Bessie's Cafe in Fife

Having wandered round Culross, we were hungry, so popped in here. We had quite a wait, but it was well worth it! The two (handmade) soups were delicious – wish the bowl had been a bit bigger, though. The sandwiches were really tasty, on lovely thick brown bread.

I was in Culross and had read about Bessie's beforehand. The day I was there, they were only serving hot drinks and cake...but that's what I was after. The sun was out, so I sat in the really pleasant courtyard area. Service was friendly and the cake (raspberry and custard blondie) was delicious!

Ci siamo fermati per un pranzo veloce. Abbiamo scelto di prendere una zuppa di patate e porro con un sandwich spettacolare di mayo e tonno. 10 sterline. Localino tipico, ha posti anche all’esterno (se si mangia fuori alcuni piatti hanno un prezzo minore). Consiglio!

I highly recommend this National Trust cafe for coffee or tea with cake, and/or lunch. The menu is simple: soup or sandwiches or a combination, but what makes it stand out is that both they and the baking are all freshly prepared on the premises, and the flavours are more unusual than the standard National Trust fare of a generic vegetable soup, egg mayonnaise sandwich or Victoria Sponge. This is due to the manager being awarded greater autonomy with designing the menu. We had morning coffee with Paradise Slice and a Chocolate Caramel Traybake. They were so good we returned for lunch of generous portions of Sweet Potato, Lentil and Coconut soup, and Tomato, Butterbean and Cumin soup accompanied by cheese scones. The soups were packed with flavour. The service and surroundings are good too.

Part of our Outlander day trip we got to visit this beautiful place, after a walk around and visit to the beautiful Abbey we stopped for a lovely latte and a cake. All cakes looked incredible and we had trouble deciding what to have! In the end we tried the paradise cake which was delicious. All cakes are homemade and the staff are lovely. A must when visiting here.

Lovely friendly cafe in culross, great coffee and scones , and they do a nice bowl of soup , staff are a great asset to this national trust cafe adjacent to the Palace, Hannah and Marnie are super friendly waitresses we have come across ,and the chef and other staff we seen all seem to get on well ,we also met the Palace dog 🐕 x

Charming wee cafe romantically situated up a lane beside the Palace. Good coffee, lovely scones and great cakes - I had the Greek apple. Staff excel; friendly and efficient. My limping spaniel was suitably adored. Highly recommended.

Really nice little cosy and rustic cafe. Food was really lovely and coffee was the best I've had in a while. The service we had was absolutely top notch. One of the servers told us they had pumpkin spice syrup and when my partner said she had never tried it before they offered to remake another coffee if she didn't like it. Then when the food came we didn't realise that the tuna and sweetcorn sandwhich would have tomato on which she can't eat. We brought this to the servers attention and was quickly rectified with no fuss whatsoever. We will absolutely be returning in the future.

Cute cafe. Sat outside because it was a lovely sunny day. Great cakes and had a limited but nice lunch menu. Lovely staff. Peaceful atmosphere despite it being busy because tourists love going to Culross. Needed a coffee and the coffee fit the bill. Recommend to others if you’re passing through Culross.

We had lunch here and we loved it! Best soup and sandwiches we’ve ever had. We are here visiting from the United States and we were so glad we came across this cafe!! We would definitely recommend it! 12/10!!!

We stopped here on our way to Aberdeen after reading their scones were "the best in Scotland". We weren't disappointed. Tried two scones - fruit and cheese. Both very scrumptious. We had to agree with the slogan - yes they were very good.

We loved this cosy wee cafe and will be returning soon to enjoy more of their wonderful hospitality, cappuccino and cake

A lovely spot with great coffee, cakes and staff. Well worth a trip, I stopped off on a bike ride and would thoroughly recommend if you are in the area

Bessie's is an excellent cafe. We go every week. The staff are lovely, always take the time to talk. They are very dog friendly. The food is great especially the cakes.

