Tadpole Tearoom — Restaurant in Canterbury

My 3 friends and myself turned up for lunch to find nearly 5 tables with reserved signs, 2 tables where in reserve for over an hours time..... the others were later, the staff seem to be running around like headless chickens a lot. My friend asked if we could have table for 4 (reserved) or have 2 chairs added to a table for 2, manager just grabbed reserved sign, banged it on table for 2 and said, use that one... WOW.... WE ordered. I had a chicken salad, I asked for no spring onion and asked if they could just put normal onion in. I then had a lady come and say no red onions, I said white ones were fine BUT then the male server came and said they were taking time as they had to scrub the chopping board as spring onion were prepared on it, (why only 1 board??????) I explained that it's only when I eat any that is the problem but having salad cut on same board was ok.... It was nice he checked (Incase of like nut allergy) but I did say when I ordered how it was, then had another server come and say no onions..... I was beyond embarrassed by this time, I just said no onions then please. My friend had ordered salad as well but with everything on it and it came out with no onion or dressing as did mine, we had to ask for dressing. We then ate the 4 of us, we also had tea for 2, cup of water and coffee. When finished NOTHING was cleaned away, the young girl waitress was too busy flirting with young kitchen staff. My friend then handed the dirty dishes over herself. We asked for 2 different slices of cake (on display) and a scone with cream and jam. My friends had theirs, one was apple/nut. When served looked lovely BUT my friend found sultanas in it so she couldn't eat it as she is sick if she eats any. I waited for ages for my scone, cream and jam, when it came out the kitchen the young man just stood there talking (we were right next to the kitchen entrance and server area. One of my friends cakes was nearly eaten by the time I got mine. The other was pushed around the plate as it had sultanas in it (not informed when ordering) We informed the manager that sultanas were in the cake and how they affected my friend and all he said was, "Well the sign is small and I cannot get it all on," I asked why server hadn't told us what else was in cake, his reply was, "I don't know". What if my friend had eaten them???? She would have been sick. The cake was not eaten, all moved about but still seen to be a full slice... The Manager then was seen changing sign of cake when we were leaving....... For the price of it all and the serving I really would not recommend this cafe. Nice...

Heard good things about this place, but they were obviously having a bad day when myself and a friend visited. Booked a table for 11am and ordered coffees while we looked at the menu. Waitress bought the coffee's over just before 11:30 we went to give her our food order and was told the kitchen was about to close for breakfast orders (couldn't see the timing's on the menu?) We couldn't order from the lunch menu until 12:15, but she would come over at 12pm to take our food order so it was the first through.(not sure why she couldn't have taken the food order then) Asked what we could have and the answer was 'cake'. So we went with that, having our lunch back to front. Cake didn't appear for another 20 mins in which time we had finished our drinks and that was only because we asked the waiter where they were. (Smallest slices we've ever been served) 12:20 the waitress still hadn't come over and we finally caught the attention of the waiter. We give him our lunch + another drinks order only to be told they were busy and it wouldn't get put through until at least 12:45. We weren't too happy, and mentioned we were told by the waitress we would be the first through and he said he would check. He then went to the next table who had been there 5 minutes, tore our order off the pad and put it in his pocket while he then took the next tables order. We were watching as he went to the counter and he put the other tables order through first! My friend then went to the counter and spoke to the original Waitress who said she would keep an eye on the order (whatever that meant) Food finally arrives and we expect the drinks to come after. The next table have their meal served straight after us and we are still waiting for the drinks. We speak to the waiter again about the drinks and he checks comes back and asks what drinks we ordered? We tell him and off he goes again. Drinks finally arrive as we finish the food. Food was nice enough, once it arrived, but we've had better. We finally finished our meal and left just after 2pm, 3 hours for a light meal + coffee and cake! The whole time we were there we were watching the staff. They were only youngsters and I'm sure they were doing they're best. However it appeared there was no structure as to who was doing what with at least 3 of them standing behind the counter chatting with no urgency to process orders.

Have to honest, it was a let down and we won't...

Delicious nutritious food served in a fun and relaxed atmosphere popular with morning dog walkers and ramblers. It's a great destination after a winter walk along Happy Valley as my dad used to call it from Bridge past the Pig Hotel and then onto Bishopsbourne and its associated authors like the Polish Joseph Conrad who lived in the house next to the church, or a visit to the Mermaid inn, by the old forge! Breakfast is table service with granary toast, there's an onsite farm shop as well as an artisan bakery too, as well as a dog groomer and a marble stone factory. The restaurant is a converted cow shed, something of a design classic, I'm assuming it's called Tadpole due to its proximity to the Nailbourne river that flows past the bottom of the field near the back of the farm!

Bishopsbourne is a historic village located in Kent, England. It has a rich history dating back many centuries. While I can't provide information on specific inhabitants beyond my last knowledge update in January 2022, I can give you a general overview of its history.

Early History: Bishopsbourne's history can be traced back to Roman times when it was part of the region's extensive road network. The village's name is derived from "Bishop's Bourne," which indicates its connection to the local bishopric.

Medieval Period: In the medieval period, Bishopsbourne was a small agricultural settlement. The local church, St. Mary's, dates back to the 13th century and is a significant historical landmark.

Archbishop Thomas Becket: One of the most famous figures associated with Bishopsbourne is Archbishop Thomas Becket. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury and was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. Becket had a residence in Bishopsbourne, and his presence left an indelible mark on the village's history.

Literary Connection: The famous author Joseph Conrad lived in Bishopsbourne in the late 19th century. He wrote some of his most notable works, including "The Secret Agent," while residing in the village.

Bishopsbourne's history is closely tied to the broader history of Kent and the archbishops of Canterbury. It has seen various inhabitants and events that have contributed to its historical significance. If you're interested in specific famous inhabitants beyond 2022, you may want to consult more recent sources or local...