Willow in Stafford

Amazing food lovely atmospheric here lovely dining experience just what we all needed - chilled & Blessed thank you 🙏

A rather mixed experience at Willow. We booked a table for four a week in advance but were seated close to the door, under a huge, very low hanging fake tree. Not the best start. First the good; the staff, although clearly rushed off their feet, were friendly, polite and efficient. The food, we had coffee, tea and ordered from the breakfast menu, was served together . It was delicious with generous portions, coffee was very good and well presented. Prices were very reasonable, £12 for a huge breakfast was great value. Now the bad; Apart from the table location, Willow is a noisy place, not good for our planned catch up chat with friends. One pot of tea arrived stone cold. It was replaced promptly on request but not good enough. The final indignity was getting home to find I had several bites on my leg. We had been nowhere else for two days so I can only assume they were flea bites from one of the canine guests seated close to us. I don’t think I would return here. I fail to understand why it’s so popular.

Went for lunch , very bright atmosphere staff were welcoming. Food was great .

After an enjoyable walk around Trentham we had a lovely breakfast shared with our dog! Only disappointment is being charged extra for oat milk. Much improved service as well

Firstly, the other parogon sites have such high standards of service. This place really lets the group down. It was a quiet day with only us and 4 other tables. We travelled an hour to get here after visiting the other local sites and having great experiences we thought it would be worth it. We were wrong. We were sat down and left for 20 mins before being able to order drinks. We ordered food at the same time to avoid waiting any longer. Words can not describe how disappointed we were with our food. Pasta was overcooked and mushy, sauce was extremely bland it tasted like a Tescos own microwave meal. Added the chicken and that was almost black, also extremely dry it was hard to swallow. How they can serve that pasta as a standard without the chicken is beyond me because it’s worth all of £3 never mind £16. Left the entire dish after 3 bites. Was never once asked if the food was ok because I would have sent it back. Left us with the dirty plates for over 20 minutes and then who appeared to be a manager took them away without saying a word. Just grabbed them on her way past. Absolutely no chance to mention how little we enjoyed the food. Never got asked if we wanted anymore drinks either. Every table that was in at the same time was left with dirty plates for way too long, there was no atmosphere, tables are so close and it was so quiet that we could hear about 4 conversations and when sitting down and getting up, had to squeeze between ours and the couple next to ours tables. Paid the bill in full (including the pasta that was uneaten) and left hungry. Big group of people outside discussing how they had a bad experience as well which we overheard when walking to the car. Would never come here again. Biggest waste of money I’ve ever spent. All in all, service needs fixing as our waitress was nice but just wanted us in and out. Spent all her time talking to one table for 30 mins whilst we waited to order and were never asked if we enjoyed our food. Food needs some taste to it. I don’t know if something was missing from the dish because every other site has exceptional food, but this tasted like dish water and half the sauce was congealed in clumps to the dish. We weren’t given any chance to complain/reorder food when at the venue which is disappointing because I have never sent food back before, never complained and never left a negative review, but the feedback is needed.

Rhianna and Donna were excellent today at willow. Really made us feel welcome and service was amazing

Been to Willow for food today, Libby was so pleasant and fast. Had a smile on her face the whole time.

I stopped to charge the car and discovered this place, the food was outstanding, I would definitely call again when next in the area. Vegan and vegetarian options were good. They had even thought of dogs by providing beds for them.

Staff were kind enough to find us a table as we reached later than our reserved time slot. Inspite of being a weekday afternoon l restaurant was full. The ambience is amazing and there is plenty of parking available. It's close to Trentham gardens. We had sea bass, pasta and sharer grill chicken. Huge quantity and well flavoured. Highly recommend this restaurant if around Trentham.

We pre-booked a table to have breakfast to celebrate my husband’s birthday. When we arrived the restaurant was very busy with a bustling atmosphere, but we were immediately greeted and shown to our table. The table for two was nestled closely to another table of six, so we kindly asked if we could move to the end table where there was more room and not so closed in. The waiter obliged and moved us across to the other vacant table. We were given a menu and asked about any allergies. Menus were promptly provide and we were asked for our drink choices were. We ordered two pots of tea and were provided with water for the table. A different waiter politely asked if we were ready for our order, we ordered two of the Full Willow Breakfasts, changing some of the ingredients to suit. The waiter made pleasant conversation and took order away. Teas arrived very quickly, all served in beautiful tableware. Tea was piping hot and fresh milk served separately in small jug. Meals arrived within 10 minutes, which surprised us given how busy the restaurant was. Waiter asked for any sauces, which was immediately brought to the table. Our meals contained ingredients of a very high quality. We had chosen poached eggs, and these were cooked to perfection. Both of us ate every bit of our meal. We both complimented the chef when our plates were promptly collected. We agreed it was the best cooked English breakfast that we had eaten out at a restaurant in a considerable time. We were both extremely satisfied with the service and the quality of food and agree that we aim to return to Willow again soon. That you for a lovely experience- the management should be very proud of the ambience they’ve created, but more importantly the service their staff deliver! 10/10

