The 30 Best Cafe & Coffee Shop & Pub in Reading

“Outstanding food and service, nothing changes with these ladies always a pleasure. Keep the good work up”

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Truly Fantastic Family-Run Gem! What a wonderful find! The Mill Pond Cafe is everything you could want from a local cafe and more. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with such a warm and friendly welcome. You can tell it's a family-run business as the service is so personal and attentive; nothing was too much trouble. The breakfast menu is superb, with a great selection for everyone. I went for the full English, and it was cooked to perfection – proper sausages, perfectly crispy bacon, and not a bit of grease in sight. The portions are generous and the ingredients are clearly high quality. It's clean, reasonably priced, and the lovely setting by the pond just adds to the charming atmosphere. We'll definitely be making this our regular spot for a weekend breakfast. Can't recommend it highly enough!”

“Today I had lunch here it was my first time and it was great the staff were very frindely and kind and food was very taste also the prices were chep compered to other cafes would definetliy recomend”

“Popped in for the first time. Service was great, friendly and genuine. Sausage rolls were very good and not too hot. A place I shall visit again.”

“Arrived 15 minutes before closing on Christmas Eve and the service was friendly and polite! Breakfast was great and exactly what I needed! Thank you so much and happy holidays!!”

“Had a lovely time for a Pottery Painting Afternoon Tea as an early mother's day treat for my mum and I. The painting was relaxing and fun, the staff were so accommodating, nothing was too much trouble and the food was delicious and the table was beautifully decorated. Thank you very much!”

“Lovely little cafe with a good selection of hot and cold food and homemade cakes. It's small but perfectly formed with indoor and outdoor seating. The staff are friendly and helpful and the cakes are delicious.”

“Great location & welcoming staff. Loved the quirky interior”

“I came here with my friend for her birthday with her little girl as well. The staff are very friendly and helpful and the food is amazing especially the desserts. The restaurant area is small so I imagine booking would be a good idea at busier times.”

“My go to greasy spoon. Good food, warm welcome. Been going there in its various incarnations for 20 years. The latest team are great!”

“Visited Buensado for a family dinner and were thoroughly impressed. The food was excellent, with perfectly cooked steaks and great attention to detail. The spiral-cut rib-eye stood out as a highlight. A special thank you to our host, Radwane, who looked after us wonderfully. We’re already looking forward to our next visit.”

“A gem of a place! Beautiful, little cosy restaurant with lovely food and lovely staff. We ordered Nepalese Chicken curry, Fulka Rotis, Chilli Momos and Saag Palak. The food was yum. Everything was very fresh and tasted authentic. We also tried their Gurkha Beer, which was surprisingly smooth and light. The chilli momos could have been a bit more spicy though, but still good. The staff were very warm and welcoming. We had a delightful experience. Definitely recommend.”

“I went there for brunch with my partner on Friday 24th October. The food was great and the staff were lovely. Great experience will definitely go again.”

“Super friendly staff and a great selection of beers - and live music too!”

“We came for breakfast while staying with my daughter and it was a lovely meal. The staff were friendly and attentive and there was a lovely family atmosphere. Will definitely be returning.”

“Nice and clean premises, food freshly made and tasty. Good service.”

“you get a lot of good food for a good price. what's there not to love. been coming here since I was a child and still great!”

“Nice place to have a coffee.Soft play area for toddlers. Bright clean and friendly.”

“We meet here every third Friday evening as a Christian fun youth group and we enjoy the space and facilities avialable to us. The rooms are well lit, kitchen is available to us too.”

“The food and drinks are always delicious and the service is always friendly too. They serve freshly pressed juices and good coffee too (which is a god-send!), and if you haven’t tried their chocolate brownies you really should. I regularly bring attendees to my flower school here and they love it too.”

“Classic cafe, didn't disappoint. Would love to see some real coffee though.”

“It is rare I don't manage to finish an English Breakfast. But I must admit my defeat, as the portion at Spoon Cafe is twice as big as normal. And it's good quality too! Also tried their Eggs Royale, very generous as well. And took some of their flapjacks takeaway.”

“Got to say, I've been meaning to get down here sooner than I have, but I have to say it actually does impress. The food is spot on (fried slice for the win!) And is nicely finished. Clean and tidy along with pretty fast service (as it's Reading Festival, I expected a longer wait time) See you next weekend!”

“Absolutely love this cafe. No matter what Nat & the crew will make you feel welcome. We went for the afternoon tea this time, you need to pre-book because Nat puts so much effort into it. You will not be disappointed”

“We had a function in the pub and it was a great experience. We had a dedicated function room separated from the main pub. The atmosphere both in the pub and in the function room are really lovely and the fireplaces give just the perfect place for a cosy dinner. Food was truly amazing. Great portions and quality food from the appetisers throughout the meal. Tagliatelle were cooked to perfection and the sea bass with the lemon sauce was mouthwatering. All through the meal, the sauces were just amazing. All the staff was really friendly and we had a great night out.”

“Fantastic experience stopping in for lunch. The OXBO burger was probably the best burger I have eaten recently, the addition of rarebit made for a delicious twist on a conventional cheese burger. Highly recommended. Very friendly and helpful staff. The staff were attentive, but not intrusively so. I felt looked after. The cafe has a lovely calm atmosphere, but not boringly so. There were a few customers in giving it a good vibe, but without being hectic - I didn't wait long for service or for my food to arrive. It would be an ideal place for someone looking to have a working lunch, and there are spaces set out with power outlets for those with busy working schedules. Very conveniently located a few minutes away from Green Park, making for a nice change to eating in the company cafe if you are working nearby.”

“Boy, this diner took me back. Simple, inexpensive and efficient. Monster Full English was just that. Choice of tomato or beans, mug o’builders tea or coffee. All very generic but well cooked and served with care and a smile. Good, old-fashioned breakfast in a classic Greasy Spoon location on a main roundabout just over the river from Caversham High Street. Great when you’re in the mood.”

“Really lovely place, very friendly welcoming staff, food was lovely and hot and fresh, superb bubble and squeak! The only downfall was, we waited 40mins for our food, now I don't expect fast food, I like a proper fresh cooked breakfast, and granted, this place was very busy when we arrived, but it might be worth giving customers the heads up if it's busy and telling them a rough wait time? Fortunately we had the time on our hands to wait, but had we somewhere to be we may have decided not to stay had we known it was that busy. That aside, the food was definitely worth the wait, staff work hard and all provide a good service, it has not put us off returning atall, just honest feedback.”

“This restaurant serves the best breakfasts around! Unlike other places that use the cost of living crisis as an excuse to hike up prices, here you still get the same generous portions and great quality food. It's refreshing to see a business that hasn't compromised on value, so thank you for that! My only criticism is that the food can be a little too oily at times. Is there any way this could be improved? If that were addressed, the breakfast experience here would be flawless! Overall, fantastic value and delicious food—just a bit lighter on the oil would make it perfect!”

“This place is a hidden gem and the service from the staff is exceptional. Having had the best club sandwich I’ve ever had after a family stroll around the lovely lake over the weekend, I couldn’t help myself from coming back a few days later when passing by the area. Great place and my favourite of all cafes which is very good value for money and excellent food. Highly recommend this to everyone.”