An absolutely lovely little cafe! The food is extremely well made, fresh and delicious, and the prices are very reasonable.The staff were friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere was very nice as well. Prepared meals were lovely and so were the cakes- I highly recommend the pistachio cake thing!Coffee also very good.Vegetarian options: Some vegetarian options, for example soup of the day.
Ian Ruxton
Great cappuccino with lovely baked in the premises chorizo sausage roll followed by equally nice custard doughnut . Stool seating to the front and table and chairs to the rear, nice atmosphere.Good value and will be back.
Martin Rowe
What a pleasant surprise! A spacious cafe serving excellent coffee and toast pastries... in walking distance of home! The breakfast menu looks great; I'll be back to try it out!
Jonathan Knowles
Nice little coffee
Nuthatch Retreat
Upon arriving with 5 friends we were delighted to find such a lovely spot to grab breakfast on the go. The bacon sandwiches on sourdough were delicious and substantial, and the cakes and pastries looked yummy as well. Unfortunately, the service was appalling. I took a reusable cup in which we explained might need a teabag thrown away first as I'd just finished my tea. The person making coffees (who turned out to be the person in charge) was clearly annoyed at having to use a reusable cup where most decent places these days are more than happy to do so. I had ordered a flat white, as had others in my party, but was served a latte-sized drink in said reusable cup. When I politely asked if it was possible to remake it as I can't handle that much milk I was given such a steely look that, had I been on my own, I would have just asked for my money back and walked out. I worked in a similar bakery for 5yrs and would never have behaved this way to a customer. Spend your money elsewhere and support a small business that is nice to their customers because this place clearly finds their customers loathsome!
Chris A
Prestbury really needed a cafe. There are three pubs in the village but so far there has been nowhere else to sit down and have a sandwich and a coffee. Fortunately Penny Blacks opened in the old post office (hence the name) and is deservedly popular with locals. It is dog-friendly, child-friendly and just plain friendly. The coffee and the pastries are good, so are the sandwiches and the brunch items.
Laurie Goldsmith
Good coffee and
Beefy Boys FC
My almond croissant was hard and tried to charge me twice for it. Plus they don't take cash. Doubt I'll be back though it was nice and cosy on a cold day.
Lucy Heslop
A lovely café in the centre of Prestbury village, Cheltenham.Delicious pastries, cakes and brunch/lunch options.Dietary requirements catered for.The staff are always so welcoming and friendly.Fab coffee ☕
Angela Fletcher
Coffee was good. Breakfast was expensive, asked for one egg and no sourdough, but was charged the same as full offering? Wondering if I'd asked for extra egg or bread would I have been charged more,
Always a pleasure to have breakfast/brunch at Penny Blacks. The service is always friendly and the food and drinks delicious. A bonus is being able to buy pastries and the best sourdough to take away. Not sure why there are so many bad reviews. We have only ever had a perfect experience. Lucky to have this on our doorstep too.
Hekmat Kaveh
In my view the best breakfast in Cheltenham with a great variety fantastic ingredients everything made fresh to order and nothing is too difficult for the staff if you haven't not experienced it for breakfast at least you've missed out just remember you need to order at the counter there is no table service
Tom G
I am a regular and a local and this place never fails to underwhelm me. So much potential but consistently average delivery with top end prices.On the positive side the coffee is always excellent, but the service for food is slow. I’d love to order a meal with coffee, and be able to consume a them together. Food delivery is inconsistent, no table service (which for these prices, isn’t good enough, I come in on my own with the dog and it’s a faff to manage).The main observation, they can’t keep staff. As a local I like to get to know people and just as I get to know somebody they leave. On the basis that people don’t leave a job they leave a leadership team, I hope the management are taking note. All that said I keep coming back as I do like the coffee and it’s convenient but after all the hype, it’s sad this is the result.
Jane
Fantastic for takeaway coffee and pastries and the staff are very friendly but the owner seems to be selective about the eat-in customers that are targeted, in what could otherwise be an inclusive and welcoming village café. Opening hours do not accomodate post school-run coffees and lack of wifi and restriction on laptop use are annoying, particularly for lone customers waiting for food and without a book/newspaper. The notice board is hidden away upstairs by the toilets and there is no feel of community engagement. The café was even closed on the first day of the March Festival, which is a day when the rest of the village businesses make a huge effort. Such a missed opportunity when the original post office was so well-loved in the village.
