Picks Barn Cafe - Oakham

Natalia N.

Absolutely outstanding.

The cafe is located close to good walks and cycling routes and it’s an obvious choice to stop if you are in that area.

There are places to sit outside and inside. Including stools and good spots to work and charge your laptop.

The decor is very warm and cosy but also airy. Feels very natural. And it’s doggy friendly!

The staff is lovely and the food just delicious.

And on top of that there’s an electric car charger that you can use if you have your own cable.

You literally can’t go wrong with this place.

Mike S.

Neither food nor service stood out, but was good all the same. The very rural location, the view and the feel are it's greatest assets.

Fiona M.

We held a family celebration at Picks Barn just before Christmas. We had sole use on a Monday afternoon with a chef providing the food and fabulous staff looking after what turned out to be a very busy occasion. The staff were great managing to get food around what was at times a very crowded room with good humour and courtesy. Our guests - many of whom had never visited before - commented on how great the venue and staff were. We can’t thank you all enough for making it a wonderful occasion for us as well as making the planning and organisation an easy process with thought for so many of the little things that contribute to making the event go smoothly. We would definitely recommend it as a venue for larger parties - as well as being the perfect place for coffee, cakes and the light bites that we normally have here. Great venue, great staff and great food - what more could you ask for?

James R.

Initially we were very impressed as we pulled into the large gravel car park. Walking to the cafe however it quickly became apparent that there were only a handful of very large outdoor tables and to sit down we would have to squeeze in between other customers. This felt awkward, like descending on someone's private dining table. Better to put out several smaller tables.

There was no free seating inside, so this was the only option. Maybe we just caught them on a busy day.

Fantastic view over the valley looking from Lyndon towards Uppingham.

Decent menu but expensive for what it was. We asked for two extra slices of bread to go with a ploughman's...£3 just for the bread.

Service was slow and none of the staff seemed to have any charisma.

Overall mediocre. Great location, plenty of parking, good food but let down by slow service, high prices & lack of outdoor seating when busy.

Update:
Thanks to the owner for their comprehensive reply and explanation. Our visit was a sunny Bank Holiday so I accept that service was probably slower than normal.

But £1.50 for a slice of bread!? That's extortionate in anyone's book, surely?

D S.

Great little cafe, friendly & helpful staff, local produce, open on Sundays, reasonable price. Stunning views across the valley especially when the weather is clear. Plenty of free parking, all on one level. Cycle racks in view of the cafe and the terrace.

MALCOLM M.

Visited yesterday whilst in the area and the only reason for 2stars is the view! It’s way over priced even with their view on agri-inflation. Picture shows a tiny square piece of cake @ £3! The toastie was wet on one side due to not being cooked correctly given the cheese and cranberry content. Our order was wrong and we were charged twice. The staff were confused due to them not having a table numbering system to help staff get the right order to the right customer. No real vegan or vegetarian options and not sure how they have had other higher scores. Such a shame it’s a lovely location and premise.

Carolyn B.

My first visit. Unique cafe in the middle of beautiful countryside. A selection of homemade food. I had a sausage roll fresh out of the oven. Gorgeous.

Thomas F.

So painfully slow. Waited around 45 minutes for food. There are about 4 kitchen staff and 3 foh so there should be enough staff to cover the approx 20 covers.
The coffee was poor, tasted sour, off milk?
Portion size was a little small but fine.
No individual tables which is ok if you like that sort of thing but having to sit next to noisy other customers who are right in your space may not be your thing.