Beneth'ill Cafe in Orkney Islands

Wow! What a hidden gem. We’d been hoping all holiday to find such a place and it stumbled into us! Food and drink superb, a location to die for and the lady in charge and her colleague were as good as you’ll find! We loved it there!

This is a little hidden gem! What a joy to find it after a long walk. Friendly staff and good coffee and tea. Only disappointment is they are not dog friendly although there was water outside the door

Took my dearest friend up to Beneth’ill cafe at 4.30 in the afternoon the food was out of this world, the oysters to die for, the wine menu was exceptional. Nothing but nothing!! beats the hospitality we were given. The food was cooked fresh to order, what an exceptional afternoon. My absolute thanks goes out to the owner/ chef for her amazingness of what she does in her cafe … outstanding!!!

One of the best Cafe's around. Friendly, welcoming, food is excellent and resonably priced. Extensive menu and a great selection of Orkney beers. For anyone visiting the island of Hoy, it is not to be missed.

A really friendly cafe serving a variety of homemade hot and cold food. Had a nice fire going which was required in July to dry us out and warm as up. As a bonus, dogs were not allowed inside.

This cafe is ideally placed just up from the ferry at Moaness. It has an extensive menu, lovely friendly staff, delicious food and has an alchohol licence too. We had a tasty bacon roll in the morning and then a rhubarb crumble washed down with local beer on the way back to the ferry. Delicious.

Wonderful place. Scallop and Stornoway black pudding roll or crab roll quite delicious. Friendly staff. Open long hours: 10.00 - 6.00 seven days a week, April to October.

Fantastic scones with homemade rhubabrb jam... definitely worth a stop! The coffee was good too and served in a cafetiere. Welcome relief from the noise of a barista machine.

I just popped in here after being at the Bay of Creekland, hoping for a nice cup of tea and maybe some cake … imagine my surprise when they had fresh oysters (from 14 miles down the road) and scallops. I indulged in both, and they were the best oysters I have had in years!! Such lovely people, and the cafe is right by a deserted beach. This lunch was tranquility itself . Next time, I’ll take a tent!

Lovely cafe, it was cosy on a wet day. We stopped off for lunch and received a warm welcome. The fire was on & we were able to dry off. Helpful staff and tasty food.

Just spent a lovely afternoon at Benethill Cafe, food was outstanding, freshly cooked to order, oysters so fresh you’d have thought they’d have been handpicked minutes earlier, service outstanding will definitely be back time and time again

When you live on Hoy and family travel hundreds of miles to visit you there is only one place you can take them for an outstanding meal. The choice between oysters, crab, scallops, burgers and so much more is fantastic. Food is cooked fresh to order in a relaxed atmosphere with outstanding views whatever the weather. The welcome is as warm as the the log burner. The customer service is catered around the person. The bar offers wine and local Orkney beer.best way to spend a Sunday or any other day with family and friends. 😃

Consistently superb. Local oysters , scallops , crab rolls , home made soup +++. Open 7 days a week in season and 0 days a week in winter. :-). This is a must-do stop , oh and its licensed too. :-).

The restaurant had been recommended to me by a friend. When I first got off the ferry I thought Hoy was quite desolate but visits to Rackwick and to this amazing wee restaurant made our journey more than worthwhile. Fantastic food, very friendly staff and amazing location. Cannot recommend it enough

A great little cafe to refresh yourself after visiting the Old Man of Hoy and whilst waiting for your return ferry (3 minutes away) to Stromness. Some nice cakes and good coffee. Meals served too.

I can not note rate the experience of this special cafe enough. I myself did not dine here. As a gift, I planned a trip for my parents and their friends to visit for a day trip in celebration of my mum and dads 51st wedding anniversary. Called and purchased a voucher which I made into a gift box, me covering the ferry cost for them too from Stromness as this is where my parents live. Posted from Aberdeen to Orkney and they were thrilled. Then made the booking for them, and they just had the most fantastic day out. Clean plates all round and a couple of drams to put some colour in their cheeks!! I will be going myself my next trip home for sure. Well done to all that work hard in front of house and behind the scenes, and thanks for looking after my parents/friends so well. Keep up the great work

Excellent cafe with very nice service, really good coffee and a wonderful view of the area. Also recommend the Rocket Road cookie!

