Don't recommend if you have allergies/dietary requirement.I visited yesterday (10th March 2024) on Mother's Day as a treat. But in the end it was rather stressful for a parent of a child with an allergy, expensive, with no options and not remotely filling.I did my research. I searched all over for websites of places that claimed to have vegan an option for me (dairy allergy baby) and gluten free husband. I emailed in advance to check if they had gluten free options as the website had vegan things but wasn't obviously offering gluten free. They shared they had fresh homemade soup with gf bread and sometimes specials and salads.When we arrived in Hay a little early for lunch, my husband popped in and checked gluten free options to see if they had something he liked and they listed a number of options.However when we returned 15 minutes later- we sat down and got the kids (1 and 3) comfortable, it turned out they didn't have any gluten free bread and the only option for gf was the soup and bread without the bread for £7. It was too late to now scout out a new place (It can be hard to find a place that does vegan and gf, so we stopped researching when this place said they did.)When I asked if about which ice creams were dairy free (as website listed 2) they mentioned 2 and were massively unconfident with which were dairy free. They didn't have the chocolate vegan one mentioned on the website that my son was hoping for. They did thankfully have a procedure to serve the one they did have with a clean scoop as my baby girl is severely allergic to dairy. Thankfully no reaction - but I was nervous as they are all stored next to each other with no covers. They did not fill me with confidence like some ice cream shops do by getting it out of a fresh container rather than the one stored 3cm from dairy.We were charged £7 for the soup and bread without the bread for my husband (so just a small bowl of soup). They thankfully had a gf brownie too. Though my husband was still hungry after both so we had to go to the Spar afterwards to get more food.They had one vegan option for me thankfully. Though I dare not share any with my baby (it was too small to share) and they didn't fill with enough confidence that it was prepared without touching dairy - I didn't want to risk getting the epi-pens.Overall: lovely atmosphere, delicious food, staff not confident serving people with allergies, pop to the Spar afterwards to actually get enough food in your belly to be able to walk Hay Bluff.I imagine it might be nice for a coffee and snack - but I wouldn't recommend having lunch.
Rosie Skinner
The foccaccia sandwiches were absolutely to die for. The best I've had I think ever. I didn't get a photo because I ate them so
Julia Hyatt (Eastsussexgirl)
Trying out different cafes. The cafe was very pleasant and inviting, clean and tidy. The service was excellent. We sat upstairs. Many pictures of actors and actresses which were very nice to look at. We had a coffee each and my husband chose a piece of cake. He said the cake was on the stale side and didn't think the coffee was very nice. I always have decaf and didn't think it was too bade - I've certainly tssted worse.
Rosana Cundill
We absolutely recommend this lovely Cafe for their delicious, nutritious and proper food ? The REAL bread and sourdough pastry that go in the sandwiches and with the soup are truly stunning!Fair do’s to the team for using Alex Gooch’s (family & friends) baked goods ??Our family had a real TREAT for lunch here and we’ll definitely be back!Wishing you abundant blessings,The Family behind Rosa’s Bakery in Neath.♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Diana Rynberg
Great
John A
Charming little coffee shop in the centre of Hay. Popped in during our New Year Day walk and had a lovely coffee served by friendly staff.
sarah d
A lovely place. Great hot drinks and gorgeous cakes and fruit loaf. The staff were really friendly and lovely with our young children, making them feel special and listened to. Reasonable prices and a great atmosphere.
Sheril Lathief
It’s a place on the recommended must try places when u are in Hay-on-wye.Loved the ice cream .. tried some new flavours.
Wilson Santos
The most delicious ice cream ever, I went in 2020 and it was so good!Kid-friendliness: Ice cream available
Lovely place to stop by for a quick bite to eat. Lovely setting, brilliant coffee and scrumptious toasties. Highly recommend.
Minkykiwi
Stumbled on this cafe on our first day in Hay, and immediately taken by the variety of toasties in the cabinet as well as the great atmosphere and cute tables. Really nice toasties (as they should be at £8.50 a pop - no garnish or sides, so that is pretty punchy in my opinion but I soon found reasonably standard in Hay - you have to have deep pockets here!). Good service and the cakes and ice cream also looked good. Having eaten in other cafes nearby I think this is one of the best and I would recommend it. Not a brunch type place if you're after breakfast but very good for sandwiches and cake.
Nelgumford
I was so long picking my flavours that the writing on the cabinet started coming off on my fingers. I had a tub with plum & cinamon and ginger in it. It was very nice, though a bit expensive for what it was.
Lydia Hargreaves
Amazing ice-cream! (there was even brown bread flavour!!!)We queued from outside for about 10 minutes but it was worth the wait.The staff were so friendly and it didn't feel like they were rushing customers through even with the queue. They took their time to serve you properly.Catering for coeliac needs were above and beyond - they started a new tub of ice cream, washed hands, boiled the scoop and made the ice cream in a different area of the kitchen.Some seating inside but it is quite a small cafe and could be quite tight with pushchairs or wheelchairs.
Ruth Morley
A really quaint little cafe definitely worth a visit. We had caramel latte, an iced coffee (my daughter actually wanted a frappe, which they didn't have, but the staff made something just as good with iced coffee and icecream), a ham, cheese and chilli jam toastie, and a tuna melt which strangely came with pesto in it.Despite the unusual contents of our rolls, they were delicious.I've only dropped one star off as the 'large' latte came in a very small glass, so I was disappointed with the size and also, being in glass meant that I had to wait until it was lukewarm before the glass was cool enough for me to pick up.
