McCowans vintage café

Someone from this business manages this listing.

139 reviews

#6 of 18 Restaurants in Aberaeron$$ - $$$, Cafe, British, Welsh

+44 1545 578320+ Add website

Hours

Mon

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Tue

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Wed

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Thu

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Fri

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Sat

9:00 am - 4:30 pm

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Ratings and reviews

4.5

139 reviews

#6 of 18 Restaurants in Aberaeron

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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CUISINES

Cafe, British, Welsh

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

features

Location and contact

35 Alban Square, Aberaeron SA46 0AJ Wales

+44 1545 578320

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Is this restaurant good for brunch?

Yes

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Details

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About

Small independent family run cafe in the heart of Alban Square in beautiful Aberaeron. We hope you love this little place as much as we do. Great home cooked breakfast, lunch & delicious afternoon teas! We always strive to do our best & take pride in seeing happy customers returning. Have a lovely day & many thanks

CUISINES

Cafe, British, Welsh

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Table Service

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4.5

139 reviews

Excellent

105

Very good

Average

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Terrible

Jan H

Crewe27 contributions

Lovely cosy cafe

Jan 2020 • none

We visited this lovely cosy vintage cafe on a wild and windy day and it did not disappoint. There was some debate as to whether we could bring our small dog in the cafe but eventually after checking with other customers they were happy for her to come in. The tiny downstairs room was lovely with traditional china and a gorgeous display of savoury and sweet food. My daughter had the lovely vegan chilli that was on offer and my husband a slice of their vegan chocolate torte - they were both very happy with their choices! I had a pot of peppermint tea and they both had coffee with almond and soy milks. The afternoon tea that someone else was having did look amazing too, although not vegan so not for us unfortunately. All in all a lovely hour spent in this traditional tea shop. I'm sure we will be back as long as we can bring in our little dog.

Written 11 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.

Agro234

1 contribution

Delicious food and lovely people.

Aug 2020 • none

I can't rate this Cafe highly enough. I can imagine opening during a pandemic and keeping customers happy and safe is not easy. Recently my friend's and I had a social distancing birthday lunch in the field opposite the cafe'. We ordered 9 afternoon teas one of which was vegetarian and another which was gluten free. The food was ridiculously good with a lovely mix of sweet and savoury in a nicely presented box at a very reasonable price considering how much food was in there. Also, they do freshly cooked pizzas with amazing toppings. I am not shamed to say that I asked about a vegetarian pizza but when I saw the choices of toppings I couldn't help myself and went full meaty!!! :D During lock down when it was hard to buy gifts I was buying takeaway cream teas for people which they loved. The staff are friendly, and helpful even during busy and difficult circumstances and the food is always of an extremely high standard.

Written 15 August 2020

Melissa

1 contribution

Best Afternoon Tea in Ceredigion!!!

Aug 2020 • family

Me and my family visited McCowans last weekend for a birthday afternoon tea and all I can say is WOW. Everything we were served was fresh, homemade and absolutely delicious BUT above all, the service we received was second to none. Nothing was too much for Clare and her team who were happy to accommodate to all of our needs (even during a busy Saturday afternoon!) Our cups were never empty and we left completely stuffed with a goody bag full of our leftovers for the next day. We will be back - thank you for an amazing afternoon.

Written 15 August 2020

Amanda B

7 contributions

Poor Customer Service

Feb 2020 • none

Firstly we sat down upstairs to look at menus and choose our food. Had to go back downstairs to order at the counter. Chose veggie breakfasts only to be told they weren’t serving them as it was now 12.30 (there was no indication of this on the menu). So it was back up the stairs to re-choose! We then ordered alternative choices. When the food arrived the baked potato ordered with beans and cheese did not have the cheese. My friend asked for the cheese and one of the staff came over to show her the order pad that did not have cheese written on it! Implying she had not in fact ordered it! (I was next to her at the counter....she had ordered it!) So it was the girl taking the order who had made the mistake but my friend was left with the feeling that the woman working thought we were out to do what?.....get some crafty free cheese?! The coffee’s were weak and tasteless. The food was bland and unimaginative. But mostly we were made to feel unwanted and the waitress a few times shot us looks of barely disguised distaste. And I thought it was expensive also for what it was. We will not be back.

Written 15 February 2020

Claremccow

Good afternoon, firstly I am very sorry to read you were unhappy with your visit & I can only apologise that your party were left feeling dissatisfied. I am always saddened to read any negative feedback following a visit as I try really hard to ensure customers are happy & satisfied. Simple errors do sometimes happen & I am happy to read it was corrected. I do hope this hasn’t put you off & I send my sincere apologies that your experience wasn’t up to the standards that I expect on a daily basis. I shall ensure that staff are aware, many thanks & we do hope you return.