Popped in for a cup of tea and a cake after visiting the palace next door. The cafe is light and spacious and the staff are welcoming. Had a delicious scone and great cup of tea. Definitely returning for lunch

Lovely cafe friendly lunch was great lovely outdoor area weather permits inside cosy cafe had a sandwich cane with crisps and potato salad to much for me but great sandwich

Tea, coffee and very good, highly recommended Paradise Slice (cake). We had ours outside and were surprised that it was in cardboard cups and boxes rather than china. Boxes feel more like a take away, and need to be delivered on a lorry regularly, whereas china is very reusable and only needs to be delivered once. Toilets were very clean too.

This is a beautiful traditionally designed cafe in wonderful settings which I've visited on several occasions. Culross is a lovely place to visit. However make sure you check online when the cafe is open as they are closed a couple of days in the week and you really wouldn't want to miss a visit to this place. The service was first class and really friendly. Great tasting hot, but not too hot coffee, unlike a number of places where it is lukewarm when served. The cappuccino is an excellent choice. I had their chocolate brownie which is also gluten free. This is the best tasting I have eaten, and I'm a regular coffee trip goer. It was rich, crunchy on the outside and just right inside, full of chocolatey flavour. It has a lovely sheltered area outside with tables and seating if you wish to enjoy the sun's rays with parasols if you so wish and you can take your dog along and be served there. Competitive prices for first class food!

Really nice wee spot in culross for coffee and a cake. Gluten free chocolate brownie was tasty and the regular fruit scone was “one of the best scones I’ve ever had” according to my mum. Service was good and staff were really nice and friendly. I will definitely be back soon!

Stopped for a quick coffee with my dog . Such friendly staff , lovely scone . So welcoming to my dog , offering her a biscuit and water . Lovely terrace outside too . Top marks !

Lovely place to have some lunch. My family and our Dalmatian had soup and sandwiches and it’s was all delicious. Even had a little side of potato salad on the plate. It’s a beautiful setting. Felt like a little Spanish cafe. Will definitely be back.

Came here after a dog walk. Staff could not have been more welcoming! Tried the cheese scone and Guinness chocolate cake, both amazing! Will definitely be back!

Pot of tea served in a heavy cast teapot added the charm whitist we had our freshly prepared sandwich. Great little cafe in a lovely village

Went with a friend and I ordered a fruit scone and tea. I cut the scone in half to put butter in but noticed the inside of the scone was very pink looking, didn’t smell particularly nice either & I struggled to find more than...

Very relaxing setting , friendly staff , very clean premises, delicious oat milk latte all in all perfect setting and ambiance

Great welcome from staff on arrival. Delicious soups, quiche and scones! This cafe is quality through and through from staff, food and decor! We will definitely return and recommend others to do the same.

Having seen the board outside advertising their 10/10 scones awarded by the Sunday Post my mother and I decided to stop for a coffee and scone to check the hype. The garden was beautiful to sit out in and both the coffee and fruit scones...

Beautiful location with lovely outdoor seating. Very dog friendly and the food was lovely! Staff were accommodating too.

Visit here today. Lovely building. Nice hot cappuccino. Decided to have a cheese scone and jam - which was recommended on the board and given a score of 10/10" however I wish I hadn’t it tasted as if a pot of pepper had fallen into...

The place is so nice for food, coffee or cake. The staff are so friendly and welcoming. Very dog friendly as well. Beautiful old building inside and a very peaceful courtyard outside if the weather is being kind. We live locally and love popping along...

This is a characterful cafe - the place is surprising inside and well worth a visit - the staff were so friendly and helpful - and the coffee sublime! In cafes you often get served luke warm drinks but my cappuccino was piping hot! Tea...

We Visited Bessie's for lunch on Sunday The Staff were really Friendly and Neil especially made us feel so Welcome. We had lovely Home made Tomato and Red pepper soup the Tune Sandwich was so good love the lemon in the tuna we had a...

We arrived to a very warm welcome by Niall. Great selection of coffee and cakes, very reasonably priced and delicious. Definitely worth a visit.

Visited today for coffee and cake. Cakes are delicious, however they do not stock any non dairy milks which meant I had to order an americano. Visiting in the past oat milk, soya and coconut milk were available. Those with dairy allergies or vegans therefore...