Amazing experience. Went for my birthday- had a card and lovely dessert with candle. Really went the extra mile. Gemma

The food was fantastic with perfect portions. The waiters were attentive and the service was very quick. Would highly recommend for a lovely breakfast with a great atmosphere on offer.

We come here regularly. Great atmosphere, great food and even better service from Lucy this evening.

bad food bad service, place looked dirty don’t believe what you see online. won’t be back 0/10

Had a lovely meal with friends last night, great service and fab food! Would definitely recommend 😀

Amazing food alongside amazingly friendly staff.

Saw a worker drop cutlery on the floor, wipe it and put it back in the draw to serve to the next customer. Food was very poorly served. Training needs to be improved. I would never see this from orange tree or their other restaurants

Always bad service. You get ignored if you want a coffee. The rolling of eyes just rubbish.

I have been to the Willow several times when needing a break away from the monotony of the M6. I love the food and atmosphere here and have always received great service. They are dog friendly which also adds to a nice environment and plenty of EV chargers outside. I highly recommend this place as the food is great!!

Food was beautiful presentation, healthy meals also available and seasoned to perfection. Staff where rushed off there feet’s abut slow on service and had to get up and find someone for the bill as a while went by waiting to pay the bill Other than that I am definitely visiting again 🫶🏼 X

Good food, fair price. Probably the best restaurant in south Stoke.

We had a lovely time here every time. Everyone is friendly and helpful and the food is delicious! Not to say how beautiful and cozy the place is.

Very nice dog friendly place to eat. Advise booking. Friendly staff, clean restaurant and nice food.

Lovely staff, great food, great atmosphere and dog friendly

The breakfast was what I call a BREAKFAST, and the pot of tea was proper breakfast brew. First class service all round

Lovely place with even better food. Would definitely recommend!

Visited on Sat morning at 10am. Didnt know there was a park run at Trentham. The place was packed, waited forever to be served and didnt get drinks until we had nearly finished breakfast. We were told due to a backlog of hot drinks on order. We had prebooked a table but definitely too full for the amount of staff

There was abit of actual bacon in the vegan brunch. So bad...would avoid if vegeterian/vegan. Unless they have made changes in the kitchen to prevent this from happening again.

Friendly and polite staff and excellent service and food.

This place has such an authentic vibe, with an aesthetic design. It's hands down the best coffee I've had in the UK, and the atmosphere is perfect for sitting and enjoying it for hours. Incredibly relaxing. Despite all the positive aspects, I initially thought the prices might be high, but after seeing the menu, I realized the prices are actually very reasonable. The service is fast, and the staff are polite and friendly. Without a doubt, it’s the most beautiful café you can find in Stoke-on-Trent. It’s a must-visit!

The full willow breakfast clearly hadn’t been cooked fresh and some of the items were lukewarm/cold. Eggs carbonara were nice as were the pancakes and smoothies.

Amy was a fantastic host and was able to substitute items for me

Amy was fabulous, lovely girl and really friendly, fabulous service and great food. I come here at least twice a month and love it 🥰

Friendly staff, great buzz and good food.

A lovely restaurant with tasty dishes. Could definitely improve and increase the vegan options. One was not available which left more limited options. The majority of our group was vegan and there was only one vegan dessert option that didn't sound great so we didn't end up having dessert which seems like a missed opportunity. We were also charged the same price for a starter that just had the dairy product removed (the mushrooms with or without mascarpone) which does not seem appropriate.

Lush food and staff were lovely !

I love Willow. I come in about 3 times a week with my little dog. All the staff are friendly and efficient and the food is good.Thank you.

Average, average, average with mediocre service

Another fabulous visit to Willow - perfect as always

Absolutely lovely evening. Amy was a fantastic host! Food was amazing!

Food was great for a light lunch, waiter Jacob was faultless

Our server Johan was excellent. Attentive friendly and very quick to resolve any issues.

Service was very nice and the food was very tasty

Everything and more from what you want in a restaurant. Perfection venue, food and service.