Written 16 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

arkwright556

New Quay22 contributions

Owner is extremely rude and discourteous.

May 2021 • none

We have frequented several cafe establishments in Aberaeron,as we live just a short distance away. We invited good friends to share a light meal and coffee whilst they were in our company.We had to wait a while for my long term friend and business associate before we were to order lunch. The woman proprietor that operates said cafe was extremely rude from the offset. We know covid is a trying time for local small business"s,however,we were paying customers who should be regarded as such. Being told we would have to leave after a while,whist waiting for our marine engineer to arrive,albeit spending £20.45p on 3 coffees ,one tea a scone and tuna sandwich which was expensive in my opinion,we decided to leave,and find a cafe that did want our custom. I went to pay,mask on etc and the owner was in the cafe,repremanding one of the young employees,in a very un-private curt manor. All i wanted to do was pay and leave,not make a scene and go !! which i did after asking again for my bill. The woman falsely smiled as she said the amount.(smiles when taking my money). I did NOT leave a tip obviously,and will not be returning to this establishment. We then went to the Harbourmaster,which is a little more expensive,but excellent value for money. Our friend joined us and we could not have been more welcomed or looked after.All staff were polite and respectful.They could not have done anymore for us,it was great.Food was very good,local ale and coffees were absolutely spot on and for 4 of us,the cost was extremely acceptable.We enjoyed our food and drinks without any problems at all,and the atmosphere was relaxed and most enjoyable,totally opposite to McCowans.The vintage cafe with attitude that does not deserve our custom.We will NOT return. Normally,if this sort of situation were to occur,we would just get on,move on and put it down to experience,certainly not comment publicly,but the rudeness and poor attitude experienced deserves to be noted.

Written 12 May 2021

Footy F

Dear Sir,Firstly I’m very sorry to read that your visit is certainly not as we usually hope. It is personally upsetting that we are at the front line daily having to comply with rules placed upon us to keep customers & staff safe. please accept my sincere apologies if the handling of these was unsatisfactory. Upon your arrival we did have to ask that you wait a moment to enable us to set up a table for your party with a safe distance from other visitors, this is as explained a rule we must adhere to by the Welsh government. With only 2 persons permitted to be on the shop floor at any time I’m sorry you had to wait a moment to pay your bill. I must also explain that at that moment when you requested to pay your bill I was serving the maximum number of customers within the premises whilst also being asked to collect a kitchen order! Multitasking moment of madness which occasionally occurs & results in such ‘Tripadvisor’ reviews which add to the stress of an already overstretched industry trying to come out the other end of a nightmare! We currently have a maximum stay of 1.5 hours per group which we advise customers, again this to reduce the time spent mixing households as per government guidelines. (At no point we’re you asked to leave) I can only apologise that the restrictions & formalities we currently have to follow occasionally effect what should normally be an enjoyable customer experience, we hope that we can extend the table time with easing of restrictions. We look forward to mask free, social enjoyment within a café environment (minus the restrictions that we dread daily) We do hope you return & that the restrictions placed upon us will be eased very soon.

Written 13 May 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jan W

Rushden52 contributions

Amazing place!!

Nov 2021 • couples

We were staying in the area and called in for breakfast and a hot drink. The cafe is very quirky and we were greeted by a lovely waitress that showed us to our table upstairs. I ordered a traditional breakfast whilst my husband got a bacon and tomato baguette as well as an americano. The wait wasn’t long and the breakfast was one of the best I’ve ever had and it was only £6.75! The portion was huge and cooked to perfection and my husband demolished the baguette in no time as it was so good!! My pot of tea was served with a China cup and saucer which was lovely and according to my husband the americano was one of the best he’s had. We were so pleased that we found this hidden gem that we went back the next day!! Absolutely love this place!!

Written 23 November 2021

LemonySnicket

London2 contributions

Friendly service and delicious food

Jun 2021 • family

Had a really lovely lunch here - upstairs seating had a quirky atmosphere, the staff looked after us so well and nothing was too much trouble. Ordered a really tasty Welsh rarebit and some amazing takeaway cakes for afters. Will definitely visit next time we're in the area.

Written 20 June 2021

Latchfordlass

Llanybydder25 contributions

Just perfect

Feb 2020 • family

We visited McCowans on a wet and windy Saturday, and were greeted with friendly and welcoming staff. We made our choice from the extensive menu (what a fab specials board!). Waiting time was minimal and our meals were so delicious, as was the flavoured latte. For dessert we had the home made cheesecake which was out of this world! Would recommend a visit to this beautifully original cafe to anyone.

