Birsay Bay Tearoom in Orkney Islands

This is my favourite cafe in Orkney. Staff are absolutely lovely, really friendly and accommodating and they do the best egg mayonnaise sandwiches I have ever eaten, anywhere! The brunches, scoffles and the cakes and scones are superb. I love this place!

Locale poco distante dal faro sull'isoletta raggiungibile a piedi ( con bassa marea ) . Buon menu' e servizio cortese . Consigliato

We received a warm welcome to this lovely coffee shop with amazing views. The coffee, we all agreed, was excellent. Three of us opted for scones with jam and cream and one for coffee cake and again we all thought what we had was delicious. Great selection of food and drinks, super staff and great views all added up to a very nice morning out.

Lovely tearoom with lots of options (including those for vegetarians): baked potatoes, salads, soups, sandwiches, falafel, burgers, cream teas, cakes and traybakes. The crab roll must be popular as it was sold out when we visited. On popularity - best to ring ahead and book a table if you can (no dogs allowed inside, outside there is a small uncovered seating area where they are welcome). I hope to visit again. I have eaten a lot of rocky road in my time, it is my favourite thing to get if it is on the menu so I consider myself quite the connoisseur. The rocky road at this tearoom is the best I’ve ever had. Staff also very friendly, and there is a wonderful view out to Brough of Birsay.

Food was fantastic. What a view wonderful! It would have been 5 star, but , open kitchen, and all the staff did not seem to be enjoying themselves!!!

Can I please give 10 stars, what an amazing place, service was perfect from lovely friendly staff, food was astounding and my pot of tea was huge, just what a thirsty girl needed and the views just put the cherry on the cake, perfect tearoom.

Great day out for lunch if you’re in and around the area food was lovely freshly made to order the cakes are lovely definitely a place to stop just be prepared it can be busy so you may need to wait but it’ll be worth the wait ❤️

Delicious home made soups, cheese scones and oozing toasties (cheese and onion/two cheddar smoked Orkney and chive. Fabulous cake selection. Delicious carrot cake.

Excellent location. Good food and good cakes including vegan and gluten free. Friendly staff and you can book a table and sit and look at the seals.

This is a lovely little tearoom, ideal for a bite to eat before or after visiting the Brough. It is fairly small so you may have to wait. We sat outside which was lovely. Delicious soup and cheese scone and crab roll. Delicious looking cakes available too.

Popped in for lunch after visiting the Brough of Birsay. So friendly, very busy and the food was delicious. I had the best salad I’d had all holiday and my husband had a lovely homemade burger. Can also recommend the carrot cake 😁 good value, highly recommended. Would have booked if I’d realised how busy it gets

A very beautiful tearoom.Food excellent.service very good. Called in twice on our time on orkney both times were very good.

Came across this cafe when looking at the bishops palace in Birsay.Nice views across Birsay bay and the borough of Birsay .Burgers, soup ,sandwiches and lots of homebakes on offer .nice food and view

Well worth the journey or the drop-in (pre-book advised in season) with a wide range of food and drink all home made to order. (no alcohol). As you'd expect the views are phenomenal. Food delicious!

Excellent selection of hot and cold dishes. Soups are wonderful! Great cakes and the coffee is to die for. Added to that is the setting!

What a fantastic spot. Hidden away and off the beaten track! If it was possible I would award 6 stars. We arrived late - one minute before closing and 29 minutes after last orders but the ever so friendly staff served us teas, coffees and delicious cake and as they were closing gave us two bags of fresh scones. Great views as well. If you in Orkney we’ll worth a visit.

Called in after a brisk walk along the coast to warm up. The menu is great, lots of choice for both food and drinks. We had sandwiches but the cakes looked very tempting! We both enjoyed our food and the service was excellent, overall good value for money. I think the tea room does get busy so if you know you want to visit, it's probably worth calling ahead to book a table. We just dropped in on the off chance and luckily someone was just leaving! There is a small car park near the tea room where you can park your car. The cafe isn't dog friendly, however the car park is safe and off the road and as it wasn't hot, we were able to leave our dogs in the car without worrying about them.