An excellent place to hang out and wait for the ferry after a challenging cycle and walk across Hoy to the Old Man of Hoy

Great for people with gluten allergies - luckily the weather was gorgeous and got to sit outside with a picturesque view. Friendly dogs as well (usually I’m afraid of them)

Was out on a day visit to the isle and we decided we needed some food between exploring. A friend had previously suggested here to me and that’s where we decided to go. We were given a warm welcome and the start we’re very friendly and had a joke with us. We got some minute steak rolls and they were amazing and cooked fresh. I left with a bit of their rocky road too, but learnt I had to eat it quick as it was rather warm that day and I knew it wouldn’t survive until the boat! Lovely location next to the sea and the hills, which makes for some lovely pictures. Would definitely return on my next visit to the island

As part of a fleeting visit to Hoy, drove down from Lyness and stopped at Beneth'ill for a cafetiere of coffee and a tasty flapjack. Very friendly welcome and the owner made us some delicious fresh crab salad rolls to take away for lunch on the ferry back to Mainland. Highly recommended.

We were made very welcome and had a tea, a coffee, a delicious homemade cake and a fruit scone. While we ate we watched one of the sheep give birth to a beautiful lamb too! Not many cafes can offer that for entertainment!

What a lovely little cafe! Great seafood and the owners couldn’t have been nicer. On a beautiful part of the island, it’s well worth stopping here even if it’s just for some coffee and one of their excellent flapjacks. So pleased we found it!

When I landed of the paasenger ferry, it was raining heavily, so it was so lovely to see the café 1 minute walk and even better when I was greeted by a lovely fire in the café. Had a delicious selection of baking. Very heloful...

One of my best eating experiences. Orkney crab roll Yummmm Th staff were great and friendly. Ask and you shall receive

Amazing find that we stumbled across almost by accident - almost worth visiting Hoy for on its own(!). Excellent food and drink (incredible wine list for such a tiny place - punches well above its weight!) coupled with good service from people who clearly have...

Beneth'ill café offers deliciously fresh locally sourced produce, such as hand dived Orkney scallops and Stornaway black pudding roll, Orkney crab roll and Orkney oysters. Beneth'ill is located nearby to the Hoy pier, ferry to Stromness & Graemsay. The bay of Creekland offers beaches, sand...

A jewel of a café/restaurant located close to the ferry pier on the island of Hoy. A large garden surrounds the restaurant which is where I ate with my little dog as dogs are not allowed inside. Menu options are displayed on a board and...

There were 7 of us and we all treated so well and our food needs met by wonderful staff who could not do enough! This is my fourth visit and it is good to have a consistently good experience! It was getting near the end...

We visited twice in the last few days and this place , the owners , the food , and the location are all tremendous. Between the three of us we had over 2 days - soup , oysters , crab roll , beef casserole ,...

Best food on island. Crab roll was magnificent. Great oysters and soup. Also had a beef casserole. yum yum. if you come to Hoy don't miss the cafe. Staff very helpful and would do anything to please you.

We bowled up on the island of Hoy without a ‘scooby doo’. A party of six with three tired bananas and a crumbling piece of the local whiskey flavoured Orkney Fudge. The physical manifestation of those people you read about who attempt to climb Ben...

Chose to come here on our day trip to Hoy visiting the new Scapa Flow Museum as the menu seemed to have plenty to offer. But the dishes of the day were even better - I loved my hand dived Orkney scallops with Stornaway black...

Having walked for 3 hours to visit the Old Man of Hoy, we returned to the ferry port. This little café, a stone's throw away, was just what we needed! Delicious home made soup, lunches, scones, cakes and reasonably priced. Lovely indoor and outdoor seating...

This is a great place for a late lunch on the return to the ferry. Very welcoming and great homemade food. Lovely lunch. Do not hesitate. Just don’t come in the door that says staff only. 🥹

What a great wee cafe. Really SENSIBLE(( non-rip-off) prices. Super prompt service. Good choice of baking and cooked food. The Boss was well in control and businesslike. Lovely after a day on North Hoy while back at the terminal waiting for the ferry.

We stopped here in and out of Hoy. The proprietor was very friendly and helped make our day trip go more smoothly with good advice. The food was lovely - home baking and freshly prepared local foods, with a remarkable selection of drinks, both soft...

