Secret Garden Café — Restaurant in England

Wasted opportunity by Cooplands to showcase and serve their products! Despite its prime city centre location, and having a clean and tidy spacious layout - they don't seem to be able to cook/ serve decent food!! We have visited this cafe twice now and been disappointed on both occasions. On both visits I have not been able to finish what was served. The second visit was early on a Saturday morning. After looking at the wall mounted menu and deciding on our meal choice we stood at the counter to place our order. The lady behind the counter then proceeded to bombard us with extra options (ie. Mushrooms etc) to add to our meal, but it was the aggressive tone in which she emphasised the prices of the extra items and very sternly let us know that they weren't included with the meal we had chosen. When the meal finally did arrive at our table the beans and toast were cold, but the sausages ( that's what they're selling them as), were like nothing I've ever tried eating before. They could not be stabbed with the fork let along cut with the knife! I ended up picking it up with my fingers and gnawing a bite off one end. After a few chews I discretely spat it out. The only thing I could liken that tasteless item on my plate to would be a 'dog chew' - it literally was like chewing a piece of rubber!

I can't imagine this poor quality of food and service being good for cooplands image, I won't be visiting again (I did give it a second chance), and I certainly wouldn't recommend it. It might just be that Cooplands can't do any better, but it is only basic cafe food they're offering !! Sorry - both visits were disappointing and i won't recommend visiting this...

We Ladies wot Lunch thoroughly enjoyed this place.

NB: so why only 1 star? They could not answer (and were somewhat disinterested), or produce the Allergen File which identifies which items (in this case deserts) were vegetarian or contained allergens, dangerous and I (tongue in cheek) suspect illegal.

Accessibility - wide double electronic doors leading to the lift and stairs. Multi level platforms, one section level upstairs from the lift and to the counter.

Car Park - the restaurant is in a pedestrianised area, we used the Prince's Quays.

Menu - good variety for carnivores, cheese/egg largely for veggies. Mains had V symbol for the veggies, forget pudding, they just waved hand and none of them were veggie and could/would not produce allergen file. Being busy is not an excuse, some one's life might depend on it and every person counts!

Toilets - includes for disabled.

Staff - generally helpful and friendly, but totally disinterested and unable to provide file detailing what was vegetarian (puddings) or allergens. I asked for the card receipt, premptorily told 'you don't get receipts with card taps', I said, 'well I want one', so they went into the...

Used to use this cafe frequently when owned by cooplands. My recent visit first time since new owners...not very good I'm afraid. The cafe was particularly busy, didn't have a table number and was told if I don't have a number they cannot take my order. This can be tricky when on my own.

Got a table number and then waited over 30mins for breakfast. I had to remind them in the end and they stated they had lost my ticket. A lady waiting next to me had been waiting 45mins for 3 hot sandwiches.

The tea cups were not clean, they were stained. I asked if I could have a coffee cup instead as they looked cleaner...was told no, 'the tea cups are coming out the dishwasher looking like they are stained.Thats how it is.' This really put me off. The breakfast was OK but toast only cooked on one side.

I was very disappointed by this experience and unsure whether to give it another try. The cafe used to run like clock work but not this time...