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The Boathouse Cafe — Cafes in Northampton

The Boathouse Cafe

CafesNorthampton, ENG

4.5 out of 5 stars4.5(639 reviews)

Quick info

07464 063761
White Mills Marina, 344 Grendon Rd, Earls Barton, Northampton NN6 0RB, United Kingdom
£10–20 · Reported by 102 people

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About The Boathouse Cafe

On Grendon Rd in Northampton, The Boathouse Cafe is a walk-in spot where orders are placed at the counter and brought to the table. Seating runs both inside and on a patio with views across the marina, and toilet and shower facilities are available on site. The menu runs to 45 dishes, with Sourdough Toast, Eggs Benedict and Eggs Florentine among the options alongside a Granola Fruit Compote and Toasted Fruit Toast. Cakes are also available, and gluten free choices extend to sandwiches. The Barge Breakfast is a recurring item on the menu. The cafe opens daily during the daytime only, and dogs are welcome throughout. Saturday mornings bring live music to the room. A large carpark sits attached to the building, serving those arriving by car as well as from the water.

Good to know

  • Reservations
    Walk-in only
  • Parking
    Free of charge street parking · Free parking lot · Paid parking lot
  • Accessibility
    Has wheelchair-accessible car park · Has wheelchair-accessible entrance · Has wheelchair-accessible seating
  • Good for kids
    Good for kids · High chairs available · Has kids' menu
  • Dietary
    Serves vegan dishes · Serves vegetarian dishes

Menu & Prices

45 dishes · mains £4–11
  • Granola Fruit Compote£4.95
  • Sourdough Toast£3.50
  • Toasted Fruit Toast£3.95
  • Poached Or Scrambled Egg£6.50
  • Eggs Florentine£7.95
  • Eggs Benedict£8.50
See full menu & prices →

Reviews

4.5/5
639 reviews

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention barge breakfast, outdoor marina seating, gluten free sandwiches and cherry cake.

5★
454
4★
114
3★
36
2★
19
1★
16

Customer Review Summary

Diners repeatedly point to the marina views and outdoor seating as the draw, with several choosing the patio for lunch or coffee despite Northampton weather. The Barge Breakfast comes recommended by one visitor after a busy Saturday morning rush, while another highlights gluten free sandwiches with bacon, sausage, and cherry cake, and a third singles out extra sausage and hash brown added to a breakfast. Staff are called friendly and efficient by most reviewers, and the setting, cosy inside with blankets and even shower facilities outside, draws consistent praise. The menu itself is called limited by a couple of visitors, though portions are described as decent and freshly made. One reviewer reports a serious service breakdown: despite ample staff, food and drink never arrived, an order was reported "lost," and the meal finally came over an hour late with little apology. That account stands apart from the otherwise consistent notes on friendly, hardworking staff and good value.

Featured reviews

  • JK
    “Large carpark. Cafe attached to marina. Seating inside and on patio area outside. Further bench type seating to the side under a canopy but may not be part of cafe. Only seating for wheelchair access I could see. Limited menu. Not the …”
  • Julian Paul
    “Limited menu, but decent portion sizes and well priced and freshly made. Saturday gives you live music from a rather comedic group of grandpa's Will be back for sure!”
  • aidy beckett
    “Great breakfast, not much variety sizes of breakfasts so added extra sausage hash brown which made it a lovely tasty breakfast 😋 …”
  • Francis McGowan
    “I really wanted to love this place given its stunning location and beautiful setting. The outdoor seating was amazing, perfect for soaking up the views and the staff were genuinely great, friendly and attentive throughout our visit. …”
  • sussexram1884
    “Well that was an absolute disaster! Despite having at least 7 members of staff on duty and it being at less than capacity full, the cafe was overwhelmed and the kitchen chaotic. Food and drink simply didn’t arrive, despite a reminder. They then told us they had ‘lost’ the order. Eventually the food arrived one hour and 12 minutes after we ordered it. The apology virtually non existent and we were made to feel like we were the inconvenience. Such a shame. Lovely location and nice cafe. We chose this cafe specifically because of the good reviews.”

Hours

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Highlights

  • Serves great coffee
  • Serves great dessert
  • Has great tea selection
  • Popular for popular for breakfast
  • Popular for popular for lunch
  • Popular for good for solo dining

Amenities

  • Has wheelchair-accessible car park
  • Free of charge street parking
  • Has outdoor seating
  • Dogs allowed
  • Offers takeaway
  • Serves dine-in
Show more amenities
  • Good for kids
  • Serves vegan dishes
  • Serves alcohol
  • Casual
  • On-site services available
  • Serves beer
Offerings· 7
  • Serves coffee
  • Has free water refills
  • Serves healthy options
  • Quick bite
  • Serves small plates
  • Serves vegetarian dishes
  • Serves wine
Facilities· 1
  • Has toilet
Crowd· 2
  • Good for groups
  • Popular with tourists
Pet-friendly· 1
  • Dogs allowed outside
Dining options· 5
  • Serves breakfast
  • Serves brunch
  • Serves lunch
  • Serves dessert
  • Has seating
Accessibility· 3
  • Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Has wheelchair-accessible seating
  • Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Family-friendly· 2
  • High chairs available
  • Has kids' menu
Highlights· 3
  • Serves great coffee
  • Serves great dessert
  • Has great tea selection
Popular for· 3
  • Popular for breakfast
  • Popular for lunch
  • Good for solo dining
Atmosphere· 1
  • Cosy
Parking· 3
  • Free parking lot
  • Paid parking lot
  • Plenty of parking

Location

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