Beneth'ill Cafe in Orkney Islands

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 definitely be back as part of our next Orkney trip.

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 enjoyed my pint of Swannay Island Hopping pale ale which seemed appropriate. The view from the garden seating is magnificent and the atmosphere is very friendly. Our favourite day of the holiday.

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 the least they really need to up their game.

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 soup, sandwiches, rice pudding and baked goodies. All five of us agreed it was a pleasant surprise in the “middle of nowhere.”

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.

Das kulinarische Angebot auf Hoy hält sich ja in Grenzen, trotzdem ist das kleine Lokal nahe der Fähre einen Besuch wert Betritt man das kleine Haus steht man fast in der Küche und wird von der Frau des Haus begrüßt und gleich gut bekochtKleine Snacks und selbstgemachte Mehlspeisen verwöhnen den hungrigen Gast

Good plunger coffee or teas, with great fruit scone, rhubarb crumble (to die for) and soups.Worth a stop on your visit to Hoy.

Lovely remote cafe with nice decor and fresh food. Really worth a drop in fur late breakfast or lunches.

We had a day on Hoy cycling and this was a very welcome stop for a late lunch. I had the leek and potato soup although with the leeks being very sparse, it was more like a vegetable soup; but still very welcome and nourishing. They also serve wines and spirits.The current owners only took it over earlier this year but offer home-made food, good tea and coffee and good service.

Stopped for a bite of lunch. Food good and cooked in house. Limited menu but something for most people to eat. Everything neat and tidy and the staff friendly and chatty.went out of the way to make us welcome. Not expensive either.Well worth stopping off to eat. Was also highly recommended by everyone we spoke to about.

This is a lovely little spot which is just perfect for excellent coffee and excellent, lively conversation!

We visited Hoy today determined to visit all the cafes we could find. Having visited the island last 2 years ago we knew we would return here. Sure enough we returned and ordered the home made soup, leek and potato! As it was a dazzling 9 degrees outside this soup was just what we needed. We had the last 2 bowls but soon saw that lentil soup was now on the menu! This is my favourite but sadly the leek soup had filled me up.The cafe has a car park, a fine selection of cakes, friendly staff and is set in a lovely spot in the north of the island! There is no other cafe for miles.This is the sort of local business we love to support so please if on Hoy, visit this cafe!

A fantastic little place, with simple food cooked well. The owner and her daughter were excellent. Service with a smile, a bit of chat and good food.

Lovely cafe with super tasty food. Enjoyed the soup accompanied by bread and butter and I also had Apple Crumble and ice cream and of course a pot of tea. Friendly and attentive staff. Look forward to a return visit.

Netter Empfang . Sehr höfliche Besitzer.Günst und sehr gut, immer zu empfehlen.Nicht einfach zu finden aber etwas suchen lohnt sich!

After hiking to the Old Man of Hoy, we stopped here on our way back to Lyness. The cup of tea was good, the dessert bar (can't remember the name) was too sweet and sticky. This was the only cafe we saw on the island, so it worked.

What a little gem of a place. Middle of nowhere, and nice to see a friendly face and have a warm drink and a slice of cake.

We had had a long wet walk on Hoy. The café was warm and the tea very welcome. They don't go in for big tea pots, but they refilled ours. There wasn't a huge choice of cakes, but the one we had was very sweet and filling. Other people had meals - there was the meal of the day advertised on the board. 2 toilets. They didn't chase us out and we stayed in the warm until the boat came.

We visited the Beneth'ill Cafe on a sunny but really windy day, and had the warmest of welcomes from the lovely ladies who run it. The food was straightforward but very well-prepared and just what we needed to revive us and set us up for the afternoon. It is out of the way but if you are heading for the Old Man of Hoy, stop here to rest and refresh. They seemed really happy to get you just what you wanted if it was possible (not a place where you can run to the shop for extras) and would do their best to come up with alternatives if not

Stunning views to accompany basic but tasty cafe food. Concise menu as to be expected from a remote eatery but what we had was adequate. Will visit again if in Hoy.

My friend and I were in need of a tent whilst camping at Rackwick, as the one we had bought was far too small. Crystal the owner of the cafe and her husband Rob and daughter Ruby, with their dogs brought us their tent. Which was a lifesaver. We had some delicious hot choc and Rocky Road at the cafe. So much fresher and better service than the other cafe in Lyness.Always delicious food and amazing service.Thank you very much for the help and for being there for us.

