Basmati Indian Petworth

This is the main eating and drinking place in Petworth House. It offers standard National Trust fare. The service was pleasant and quick.

The service was good and the selection just right for a light lunch. One of the party had quiche and the others jacket potatoes all of which were fine.

Absolutely dreadful food. We ordered two jacket potatoes, which had no potato inside. The jacket potato's had been baked so many times, instead of discarding them, all that was left of the jacket potato was the skin. Serving food in this condition is unfair to the consumer and is not acceptable. The scones were also dry and stale. Extremely disappointing visit.

My friend and I ate here when visiting the historical house. There’s a good selection including soup, jacket potatoes and many cakes .We had Steak and Kidney pie with new potatoes and Savoy cabbage. Dessert was date pudding with caramel ice cream. The service was excellent. Food was hot and nicely presented. We were there about 1.5 hours so it was a relaxed experience.

The lines at the cafe were terrible. The food was just okay, like most national trust cafes. I wish they would consider improving their menu to increase their profits. The interior of the cafe was dreary, in contrast to the beautiful property. If you exit through the back door (next to the cafe), you can explore the nearby town and enjoy the charming cafes there instead. I suggest everyone do this instead of eating at the cafe.

Sadly, it's a thumbs down. Admittedly there were notices explaining shortages of staff and supplies but that is no excuse for stale bread! The place is now rather drab and in need of some attention. The National Trust is a window on Britain for many foreign visitors (including our guest). At the moment it shows all too truthfully the state of the nation. It would be nice if it could aspire to something better (as used to be the case pre-covid).

We were served promptly by a very friendly and welcoming member of staff. The problem, was the fact that our toasted sandwiches were pretty revolting having been placed into a sandwich toaster for a very short time and they just weren’t cooked. Barely toasted, soggy inferior bread encasing un-cooked ingredients rendered a tasteless mess. We couldn’t be bothered to send them back and perhaps next time we’ll opt for a slice of cake!! Avoid the sandwiches.

How hard can it be to make a sandwich? Clearly almost impossible in this overpriced rather chaotic cafe. My toasted sandwich looked and tasted as if it was made from ingredients left over from the ancient kitchen in the main house. The poor staff behind the counter were doing their best cheerful and friendly but maybe it was just fear that they may have to deal with disgruntled customers once the food was served! Eat somewhere else before visiting the House.

We believe in supporting the National Trust and its historic buildings and restaurants. However, our experience at the Audit Room Caffè was disappointing. The display of food looked artificial and unappetizing, with nothing fresh on offer. The menu was not clear, and we felt pressured to choose despite the friendly staff. We both ordered the macaroni cheese, which lacked flavor and had undercooked flour, making it unpleasant to eat. The pasta quality was poor and the dish arrived without a nice crust, looking like a plate of soup. It's a shame as the National Trust deserves better, as the beautiful space was let down by the kitchen. For a better dining experience, we recommend checking out t...