We stopped off for lunch and managed to snag a table (unlike us, book in advance)! A pretty little tearoom in a beautiful location and the food didn't disappoint. The menu and specials were a great cross-section of choices to suit all - throughly recommend the beef and horseradish sandwich, it was AMAZING! The service was good, the staff were cheery and helpful and the ambiance was busy with families, couple, singles all enjoying being there

Lovely lunch in a beautiful location. Had the soup and roll combo - excellent spicy sweet potato soup and a very generous helping of crab meat in the roll. Cakes looked delicious but too full to try any!

We had a lovely lunch here. I had the cream tea, my daughters had crustless quiche with salad and a jacket potato. (Didn't seem overpriced compared with anywhere else - perhaps some other reviewers need to try running a catering business post-covid and post-Brexit!). Make sure you book a day or two ahead, it's VERY busy at lunchtime, and everything's prepared to order, so don't have somewhere to urgently be, just sit and enjoy the wonderful sea views.

Lovely views from the cafe very expensive place to visit for 2 soups and 2 coffees £17 .80p almost sure you are charged extra for bread .the sign at the shop said 150 yards well someone definitely can't measure that very close to 500 yards.We stay local every year but won't be going back there

We pre-booked as advised. Had a light lunch all cooked to order followed by home baked cake. Everything was of a high standard. Good service in lovely surroundings - not to be missed.

Writing this live - very busy so decided on takeaway. I'm sat eating an amazing local beef burger with local cheese and bacon, on the grass outside in the sun listening to the birds. Takeaway order took about 10mins. Cappuccino to die for with a truly generous shot of gingerbread syrup. My only criticism is they need a few more tables outside!

We called in late one afternoon near to closing and they were still very busy but we got a seat. People were constantly turning up. We had cake and a drink which were generous in size and reasonably priced. It was so good we went back again and this time had to wait for a table and then was moved to another smaller table when a larger group came in. The food is more light snacks than a main meal, but looked good. Great views over the bay. Limited car parking for the number of people arriving, but it's at the end of the road, so there's space to park there. Definitely needs more seating!!

Visited with my group of 18 walkers. We had prearranged a soup, sandwich and fancy lunch. It was fantastic! Service was efficient by very pleasant staff and the food was delicious. The fancy cakes in particular were very popular, great selection of a wide variety and the few that we couldn’t manage to eat were taken away to be enjoyed later. Dietary requirements were well catered for. My vegan cakes were divine. All with probably the best tearoom view in Orkney. Superb place to eat.

The milkshakes and cake are great. However.... The menu here used to be much more interesting pre-lockdown and ever since has been disappointing. If you don't like cheese you'll struggle to find an option. There used to be lovely local shellfish options (crab rolls were excellent) and there was even tuna as an option. But now it is basically variations on a cheese sandwich. The cake is always very good and fresh. It's just a very boring lunch selection now whereas it used to be much more interesting. And please put a crust back on the quiche! On my most recent visit I had a cheese and chutney toasty which was lacking chutney and the cheese wasn't melted properly.

Popped in one afternoon whilst on the island. All food is freshly prepared so it would explain the wait we had plus it was very busy but it was worth it. The falafel was beautiful. The cafe is set in a beautiful location and well worth a visit

What a splendid cafe. We had reserved a table by the window and the views were stunning! Delicious vegetarian meal using the local cheese followed by cake! Staff very friendly and helpful. Would definitely visit again.

Fantastic quality wee tea room excellent service and superb quality fresh produce used. We had carrot nd ginger soup (one with fresh cheese scone) cheese Orkney nd local ham sandwich on brown bread. Daughter had homemade burger and son in law had cheese and ham...

