Located in centre of Clanfield is Chandlers, a perfect place to sit down for great food and drink, fabulous service and it is dog-friendly. 

Run by long-term business partners Steph and Kaz, the cafe offers a variety of different dishes which are also suitable for vegetarians, with meals for little ones and canine lunches. 

When asked what the staff recommendation was for particular items on the menu, manager Steph was torn between a few.

“There is so much choice!” she said.

“From the humble English Breakfast, to wonderful salads and even pizza! We love the Granola Smoothie Bowl, and Cinnamon Rolls.”

In addition to daytime hours, Chandlers opens on Friday and Saturday evenings until 10pm. I went for a meal on one of these evenings and chose starters from the casual dining selection on the menu.

I tried the garlic ciabatta and added cheese on the server’s recommendation. It was delicious! 

The bread was perfectly toasted, the cheese melted just enough but not overdone and with the garlic it is a match made in heaven. I also had the cheese and bacon potato skins with salad.

The potatoes are very generous in size and the same with the bacon and cheese. I was lucky to have my partner with me to share the portion!

For our main meals we both had burgers, I had the BBQ beef while my other half had the chicken club. On the side was a small serving of salad and hash brown fries which are far better than the normal fries you get.

Golden brown in colour, a slight crunch and dipped in tomato sauce it was a very tasty accompaniment. The burger itself felt very light when eating it but by the time I had finished I was so full!

The patty was not too thick and it meant the cheese, bacon and sauce didn’t get lost. The bun was okay, but I think it would have been better if it had been lightly toasted.

For my refreshment, I had a non-alcoholic strawberry cosmopolitan and it was so fresh and bursting with summer flavours. 

Steph commented: “The Strawberry Cosmopolitan is most popular, but our favourite is the Pina Colada! Chandlers’ New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is also delicious.”

While eating our meal there was another diner behind us who had an adorable brown and white spaniel with them. Chandlers offers natural and healthy meals for dogs from ‘Lily’s Kitchen’, and welcomes well behaved dogs at all times. 

In two years, just under £3,000 has been raised for Give a Dog a Home, a rescue service based in Malaga and Steph has rescued three dogs through the group. 

There is definitely something at Chandlers for everyone and the highlight of dining there is the staff. They are so kind and welcoming and go above and beyond to make your experience a good one. 

Steph added that Chandlers has been a venue like no other and the business has had great fun creating a relationship with the locals.