompanied by a sad , limp and tired salad that was past its best - a metaphor for the willow tree sadly .

I have visited here a few times over the past few months, each time disappointed. Staff verging on rude and not welcoming, this applies to the younger staff as well as the older ones, the only pleasant lady was the one with a foreign accent. I visit the cafe in Salcey forest regularly and it is so much better. Maybe the owner of the Willow Tree should visit there to get some ideas!

I've visited The Willow Tree a few times in recent months at different times of the day and this review sums up my experiences. I've seen it when it is busy and quiet. The staff are friendly enough but young and would benefit from some 'customer service' advice. Not the 'have a nice day' routine but genuinely engage with the customer to make the visit more of a pleasure whilst remaining efficient. A tough job when very busy but important. They sell Mr Creaton cakes which are tasty but a bit overpriced. The Gent's Toilet is dire and in desperate need of smartening up. If this is not the Cafe's responsibility they should be pestering the Landlord. It's a handy stop when walking round the reservoir and I return with low expectations because there is no alternative. Frustrating as it could be so much better and a treat to look forward too rather than just being convenient. All users of the Park I speak to really want this place to be a success but I feel it's missing the mark, sorry.

trekked half way round the reservoir, looking forward to a nice cup of tea and a snack, ordered 2 teas and 2 jacket potato's cost £12.40, when they arrived they were served on a very small plate with a couple of slices of cucumber and tomato and a lettuce leaf, the potato was hard, not very pleasant really. the toilet facilities were very poor, the whole place needs a refit, it could be a gold mine providing good quality food but instead its a gold mine providing very poor quality food, will make sure we take a picnic next time

Estoy absolutamente indignado! ! Compré una baguette - 5 libras. 40 y una bebida embotellada £1. 50 aprox. de alrededor de £7 iguala. Pagué con tarjeta, sólo a buscar ahora cuando revisar mi cuenta de banco me ha cobrado de £11. 40! ! Ridículo! Esto no es aceptable.

Twice I've tried this place but never again, staff distinctly average, prices not too bad but the quality of food is just awful, stone cold beans, dried out mushrooms, ketchup clearly diluted with copious quantities of vinegar, sausage hacked in half before cooking rather than serve us a whole one each, I don't think I've ever had a breakfast this bad!

Visitamos después de un paseo en bicicleta con mi pareja y poco chico. La calidad de la comida es terrible y enormemente caro. No volveré! !

There was a sign saying 30 minute minimum wait for food even though this is only a small cafe and clearly most people had been served food and when we ordered two of the baguettes from the blackboard the woman at the counter did not know that one of them was on the menu; these two facts should have been a warning!!We ordered a ham and mixed salad baguette, a ham and mustard one and a bowl of chips. We did have to wait nearly 30 minutes and then only one of the baguettes arrived. Having gone straight to the front of the now long queue and complained robustly the missing item arrived very quickly.The baguettes were small. The mixed salad consisted of only a small amount of very wilted lettuce whereas the other one, quite literally, had half a jar of mustard on it; very poor quality. The chips were fine as was the strong 'fairtrade' tea.Plastic tables and chairs, uncleared tables and rubbish left on the floor.

Dirty, slow service, miserable staff who couldn't care less. Tables were unclean. Staff just ignored them. Avoid this place

I particularly wanted to comment on the café today as I notice that previous contributors have been quite critical.On entering, it wasn't busy so no long wait , the whole place was good on the eye. The display of food was excellent. Lovely selection of cakes on display looking very appetising, with no look of being sat there all day. (Each one contained in a plastic case).The cold drinks fridge was well stocked and clean looking as was the whole of the café.There was a large selection of food on offer and seasonal decorations around the place without looking tacky.Our two hot chocolates were competitively priced and tasted lovely, no complaints there.Staff were friendly and efficient, so no complaints on that front.Just wish there were bins around the walking routes and more toilets dotted about the place !!

Overlooking the beautiful lakes and with surrounding walks this cafe should really do better.We purchased some coffees and a couple of cakes whilst taking the dogs for a walk recently.Experience has always told me you are never going to be served the best quality food in places like these but it was all passable and a little expensive for the quality received.Could be a goldmine if guided in the right direction.Visited November 2016

When walking or cycling the reservoir this is a nice palace to stop for a break. Maybe a bit overpriced but food ok and coffee very good. Don't use it all the time as some great pubs in the village only a short walk away but don't rule it.out as it's fine.

Called in mid morning for bacon sandwich and hot drinks. Place is uninspiring, food was poor quality and very overpriced. Shame as site could have great potential.Lack of any customer focus, would not eat there again.

Called in for coffee and cake whilst waiting for a meeting nearby. Had to pay £3 to park. Coffee was ok, but cake was stale and inedible.Service was sultry and not a pleasantly was heard - not so much as a thank you!Wouldn't bother again - shame could be so much better as location is great!