We went here without a reservation - which I do not advise, since we just happened to get an unreserved table. Others after us were turned away. The staff were super friendly and the food and views were great! I had soup and an egg...

Great tea room with fabulous views. Booking recommended as can be very busy. Paninis/ sandwiches are good. Cakes are delicious.

We were seven and had booked in advance - a wise step! Some of the party had eaten here previously and we - and our friends - were not disappointed as Birsay Bay Tearoom lived up to its pre-pandemic standards. The spiced potato soup was...

I have been to the Birsay tearooms on numerous occasions and have never been disappointed. The food is delicious, with generous helpings and the staff are friendly and helpful. Can highly recommend

After sitting at one of the two only outdoor tables (the other was occupied) we were informed it was reserved despite there being no sign to indicate it was booked. We opted (after a bit of to and fro-ing) to have a take away which...

Our second visit to the Birsay Bay Tearoom, pleased to say its still good. Friendly staff, lovely views over Birsay Bay and a sensible menu not too many choices, just what you want. Will certainly ba back when we are back on Orkney.

We ate here today and can see why this wee cafe has such a great reputation. Sparkling clean. Warm welcome. Wonderful view of the sea which was pretty lively today. My husband had beef and horseradish sandwich which was very tasty with a lovely side...

We stopped here on a Friday morning, and couldn’t believe our luck! The coffee was great, cakes are amazing and all home made, with several delicious vegan options. My scone was sensational. Highly recommended, but as others have said it’s best to book ahead as...

Fab home made soup and cakes - so much to choose from. Lovely helpful staff too A wonderful welcome haven especially when it's wet and windy outside. Do pre-book as it gets busy

Siamo capitati per caso in questo splendido posto in una giornata di pioggia, girovagando con gli amici sull’isola di Mainland...

Wonderful food and service, and they catered extremely well for gluten free requirement. Recommended.

Excellent food and relaxing ambience, good selection of lunches and teatime treats. Booking essential to avoid disappointment

Book ahead for the tearoom. We saw a lot of people being turned away because the tearoom was full. It is very popular. We stopped for lunch. Excellent roast beef sandwiches and soup. Nice cakes and coffee too.

Came here for lunch after visiting the Earl's Palace and Barony Mill. Sadly, the place was all booked with with reservations so we just got a takeout instead. The cafe uses chocolate syrup for their Mocha. In this scenario, I always ask the barista to...

Il locale è meraviglioso, a conduzione familiare e credo con una politica del personale molto inclusiva. Stavamo compiendo il periplo...

We had this place recommended by other guests in our B&B, and booked a lunch slot straight away. The tea room is small and in high demand, so we made sure we were on time - you might get lucky if you drop in on...

We came here as part of a tour, they had been told we had recently married and decorates the table in advance in wedding style, bless. The food is extremely high quality and locally sourced. The best cheese sandwich ever!

This small cafe was a great find.. offering a great selection for a light lunch or a tea / coffee stop. The home made soup was exceptional, and the Orkney sausage sandwich indulgent. The staff are enthusiastic, and happy to help - no attitude or...

Great soup / sandwiches / cake with lovely views of the sea. Only c 20 covers so booking ahead is highly recommended. Very welcoming staff - a haven on a wet day.

I was hoping for a good dining experience but I was disappointed. The coffee was good and they had a diary alternative ((oatmilk) but the cake I selected was horrible. Just tasted sweet. No flavour at all. Maybe I just made a poor choice. My...

Great to come back for the first time in 2022. Still feels really safe with the Covid measures in place, and an especially stunning view over the sea as it was a sunny March day. Also the Tearoom is a brilliant supporter of local Orkney...

Had the absolute pleasure of finding this little tearoom on my recent trip to Orkney. Served by a lovely young lady called Sasha, who helped me decide which of the fantastic cakes I should have. (I wanted them all!) Will definitely be back!

