Empire Cafe — Restaurant in England

I can’t think of a bakery I like more. (Disclaimer - I’ve not eaten in the café so this review is really just about the bakery part of the business.) This is a proper old-fashioned English bakery, making real bread, with delicious traditional cakes and patisserie, as well as sausage rolls and pastries. The bread is excellent and the cream slices great. They also sell flour, jams and local free range eggs, and I’ve seen them sell fresh yeast to customers too. Friendly service and good everything baked in old-fashioned brick ovens. Bakeries like this are rare these days, and the prices are reasonable too. This is no hipster sourdough bakery - this is...

Basic poor quality good, the bakery and cakes are not what they used to be. Lardy cake used to be something just to come to Newbury for but not anymore it’s awful as our the loads and current buns. Iced coffee is not iced coffee it is coffee syrup with milk (not even that cold).

If you like an outdated cafe which hasn’t been updated in 100yrs and food quality is not important to you then give it a try. I know this place is ok for pensioners and problem who have been loyal customers for many years but I wouldn’t eat here again. Suspect this is why customer numbers have dropped and not to do with road...

Just nowhere else like it. A wonderful variety of bread, cakes and savouries as well as a comprehensive menu of British breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas, all baked and cooked fresh on the premises. Great service and a lovely traditional setting. Celebration cakes baked and decorated to order are second to none and the traditional lardy cakes are another speciality of the bakery. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Wendy and her team. An integral part of Newbury and a tremendous asset...