100m entfernt vom Anlegeplatz der Personenfähre aus Stromness liegt das kleine Café. Infos über die Insel und ihre Tiere kann man sich hier holen. Es gibt warme und kalte Getränke, Snacks und Kuchen und Tagesessen. Alles was wir hatten war sehr lecker und bezahlbar. Tipp: Einer der wenigen Flecken mit freiem WLAN

The weather was awful and we did not know it was possible to wait in the dry by the ferry, so we stopped here. I understand that they need to survive and very few people can visit them, and most people have no other option, still it was a very expensive break... the most expensive break we had in the whole holiday.The cafe is open plan, you can see the preparation area while sitting at the table. The daughter of the lady that served us was also sitting at one of the tables playing on a tablet... a way of combining childcare and work.I had an instant coffee, it was just like the one at home (or slightly worse, I had to kill it with sugar which normally I do not need... the sugar was not coming out from the hardly filled pots), and my husband had a cafetiere, not better. The kids had hot chocolate and a scone. The hot chocolate looked rather impressive, with whipped cream and marshmallows. I do not know how we managed to spend £20.The beach across the road is an interesting causeway beach and you can walk along it to the ferry, maybe depending on the tide.

Beneth'ill Cafe is in a beautiful location with the sea on one side and the Hoy hills on the other. The food is mainly toasties, paninis, soup and sandwiches but all delicious, especially the home made soup. The staff were all very friendly and helpful and the prices very reasonable.

Who would have thought that on the desolate island of Hoy the one and only café would serve the best meal we've had so far in Orkney. I polished off my plate of Chicken Curry (a rare thing for me) and had two servings of the Summer Fruit Crumble.

This was a really first rate experience. The home made tomato soup was delicious. The toasties were tasty. I didn't have coffee but those that did said it was excellent. The décor is simple but works very well.

Fantastic little cafe in a lovely building next to the pier. Very welcoming staff after a walk to Rackwick Bay. Good choice and they even had Orkney beer.

If you're waiting for the passenger ferry back to Stromness then this is the place to be. It's only a few hundred yards from the pier, but if the wind is howling and the rain lashing down then you can easily while away the time till the boat comes in!

Zufällig auf unserer Hoy Rundreise gefunden.Sehr höfliche Menschen, tolles Essen zu einem fairen Preis.Gratis W-Lan! Wir werden bei unserem nächsten Aufenthalt wieder das Cafe besuchen!Thanks a lot! We will visit you next time again!

When going to Hoy, visitors need to be aware that there are very few places offering meals. Our b&b didn't remind us that they couldn't provide a meal on our second night - I had been told weeks earlier by email but forgot. When we realised that we might be without food for the evening, we dashed down to the cafe - only a few hundred yards away - and were so pleased that the cafe staff were able to feed us. They were at the end of the daytime cafe service and were clearing up ready to reopen as a restaurant for the evening, when they were fully booked.It is a delightful place, where the daytime cafe food is freshly prepared and delicious. The staff are immensely helpful and friendly. It's an absolute gem.

This little cafe is housed in a beautiful barn conversion and seems a solo venture. It is nicely set out and spotlessly clean, picnic tables outside with lovely views and children are very welcome. There's a selection of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, a daily quiche, soup, hot main and hot pudding. The service is understandably slow when busy but very friendly. The food is bland but wholesome, it would benefit from a few herbs and some seasoning.

Arriving at this superbly located Cafe after an earlyish crossing from Houton,Orkney to be greeted by a rack full of 'just out of the oven' plain or fruit scones was heavenly especially as they were combined with homemade rhubarb jam and an excellent cafetiere of coffee. Pretty cafe with all round views and great lunch and dinner menus. Book a later ferry to give enough time to enjoy the hospitality and food.

The cafe was a welcome surprise. We didn't know such a gem existed and it was great to find it. The cafe was warm, clean and welcoming. The real fire was a treat. The coffee and home baking was excellent. Wish we had known earlier and we would definitely have lunch. Menu looks delicious. Thoroughly recommend.

Had eaten here before and looked forward to a return visit - and was not disappointed! The salad was terrific value for money and deliciously fresh! Highly recommended for the warmth of welcome and the first class food!

This was a really nice surprise and a great treat after a wild camping night. This is a really lovely place to have a beer, a soup or a coffee. Great to find this in such a remote place :-).

