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Hours
Sun
9:30 - 15:00
Mon
9:00 - 16:00
Tue
9:00 - 16:00
Wed
9:00 - 16:00
Thu
9:00 - 16:00
Fri
9:00 - 16:00
Sat
9:00 - 16:00
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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Someone from this business manages this listing.
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PRICE RANGE
£8.00 – £17.00
CUISINES
Cafe, Contemporary, Healthy
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
Cafe 53 is a gastro cafe, a casual diner establishment that combines elements of a traditional cafe with a focus on high-quality, innovative and locally sourced food and beverages. It is somewhere you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere while experiencing an elevated culinary offering. Born in 2005, Cafe 53 began its life as a small 20 seat cafe, tucked behind its sister business -Domestic Science. A hidden gem, our subtle doorway entrance on Long Street, leads to a light and airy dining area over looking our Mediterranean style water garden, with additional seating outside. We come highly recommended and are a popular destination for tours before or after visits to local attractions such as Highgrove House, Westonbirt Arboretum, The Highgrove Shop (also on Long Street) and the large cluster of antique shops that Tetbury is famous for.
PRICE RANGE
£8.00 – £17.00
CUISINES
Cafe, Contemporary, Healthy
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Drinks
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Digital Payments, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Dog Friendly, Family style, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available
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4.0
629 reviews
Excellent
294
Very good
200
Average
61
Poor
49
Terrible
25
Douglas L
45 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Living in Tetbury have used Cafe 53 many times but recently saw they had a "Secret Sharing Menu" for Valentines evening. Thinking it would be a bit different, booked and went. The food was amazing throughout. A small cup of soup, more the equivalent of a canape. Then a meat, cheese & leaves platter with side dishes of lamb, chorizo and potatoes, and both the lamb & chorizo were exquisite. A cheesecake to finish (although at this point we could probably have been just as content to share one). For £25 each, including a drink this was also fantastic value. Our server said they were hoping to do more evening openings and I can only hope they do. It was different, just as hoped, but certainly didn't expect it to be as good as it was.
Written 15 February 2020
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.
yonicholls
So glad you enjoyed yourself. We are now serving a similar menu Saturday Evenings from 6 - 8pm for everyone to enjoy. It will change weekly so a new surprise everytime with no faffing over what to choose why not have it all!
Written 19 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Phoebe
2 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
Was passing through Tetbury for a spot of shopping and fancied a bite to eat, I came across the cafe while browsing in the shop. The cafe itself is really nicely put together, it was homely and warm with great quirky furniture and the staff are lovely and very helpful. I was really impressed with the great selection of food they had on offer and I had a delightful open sandwich with fish, black olive tapenade and artichokes. So delicious! Great coffee as well. Will definitely come back here again soon!!
Written 9 January 2020
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.
Kevin
1 contribution
Jan 2020 • none
Called in whilst shopping for a quick bite to eat. Service was friendly and quick, the coffee was very nice. We had the fish finger sandwich and brisket open sandwich, both very well presented and very tasty
Written 29 January 2020
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.
jessybell88
Trowbridge45 contributions
Jul 2020 • couples
So so disappointed. After working solidly for the last 5 months. My husband booked a lovely stay in Tetbury for my birthday and we decided to try this place for lunch for our first meal out in 6 months. Soo excited and oh boy we were disappointed. £35 for two bowls of tapas and two cokes would be ok if it was astounding but no. I had to ask for our bread that didn’t come and then the waiter leant over me to plonk on the table with no apology - not social distancing at all. The crispy beef was grey and the opposite of crispy, the squid was watery and the icing on the experience was it took over an hour for our food to come. What a disappointing experience.
Written 28 July 2020
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.
AngloItalian78
Aylesbury603 contributions
Sept 2019 • none
We had been here once before and had an amazing breakfast/brunch on our way to look at a potential wedding venue. Having chosen that venue, we were returning on a Sunday in late September to visit their autumn fair. As such, we decided to have brekkie/brunch once again at Cafe 53 as why go somewhere else when you've found a hidden gem?!
On arriving, we found a seat and I went up to the counter to order as normal and was told there was an issue with the till and payment systems and no orders could be taken...naturally I enquired as to whether or not this could be fixed, and the lady politely told me that it was in hand and they were trying to get it sorted., hopefully in the next 10-15 minutes. As luck would have it, there was no rush for us as we'd arrived in the Tetbury area well ahead of schedule so had time to sit and relax.