Had the good fortune to get lunch booked here recently. Staff were very welcoming and efficient - hygiene related to 'covid' was strictly adhered to - and the food ws delicious. I had a divine quiche with salad followed by an amazing coffee cake. It...

What a great find! Right at the end of the village, with lovely views, get there early for lunch as many find it! The staff are lovely, the food home-made, and the coffee excellent. Great cakes and snacks.

Food good but very slow mediocre service having to wait an hour to receive simple orders of quiche and a burger with no explanation as to why there was such a delay.

The Tearoom provided lunch on several days of our tour - lovely soups, sandwiches, and truly delicious cake. They coped gracefully with Covid restrictions, and were cheerful, friendly, and efficient.

Lovely tea room. We arrive without booking and the waiter manage to find a table for us. Cakes are sublime. The carot cake was one of the best I ever had. Great place to go after lovely walk in Birsay

Our family's favourite cafe in the world, ever. Just a lovely place, staff always great, food always great...cakes out of this world.

The Birsay Bay tearoom feels like it is at the end of the earth but it is well worth making the trip out to it. Sadly on the day of our visit there was a thick fog so we didn’t benefit from the views but the food made up for that! An excellent range of fresh cakes and scones was available as well as good quality coffees and teas and the hot chocolate got a firm thumbs up from the kids too! It is so popular that you may need to book in advance to avoid disappointment. I would advise a good walk beforehand and turning up hungry as the portions are generous.

Excellent food and customer service. Soup and sandwiches were delicious and the cakes out of this world. Yum. Also very good coffee. Would suggest pre booking is essential. Nice and easy to reserve a table in advance (details on the website) and very limited availability...

Visited 9.7.21 for lunch after booking a table beforehand. This is a delightful tearoom in a glorious situation with breathtaking views. All the staff we encountered were lovely - professional and friendly. Well organised and set out with clear Covid guidelines in place. There is an extensive menu with lots of choice for lunch and/or cakes. The food is locally sourced and showcase the best of Orkney produce. All the food was freshly made, hot, tasty and very well priced. The cakes were delicious especially the Tiffin. I’d highly recommend a visit but booking is essential.Thank you to all the staff team who made our visit so enjoyable.

very basic and limited menu this may be partly due to current situation. very expensive and poor value. also slow service, nothing wrong with food when it arrived. nice surroundings and view staff fine

Excellent service, outstanding food. Birsay tearoom always provides the best food and cakes. Most of the ingredients are sourced locally, even the coffee is roasted in Orkney

This is a really popular tearoom, so well worth booking ahead. Very good range of local Orkney foods. The views out across Birsay Bay are lovely too.

We came here with friends Lovely clean cafe All covud compliant Friendly staff Cracking selection on the lunch menu

We didn't eat in as dogs are not allowed but we got takeaway and everything was tasty, especially the cakes! It has a great spot with lovely views and a car park. We stopped after doing the Brough of Birsay walk.

What a little gem of a place. It had a very good selection of food and cakes. Recommend that you book as it is very popular. Staff very friendly

Lovely views. Good cakes. Milkshake was disappointing - more like flavoured milk. Very friendly staff. Will be going again!

One of my favourite cafes in Orkney. Great views out across the bay to Brough of Birsay. Easy parking. Coivd restrictions fully followed. Excellent menu choice & price - with locally sourced produce. Friendly, welcoming & efficient staff. Great home bakes. Definately recommend

I have been to Birsay bay tea rooms twice in the last 8 days. The proprietor is so friendly and considerate . A warm welcome certainly awates you. The service is excellent. The food is so fresh and delicious not to mention the freshly baked cakes. Lighting is light and bright using China teacups and saucers overhead. I could sit and look out the window for many hours. So close to the shore. I 100% recommend a visit again and again.