Written 16 February 2020

Sue G

15 contributions

Lovely food and lovely people

Sept 2021 • couples

We have enjoyed a number of meals here this Summer and cannot speak highly enough of the fantastic home cooked food and the ever smiling and helpful staff. Unlike the previous reviewer we were fortunate enough to meet the very youthful owner today and we couldn't have met a nicer person. I'm not sure the previous 1* review was actually for this cafe as I honestly cannot recall any floor covering at all in the outside marquee or downstairs in front of the servery. We will definitely be back!

Written 16 September 2021

Footy F

Thank you for your kind words, we do honestly try our very best & are happy to hear your experience was a joyful one. It’s been an extremely difficult time of late and kind words really do make our days worthwhile, thank you & enjoy the rest of your travels

Written 17 September 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

PhilipPhlop

United Kingdom87 contributions

First visit, lovely food, will be back

Oct 2021 • none

Popped in today for the first time and sat outside. All the staff were lovely. We ordered two teas, a cheese & onion toastie and a cheese & pickle baguette with a side of chips. It was about a half hour wait for the food but it was lovely when it came, the toastie and chips were piping hot. Thank you for a great visit.

Written 7 October 2021

Martyn J

6 contributions

Eat here but the toast is very expensive

Mar 2024 • family

Have always enjoyed a visit here, good choices and very good quality however, popped in for a snack at 11:45 with my Mum was told could only have the table until 12:20. Ordered teas, a scone and 2 slices of toast, the food arrived within 5 minutes but the tea took a further 10 minutes?? The next disappointment was the price of the toast, £2.80 for 1 slice of toast, now that is a serious markup.

Written 7 March 2024

Footy First

Good evening & thank you for writing. I can see from your picture that there is an error on your receipt and you have been charged twice for your toast! Our toast is served as Two slices, with Welsh butter and homemade condiments if required for £2.80 which is very reasonable. There has been a simple error which can easily be rectified by a member of staff. Please do pop in when you are next in the area so that you may be reimbursed the error. many thanks

Written 9 March 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

SeafoodQueen

Swansea215 contributions

Takeaway afternoon tea

Jun 2021 • none

We ordered afternoon tea to take away for the following day and it was ready to collect the following day, all boxed up. It was a generous spread - sandwiches, quiche, scone with jam & cream, cake, brownie & welshcake. We had most of as a picnic lunch st Strata Florida, the brownie for dessert that evening and the welshcake with coffee the next day - the box that kept on giving! Excellent value. The sandwiches were wrapped in cling film, but everything else was loose in the box which as a bit chaotic, as the lemon drizzle cake (deliciously light, by the way) was rather sticky. Would have it again if in the area. Shop staff friendly and helpful.

Written 9 June 2021

Anonymous

Aberystwyth3 contributions

Myself, my Mum and my 2 year

Mar 2021 • none

Myself, my Mum and my 2 year old Son visited McCowans last month, my Son instantly took an interest to the delicious looking cakes in the glass cabinet display. As you would usually expect from very young children, his hands were all over the glass, pointing at the cakes. The woman behind the counter who I assume was the owner turned around and said ‘can you stop him from doing that please as I’ll have to clean it again’, I felt that her attitude towards this was incredibly rude and unnecessary. I completely understand that all business are now being more vigilant due to covid but you would have thought that the fact that we were paying customers helping to support a local business at a difficult time that a little bit of additional cleaning wouldn’t be too much trouble especially as we were the only customers in there/there was no one queuing at the door! Will not be visiting again

Written 6 March 2021

Sarah S

102 contributions

Must visit

Oct 2023 • couples

We found this fab little place on accident. We were not disappointed, attentive staff, quaint, small restaurant upstairs and wow the food was spectacular. I opted for a iced peach tea and the Yorkshire pudding wrap that was brimming with pork, stuffing and apple sauce, a side of lovely thick gravy and beautiful crispy seasoned chips. My husband opted for a cappuccino which he said was outstanding and the southern friend chicken burger which was a chicken breast not pre packed rubbish and the honey and Thai sauce that came with it was second to none. This little gem is not in the high street but please look it for it as it really is a eatery not to be missed. Thank you for a magnificent lunch.

Written 30 October 2023

Anna1023

Worcester30 contributions

Lovely cafe, with amazing cake!

Feb 2020 • couples

Stopped off at the cafe after a walk whilst visiting the area, having read the reviews on here. Had our dog with us who was allowed in (the waitress checked first that the other customers were happy with having a dog inside, which we thought was a lovely thing to do!). Customer service was fantastic, really friendly and helpful - mainly as I had zero clue which amazing looking cake to choose, they all looked incredible! Needless to say they tasted delicious too. Coffee was great as well. Our only negative was that we already had plans for lunch, as all their food looked fantastic! We would definitely return and recommend if you're in the area :-)

Written 18 February 2020

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