Canalside Farm Shop & Cafe
Canalside Farm Shop & Cafe
4
Speciality & Gift ShopsFarmers Markets
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
We are a family run 'Pick Your Own' Fruit and Pumpkin Farm, with lovely Canalside Walks & Cycle Rides, a seasonal Plant Centre, and a quality Cafe & extensive Farm Shop located on the side of the Trent and Mersey Canal at Great Haywood in Staffordshire. You can also visit the historic Shugborough Estate or hire a barge and cruise the peaceful Staffordshire waterways within minutes of our gate. Why not pick up a picnic from our Farm Shop or treat yourself to a delicious Staffordshire Cream Tea on our Canalside Cafe Terrace. Whether you are exploring the area by barge, bicycle, foot, car or horseback we'd love to see you! We are open from 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week!
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • NellieG236
    Manchester, United Kingdom14 contributions
    Nice coffee, shame about the scones
    Purchased two coffees and two fruit scones. The coffee was fine, but the scones were the worst we have ever tasted. They were obviously not made on the premises, stale and they were burnt underneath. Not even mass produced supermarket quality. Would make good door stops. Really disappointed. Suggest you visit the David Austin Rose Garden Restaurant and ask for their recipe. Their cheese scones and fruit scones are superb.
    Thank you for your feedback. We do normally home make our scones so we are so sorry that you were disappointed with them. We have passed your feedback on to the Cafe team. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
    Written 4 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 June 2023
  • Joanna H
    Banbury, United Kingdom58 contributions
    No breakfasts
    Well we arrived at 11.17 for breakfasts which are supposed to be served until 11.30. No breakfasts, kitchen is too busy. Just great. We made the effort and they can't be bothered to stick to the rules they made up . . . Never again.
    Thank you for your feedback & bringing this to our attention. Breakfast should be served until 11.30am as stated and we are so sorry that this wasn't the case on the day that you visit. We are looking into why.
    Written 4 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 June 2023
  • Peter C
    19 contributions
    Entry fee for pyo fruit
    Appalled at having to pay an entry fee for pyo strawberries, £1 entry per person. We know the strawberries aren't cheap but it's the fun of picking them with the kids and to be charged to pick their fruit for their benefit is disgusting. Be warned will not go again.
    We appreciate your feedback. The £1 entry charge is just to cover the increased costs that have arisen for us this year in growing the strawberries themselves & the amount of waste that occurs when opening the crop for Pick Your Own vs picking it ourselves. It was definitely a decision that wasn't made lightly but was necessary if we want to continue to afford to be able to open the Farm for Pick Your Own.
    Written 4 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 17 June 2023
  • keith
    124 contributions
    Very large afternoon tea
    Went for afternoon tea and although pleasant enough the food is very heavy going. Afternoon tea is supposed to be light and delicate unfortunately this was far from that… don’t get me wrong there was nothing wrong with it if you want a big meal. The sandwich’s were on thick bread with loads of filling. The pork pie sausage roll and scotch egg were also very large. As were the cakes. All this is good if you want a big meal but as I said not very light. Excellent value for money and nice food just TOO much in size….
    Thanks so much for your feedback. We take on board your comments but are pleased to hear that you felt it was good value for money.
    Written 4 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 August 2023
  • W816300
    Manchester, United Kingdom94 contributions
    If you like to wait it’s perfect 🐝
    It’s in a beautiful location and I wish I could score them more highly but they let themselves down by having to queue for 25 mins to place an order and then wait for the food it wasn’t even that busy, everyone in the queue was complaining. The wasps were very bad lots of tables had empty food not cleaned away so the 🐝 were in their element.. The farm shop is great that bumped up the score.
    Thank you for the feedback, we have passed it on to the team in the Cafe. We always try to work through the queue at the tills as quickly as possible but sometimes with just one till this can prove a bit tricky. A second till is definitely something that we are looking in to and we take your comments on board.
    Written 4 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 September 2023
  • DayTrip136988
    2 contributions
    Disappointed
    I have always had a lovely time at the cafe with superb cakes. I called in yesterday late on and there was one person in the queue and no one in the cafe itself. I was on my own with my daughters puppy and the lady behind the counter refused to serve me as dogs are not allowed. I was on my own with a puppy and it was a fairly hot day. What am I expected to do. You have lost out on my custom I was going to buy a coffee and at least 2 slices of cake. Disappointed.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 9 October 2023
  • Anna R
    2 contributions
    Terrible customer service
    I had made reservations for pumpkin picking this year, but regrettably, we couldn't leave our village due to flooding. This seemingly family-friendly company, unfortunately, retained our payment, declined to reschedule our booking, and, for the sake of a mere £20, managed to distress our children, one of whom had been hospitalised and on a drip for the entire previous week. It's truly disheartening that a mere £20 could lead you to disregard your customers' satisfaction. Remember that loyal customers are valuable assets, and you should consider a fairer approach. To the owners of this family business you need to give your head a big wobble, you should be totally ashamed of your actions you've lost ours and our extended families custom.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 October 2023
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4.0
326 reviews
Excellent
136
Very good
87
Average
44
Poor
30
Terrible
29

Carol S
Stafford, UK211 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Visited for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. Very busy but we found a table & I went up to order. Waited a while to order as only one lady/one till.

I wanted fish & chips but asked to swap peas for salad, no problem. Cold drinks are in chiller which you pick up as you queue to order/pay.

When I returned to table with our drinks/cutlery noticed the table was quite sticky.

Food arrived very quickly, well presented & good portions. My friend had the ham, egg & chips which came with salad garnish.

My fish & chips was a very good portion, in fact I couldn’t eat all the chips, would have liked some lemon & tartare sauce but all good.