Delicious freshly roasted sandwiches.
Don't recommend if you have allergies/dietary requirement.I visited yesterday (10th March 2024) on Mother's Day as a treat. But in the end it was rather stressful for a parent of a child with an allergy, expensive, with no options and not remotely filling.I did my research. I searched all over for websites of places that claimed to have vegan an option for me (dairy allergy baby) and gluten free husband. I emailed in advance to check if they had gluten free options as the website had vegan things but wasn't obviously offering gluten free. They shared they had fresh homemade soup with gf bread and sometimes specials and salads.When we arrived in Hay a little early for lunch, my husband popped in and checked gluten free options to see if they had something he liked and they listed a number of options.However when we returned 15 minutes later- we sat down and got the kids (1 and 3) comfortable, it turned out they didn't have any gluten free bread and the only option for gf was the soup and bread without the bread for £7. It was too late to now scout out a new place (It can be hard to find a place that does vegan and gf, so we stopped researching when this place said they did.)When I asked if about which ice creams were dairy free (as website listed 2) they mentioned 2 and were massively unconfident with which were dairy free. They didn't have the chocolate vegan one mentioned on the website that my son was hoping for. They did thankfully have a procedure to serve the one they did have with a clean scoop as my baby girl is severely allergic to dairy. Thankfully no reaction - but I was nervous as they are all stored next to each other with no covers. They did not fill me with confidence like some ice cream shops do by getting it out of a fresh container rather than the one stored 3cm from dairy.We were charged £7 for the soup and bread without the bread for my husband (so just a small bowl of soup). They thankfully had a gf brownie too. Though my husband was still hungry after both so we had to go to the Spar afterwards to get more food.They had one vegan option for me thankfully. Though I dare not share any with my baby (it was too small to share) and they didn't fill with enough confidence that it was prepared without touching dairy - I didn't want to risk getting the epi-pens.Overall: lovely atmosphere, delicious food, staff not confident serving people with allergies, pop to the Spar afterwards to actually get enough food in your belly to be able to walk Hay Bluff.I imagine it might be nice for a coffee and snack - but I wouldn't recommend having lunch.
The foccaccia sandwiches were absolutely to die for. The best I've had I think ever. I didn't get a photo because I ate them so
Trying out different cafes. The cafe was very pleasant and inviting, clean and tidy. The service was excellent. We sat upstairs. Many pictures of actors and actresses which were very nice to look at. We had a coffee each and my husband chose a piece of cake. He said the cake was on the stale side and didn't think the coffee was very nice. I always have decaf and didn't think it was too bade - I've certainly tssted worse.
We absolutely recommend this lovely Cafe for their delicious, nutritious and proper food ? The REAL bread and sourdough pastry that go in the sandwiches and with the soup are truly stunning!Fair do’s to the team for using Alex Gooch’s (family & friends) baked goods ??Our family had a real TREAT for lunch here and we’ll definitely be back!Wishing you abundant blessings,The Family behind Rosa’s Bakery in Neath.♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Great
Charming little coffee shop in the centre of Hay. Popped in during our New Year Day walk and had a lovely coffee served by friendly staff.
A lovely place. Great hot drinks and gorgeous cakes and fruit loaf. The staff were really friendly and lovely with our young children, making them feel special and listened to. Reasonable prices and a great atmosphere.
It’s a place on the recommended must try places when u are in Hay-on-wye.Loved the ice cream .. tried some new flavours.
The most delicious ice cream ever, I went in 2020 and it was so good!Kid-friendliness: Ice cream available
Restaurantji Recommends
Lovely place to stop by for a quick bite to eat. Lovely setting, brilliant coffee and scrumptious toasties. Highly recommend.
Stumbled on this cafe on our first day in Hay, and immediately taken by the variety of toasties in the cabinet as well as the great atmosphere and cute tables. Really nice toasties (as they should be at £8.50 a pop - no garnish or sides, so that is pretty punchy in my opinion but I soon found reasonably standard in Hay - you have to have deep pockets here!). Good service and the cakes and ice cream also looked good. Having eaten in other cafes nearby I think this is one of the best and I would recommend it. Not a brunch type place if you're after breakfast but very good for sandwiches and cake.
I was so long picking my flavours that the writing on the cabinet started coming off on my fingers. I had a tub with plum & cinamon and ginger in it. It was very nice, though a bit expensive for what it was.
Amazing ice-cream! (there was even brown bread flavour!!!)We queued from outside for about 10 minutes but it was worth the wait.The staff were so friendly and it didn't feel like they were rushing customers through even with the queue. They took their time to serve you properly.Catering for coeliac needs were above and beyond - they started a new tub of ice cream, washed hands, boiled the scoop and made the ice cream in a different area of the kitchen.Some seating inside but it is quite a small cafe and could be quite tight with pushchairs or wheelchairs.
A really quaint little cafe definitely worth a visit. We had caramel latte, an iced coffee (my daughter actually wanted a frappe, which they didn't have, but the staff made something just as good with iced coffee and icecream), a ham, cheese and chilli jam toastie, and a tuna melt which strangely came with pesto in it.Despite the unusual contents of our rolls, they were delicious.I've only dropped one star off as the 'large' latte came in a very small glass, so I was disappointed with the size and also, being in glass meant that I had to wait until it was lukewarm before the glass was cool enough for me to pick up.