A lovely little cafe in a beautiful little spot. Recommended to us,we had the crab toe salad and it was so tasty. My partner is not keen on seafood but even he liked it. A nice warm welcome and very helpful people,as the owners husband...

Overcast day at Hoy dispelled by hearty hot homemade soup n sandwich followed by a decadently delicious dessert - served by a friendly young staff member - a perfect example of keeping it simple but doing it very well. Kudos!

After a long walk on Hoy this cafe was a real joy. We enjoyed pots and pots of tea as well as scones and flapjack. The service was very friendly and it was really nice to sit out in the garden and look at the...

Good selection on the menu, tasty scones, good service and a welcome resting point before return on the ferry.

My friends and I visited Hoy for a day trip. Our first stop was this spotlessly clean, licensed cafe. The food was excellent. I had a cheese salad with 4 Orkney cheeses, beautifully presented with a Chardonnay and cafetière to accompany it. I was impressed...

An unexpected find on Hoy! A great spot for a quick bite - we had soup and bread which was excellent. Very clean, homemade produce/ cakes if you wanted them and space outside for kids to play. Well worth stopping!

This cafe is beautiful, with plenty of indoor and outdoor space with great views of the hills. The food is excellent- we had some great soup and an amazing feta and beetroot salad that we are now going to try and imitate at home.

Fabulous cafe with Kristal the most delicious host - she keeps hubby on hand who is a handsome addition. It was a lovely morning spent with them both. They had just run out of cheese scones, so I had to make do with the most...

We enjoyed a drink (hopping beer from the local brewery) and tea whilst waiting for the ferry. We were able to sit in the garden admiring the view as it was such a perfect sunny day but there are inside tables if needed and loos....

Popped in for a quick drink before the ferry back to Stromness, great service and even better beer. The staff offered to pickup a straggler we had left behind at Rackwick Bay (6 miles away). Hard to find service like this anywhere nowadays. We will...

Hot chocolate, buttered fruit scone with rhubarb jam and a lovely cold local beer.....all served with a smile behind the mask....fantastic !

We enjoyed our day trip to Hoy and after a 12 mile walk it was ideal stopping off at Beneth'ill before catching the ferry back to Stromness. It's a lovely stone building in a beautiful setting. There is a good selection of beer and I...

It's so remote - how can this work? Well, a small but very tasty menu and superb word of mouth. Stop off on the way to or from the Old Man and support these enterprising folks!

Arrived there and it was pretty quiet took an absolute age to get my food, menu is very very limited ,what is on it is pricy for what it is, be taking a flask and sandwiches on my next visit to Hoy, dissapointing to say...

Dropping off three family members to hike the trail up to see shem Old Man of Hoy, the remaining five of us went in search of lunch. And——not far from the Trail Head we discovered Beneth’ill Cafe. Warming by the fire, we enjoyed deliciously prepared...

We visited this cafe last week after walking to see the Old Man of Hoy. We were well ready for something to eat and drink and couldn't believe our luck when we found this place. Great food, friendly service and reasonably priced.

Crystal, was absolutely welcoming to two bemused and unsure travellers. We were made to feel very comfortable and told to relax and wait for our ferry without having to buy anything. Lovely place with extremely welcoming host. Don't miss it!

Their own description is spot on - "Welcoming cafe serving freshly made food in a beautiful location." Stopped for lunch before heading to The Old Man and glad we did. Not only did we miss the crowd off the ferry that went straight there, but we had a great lunch to set us up for the walk.Stopped in again for coffee and cakes the next day as there was nowhere else open, but glad to give them the custom.

There were 5 of us and we all treated so well and our food needs met by wonderful staff who could not do enough! This is my third visit and it is good to have a consistently good experience!

Stopped off here since we needed a place to wait before the ferry. Decided to have the onion soup that can with bread and butter. Glad we did as it tasted great. Really good service from the owner, who worked the cafe on her own, since the place was packed and she never stopped!

We called in for afternoon tea and the staff were great. Very obliging and friendly. Wifi was available.

Nettes kleines Café zu moderaten Preisen. Nach unserer Wanderung der perfekte Platz um die Zeit bis zu unserer Abfahrt der Fähre zu überbrücken.

The most amazing place, so friendly and helpful! The best soup ever!