Amazing staff, amazing food. Popped in for birthday lunch and it was amazing throughout.

Worst customer service ever. Attempted to put up with this place twice, left feeling that if the staff can’t deal with being busy they really shouldn’t bother opening. At least attempting some customer service skills would be something. No skills on how to deal with their own stress whilst still being courteous. Would not recommend, unless you enjoy the kind of atmosphere this creates. Guess some people put up with anything to sit somewhere that looks flashy. I rather take my money where staff are respectful and make your visit pleasurable. The couple of young women who i interacted with had the interpersonal skills of a cactus.

There was no garlic bread which is an easy option to have available. The fish was mainly batter with hardly any fish & usually thete is more fish. The pea puree was bland.

Great service, great location. Ease of booking great and restaurant atmosphere great. Great accommodating of Doggos.

Waitresses was moody & long wait for drinks food - we went for breakfast but they had no tea or orange

Visiting from Harrogate and it happened to be the day we got engaged! Absolutely lovely, welcoming staff who ensured we felt at ease and had everything we needed (Alice was our server). The decor and atmosphere was also great. Would return if we lived closer!

Coming to The Willow has become a tradition for my family when I come home to visit from Leeds. We always have an amazing time and the food and atmosphere is excellent. I did however miss the bacon and peanut butter pancakes, but hopefully they are back next time! Thanks!

Great breakfast. Well worth a visit

We went for a breakfast at Willow which was fabulous I had the buttermilk pancakes & my partner tried the Mediterranean brunch....we were both very happy with our food choices & the service was exceptional, even though the staff were very busy. Always a great dining experience.

good vibes and lovely food. great for vegetarians too.

Amazing place, service and the food was gorgeous as always

A lovely breakfast at Willow, beautiful food and fabulous service from our waitress Maisie.

Very nice food, had the large breakfast and everything tasted fresh and cooked well. The staff were extremely nice and welcoming and a very good experience

We went for a meal after a great evening at the Trentham Gardens light Show. Whilst it was busy, we were welcomed and felt valued by our waiter. The food was very enjoyable.

Great food with big variety and good options for children. Took a while for the food to come but it was busy so to be expected to some extent. Definitely recommend.

Wonderful time, and our waitress Amy was absolutely brilliant. Couldn’t of been any more helpful if she tried

Food was great! Only negative I would say is the service charge is added to the bill, I prefer to give this to who ever serves me. Not the company.

We enjoyed our cooked breakfast at Willow on Saturday morning. We had a bar table and we were very well served by Amy. Thank you. Food, service and ambience all superb. We were lucky to get a table and will book next time.

Will was a brilliant waiter and food was fantastic. Lovely atmosphere and a great birthday meal, no complaints!

Spent Christmas Day here and from the moment we walked in and was greeted by a lovely lady we knew we were in for a great day. All staff were polite and very friendly. We picked a special bottle of wine and found the bar staff very knowledgeable and helped us to choose, we had a bottle of Orange wine which was lovely and light, just what we wanted. From the first course to the last it was beautiful! It was well presented and the flavour of all the food was faultless. Treated ourselves to a couple of cocktails too and these were another level! Presentation 10/10 and the taste was another level! Thank you to all the staff at Willow Trentham for making our Xmas day so special and we cannot wait to book again with you.

Excellent service and fantastic atmosphere.

Fantastic love it here. Love they allow dogs and provide doggy beds too! Food is delicious looks and tastes wonderful. Been twice now would definitely recommend. Staff are brilliant nothings too much trouble.

Great food & staff excellent as always. Maisie was excellent very polite & friendly

Delicious Boxing Day brunch, great quality food and drinks and the staff were very good! So much choice on the menu it made it hard to choose, but I had the Middle Eastern Vegan Brunch plate and it was so tasty and flavourful. Will definitely be back!

Daughter chose due to great reviews on Tripadvisor and did not disappoint. Beautiful place with very quirky and delicious menu. We will be bsck

Christmas Day Dinner - £120pp + Drinks & Service charge on the day. Total £542 for 4 people. Food was great, service until the mains had been fine. Asked about drinks often, but literally as soon as mains were taken we felt left. In a 2.5hr dinner we had 2 drinks orders taken after being asked. Didn't get mince pies at the end as we had our tea pots and coffee delivered but no mince pies. Bill came for £21 worth of drinks with a £37 service charge on after paying £120 per person for the day. On any normal day this place is amazing, the service is great and the foods perfect but Christmas Day was a let down on service and the sense of feeling like the place was being closed around us. About 8 other tables still around but just seemed like the service team was wanting people gone over providing the level of service expected & frankly paid for. Shame but I know this place isn't like this on normal days.

