Monastery Shop & Cafe — Restaurant in Stroud

Clean and tidy. Great cakes. Peaceful feel.

A friend and I stopped in for drinks and cake on a warm Friday afternoon.

The inside felt bright and airy with plenty of well spaced seating. Outside was a limited amount of traditional tables and chairs with some pub type bench tables. There was a peaceful air of calm about the whole place, inside and out.

Staff were welcoming and efficient. Our order was taken quickly and delivered to us when ready.

Latte coffee was sweet and not too strong. The tea came in a two cup pot with just enough milk. The cakes are made locally and, according to a friendly chatty server there, some are made by employees. The coffee and walnut cake melted in the mouth, ditto the Victoria sponge.

All very traditional fare and indeed the clientele were towards the “more mature” end of the age range. We arrived at about 2.45 and the place filled up quickly soon after.

Prices weren’t too bad given the quality: £15 for two hot drinks, two cake portions and a couple of unusual soft drinks from an almost local company (Bristol).

There’s ample free parking a short walk from the café. The location means that the ground slopes a lot. There are ramps, some with handrails, down to the café but care is still needed especially in wet or icy weather.

The turning into the site is on a twisting A road. Easy for locals but visitors from farther afield might want to plan ahead and check the route on a map, preferably...

The Cafe is a fine light area, which also has outside areas. And a good selection of food.

The shop includes produce from Prinknash Abbey including wax, pottery, incense and honey. As well as some produce from other monasteries including beer from Mount Saint Bernard.

The shop is set in fine countryside closer towards the exit is the "mothballed" modern monastery from the 1970s.

The current monastery is further up the hill overlooking the area and is a fine Tudor period building with modern and Victorian era additions.

The current monastery was the summer residence of the Abbot of Gloucester Abbey pre reformation.

The current monastery is enclosed, but the church is worth a visit. It has a fine set of drawing onto wall Stations of the Cross by a former monk of the community.

The church is open from about 8:30am to about 8pm.

The monks pray the full Hours of the Modern office (Matins+, Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers+ and Compline+) Those with +...

'Possibly' the lemoniest drizzle cake I've ever had. As a lemon drizzle connoisseur I think Prinknash has been divinely guided to exactly the right balance of sweet and tarte.

Benedictine hospitality at its best; a very well served coffee (who needs the coffee art, it's about what's within, not the facade) with some lovely friendly staff. Keeping St Francis on side - not that there's a hint of inter-monastic rivalry here - dogs are welcome.

Although I didn't sample it, I observed that the soup offer was being heartily enjoyed at an adjacent table.

Wifi is decent (password on every table) and enabled me to post this review whilst looking longingly at my still lemony empty plate. For...