However, bearing in mind the kitchen was still active and all their food/drink machinery was working, what I simply cannot understand having worked in the industry myself, is why, even if it meant cash payments only, could they not have continued to take manual orders with a good old fashioned pen & paper and given the orders to the kitchen by hand. This is not rocket science, and with respect to the youthful and very friendly team at Cafe 53, it does strike me as symptomatic of the new generation of people that are incapable of thinking on their feet, remembering the paying (and indeed returning) customers are all important and that the answer isn't always on Google! To be left for something like half an hour sat there like lemons (along with a host of other bewildered customers) to then be told, oh can you please give us your order and I'll write it down by hand is ludicrous...you could have done that 29 minutes ago! At the end of the day, it's better to close your shop for 1 hour to fix the issues if you can't cope with the customer element as you have a valid reason and there were other places to go to in Tetbury. Sadly, after this experience, I am likely to always go elsewhere as there is plenty of choice in this beautiful small town. I hasten to add that when we eventually got our food a very long time later (probably about an hour after first entering the cafe) it was superb as always, but we still had a sour taste in our mouth from the experience and not so much as an apology or a discount for this appalling service and seemingly lack of knowledge of how to deal with customers in such a circumstance (albeit I recognise this was not the employees' doing). Disappointing for such a good foodie cafe.
Written 26 January 2020
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.
Cafe53
Hi
Thanks for your feedback.
If memory suits this was the day our electricity went out. With a fully electric kitchen there was very little we could do to make the delicious food you enjoyed until we got it back up and running.
I am intrigued as to what prompted your review 4 months after your visit.
All the best
Written 28 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Christopher S
Oxted479 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Stopped here at Cafe 53 for a drink and cake after a long walk in the area. We had Coffee and hot chocolate - both were expensive and the hot chocolate at £4.95 was only warm and quite weak. To eat we had a piece of gluten free lemon drizzle cake which was 2 mouthfuls for over £3 and a scone - butter was extra - which was very dry. The flapjack was very good but that was the only redeeming feature about the cafe. Other food such as a salad at £12 seemed to be very overpriced. Would not recommend.
Written 28 February 2020
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.
SwissMiss0980
Cam28 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
Good food and friendly service. Portions are rather small for the price, but maybe that’s the going rate in Tetbury...
Had coffee and cake after our salads, and the piece of cake was half the size most cafes serve.
Written 29 February 2020
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.
Malc p
Frome47 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
We were lucky to win Sunday Roast for 2 at this place in Tetbury on social media. We know the Resturant but maybe would not normally consider it for our Sunday Lunch. On arrival the place was very busy with travellers having coffees etc. The staff were very attentive and showed us our table. The bar was adequate but not comprehensive. Bottle beer and wines ordered, ice made available by the keen staff member. We ordered Beef and a Chicken roast. The food was excellent in quality and was very well cooked with plenty of fresh tasty veg. Overall great experience for a roast. No sweets available but the portion of Carrot Cake was very good. Worth a visit for a snack, or lunch.
Written 16 February 2020
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.
brucetony
Tetbury99 contributions
Sept 2021 • none
Since moving to Tetbury 6 months I like to give some business to all struggling hospitality venues in the town, but whenever I've been to Cafe 53 I've come away so disappointed with what's on offer and the service!
It's in a great location next to a lovely shop 'Domestic Science' with a very nice size garden area and covered seating, however, I don't find the place inviting, friendly or with any buzz.
The coffee is excellent but I feel the food and cake selection is overpriced. A 2cm slither of lemon drizzle cake @ £3.29 is a rip off! '
One afternoon, I ordered a coffee and was told 'We close at 4pm!'' It was only 3.20pm!
It's a shame because the place has such potential and could do so much better.
I understand hospitality has been hit by the pandemic but I feel not alot of effort is being made to win back customers these days.
Good Quality and Good Service is all that's needed.
Written 13 October 2021
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.
chrisatwork
Cirencester9 contributions
Oct 2020 • family
Visited again as the last visit to this place was a disappointment but though it might of been an off day.
Staff always friendly and good atmosphere and excellent social distance measures in place. The biggest issue this place has is that it’s menu is ok on paper but fails to deliver on quality or size.