Lovely lunch with freshly cooked / home made food and friendly staff. Great efforts made to keep people safe like a booking system and clear screens between already distanced tables. So lovely to get out for a while. Thank you :)

Fantastic location with great views across Birsay Bay & to the Brough. Provides a great start or end to a lovely walk around the area.Excellent set up for covid restrictions.Very friendly staff. Lovely menu using local products & excellent cakes & biscuits - the cappuccino cake is a must have.Would highly recommend

First time we visited we didn't know you need to book but the staff made every effort to find us a table after a short wait. It was definitely worth the wait, the cakes were amazing and so hard to choose one each. We made sure we booked for a 2nd lunchtime visit and once again the food was delicious and we left room for another piece of cake!

This is an amazing place! It's only open Friday- Sunday in October but well worth a visit. You must book though or you won't get a table! We arrived for lunch to find it was booked until 3.30( it closes at 4.00) but the lady offered us a picnic lunch to take away to the Broch of Gurness( fantastic place to visit)We had egg and ham sandwiches, crisps and tray bakes along with two ana big milk shakes- definitely worth a visit.

I was lucky to get a table on the spot- I did not know I had to book. This is a gorgeous tea-room. Tables were well spaced out with plastic shields between tables, and a one-way system for customers. The food was absolutely delicious. I had the specials of the day- hearty vegetable soup and the crab and salmon salad. It was sooo tasty. Absolutely delicious. The cakes and tray-bakes looked really tempting. The whole place was spotless. I would really recommend it. They were doing a takeaway service today as well.

Amazing team, amazing cafe, seriously much more than a tea room, had lunch twice during our visit. It felt very Covid Safe. The team have gone to a lot of effort to achieve that. We loved the special Birsay Team Room face masks! We will be back next year. Do not try their Carrot Cake, if you want to enjoy other Carrot Cakes ever again, there’s so sublime as to be sinful!

Excellent cakes (coffee cake or carrot - that’s the decision both were so good! and coffee with a lovely view of the bay. Good range of lunch dishes and snacks. Best to book. A must when visiting the the tidal island and Earls Palace. So pleased it was open with good social distancing. (So sad to see so many places in Orkney not yet open).

We have been to the Birsay Tearooms many times as a family whenever we visit Orkney and it never disappoints. My two sons (11 and 9) describe it as 'the best place to eat in the world' and I have to say I agree. The soup I had today (spiced Thai cauliflower) was delicious and the service is always great and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The selection of cakes and treats is very impressive, so hard to choose. My 11 year old is very impressed with all the locally sourced food. The measures put in place to prevent the spread of covid 19 are spot on, and keep everyone safe without impacting on the ambiance of the restaurant. You need to book online or by phone to reserve a table at the moment. Don't miss this gem if you are in the area.

We always go here after visiting the Earl's Palace down the road. The lunch is excellent the scones are home baked and are delicious. They cater for all types of diets, and nothing is a bother for the staff. It's always busy, and if you are willing you can share a table with someone you don't know, and we always finding new people to talk with during lunch.The views are terrific, and the place is nice and cosy on a chilly day.Well worth a visit in my opinion.

Didnt put a dent in my coffee and cake. Lemon drizzle was great. Who ever fitted their windows did a good job too

Reminds me of a bye gone era... Great food, (light dishes: soups, sandwiches, quiches, cakes) and warm welcome from excellent staff. Views to die for! We go most Sundays after a walk...

The menu is full of local produce, with food done well & good choice for lunch or snack. The staff are friendly & welcoming. The cakes are delicious - love the cappuccino cake. The views are great on a wet or dry day & easy walk to Brough of Birsay. Good value for money

Lovely friendly little tearoom with spectacular views of Birsay Bay - we had great weather on both of our visits! - serving delicious soups, sandwiches and cakes. The coconut cake was especially good... and the lemon drizzle... and the Victoria sponge... :-D

Nice tea, shortbread biscuit and carrot cake on a grey day. Unfortunately it rains a lot there and so this was a welcome break. Good food and good service.