We came in cold and exhausted from biking in high wind. We hesitated to ask for a table since we initially bought only drinks. The woman who ran the place was fabulous! Clever, attentive, efficient, and a great cook and baker. She managed a packed house of folks waiting for the ferry with grace and aplomb. The baked good were fabulous, as was the soup. This place is a treasure!

Lovely friendly cafe in quiet setting. The lady there made excellent sandwiches for us for our walk, and then we dropped in there again late afternoon for tea and cake before getting the ferry back to Orkney mainland. Everything is good quality, cafe is clean and welcoming. The home made dish of the day sounded really tempting, but sadly we weren't there for lunch. Would love to have tried it though.

Home cooked and baked foods, fresh and creative salads, great sandwich combo options are available in this lovely, little gem of a place. It is worth finding, especially after a long hike or bout of sightseeing. Serves a variety of liquid refreshments to perk you up. When on Hoy, don't miss it!

The location of this cafe is clear from its name at the north end of Hoy. We had home baked scones and home made jam, just perfect. Pleasant room and friendly owner and staff. Plenty of choice of other food.

Cold day, so woodburner and home made lentil soup were very welcome. The soup was so nice I nearly had a second bowl but went for a scone instead. While the scone was fine, the soup was better! My mate enjoyed her apple crumble and custard. Service was excellent - although we were the only customers- and it's a lovely little place, in a beautiful setting. Have something here before or after Rackwick beach - but do go there as it's a truly beautiful place. Beneth'ill just missed out on a five star rating from us as my lunching companions aren't keen on individually wrapped butter pats.... but the soup will live long in the memory, as will the white tailed sea eagles and Rackwick Beach.

Visited with daughter and husband today and needed warmed up. Had a beautiful casserole, mince n tatties and beetroot and feta salad between us with crumble and ice cream to follow. Good quality ingredients, well cooked in a lovely setting and served with a smile. Great.

This cafe looks small, but don't be fooled. It has stunning views and is very close to the jetty where the ferry to Stromness calls. It also has great coffee and cake (I had carrot cake with cream cheese frosting) - much appreciated after hiking around Hoy!

Fantastic little cafe. Staff lovely with a good sense of humour. Great value for money too. Video loop of the island and Old Man playing. Books of the island to browse. Highly recommend!

We took the ferry from Stromness to Hoy to walk to the Old Man of Hoy. The jetty at Moaness really is in the middle of nowhere.

Crystal and team are brilliant at offering superb food and service overlooking the sea with the backdrop of the impressive Hoy Hills.

My mother and I visited this lovely tea room on Hoy yesterday. On a coldish Orkney day they had a fire burning which my mother greatly appreciated. The food was delicious traditional Orkney fare. A little gem probably unknown to most tourist who go to Hoy.

The Beneth'ill (Beneath the Hill.....) Cafe on the Island of Hoy is a most pleasant and unexpected surprise find.

Thanks for the delicious apricot flapjack and cup of tea this afternoon. Great service, cards accepted and food and drink brought to table. It was v busy and the staff were coping very well.

After touring around Hoy, you would never expect to find a tearoom at the end of the road, just around the corner, near the pier to the ferry. Tea is good, atmosphere friendly and scones....delicious.

Excellent specials plus really nice sandwiches. The crumble special pudding was Devine, get there early as very popular and not much competition around!

The very last day of before closing for the season and we were made very welcome. The food was hot and comforting on that cold day and just driving to the cafe was a treat.

This was a pleasant surprise. We had to wait for a car to take us from the ferry to the Old Man of Hoy walk. The driver suggested that we wait at this cafe. Until then we had no idea that it exited. There's little else awaiting the traveller off the ferry. The cafe is immolate and the food selection is perfect for before or after the walk to the Old Man of Hoy. There is no espresso coffee but the filter coffee was fresh and good. It's also licensed and the beer was most appreciated one our return to the cafe at the end of the day. Wonderful and cherry service too!

We came upon this cafe after we had walked to the Old Man of Hoy and set of to drive around the rest of the island. We had a much needed cup of tea and sat outside in the sun with the staff who were friendly and welcoming. It was a perfect end to the day.

Great place - just off the ferry. And also on your return if you wish. Lovely cakes and drings with a friendly service

There are few places on Hoy to eat but this is worth it. Our salads and ploughman's were tasty and filling, while nothing seemed too much trouble, from the welcoming staff. Good selection of beers as well. It set us up nicely for our walk to the Dwarfie Stone.

