The Cosy Cafe

Featured reviews

• S

  Steve N.

  ·3 weeks ago

  “We enjoyed breakfast here twice and came away with a generally positive impression, with a few minor disappointments along the way. On our first visit, my wife’s sourdough toast was fresh and delicious, and we appreciated that vegan butter was available—a thoughtful option that many cafés still overlook. My bagel was good, too, although the avocado was disappointingly hard and underripe. The presentation was artistic, but the two bagels could have used a more generous drizzle of balsamic and sprinkling of seeds. Thankfully, our tea and mocha were both excellent, and we were delighted that oat milk was an option. The real star of the show was the vegan hazelnut pain au chocolat! It was so good that my wife ordered it again the following morning and was every bit as pleased the second time around. I opted for the loaded hash browns on our return visit and thoroughly enjoyed them. Both visits were midweek during the September off-season, so we can’t speak to how the café performs when it's busier. Reading other reviews, it seems that crowds may affect both food quality and service. A little more attention to avocado ripeness and a more generous hand with the toppings would certainly have improved my first breakfast, but these were relatively minor shortcomings in an otherwise enjoyable experience. We found the atmosphere warm and inviting, both inside the dining room and out on the porch, and the service was reasonably good. All in all, we enjoyed our breakfasts, appreciated the vegan-friendly options, and would happily return—if only for another vegan hazelnut pain au chocolat!”

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• C

  Cam McCormick

  ·1 month ago

  “Nice salmon and cream cheese ciabatta and also super friendly staff! The guy that served us had only been working there a week but he was super nice and also really helpful. He was great 👍🏻 Cool view of the little roads of Hay if you sit outside too. Overall just a nice play to chill with friends or to do some work on the computer. And good music inside! Fontaines DC and Sam Fender! Would recommend this place. Dog friendly too.”

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• T

  Tash

  ·2 months ago

  “Such a delicious vegan almond croissant, so much filling and always a plus when the filling is on top as well! Was warmed up to be even better. My two non-vegan friends also got one and said it was one of the most delicious pastries they’d had. There was a vegan chocolate hazelnut croissant as well which looked incredible.”

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• H

  How do I order more

  ·2 months ago

  “Really enjoyed my visit here. The coffee was excellent and full of flavour, and there was a decent selection of breakfast options to choose from. I visited on a busy weekend, so the café was understandably very crowded, but the staff did a great job of keeping everything running smoothly. They were efficient with table service, attentive despite how busy it was, and kept the place clean and tidy throughout. Great coffee, good breakfast choices, and friendly, hardworking staff. Definitely worth a visit!”

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• L

  Lucy

  ·2 months ago

  “Went for lunch. Made it very clear at the counter when ordering that we required gluten and dairy free food. Menu meant soup was the best option. Ordered it and presented with gluten free rolls. Only when I double checked the food on arrival that we double checked it transpired it was not edible by us as it was all contained dairy. At ordering they were asked and they appeared to double checked the food ingredients and wrote it down in order. Do not go to this cafe if you have food allergies. We then went to near by cafe and said we needed something to eat and they said okay and sorted our allergies no problem. We alluded that we had just had a disaster in another premises and they immediately said the cafe we were in (I did not name it) and said we were not the first.”

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• H

  HH PP

  ·2 months ago

  “£13.70 for a warm roll! Not only that it took 40 mins and they called out the wrong name so it was left on the counter for ages. Only gave it to us when asked and pretended it was fresh out the kitchen.”

• L

  Lou MacFarlane

  ·2 months ago

  “I’m not sure what’s changed or if the cafe has changed hands, but the level of cleanliness and service has taken a steep decline. I was served TWO dirty cups and strainers with my tea before a third more cleaner one was given to me. The tables needed a good wipe. Menus were also dirtied outside. The cutlery was also dirty, but after going up three times (once as well to get sugar etc as the table had none) we couldn’t be bothered and just cleaned it off ourselves with napkins. Tables were also dirty and the service whilst friendly was very slow and they didn’t seem to have a good idea of who needed what. It’s a shame as I so looked forward to returning after visiting last year.”

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• K

  Kathleen Moore

  ·4 months ago

  “We ordered mackerel salad which arrived with the tiniest sprinkling of mackerel flakes. It would have been comical were we not paying roughly £16 per bowl, plus extra for bread. Sadly it is this we will remember not thr service and atmosphere which were both very nice”

• E

  Elen Simms

  ·4 months ago

  “Great food and lovely service. Such a cute atmosphere and plenty of seating. Prices a little high for portion sizes but worth it as it tasted great”

• J

  John Smith

  ·1 year ago

  “I recently stopped by The Cosy Cafe in Hay-on-Wye for lunch, and it was a truly delightful experience. Despite the bustling atmosphere, the service was impressively quick and efficient. The food was absolutely lovely, with a great selection of gluten-free options available. The oat milk lattes were a highlight, and the raspberry and almond Bakewell tart (gluten-free) was simply divine. The cafe's warm and inviting atmosphere made it a perfect spot to relax. For those planning a visit, there are on-street parking options and a small car park nearby, with a larger one just a short walk away. I highly recommend The Cosy Cafe and look forward to returning soon!”

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