Tucked away inside the Windrush leisure centre, Yellow Submarine Café might be easy to miss at first glance, but it’s worth seeking out.
In Witney I find many of the cafes are hard to access and push a buggy in and so finding one where this is easy was a priority for me when I was a new mum. While it initially appears as though access to Yellow Submarine is limited to stairs, there is a lift available, making it fully accessible for families with pushchairs. One of the standout features of Yellow Submarine Café is its spaciousness. Here, there’s plenty of room for little legs to run about, and a good number of highchairs are available.
The café also caters well to children with a small but welcome area filled with toys to keep them entertained.
At the back of the café, there’s a large communal table that’s always full of groups of children, families, and friends catching up. It’s a relaxing environment where kids are expected and accommodated rather than treated as an inconvenience.
The menu at Yellow Submarine Café is ideal for light lunches, snacks, and drinks. While the food is simple, such as sandwiches, toasties, and chips, the quality is good. On my visit, I chose a ham and cheese sandwich, which was generously filled and improved by a delicious mustard mayo. The café also sources ingredients from local suppliers, using Mayfield Eggs, Proof Social Bakehouse, and James Gourmet Coffee.
One of the best bits of the café, in my opinion, is the drinks and cakes.
On this visit, their tropical smoothie was thick and bursting with flavour, and on previous visits, I’ve been impressed by the high standard of their hot drinks as well. For children, they offer an appealing selection of drinks, including babycinos, cold milk, and mini hot chocolates – small but thoughtful options that make younger guests feel just as catered to as the adults.
Service at Yellow Submarine Café is warm, welcoming, and inclusive.
The café operates as a social enterprise, co-staffed by trainees with learning disabilities. This does mean that if you have a particularly complex order or need to discuss allergens, a supervisor may need to step in, but in general, the wait times are short, and the friendly, relaxed service more than makes up for any slight delays.
The café benefits from being part of the leisure centre, meaning facilities are readily available. Baby-changing areas are easily accessible, and the staff are more than accommodating when it comes to families with young children. Location-wise, it’s conveniently close to Witney’s main shopping area, just a five-minute stroll away. Alternatively, for families making use of the leisure centre, it’s the perfect post-swim or post-activity treat. We like to go after swimming lessons!
Pricing at Yellow Submarine Café is also family-friendly, with sandwiches ranging from £3 to £5, chips at £2.50, and a builder’s tea for just £1.40.
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