Java — Restaurant in Vale of White Horse

We visited the Java Cafe for the first time and we were extremely disappointed by our experience. We are used to high London prices, but were shocked at the mark up of the cakes and pastries selection. However, we had high hopes the taste would make up for it. We ordered a cookie dough slice with ice cream for £4.89. To our disappointment, the slice arrived with a drizzle of ice sugar only. After questioning the missing ice cream the waiter strangely brought the manager over to us who rudely implied that we were mistaken and the ice cream would be an additional £1.50 (See attached picture which clearly states the slice is served with ice cream). Prior to this we ordered a sultana scone which came plain and a vegan peach and almond cake slice which was so dry, hard and inedible we had to return it for refund. The manager defensively snapped back that this is because it is vegan. I have had enough soft moist flavoursome vegan cakes to know that this is not the reason. I bake vegan cakes often with great success. If it is freshly made every day then they need to change their recipe and certainly not charge the extortionate price of £4.20 a slice! Finally I ordered my tea to drink in the cafe and my pastries and cake in a takeaway bag as I couldn't eat them all, however they gave me the tea in a paper cup saying the staff are too confused and only gave me a porcelain cup when I had to ask for it, i didn't event get a tea pot like my friend. We are not the complaining types, but felt the experience was too terrible to not say anything and hopefully they will review their standards so no one else has the same service. We would recommend anyone to try the neighbouring...

To Whom It May Concern,I am writing to express my profound disappointment with the customer service I received today at your establishment. I have been a loyal and regular customer for a considerable time, making it a point to visit every Saturday and Sunday. My patronage has always been consistent; I frequently enjoy your pizza and coffee, sometimes placing more than one order in a single day.Today, I arrived at 11:00 AM and ordered a coffee and a slice of cake. I was quietly reading and enjoying the atmosphere, as I often do. However, at approximately 1:30 PM, I was approached by the owner, who loudly inquired if I was going to order anything else. Her tone and volume were such that it drew the attention of everyone else in the coffee shop, leaving me feeling singled out and uncomfortable.I tried to explain that I had simply become engrossed in my book and gently reminded her that I am one of her most regular customers. Her response was that she was within her rights to ask me to order more, regardless of my history as a patron.While I understand the commercial need to ensure tables are available for new customers, the manner in which this situation was handled was deeply unprofessional and discourteous, especially that the shop was empty and plenty of tables were available for other customers, a loyal customer to be treated with such a lack of discretion and respect is truly disheartening. This experience has unfortunately tainted my view of a place I once considered a...

We had one of the worst experiences we’ve ever had at a cafe. My family and I visited Java Cafe and spent over £80 on food and drinks, choosing to sit outside. Unfortunately, the outdoor seating area was swarming with bees, making it impossible to eat comfortably. Strangely, the bee problem seemed to be isolated to this cafe — other nearby places didn’t have this issue.

We politely asked for takeaway boxes so we could safely take our food away, and we were more than happy to pay extra for the packaging. Considering how much we had already spent, it wasn’t about money — we simply wanted to enjoy our food safely.

Instead of helping, the staff — including who we believe to be the manager or owner — became hostile. She accused us of taking things without paying, spoke rudely to my sister, and when I calmly confronted her about how unnecessary and disrespectful her attitude was, she denied everything and said, “I don’t have time for this.”

The entire atmosphere turned cold. No one offered help, an apology, or any attempt to de-escalate the situation. We left feeling disrespected, humiliated, and completely let down by how we were treated — especially after supporting a local independent business with such a large order.

This wasn’t about bees or boxes — it was about basic respect and customer service, which were both sorely lacking. We won’t be returning, and I would urge others to think twice...