The outside did not look terribly inviting on a cold day in November, you couldn't see through the…read morewindows at all and it wasn't clear which door to use. Very quiet when we arrived and we both ordered paninis one with a latte and one with fruit tea. The choice of fruit tea was questionable, they weren't sure they had any but did offer a choice of camomile, peppermint or Earl Grey (not convinced by this being fruit tea). Service was friendly but incredibly slow and left us thankful that we hadn't ordered anything complicated. When it arrived it was hot and tasty, the leaves on the side were not the freshest and were without any dressing. Throughout our stay one of the servers 3 year old child was rolling around on some kind of toy tractor. Most customers seemed happy to say hello once but there was no effort to keep him away from customers or stop him rolling the tractor under the tables people were occupying. It wasn't the most restful experience and it's not somewhere I'd return to. On a nice day the choice would be fish and chips to takeaway from the shop virtually next door and wander down to the river to eat them.

I am mad crazy about visiting bakeries for tea and cake. I'll describe it as a hobby, if that…read moredoesn't make me sound like an absolute glutton. Anyway, my beady eyes spied this place on my way into Cheltenham when I was visiting for a wedding. The following day I scuttled out of the torrential rain for a cosy seat and some tea and cake. Disappointment number 1: seats are uncomfy and the space isn't very cosy at all This was pretty much immediately forgiven when I saw the gorgeous display of cakes and cupcakes and pastries and mini loaves and meringues and cookies. Yuuum! I was so excited! And indecisive! Admittedly to the point of annoyance, to which the staff did nothing to disguise. Settled on a red velvet cupcake for me and a strawberry cupcake for my boyfriend. Tea for him, macchiato for me because I needed a serious wake up after wedding craziness. Disappointment number 2: macchiato was not the teeny tiny espresso sized coffee it should be, but half a big cupful. Disappointment number 3: my red velvet cake was a) not red, but brown and b) stale. I didn't finish it. That's A Big Deal. Dec's strawberry cupcake had a lovely flavour but the fresh strawberry through the cake had made the sponge gloopy. Gutted. They sell nice cake stands and sweets and crockery if you're looking for a cute gift, which I was and I did purchase and the recipients were pleased.

A perfect addition to the Montpelier area of Cheltenham this, with its dainty little cakes, loose…read moretea and other 'posh' nibbles on offer. But the main attraction for many will be the Butterfly Bakery-esque cupcakes that are lined up in a display cabinet. What's not to like?! I have to say that I was tempted away from the cupcakes by an individually baked lemon meringue pie. Oh deary me, it was the last one available but if there were more I would have smashed through a second it was that lovely. Chewy, just browning meringue on top of a creamy, sweet and very lemony base made to make your mouth water! The girlfriend went for Banana Cake which was moist and bananery - made of yum. We were impressed by the decor, which was modern, clean and functional. No cozy seats though, disappointingly, just tables for 2 or 4 and a raised bar along the window. Like I said, a cracking addition to an already well-serviced area of town where competition is stiff. Its uniqueness will, I'm certain, continue to attract people with kids, 'soccer mom' types and those with girlfriends with a weird cupcake fetish...

Very busy coffee shop in the heart of Cheltenham. We didn't try any of the food offerings but did…read morestop in for an afternoon coffee break. It was packed and there was a line to order. Friendly staff, warm finishings (physically and ambiance). My gingerbread chai latte was very sweet but I was able to water it down with more milk.

Great to see the multi national identikit coffee chains getting a run for their money in Cheltenham…read moreHigh Street... This place sells Nitro coffee ideal for that extra kick on a warmer day but with my added liqueur it did its insulating work. Went for the spicy chicken panini... ok I would have liked it spicier but what was good was the actual taste... savoury, tasty and well presented on a small wooden platter... take that Star*ucks!

Having consumed huge amounts of coffee over the last few days it was time to go for great hot…read morechocolate. As usual I go for the 50% milk instead of 70% and the chocolate whipped cream. It's delicious too. My wife was shopping so as it was an outlet place it was going to take some time. As I'm a card holder I get 20% discount for hot drinks so I parked up on their high chairs- no comfy seats here sadly and I bought some chocolate (about £100 worth) and sipped my hot chocolate. The two staff were mega friendly.