We visited the farm shop where my friend bought a cake, she also bought 2 cakes from cafe to take away. The fruit/veg in shop was good quality, if a little expensive. Nice butchers/bakery & deli counters.

Will visit again & hope that I’m able to swap out chips for salad next time.
Written 31 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anna R
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
I had made reservations for pumpkin picking this year, but regrettably, we couldn't leave our village due to flooding. This seemingly family-friendly company, unfortunately, retained our payment, declined to reschedule our booking, and, for the sake of a mere £20, managed to distress our children, one of whom had been hospitalised and on a drip for the entire previous week.

It's truly disheartening that a mere £20 could lead you to disregard your customers' satisfaction. Remember that loyal customers are valuable assets, and you should consider a fairer approach.

To the owners of this family business you need to give your head a big wobble, you should be totally ashamed of your actions you've lost ours and our extended families custom.
Written 26 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laura C
86 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Really busy expensive portions cleanliness
We visited today as 4 adults. Firstly, it was extremely busy. I understand that it was a Saturday but it seemed super busy with hardly any parking. We finally managed to find a table after a short wait. The tables were covered in food and there was food all over the floor. We noticed this wasn’t just at our table but everywhere. We queued for about 5 minutes in the line just to be served, the lady behind the counter was lovely however. We ordered the all day breakfasts which were about £11 each. When they arrived the portion sizes were tiny. You only got one sausage, one tiny piece of bacon, some chips, a small pot of beans and 2 small eggs. It was pretty much a child’s portion. We were hugely disappointed with the cafe. We ended up paying £60 for 4 children’s sized portions and 4 small drinks which was ridiculous.

The farm shop however, is very nice. Not too busy. Some really lovely products. Slightly on the pricier side however the quality of them made it worth it and we definitely revisit again to the shop.
Written 14 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DayTrip136988
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
I have always had a lovely time at the cafe with superb cakes. I called in yesterday late on and there was one person in the queue and no one in the cafe itself. I was on my own with my daughters puppy and the lady behind the counter refused to serve me as dogs are not allowed. I was on my own with a puppy and it was a fairly hot day. What am I expected to do. You have lost out on my custom I was going to buy a coffee and at least 2 slices of cake. Disappointed.
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

W816300
Manchester, UK94 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
It’s in a beautiful location and I wish I could score them more highly but they let themselves down by having to queue for 25 mins to place an order and then wait for the food it wasn’t even that busy, everyone in the queue was complaining. The wasps were very bad lots of tables had empty food not cleaned away so the 🐝 were in their element.. The farm shop is great that bumped up the score.
Written 3 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the feedback, we have passed it on to the team in the Cafe. We always try to work through the queue at the tills as quickly as possible but sometimes with just one till this can prove a bit tricky. A second till is definitely something that we are looking in to and we take your comments on board.
Written 4 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Cassie
5 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Enjoyed an afternoon tea. Well worth the money. There was so much food we had to take several boxes home.
Food was lovely. Staff were welcoming and friendly.
Written 29 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank so much for the lovely feedback, we are so pleased that you enjoyed your Afternoon Tea with us & that you were happy with the customer service.
Written 4 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

jennycusick
9 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Lovely cafe with great food. Canal side location and along with the ship ideal for moorers at Great Hayward marina. Some gluten free options and lots of vegan/vegetarian ones. Dogs are not allowed inside but you can take your dog on a table on the balcony to the rear or in the marquee at the front.
Today I was really impressed with the young man who served our food. We have a reactive rescue dog and even though she barked at him, he made us feel totally ok about that. Even on a busy bank holiday weekend everyone was doing a great job. We also visited the farm shop for ice cream. Delicious.
Written 26 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for the lovely feedback. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your visit to both the Cafe & Farm Shop and really appreciate you taking the time to let us know about it.
Written 4 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

keith
england124 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Went for afternoon tea and although pleasant enough the food is very heavy going. Afternoon tea is supposed to be light and delicate unfortunately this was far from that… don’t get me wrong there was nothing wrong with it if you want a big meal. The sandwich’s were on thick bread with loads of filling. The pork pie sausage roll and scotch egg were also very large. As were the cakes. All this is good if you want a big meal but as I said not very light.
Excellent value for money and nice food just TOO much in size….
Written 11 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your feedback. We take on board your comments but are pleased to hear that you felt it was good value for money.
Written 4 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tracy T
Ipswich, UK16 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Great afternoon tea. Went with my family to celebrate my birthday. Afternoon tea was amazing. My daughter is gluten free and they supplied a great spread for her. She said it was the best afternoon tea she had had. Would highly recommend. Shame we live so far away as would definitely return.
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your kind feedback. We are so pleased that you all enjoyed your Afternoon Tea with us & that your daughter was so pleased with the Gluten Free options for her. Thank you for taking the time to let us know!
Written 4 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Simon M
1 contribution
Jul 2023
Wow,£32 for two "FARMERS BREAKFAST"and drink,
1 slice of curled up bacon
1 tomato
2 hash browns
1 undercooked mushroom
1 tablespoon of beans in a small dish
1 sausage
1 egg
verging on aired not hot.
And 2 x toast and 1 scrambled egg £8.95,total rip off disgusting,wont be eating there again.
Written 15 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. We always try to keep our prices down as much as possible but we pride ourselves on using local, independent producers & farmers whose costs & therefore prices to us have all increased, so in order to remain open unfortunately we do have to pass these increases on to the customer in some cases. We always take on board feedback & will definitely keep your comments in mind when changing our menu for Autumn/Winter.
Written 4 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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CANALSIDE FARM SHOP & CAFE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Canalside Farm Shop & Cafe

Canalside Farm Shop & Cafe is open:
  • Sun - Sat 09:00 - 17:00


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