A day of miserable weather was brightened up considerably by lunch at the excellent Birsay Tea-rooms. As coffee afficianados we were pleasantly surprised by the coffee, the "taste of Orkney" Roast Beef and Birsay tomato" sandwich was excellent and the lemon drizzle cake was wonderful

The card reader was broken and so with limited funds we opted for 2 soups and a BLT to share! Soup was lovely and homemade, and they split the BLT on 2 plates, welcoming and friendly with lovely homemade cooking! Well done!

Wow - we have visited twice and each time been thrilled by the welcome, the service and the food. All their food is excellent - but remember to leave room for cake to finish - all their cakes are just out of this world!!

It's always a treat to visit here; great selection of beverages, delicious cakes and beautiful views out over Birsay Bay. For a real treat try the Afternoon Tea! A sandwich, a selection of cakes and drinks.

Found this by chance when walking, super lunch overlooking the bay. Must be popular as people had arrived by car - well worth a ride our.

Bright, fresh tearoom with a wonderful view across the bay towards Birsay and America! We stopped off for a light lunch, sandwiches & refreshments, and felt compelled to return after a bracing walk round the island for coffee and cake. Despite being tucked out the way it was busy at lunchtime, and we had a 10 minute wait for a table. Not a problem for us, but bear in mind if you are on a tight schedule.

Birsay gets many visitors. This is the only place to eat and drink. They could charge far more, yet they resist. So it gets very crowded. We decided to be sociable and told the staff we’d be willing to share our table with two others. Result: a fascinating chat with two interesting American ladies. And the cake was very good.

Loved this cafe - beautifully situated at Birsay, serving home cooked food - friendly staff but get there early as it fills up quickly and you may have to wIt for a table!

Lovely tea room in Birsay, the staff are very helpful and the food is great, however, it may be necessary to book a table as it gets very busy so you may have to queue for up to half and hour, but well worth the wait. They are closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Very average and very over priced. £8.40 for a small jacket pot with beans and cheese? Really? The other food we had and saw was also not up to what you'd expect for a place so highly recommended. Very busy and tables packed in so book in advance of you want to get a place. Lent a bit of an unrelaxed feel when there are people queuing in the corridor and looking in to see if you're nearly finished. But hey, that's normal if you've been waiting at while. On the plus, lovely staff and great views but not somewhere to go is you're on a budget or like great food.

Ate here earlier in the week. Booking is advisable but people are prepared to wait for a free table. If you're lucky, you'll get a table without booking since they do keep some tables back for walk-in customers. A fair and sensible policy by the management I think. The food is worth waiting for too - a range of choices but not an exhaustive list as it's a tea room. Good to see a taste of Orkney choice on the specials board plus homemade quiche and soup options. We're going back soon and booking ahead.

This is a good stop for coffee and cake. They have a limited food menu but what they have is well priced and promptly served. There is a sign saying good food takes time to prepare. This must be for very busy times as it has never taken long to serve me .

Visited whilst we waited for low tide to cross over to Brough of Birsay. We were fortunate that we didn't have to wait long for a table. The tea room has large windows which over look the sea but also has cows in a field immediately beside the windows. We had tea and home made cake; my self having lavender cake which was delicious and unusual. Overall a great little tea room.

Our group of 16 booked lunch at the train rooms and we could not fault it.

Really nice welcome and lovely homemade, delicious food. The setting is fabulous and the tide times for a walk to the Brough are clearly displayed. You can time your cake or lunch accordingly.

Wonderful place from all angles [views, staff, food, prices, popularity]. On the downside they are shut on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. If you rock up without a reservation, expect to have to queue in the corridor until a table becomes available. The home-baked cakes are fabulous and include some specialties dug out of a Victorian cookbook! There are specials on the board and wifi if you need it - although you should really be soaking in the views, not least of cattle in the field between the tearoom and the sea, who frequently rub themselves on posts by the picture windows!

Great range of choices, I chose crab salad which was delicious, others had soup, paninis and a burger which they really enjoyed.