The Cafe on the Common — Restaurant in Bristol

We’ve always enjoyed going to this cafe and have been going years. Unfortunately our last visit wasn’t very enjoyable. My other half and I bought coffee and cake for ourselves, however we brought our own food for our one year old as we knew there is no baby/children’s menu. My one year old has a no salt and sugar diet (as do most one year olds) We were told (politely) that we aren’t allowed to bring our own food for our baby and that they provide food for babies. On leaving I had to check just incase I was mistaken if they provide food for babies. The food they provide are baby pouches or wafers which are suitable for babies who are newly being weaned onto solids. A pouch is not nutritional or substantial enough for a child who is over one on a full solid diet. Other than that you offer cakes and sausage rolls, which like most parents wouldn’t want your one year old eating for lunch. Until you can provide food suitable for young children (low/no salt and no sugar unless natural) I don’t believe you can ask people to not bring their own food for their babies. I understand your business is a charity and that you rely on people purchasing your food and drink (which we did) I just don’t feel it’s okay to tell people they can’t feed their babies. I genuinely feel embarrassed for your staff, having to tell parents they aren’t allowed to feed their babies their own food. They must be exhausted from saying it, everyone there had their own food for their babies and every other occasion we’ve been there it’s been...

Lovely people... Sarah and Jamal(sorry if spelt wrong) go out their way to make you welcome. The food is excellent and just the perfect place for a cuppa. There are numerous picnic benches with umbrellas on them, shading from sun or cover from rain. A lot of the tables have dog lead attachments so you can have your snack in peace. As for the dogs, they're more than welcome with treats regularly given out :) the garden is surrounded with beautiful flowers, and vegetables very therapeutic place to sit. There is a wee bucket of water with small watering cans so that the children can water the plants, budding new gardeners in the making. Oh and there's a non dog area who prefer to be separated.. there's also a fairly large indoor area just incase the weather changes. shout out to Sarah, Jamal, Fiona and Mitch, thanks...

Nearly £20 for 2 coffee's and 2 slices of cake. Cake was disappointing over sweet jam and cream wasn't fresh at the price they are charging I expected a lot more. Service was ok but slow. They seemed to be overwhelmed with the small amount of people waiting to be served even though there were lots of staff. Carrying jugs of boiling water around isn't best practice and the sugar etc needs to be by the serving counter not the other side of the cafe this is a hazard when people are walking through to get to tables, people stood waiting for drinks then others carrying unlidded cardboard cups through this to get sugar. Also trays might be useful as carrying 2 cakes on paper plates and 2 hot coffee's isn't easy. Over all disappointed and won't...