Nadia Verdiani
Quick stop to.pick up.pastries and coffee on a Sunday morning walk from Cheltenham to Winchcombr. Fab friendly Service, great pastries and fair prices for the quality. Def going back!
An absolutely lovely little cafe! The food is extremely well made, fresh and delicious, and the prices are very reasonable.The staff were friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere was very nice as well. Prepared meals were lovely and so were the cakes- I highly recommend the pistachio cake thing!Coffee also very good.Vegetarian options: Some vegetarian options, for example soup of the day.
Great cappuccino with lovely baked in the premises chorizo sausage roll followed by equally nice custard doughnut . Stool seating to the front and table and chairs to the rear, nice atmosphere.Good value and will be back.
What a pleasant surprise! A spacious cafe serving excellent coffee and toast pastries... in walking distance of home! The breakfast menu looks great; I'll be back to try it out!
Nice little coffee
Upon arriving with 5 friends we were delighted to find such a lovely spot to grab breakfast on the go. The bacon sandwiches on sourdough were delicious and substantial, and the cakes and pastries looked yummy as well. Unfortunately, the service was appalling. I took a reusable cup in which we explained might need a teabag thrown away first as I'd just finished my tea. The person making coffees (who turned out to be the person in charge) was clearly annoyed at having to use a reusable cup where most decent places these days are more than happy to do so. I had ordered a flat white, as had others in my party, but was served a latte-sized drink in said reusable cup. When I politely asked if it was possible to remake it as I can't handle that much milk I was given such a steely look that, had I been on my own, I would have just asked for my money back and walked out. I worked in a similar bakery for 5yrs and would never have behaved this way to a customer. Spend your money elsewhere and support a small business that is nice to their customers because this place clearly finds their customers loathsome!
Prestbury really needed a cafe. There are three pubs in the village but so far there has been nowhere else to sit down and have a sandwich and a coffee. Fortunately Penny Blacks opened in the old post office (hence the name) and is deservedly popular with locals. It is dog-friendly, child-friendly and just plain friendly. The coffee and the pastries are good, so are the sandwiches and the brunch items.
Good coffee and
My almond croissant was hard and tried to charge me twice for it. Plus they don't take cash. Doubt I'll be back though it was nice and cosy on a cold day.
A lovely café in the centre of Prestbury village, Cheltenham.Delicious pastries, cakes and brunch/lunch options.Dietary requirements catered for.The staff are always so welcoming and friendly.Fab coffee ☕
Coffee was good. Breakfast was expensive, asked for one egg and no sourdough, but was charged the same as full offering? Wondering if I'd asked for extra egg or bread would I have been charged more,
Restaurantji Recommends
Always a pleasure to have breakfast/brunch at Penny Blacks. The service is always friendly and the food and drinks delicious. A bonus is being able to buy pastries and the best sourdough to take away. Not sure why there are so many bad reviews. We have only ever had a perfect experience. Lucky to have this on our doorstep too.
In my view the best breakfast in Cheltenham with a great variety fantastic ingredients everything made fresh to order and nothing is too difficult for the staff if you haven't not experienced it for breakfast at least you've missed out just remember you need to order at the counter there is no table service
I am a regular and a local and this place never fails to underwhelm me. So much potential but consistently average delivery with top end prices.On the positive side the coffee is always excellent, but the service for food is slow. I’d love to order a meal with coffee, and be able to consume a them together. Food delivery is inconsistent, no table service (which for these prices, isn’t good enough, I come in on my own with the dog and it’s a faff to manage).The main observation, they can’t keep staff. As a local I like to get to know people and just as I get to know somebody they leave. On the basis that people don’t leave a job they leave a leadership team, I hope the management are taking note. All that said I keep coming back as I do like the coffee and it’s convenient but after all the hype, it’s sad this is the result.
Fantastic for takeaway coffee and pastries and the staff are very friendly but the owner seems to be selective about the eat-in customers that are targeted, in what could otherwise be an inclusive and welcoming village café. Opening hours do not accomodate post school-run coffees and lack of wifi and restriction on laptop use are annoying, particularly for lone customers waiting for food and without a book/newspaper. The notice board is hidden away upstairs by the toilets and there is no feel of community engagement. The café was even closed on the first day of the March Festival, which is a day when the rest of the village businesses make a huge effort. Such a missed opportunity when the original post office was so well-loved in the village.
Quick stop to.pick up.pastries and coffee on a Sunday morning walk from Cheltenham to Winchcombr. Fab friendly Service, great pastries and fair prices for the quality. Def going back!