Overpriced and poor quality of food!! Only had jacket pkt and left half of it, hubby had burger and chips, could taste the oil (and that needed changing) Won't go again!

This is a nice little cafe and is perfectly located if you are walking around the lakes, there are beautiful views from the outside seating area. We only had ice-cream's as it was hot and sunny but the food and sandwiches looked OK.

Visited during a walk round the reservoir on a sunny Friday mid morning and café was very quiet. Had 2 excellent bacon and egg sandwiches and highly drinkable tea. Staff were attentive if not overly welcoming and got brown sauce when asked. Pricing feels a little on high side for the overall experience and the loos are in desperate need of some TLC. Not sure how they cope when it gets busy but was delighted to see the park has a music festival coming up soon featuring the fantastic Dr Feelgood.

Live local and often frequent this place. Never been that impressed with the quality over the years, but I was hopeful they may improve in time.Visited this morning with a friend who had travelled over an hour to visit.Cappacinos were like water and we had sausage sandwiches. I have to say the quality of sausage and bread was awful. The cheapest and lowest pork content sausage you could ever have. The bread was poor sliced bread and cheap. We paid £11.50 which I fell was massively overpriced. This place is in a lovely setting and the use of better quality or even local produce would be great here. £11.50 for a couple of poor quality richmonds on warburton bread was extortionate

Have visited this cafe a few times and found they have a good selection of food for this type of establishment which is reasonably priced. Quality of the food has always been good and service quite efficient. However I have always visited mid week in term time. I imagine it gets pretty crowded weekends and school holidays, especially as there is not much indoor seating. My main gripe is the cost of parking which has now gone up to £3 but this is set by the council so not the fault of the cafe.

We've visited this cafe quite a few time & term time week days are ok but today we visited after going for a walk, we didn't expect to sit in as it was a bank holiday & the country park was busy but when we got there we found that the outdoor tables had been removed & replaced with three small folding tables & a dozen chairs, totally inadequate for the number of visitors. My husband bought me a take away coffee & we found a bench by the playground but there were people standing around the door eating & drinking. I was totally unimpressed by it all.

My husband had a day off unexpected and we went out for a walk and then lunch. The food was really nice and filling. Veey good quality and the service was extremely efficient.

I agree with the other reviews. I was standing, waiting to order a coffee and it's quiet in the cafe. Instead of being served I'm ignored! I will not be going in there again.

We popped in on Friday, after taking the dogs for a walk. Looking forward to a nice sausage sandwich and a cup of tea - sadly we got a cold sausage sandwich, using less than fresh bread and low quality sausages that had been burnt previously, then microwaved into life for 10 seconds and a lukewarm small mug of tea x 2 for nearly £11.00. The Willow Tree Cafe has got a real nerve charging these prices for such poor fare.

Should you find yourself walking through the doors of this godforsaken place, my strong recommendation would be to stick to the safe ground of the overpriced crisps and chocolates. The food is dire and service terrible. I feel sorry for the staff, none of whom appear to be of working age, who I suspect are paid a pittance to help line the pockets of a fagin-like owner.

We wanted lunch before we went for a walk. The soup was tasteless and the microwaved baguette became like rock as it cooled. I left both. The coffee was fine. The country park is great for a walk but I will take a picnic next time. If the county council wants people to use the park they need to check the cafe facilities.

3 staff on today - 1 making food, 1 female member of staff looking busy clearing dishes, filling dog bowls(!) and avoiding eye contact as best she could, 1 doing his best to do everything else including serving ice cream, taking money and making coffee...slowly. 20 minutes queue to get a coffee...Food was overpriced across the board from the pre-packed cakes, chocolate, to the crisps and cans. Service was friendly, but why so slow? Maybe a few more staff would be in order?Would hate to see the place on a really busy day.

We found out that breakfast was served until noon, so six of us arrived on a Monday morning shortly after 10am. We ordered six full English breakfasts and coffee. The staff seemed initially a little less than enthusiastic about preparing this order. The coffee was filter coffee and in large bowl-like cups, which was good. The breakfast consisted of one small over-cooked fried egg, one slice of bacon on the verge of being burned (we did ask for well done but this might have taken it a bit far), a sausage which was a cut-in-half jumbo sausage, mushrooms which were not freshly cooked, half a tomato (cooked), baked beans which were clearly economy standard, a hash brown and a slice of toast. All apart from the hash brown were not piping hot and by serving on warmed plates this would be improved. My wife asked for brown sauce instead of the individual portion of ketchup supplied. The result was a brown substance which was rather thin and did not taste anything like brown sauce.This venue is convenient for people walking round Pitsford Reservoir, cycling, or dog walking. It should be able to offer catering to a higher standard, especially if it wishes to compete with other local venues for breakfast. I cannot comment on the lunches and previously I have only used the cafe to buy an ice cream or a hot drink. At nearly £6 for a breakfast, this was expensive for the quality of food supplied.