Cafe Bowes - County Durham

After not visiting for a while, we were pleased to find that the restaurant had not disappointed. The sandwiches were fresh and delicious, the coffee was wonderful, and the carrot cake was the best. The staff was friendly and efficient, and we are excited to come back again soon.

We ended our trip to Bowes with afternoon tea as a special Christmas/New Year treat. The cafe was very busy, so it was a good idea to book a window table in advance. We ordered the usual tea - one decaf - and our tea stands came with a delicious selection of sandwiches including ham and pease pudding, smoked salmon, and cheese savoury. What really stood out for me were the freshly baked scones, which were much better than ones I've had at other places. For dessert, we enjoyed chocolate fondant cups, fresh meringue fancies, and carrot cake, with a swan-shaped shortbread to finish off the meal. A kind young man noticed we hadn't finished everything and offered to pack up our leftovers without us even having to ask. We left feeling very satisfied and happy with our visit and treat.

We visited this restaurant twice in three days. During our first visit, we stopped by for coffee and tea cake in the morning. The menu was impressive and the food was nicely presented, so we decided to make a reservation to return three days later. We were extremely satisfied with the service, as the staff were friendly and polite. Despite reading some negative reviews, we found the cafe to be wonderful during our visits. Normally, I don't write reviews but felt compelled to share our positive experience.

Arrived for a cup of coffee with my parents at the cafe, waited at the ‘please wait to be seated’ sign. An elderly waitress asks ‘table for 3?’ to which my mother responded ‘ yes, but normally we get a table for two.’ To which the server replied quite abruptly ‘ I don’t care which table you sit at honey’ ….I could see my mother was quite taken aback, as was I. If the cafe had been busy I could understand the need not to get into any elongated discussion with a chatty older lady. But as it was it was very quiet. Seems a shame as the rest of the servers seem perfectly professional and affable. The manager even recognising my parents and had a lovely little chat even though she was probably busy. It’s only 3 stars because of the other staff members, ‘Honey’ would have gained a one star.

Lovely cafe in Bowes Museum. Enjoyed drinks and ice cream on our visit. Friendly staff. Good cake selection with gluten free options.