When I was here today with my brother, we were going to have breakfast but £8 for a bacon sandwich would mean 2 and 2 coffees would be over £20. Given it didn’t look like anything more than you get at a truck stop.
The cakes looked like they had been there a day or 2 and over £3 for a tiny slice.
The last time visited here was last month and had a very disappointing fish finger sandwich as did my young son. Thomas’s and 2 drinks was £27! The sandwich was awful and the bread tasted stale.
Have given them another try but won’t be back.
Charging tourist prices with a lack of quality is not good for business as much as I want to support local places.
Written 1 October 2020
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.
happytraveller186284
Cheltenham29 contributions
Dec 2020 • couples
We went for lunch on a quiet Monday. They were trying a new menu and what we had was imaginative, beautifully prepared, tasted delicious and was great value for money. The staff were lovely. As it is rare for us to be able to go out together,this all added up to help us have a perfect day. Thank you 👍👍👍
Written 11 December 2020
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.
Seymour
Woodbridge50 contributions
Feb 2020 • couples
We were recommended to the café by staff working at a nearby charity shop. Although busy we had no problem finding a seat and opted for open sandwiches, one of which came with a small soup. The ingredients were not standard fare but worked well and the mackerel and orange salad was delicious. Relaxed eating and easy to see why the café is popular with locals.
Written 1 February 2020
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.
yonicholls
Hi Seymour
Glad you enjoyed your visit & our not standard menu offering as we try to never offer boring food!
What could we have done differently to make this a 5* for you so we can continue to improve?
Many thanks
53
Written 13 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ALHutson
2 contributions
Jul 2020 • family
The atmosphere, service and food were fantastic. We ate brunch in the stunning walled garden - all of our meals were delicious and perfect portion sizes for us. So glad we decided to eat here for our trip to Tetbury. Can’t fault Cafe 53!
Written 29 July 2020
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.
RGB
1 contribution
Oct 2021 • friends
I've visited this cafe many times over the past few years. It is in a nice location, and in the Summer the garden is delightful.
The food has always been fresh and of a very high quality if a little bit expensive compared to other cafe menus.
Today, a friend and I visited and we both elected for 'Soup with half a sandwich' just before closing time at a cost of £10 each, which seemed a little excessive, but we were both expecting something reasonable as in the past the soups and sandwiches were both very good sized portions.
Today we each got a tiny cup of soup (3 mouthfuls max) and half a sandwich which must have been from the smallest loaf ever made. It tasted good for sure, but was more like a 'sample' of each, not a serving, and maybe consisted of £1 worth of actual ingredients.
I don't know if the business is struggling to such an extent currently that it feels justified in 'ripping off' it's regular Customers as well as it's infrequent Visitors such as my friend and I in this way, but this is really desperate cynical behaviour and the taste of the food was rapidly replaced by a 'bad taste in the mouth' which will now forever remain.
So, we're now both totally done with Cafe 53 forever and wish them the best for the surviving the future. Hopefully, they'll come up with a better strategy than charging truly extortionate prices and offering no value for money to stay in business and make a profit in what will undoubtedly be a very tough high street environment in the coming months and worse still into 2022.
My friend and I will always be eating elsewhere whenever we visit Tetbury from now on.
Written 23 October 2021
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.
Cafe53
Harsh review and too the point - I'm very sorry you and your friend were massively disappointed by your recent visit. I do thank you though for making the effort to write a review and bring this to my attention.
The soup and sandwich offer is our most popular lunchtime seller at the moment and does appear to be appreciated by our customers. The ingredients used are super fresh and indulgent however it certainly fell short for you and I can only apologise.
We have been open and trading for 16 years under the same management and with our customers' help we will be trading for another 16 years so I do hope to see you back sometime in the next decade if not before! You will always be welcome.
Written 17 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
twickersWestSussex
68 contributions
Oct 2020 • couples
We stumbled upon this place on Saturday whilst visiting the area on a weekend away at lunch time whilst browsing the shop next door and are so glad that we did. The food and service was excellent and we were so impressed that we returned here on the Monday morning for breakfast before travelling home. The food and service on our second visit was again great and the place was busy at 10.00 on a Monday morning which speaks for itself. Highly recommended
Written 14 October 2020
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.
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