A buffet restaurant in Reading renowned for offering a fresh range of food from around the world, COSMO Reading are celebrating their 10-year anniversary this October.

I remember visiting COSMO Reading when the restaurant had only been opened a year or so for a friend’s hen do celebration, so I was delighted to have been invited back*.

Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, English and Japanese are just some of the types of cuisines on offer, and there is a large dessert section with a good range of cakes, sweets, fruit and even a chocolate fountain.

Buffet restaurants are a good choice for diners with differing tastes, including those fussier eaters as there is (usually) something for everyone. And being a buffet, you can take multiple trips to sample the various food on offer.

Buffets aren’t always the most refined dining experiences, but you certainly don’t leave hungry.

Navigating the food stations

Inside COSMO Reading, it was reasonably straightforward to visit the various food stations, but I think signage could have been a bit bigger, particularly the food labeling as it was sometimes a struggle to read. Also as a vegetarian, I needed to know what was suitable for me and it would have been helpful to have this clearly signposted.

Additionally, if you wanted to try some of the Indian curries available, these were lined along directly next to diners which I didn’t think was that pleasant for those sitting in those seats, to have a constant stream of people next to you dishing up food.

Buffet restaurants after COVID

Things do seem to have gone back to normal now, but as someone that was always very conscious of how clean a place was prior to the pandemic, I am still slightly hesitant about environments that involve close proximity with others.

COSMO Reading was clean, tidy and the food area was spacious enough to not be bumping into staff and other diners. We visited on a Thursday evening so weekends would likely be busier but this wouldn’t put me off.

I’m not entirely sure how often serving spoons and tongs are changed because that is the only thing that I could see were being used by multiple people. But plates and cutlery could/were replaced with a clean set after each serving, and hand sanitiser was available.

Tables are reasonably close together but you only really notice this when maneuvering to/from your table to the food stations.

Parking in Reading

It’s worth mentioning (and I only know this because I looked at their website before my visit), that COSMO is a Q-Parks Partner which gives diners 25% off parking if you get your ticket validated by COSMO staff.

Alternatively, visitors to COSMO Reading can park at the Oracle Shopping Centre and walk the short distance to the restaurant.

What is your favourite type of cuisine? Check out ClaireySweetie Instagram for a reel of my evening at COSMO Reading.

Until next time x

*Ad/PR I was provided a complimentary meal in exchange for a review. All opinions are honest and my own.