A nice little cafe just up from the ferry terminal. We stopped for tea and scones before a long hike to the Dwarfie Stane where we also spotted the resident Sea Eagles being watched over very carefully by the RSPB warden. Returned to the cafe before our return ferry and had the most delicious sandwiches & cake. There is also a hot dish of the day available with soup & hot pudding options. Cafe is clean, staff are friendly and helpful. Lots of outside seating and very child friendly.

Delightful little cafe serving home made food to weary walkers and others! W just had some cakes and tea as we're waiting for the ferry back to Stromness but the menu for more substantial meals looked impressive. The staff were very pleasant and helpful and there was a very relaxed atmosphere. There is also and outside seating and play area - children are very welcome.

We ate an evening meal here whilst on holiday on the Isle of Hoy. The meal was lovely - especially the smoked Orkney cheese starter and the delicious puddings - raspberry soufflé, freshly cooked, and the amazing chocolate stack.The service was good - we weren't rushed but it all came at the right time. When three passing, hungry cyclists turned up the staff happily fed them too - even though the evening meals are all supposed to be booked ahead. The setting is amazing, at the foot of Ward Hill. It's a cafe during the day doing lunches and cakes, but transforms itself into a really nice restaurant on some evenings of the week. Apparently the ferry from Stomness will bring diners over and collect them again around 10pm - how cool is that? Well worth a visit.

Enjoyed a wonderful meal here on a Friday evening, having only been for coffee and cake before (always great for cakes!). I had scallops which were delightful followed by raspberry soufflé which was a proper soufflé with lovely fresh raspberries through it. Very reasonably priced, lovely atmosphere, cosy and great service. I'll definitely be back, and would recommend. Seafood is a speciality but is also dependant on what's been caught that day. Booking essential for an evening meal.

Spotted the sign for CAFE on the small lane whilst driving around Hoy on a beautiful sunny bay... popped in and had the most tasty Panini with a hot choccy.. the owner is delightful as his her lovely daughter... the setting is stunning and definitely worth stopping in.. .

Only open on Friday and Saturday evenings off season, but the food is brilliant although the very friendly waiting staff could use a bit more training.

What a lovely experience, and Highly recommended!I spied the 'Cafe' sign on the way to Hoy, and promised myself a visit if I made it to The Old Man of Hoy (or, let's be honest; even if I didn't...)... Very welcoming lady, lovely fresh toastie, and fabulous home made fruit scone, served with a perfect cup of tea. Heaven after a long round trip to see Himself....

On a day trip to Hoy we followed the Cafe signs....Excellent snacks and lunch in warm comfortable surroundings....exceptionally clean and welcoming...we will be back..

We only stopped for a tea whilst we waited for the ferry to arrive. The coffee available includes caftiere coffee and there is a good selection of teas.We were told by the taxi driver that in the summer on a Friday evening when there is a late 10pm ferry it impossible to have an evening meal and still get back to the Orkney Mainland.

It was a little cold and damp when we found the cafe. The friendly atmosphere inside and excellent food were a welcome surprise. Don't miss the coastal scenery at Muckle Head, a short drive north.

found by accident when visiting Hoy for the day. we had a lovely lunch and much needed tea and cake!

When we arrived on Hoy, we took a wrong turn looking for our rental cottage and ended up stopping in here for directions and stayed for lunch. The young woman working there helped went above and beyond in helping us to find our cottage, she thought she knew where it was, but she asked a local delivery man about it and he told her exactly where it was and how to get there she passed that information on to us. She really did not have to go to the extra trouble to help us while she also waited on other customers but she did, she also served us a wonderful meal. The price of the meal was great and the food itself wonderful just like the service.

Staying on Hoy there is not much choice for an evening meal but Beneth'ill turn out to be as good for an evening meal as the many excellent reviews it has gained as a daytime cafe. Very friendly service from the owner mother and her daughter. Very tasty food: we had cheese tartlet starters, my wife had the stuffed pepper and I had the scallops, all delicious. And to finish a trio of ice creams flavoured with lavender, basil and Vimto!

We had a quick drink and cake here before we had to dash off to the ferry back, but found it to be a great spot. The menu for lunches looked good so if we're back on Hoy we'll be sure to try another visit. Recommended.

We had a great lunch here after going to see the Old Man of Hoy. Very tasty soup and sandwiches followed by hot chocolate and cakes. Also a great location by the beach and views of the hills. I'd suggest checking ahead on opening times, particularly if coming earlier or later in the year.

Friendly family run cafe. Lovely views over the sea and hills.Tasty food. Dish of the day was very tasty. Near the passenger ferry.