This is a lovely little cafe and the scones we had were absolutely delicious, served with jam and clotted cream. The tea and coffee were also really good, and the staff gave us a very warm welcome. Highly recommended.

Great place to visit when you're in Culross. Delightful , friendly staff. Great location. Great coffee. Perfect on an autumn day.

My husband rated their cheese scones very highly and I had a tasty sandwich. Tea and coffee also good.

Dog friendly café. A bit short staffed at a peak time. A good bowl of soup with a cheese scone both filling. Leaf tea in a teapot or the various coffee mixtures. Given the current situation it is reasonably priced. A good but not vast...

Nice little cafe next to Culross Palace with friendly staff, serving excellent coffees and providing some well deserved rest and relaxation

Took a recommendation from a neighbour, to visit Culross for the day. Came across this lovely little place whilst looking for refreshments. Relaxing atmosphere with friendly staff, excellent coffee and the cakes are nice too.

Contaminated water. I am B a regular at this cafe. Since NTS became proprietor, the staff seem to change regularly. I was in for coffee and cake yesterday during a cycle, one of the hottest days this summer. I asked if my water bottle could...

Can be VERY busy. Lovely yard to sit in if you find an empty table. Loved my cheese scone. Food brought to the table, eventually, they are busy.

My daughter and I were on an Outlander trip to Culross and called into this cafe for refreshments. We had lemon drizzle cake which was fresh, very tasty and a sizeable portion. We also had a hot chocolate with marshmallows and can honestly say it...

Very nice scones with butter and jam - I had a fruit scone and my wife the cheese. I had an Americano and my wife a latte with oat milk. Everything was fresh and good! The staff was amazing. Perfect treat in a perfect little...

Covered outdoor seating and toilets. Brilliant homemade pies, cakes, pastries and huge muffins. Good selection of coffees and teas - all served with a smile!

A lovely friendly cafe with delicious food. Had a spinach and cheese pie which was really tasty and filling. I think the best vegetarian pie I’ve ever had. The staff were very friendly and the atmosphere was lovely. Would highly recommend. Oh and the almond...

We dropped by after our run. We had absolutely fantastic home made spinach and cheese pie ( really up there as good as any fine dining food I’ve had). Tom and Ivonne are really great people too !! 5 stars.. go visit y’all quickly!!

What a fabulous cafe in a lovely setting. The staff were so welcoming when we arrived, and the food was delicious. I couldn’t finish my sandwich and the lady kindly boxed it up to take with me. We really couldn’t fault the place.

Staff were rude and unhelpful when being asked questions about what they had available. In the end we didn't bother staying.

Beautiful food, people and setting. Staff were brilliant. So refreshing to find a cafe that is fully awake. Will definately be back. Keep it up.

I popped in here for a coffeethis am as I had visited last summer and was impressed by service and lovely chocolate and raspberry scone. Ordered a coffee,sat down coffee served to me in takeaway carton.Asked the cafe assistant if there were no cups available...

Been regularly visiting for over 16 months and can genuinely say in that time have been consistently impressed with all aspects of the Bessie’s experience. Tom and the staff always have a cheery greeting and this is backed up by the excellent food. Scones are...

Had a really nice visit here at Bessies cafe. Service was brilliant and food was really great too. It saddens me that there are some reviews trying to put this place down, however for us it was really refreshing having a taste of normality back....

Since our first visit in January this year, we have come back a number of times and never been disappointed. I find the food and the coffee to be consistently excellent as is the service from the staff. Tom goes the extra mile and it...

I have been visiting Bessies for well over a year now and have always been made welcome. The coffee is excellent and the hot chocolate even better. We always have a snack there with a good range of cakes. I suspect that if Mr Paul...

Needless to say, when I saw the "This Is A No Mask Cafe" sign, I left without ordering anything. Which is too bad -- the food looked good. But I can not support a business which has such utter disregard for public health.

Your young staff are not wearing masks this is putting them and your customers at risk. No contract tracing either.please reconsider your policy.

My wife and I went here for an afternoon coffee. We have no complaints about the service or the coffee or cake we had and the young lady who served us could not have done so better. It was however disappointing that we were served...