From the outside, this is a rather pretty Caffè Nero location, located in the historic town centre…read moreof Stratford Upon Avon in the traditional style of building which is plentiful around the West Midlands town. I called in to grab a quick coffee ahead of my journey back home. The seating area inside is small but didn't seem too busy. I ordered an Iced Pistachio Latte, as the Amaretto Iced Latte, which I wanted to try as part of their new festive range for Fall 2023, was out of stock. (Pretty bad to run out of stock for a drink they're promoting so heavily). The barista was friendly and apologetic and on hand to offer recommendations for other drinks though. It is a little pricey, my drink came to £4.05 before using my Meerkat promotion (Compare the Market offers their customers 25% off drinks at Nero after taking out an insurance product), a little pricey before offers for the size of the drink. My drink tasted fine, but I did have to give it a bit of a stir, I did like the pistachio flavour though which is unique compared to what the rival coffee shops nearby are offering, but the coffee alone was just OK. 3* - Wouldn't be my first choice for coffee in the area, but not a bad alternative. Be warned they do close quite early at 18:30, but that's still half an hour later than Starbucks nearby.

Erm, what? An amazing, classy, non-chain coffee stop right near the station? This is incredible…read more Flat whites? Check. Cool decor? Check. Cute staff? Triple check. Basically, I just found an extra incentive to get the long train home from Leeds. Brilliant coffees, love that they do barista classes, and an ultimate win for Cheltenham. YES.

Went here for the first time the other day and loved it! Really cool, lush menu, good coffee, and…read morefriendly staff. I had the brie and cranberry panini (they took the bacon out for me and gave me a bit more brie to make up for it). Good array of veggie snacks too. Small but pleasant outdoor patio area as well as the inside space. Will be back.

This was a charming place in a beautiful town. Tea and baked goods were excellent and service was…read morequick and friendly. Sadly have returned home and miss the charming Cotswolds

With a recommendation from not one but two guidebooks, you'd think it'd at least be decent, but…read moreinstead, it was deceptive and disappointing. They mark everything as homemade, but whose home since there's no oven on the premises and nothing is baked there? I wanted a really authentic experience for a pastry calorie bomb, but instead, got mediocre supermarket grade snacks at a premium. I was appalled when the cabinet I was sitting next to popped open and I saw Eccles cake--the same as what was plated in a Saran-wrapped plate right on the sideboard above the cabinet--individually wrapped in manufactured plastic packaging, and TESCO SUPERMARKET BRAND chocolate chip cookies also neatly stacked in mass production packaging. But on the other hand, I guess it's pretty authentic since locals eat it? Further souring the experience was when I asked where the scones were actually from and I found out the bakery the server said did not even exist, which felt very dishonest. Also, the scone was microwaved and had a spongy, mass-produced American biscuit taste to it (think KFC with raisins). They had no idea what type of cheese was even in the sandwiches, either. The cakes are supposedly locally sourced, but at this point, I find it difficult to believe anything said. The jams they sell up front are not what they use in the food, either. The food wasn't really awful, but save your money and get the real deal elsewhere. You're paying for the ambiance, but not much more, but Broadway is a bit of a Cotswold tourist trap, it seems. So sad I went out of my way to come here. Biggest disappointment during my whole trip.

I always enjoy Costa for coffee and this one is in a beautiful location and stunning old building…read more But on Monday 1st June we popped in for breakfast, the coffee beans were filled from a large bag that had just been opened. The scissors used were placed on the floor next to the bean bag and stepped on more than once. When we left they were still there. It does make you wonder what goes on out of sight, I like kitchen equipment clean please!

As a regular visitor to the wonderful place of Stratford-Upon-Avon as a shopping area and 'oggle'…read morezone, a fresh beverage or caffeine fix is a must in the (what can be) hectic high street. This certain Costa Coffee branch are very friendly, I have never been served without a smile from the Barista. They always produce your beverages and food very quickly and efficiently, and the queue/line system means the ordering process, and picking up your drink afterwards, is not too confusing. As a regular customer to many different Costa Coffee branches, I have to say that this particular branch is yet to be beaten by their quality of drinks. However, there are a couple of downsides to the place. To cater for the large amounts of tourists which come and go throughout the day, this Costa branch has to accommodate many tables and chairs. This means that it's quite hard to get around, and I have seen people spill their drinks everywhere due to trying to manoeuvre themselves around the sitting area. This problem however, is also ironically replaced by the other downside of the place. It's far too busy and cramped in. Mums and Dads ask their children to 'nab' spots for them, and tourists enjoying their iphone and shopping whilst sitting down means many stay for hours on end, leaving people who have just ordered drinks to stand around and wait, making the place even MORE crowded. Besides these two points, this Costa Coffee branch is one of my favourites, and at the end of the day - it's the service and the quality of their products which count.