Whittington's Tea Barge in Reading

What a wonderful experience. I booked the barge for my daughters hen party and I couldn't have been happier . From beginning to end we felt welcomed and that nothing was too much trouble. We had afternoon tea and it was delightful! The owners had only taken the barge over the week before yet they were well organised.. thank you so much for making Holly's Day wonderful .

Really nice place to visit. Had a delicious breakfast, being a barge noToilet for a number 2... nice coffee. Very friendly staff, definitely worth a visit.Parking: Large carpark next door and a place that washes cars.

We live in North Yorkshire and are on our holidays in the area. We were told to visit Whittingtons Tea Barge if we're in the area. My daughter and I came yesterday and had the luxury cream tea. The food was absolutely gorgeous! The homemade scones were scrumptious! What a fantastic experience having food inside a narrow boat! I would love to consider having my 50th birthday party on their River Cruise.

What a lovely way to spend a few hours of an afternoon to mark a special birthday with family and a few close friends, being very well looked after by our hosts, Lesley and Andrew x Thoroughly recommended for an afternoon tea, gently floating on the Thames to Mapledurham and back again x Many thanks xxxParking: Starts and finishes right next to the huge Hills Meadow car park 😀Dietary restrictions: One of our friends needs a strict GF diet, so our hosts provided an individual cheese board option for her as an alternative to the afternoon tea and cakes :-)

Overall it was a very nice atmosphere, nice to sit down with the other half and "enjoy" a bit of lunch.While I say that, there were a few things I picked up on while there. First of all when being seated, we were told that a reservation was expected and we might be asked to leave at any time to allow them to sit, I would have more than accepted "Sorry, we have are expecting a group to arrive so could you sit outside". Which would have been more than acceptable to us as the weather was nice, but inside just looked inviting.This was said to multiple other guests as they arrived and seated (2 of which were asked to move mid meal).The way I heard what I assume to be the owner talk to a member of staff was also something I was not a fan of, I held back saying something as I am not one to make a scene of any level in a public setting.We also overheard there were items missing that should have gone with our food, and that a discount would be applied to remedy this, but at the end, full price it was. Of course I didn't mind as much as a business needs money to function and I would never hold back on paying what is needed.Finally, I am what could be considered quite OCD when it comes to cleanliness, and I will start by saying I know it is a barge, by the river right alongside all sorts of nature.But the moment I sat down, I noticed dust, cobwebs and a general lack of TLC where needed. I understand it isn't always feasible to keep on top of it all, but this was way beyond just a day of missing bits.But as I said, it was a enjoyable to a degree and the 2 members of staff that took our order and served our food were amazing, smiles and kindness all around. If we do come again, it will be because of that alone.

Lovely coffee and tea. Loose Tea made in large teapot . Also had poached eggs on toast for a light lunch,which was lovely too. Breakfasts served until 13.30. you can sit in the barge or at the tables at the side of the River ThamesWould highly recommend

Great little place, literally on the river.Great tea, best scones I've tasted in a long time!Lovely sandwiches.Wish we lived closer!

Great location, coffee & chocolatesServing a variety of snacks & you will have to enjoy your hot cup of coffee along the Thames river. Ducks & swans add to the beauty of the location. You choose to site outside or in the Barge, since it is open in the weekends, it can be a bit busy inside but the world is yours outside ☕️

We hired the barge for a birthday celebration. Lesley and Andrew couldn't have been more accommodating, communicating well throughout and helping us tailor the afternoon to our requirements. As there's a restriction on their licence as to how many people can go on a cruise at a time, we split our party in two for trips either side of everyone gathering for a moored-up afternoon tea. The food was delicious, tea very tasty (as one might expect from a tea barge!) and the barge so beautifully appointed. It felt really special and personal. We had a number of young children who were causing various amounts of havoc, but nothing fazed Lesley and Andrew - it was all so relaxed and happy.

We hired the whole boat for a couple of hours and did a trip down the river to Mapledurham lock. It was to celebrate a big birthday and it was a lovely experience, even in a bit of rain! They laid on afternoon tea, with sandwiches, scones and even a few cakes with candles for the celebrations. It was a magnificent/unique experience, and the kids loved it too. Highly recommended