We have stopped here twice now, just passing through Culross and both times we had a latte and scones; both were lovely. I enjoyed sitting outside in the wee courtyard, it had that holiday vibe to it.

We visited Bessie's and were really looking forward to our lunch however, the staff were very disorganised and when we finally were given the correct order, the rock hard scones and inedible french bread with a filling was a huge disappointment. The place has pontential...

So glad we found this place, gorgeous courtyard seating, brilliant service and great home made food! It was also very nice to see everyone working safely, without any breathing restrictions! We'll definitely be back! :)

Regular step on our weekend cycle runs. Hole in the wall service for Covid but more too it than meats the eye. Souup, veggie pies, Meze platters, cakes are scones are all top quality. Good coffee and decent service. Don’t understand the negative reviews as...

We really enjoyed our lunch here - the owners were lovely and and friendly and the soup and pies were delicious - not to mention the massive portion of soup! Great cakes too.

Best coffee and scones I’ve had. Love this place and well worth the wait if it’s busy. Visited many times during the last year and will continue to do so. Thoroughly recommended.

Went yesterday to get a coffee. There were two lots of people in front and we waited 30 mins for two latte’s. Ridiculous amount of time to have to wait. Won’t be back. Coffee was Luke warm after all that. Wouldn’t of given score of...

Came across this little cafe today and was not disappointed. Amazing latte and delicious Almond Croissant. There was also an amazing selection of home baked goodies. Also an outdoor seating area... was a real treat. Definitely worth a visit...

We went for a walk along the coastal path at Culross a few days ago. We came across this lovely takeaway restaurant. We had their moroccan soup, spinnach and feta pie and finished with the chocolate cake made with almond flour. It was all very...

My mother and I visited Bessie's Cafe las Nov and I have been meaning to write this review for a while. We went there after a dreadful experience at the nearby Biscuit Cafe, which I will not dwell on, but you only have to read...

Arrived to a beautiful presented coffee shop although, ordering through hatch at the window at the moment. Food and hot drinks are superb. These are the best!! We enjoy coming down here for the peaceful walk and hot drinks most weekends. Very welcoming service by...

Always a warm welcome with a smile. Tom does a fantastic job and so does his lovely staff, his cakes are always fresh and very tasty, the coffee is the best you will find anywhere. This cafe is a breath of fresh air :-) James

Coffee and tea are of the highest quality and always piping hot. Scones are top class and the spicy veggie pies are outstanding. With C-19 food etc served through a hatch, all socially distant. So good to have a haven to go to in these...

Out walking today and came across Bessies cafe. Had soup which was delicious, tea and a fruit scone with jam and cream, all of which were homemade. Our experience in the cafe was great. Felt extremely welcomed with friendly staff that had the correct safety...

I have no idea where the negative comments are coming from as I visited today and had the most warmest welcome. staff and boss very friendly and helpful. took the time to listen what I wanted rather than just the rushed service I get from...

We came across this cafe earlier this week and would strongly recommend it to anybody looking for lovely coffee. The owner spent time chatting which was very intyeresting and really hel0ped us appreciate how challenging it is for small businesses to survive in these difficult...

Visit weekly, sometimes more often. Serving from a hatch (window) is this old grade A listed building. The friendliness, quality of scones, coffee and the most excellent hot chocolate make you forget the hideous world outside. See the same customers every week so clearly they...

Visited Culross and happened across Bessie's cafe. Tom and the team were extremely welcoming and friendly. People were extremely courteous and respectful of one another and the quality of the fare was top notch. A fantastic experience, highly recommended.

Had a wonderful afternoon at Bessie’s cafe after a lovely dog walk in Culross, we enjoyed a much needed experience of normality, lots of positive smiley people along the water front happy to say hello. Tom and Yvonne were most pleasant and welcoming even the...

It was great for us to have a hot chocolate and fruit scone outside. The tables were all well apart and everyone adhered to the rules. Extremely enjoyable.