We stopped here for lunch during our stay on Hoy. Great selection of food and served quickly. Lovely outdoor seating area with an amazing view...words can't describe it.

Stopped here for lunch after walking from Rackwick to The Old Man of Hoy. Amazing walk in glorious sunshine. Had our homemade lentil soup and ploughman’s lunch outside in the sun. Really lovely. Very friendly service.

After climbing to old man of hoy dropped in for coffee and cake ! Can’t say anything abt the food . But as for the server ! Maybe should be slightly pleasanter to customers ! X

Good food and beverages (including local ales) served by lovely staff.There’s also a good display of dantastic images/footage of Hoy and one might find some inspiration. Internet service is one of the fastest one has found in Orkney so far.

May I say what a lovely cafe this is near the Moaness Pier. The food is excellent the prices good and the service was marvellous. This is a great place to stop when you have been out around the island seeing the sites. This cafe also has an outdoor area to eat

We found this cafe as we were heading back to Lyness Ferry, what a fantastic eatery. The food was excellent (the apple crumble was amazing served with Orkney ice cream), very reasonably priced. Friendly staff, comfortable seating and the cleanliness is first class.

This is the best it gets in Hoy, as far as i could tell. A rather isolated café on the road from the Moaness ferry pier. Nice atmosphere, clean and good soup. Only fault might be the somewhat impatient service, but it is still worth the visit.

Really handy when waiting for the ferry in the rain or midges. They don't send you away. Nice and warm.

Giving this 5 stars because, of its type, it's really really good. The loos were in really good Nick and the staff handled my indecision with Grace. A good range of food, lovely salted caramel fairy cakes and scones and a good cuppa.

Limited selection: scones, flapjack, fairy cakes. The scones were stale. Good cafetière (is there any other way?!?!) was good. The younger staff were nice.

Sólo como un café, un restaurante en vez de, pero fue muy bienvenido ya que volver desde la caminata hasta el Viejo Man. Perdona, el sol ayudado también de buen clima, fácil apreciar la hermosa ubicación de este lugar. El personal era muy amable, el...

A media mañana un café antes de ir a encontrar un ajetreado colección Rackwick de ciclistas y otros, muchos de ellos disfrutando de grandes desayunos y almuerzos antes de salir. Volví para un almuerzo tarde después de mi paseo, y tenía un excelente sopa, un...

Fantástico. Todo camino en ferry ⛴ iba sobre "Misa del Gallo" y tatties y cuando llegamos allí, imagínate mi sorpresa! Todos contentos con sus comidas; y el acompañamiento de una gran variedad de islas Orkney Skapa y elección entre un whisky y Highland Park hizo...

El poco más sorprendente este fue mi padre a Misa del Gallo y tatties. Cuando llegamos a este pequeño café en el medio de la nada, su Misa del Gallo y tatties especial era! Buena comida básica, bien cocinada, personal y barato. Sin duda recomendable.

We spent eight days in Orkney and, by chance, began to visit a tea room or more a day. This was our favourite. the service is lovely and cheery, we sat outside an enjoyed the fabulous views of the 'hills' (hence the name) on Hoy. The food was delicious!

If you are on Hoy you must stop for a least a cup of tea.I wish I hadn't stuffed a massive panic in my bag because the home cooked food looked amazing.Also, having left our travel sick pup at home, having Betsy and Oscar accompany us on a stroll on the beach was a joy!

Charming little cafe. Clean and tidy, friendly staff and nice view. Having both coffee, scones and the dish of the day here. Everything fresh and tasty. Beef stew with tender meat and homemade mashed potatoes like the ones you got served at your grandmas. Scones served with an amazing apple/rhubarb jam. Recommended.

The potato & leek soup was superb as was the pork casserole. Lovely and clean and a nice friendly service. Would definitely recommend.

It's bright, clean and comfortable, with great views of the surrounding hills. There are tables outside and a few playthings for the kids. The food is mostly snacks, such as sandwiches with a few daily specials which are a bit more substantial. The service was pleasant and efficient. I think you will like it, but if you don't it a fair way to the next café!

So nice to get to this lovely wee cafe after a walk from the Old Man of Hoy and enjoy delicious rhubarb crumble washed down by chilled local beer before boarding our ferry back to Stromness.