We Booked Christmas Eve For Breakfast, And Was Not Disappointed! A party of 7. Lovely Christmas Atmosphere, Beautifully Decorated. Excellent Service Nothing Too Much Trouble, And Plenty Of Staff So No Waiting Around For Food, Which Normally Happens At This Time Of Year. Food Was Presented First Class, And All The Food Was Warm. The Food Was Really Good Value For Money And Certainly Not Over Priced. Plenty Of Time To Enjoy The Breakfast's, We Didn't Feel Like We Needed To Rush. A Lovely Experience. Thanks Willow For Starting The Christmas Off To A Excellent Start. Charlotte Gibson

Lovely welcoming staff and great menu choices.

Lovely food! Can’t wait to come back

Came here last Friday,table was booked for 7.45..arrived early,had a drink expecting to sit down at that time,we weren’t seated till 8.10,while we were waiting there were plenty of spare tables with no one sat at them..upon being seated near the food pass I was watching the waitress placing garnishes on people’s food with food tongues,but then she opened a bag of basil & picked it out with her hands & placed it on the same plate..is this correct procedure ??,after placing garnishes with the tongues she then put her fingers onto customers food & removed or moved the garnish about..my question is why use food tongues & then put food on with your hands ..I look forward to your response !!

Amy was friendly, polite and helpful

Amazing food, drink and service.

We had a fantastic breakfast. Our server Amy, made sure everything was great and apologised for a wait that wasn’t even long! Will definitely be visiting again. 5/5

From start to finish nothing but pure professionalism. Arrived early and given a table for coffee whilst we waited . Staff very busy but we were able to get a table earlier than booked . Never once were any of the staff not polite and smiling which at this time of year can be missing . Food as usual excellent hot and quick to the table . Thanks to our lovely waitress Montana for all of her professionalism today

As ever the Willow provided except hot food served by lovely and helpful staff. The Christmas meal was a fantastic start to our celebrations, thank you.

Great meal and Molly was great fun! Love this place!

Very good, perfect food, certanily coming back more on the next Stoke's visit.

Nathan the waiter was quick to take our order and attentive to our table.

Montana offered really great service and the vibes were overall great

Montana was very helpful and attentive!

Montana was excellent, as was the food. Will be coming again soon!

Busy Christmas period but staff were very accommodating and found us a table. Food was lovely, staff very pleasant, overall great experience

We were squeezed in during a busy saturday dinner. Made to feel welcomed and the food was fantastic. Would definitely come back.

Great atmosphere and great service!!

Booked a reservation here at 7pm to eat after attending the Trentham Lights for Xmas. Super selection of drink and food on the menu. Top marks for festive decoration and vibe too. Everyone seems to be really enjoying themselves whether eating or just drinking. Food was really tatsy and great portion size - but a special thanks to our waitress Molly - who stepped up and was incredibly accommodating after our little one year old was poorly all of a sudden and meant we needed our food to be taken away and kept warm while sorting him out. Nothing felt like too much trouble and that really meant a lot. Would love to return and hopefully have another lovely meal, hopefully without any unexpected ‘disruptions’ next time. Thanks Willow team.

Very nice light lunch at Willow. Very good service from Montana.

At last my wife had plenty of choice for Vegan Food , I loved my Steakburger, staff were very helpful. The Manager who was previously at the Orange Tree Congleton , was very helpful, certainly we will go to the Willow in future But will never go the orange tree Congleton, lovely facilities poor food and value

Amazing food! Food stained cutlery on the table. Slow waiter service combined with incorrect drink order being brought to the table. Water glasses taken away without any offering of water first. Asked if we had any dietary or allergy requirements after we had placed our food order. Overall a great experience, just lacks the smaller details.

Montana was a credit to the establishment.

Amazing for brunch. TRY THE MANGO PASSIONFRUIT PUDDING

Lovely breakfast brunch , Montana was a very hospital waitress

Love it here, nice food and good service

Had a gorgeous fresh breakfast today at Willow. The food was wonderful and the service was great too. We love the vibe at Willow and we were seated in a fabulous booth. It was my husband’s birthday so it made it extra special. Thank you so much. We will definitely return. 😊

Had a beautiful night at The Willow to celebrate my birthday. Our server was fab, we had balloons and a card left on the table for us from the staff and got a free celebration brownie with sparklers! 10/10, could not fault anything.

Lovely food, very attentive service from Amy.

Lovely food and service. Thank you