Fantastic place made to feel welcome can't fault it if I tried. What more to you want than great customer service and amazing coffee and food

I was out walking yesterday and popped in for a takeaway coffee, I was shocked to see the set up. Firstly there was a group of 6 people around 1 table. No markers for social distancing on the ground. There was a gazebo set up...

I'm so glad that I stumbled upon Bessie's Cafe today! The homemade spiced chickpea and lentil soup, and pies (curried vegetable or cheese and spinach) were delicious. The coffee was lovely and the gluten-free chocolate cake was so moreish. To be honest, all of the...

Great cafe and recently started serving homemade food for lunch too. Moroccan lentil and chickpea soup, cheese and spinach and vegetable curry pies in a beautiful pastry. Great selection of cakes and scones and almond croissants are superb. Been visiting since start of year and...

Fantastic friendly efficient takeaway service we thoroughly enjoyed the Vegetable Curry pie and also the Spinach and Ricotta pie they were served piping hot and absolutely scrumptious. The cappuccino and flat white coffees also hit the right spot on a such a dreich Monday afternoon....

Most delicious almond croissant we have ever had. Hot chocolates to die for - which also kept warm for ages! Friendly and welcoming staff. All round a MUST visit!

After a big walk in the pouring rain we bought carrot cake , scones , coffee and fizzy water . Every single bit of food was delicious and the coffee was perfect ! The welcome was very pleasant too . We will be back there...

Great soup, scones and cake. Limited menu due to lockdown, but food quality is excellent, staff very helpful and friendly. A haven during lockdown. Popular with cyclist and walkers.

its nice to see Bessies cafe open after lockdown ,outside tables only coffees , teas ,scones and cakes . Tables are well spaced out .A nice selection of coffees and teas . It was getting busy just as we were leaving

Lovely wee cafe in Culross - was kindly offered a choice of oat, soya and almond milk for my take away tea. Maple and pecan cake out of this world!

Beside the Palace you’ll find Bessie's Cafe. This place is perfect, with the amazing coffee. Very friendly and welcoming staff, lovely coffee and truly amazing scones. Good value for money. Definitely recommend. If you fancy tea or coffee it is open until 5pm.

Looking for somewhere to have a nice drink and cake we stumbled accross Bessie's cafe and had a lovely slice of cake and drink in the little courtyard currently being used by them. Very nice, would recommend

An amazing outdoor space, I haven’t really eaten out since lockdown and this place was excellent. Our party agreed that the scones and almond croissants were the best they had ever tasted. Dog friendly too and excellent warm friendly service. A must visit.

Quaint little place you’ll need to follow the signs to find but trust me, it’s worth it. Coffee to die for, made the “real” way! Good food, inside and out in the courtyard and very friendly staff. Well done Tom and co!

Serving from a small window hatch in the side of the building, Bessie's has outdoor seating within the palace building to enjoy a selection of coffees and a scone. The cappuccino was good and the scone very nice. A great little pit stop in inviting...

A great stop for mid afternoon cakes and drinks. I had a scone with jam and cream and it was so delicious! There was lovely outside seating and a great selection of cakes and drinks

Puzzling reviews but the outside area was well laid out and service was from the window, with plenty of gel etc. To hand. I had a long wait but that was due to dithering customers in front of me. Tom served up two scrumptious scones,...

What a great find on a Sunday morning on our visit to Culross. Perfect alfresco seating area next to Culross Palace. The smell of freshly baked scones was amazing and Tom the owner was friendly and explained what was on offer. We opted for a...

Just fab! Lovely coffee and great variety of cakes including a non gluten containing cheesecake. Reasonably priced, really friendly and helpful staff, great set up due to COVID 19!

Delicious..had a slice on a cold friday afternoon and had another on the following monday ,fabulous Scones also ...

Stopped here for coffee and scones whilst out cycling. Absolutely superb coffee washed down an amazing fruit scone with jam and cream. Given the difficult circumstances the owner has done really well to setup tables in the garden and ensuring social distancing can be done....

Nice to see somewhere open in Culross (for takeaway) during the lockdown. Fruit and plain scones were delicious and the coffee some of the best we have tasted. A couple of tables outside with cleaning wipes and sanitiser easily to hand. We’ll definitely stop here...