Cafe Limelight in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Went here with a client for lunch I paid £8.95 for a beef and horseradish sandwich on white bread. Came nicely presented with a side salad and crisps. The sandwich however was two slices of really dry bread and one wafer thin slice of beef. When I complained, the response was " that's how the bread comes in, in the morning". To be honest, if I'd paid £4 I probably would have just thought, you get what you pay for, but nearly £9 for something that I wouldn't eat, and then to be met with that poor level of customer service is not ok.

I was put off sitting in the conservatory part due to two large bees/wasps on the window - no way to encourage them outside away from the food. This was a shame as the views were the best from this area. Had to ask staff to clean the table and noticed several tables hadn’t been cleared. Moved to a table inside which was better. You have to go up to order at the counter. The female staff member who I encountered seemed a little standoffish rather than overly friendly. Cappuccino was a good size for the price. Food was generally nice - Mum and I enjoyed our jacket potatoes. We had to ask for butter as the jackets didn’t come with any. The choice of salad in the garnish was odd, and disappointing for my taste - onions & peppers and no cucumber/tomatoes/carrot etc. The salad was meant to have salad cream as a dressing but this was not brought out with the food, so I had to queue up again to request this which was irritating. We did have to wait longer than expected for the food, despite the cafe not being busy at time of ordering. Scone with jam and cream was very tasty, especially as the scone was warm. Lunch was good value for money overall. Sadly, the takeaway cake I bought for later that afternoon had dry sponge.

I bought two kids meal deals, as a take-out option for my children when the bouncy castles were on the lawn. Staff were attentive, and the food was excellent quality. My 5 yr old son told me the sandwich was better than the ones I make! I was impressed and I would definitely recommend eating here.

Visited with the aim of enjoying afternoon tea. Sadly the place appeared disorganised with many tables left uncleared, and also rather unfriendly with staff completely blanking us. We eventually noticed the menus in a holder on the wall (none on the tables) but given the general messiness etc decided to head elsewhere. A shame as the conservatory has lovely views, but there are many better places in Bude for coffee, cake etc

Brought my mum here for an afternoon tea as an early mother's day surprise. I went to the cafe in the morning with my mum's gift and asked if they could put it on the table in advance, which they were more than happy to do. When we arrived at the booked time they had reserved us a table in the conservatory and also decorated the table with flowers and beautiful chinaware. We had a beautiful selection of sandwiches, crisps, cakes, cream teas and enough tea to keep us going through the whole meal. The lovely girls working did a fabulous job at making it a special occasion for us both and made sure we had everything we needed. Again, beautiful meal, fabulously presented and me and my mum both had a lovely time. Thank you, we will be back again.

Had a lovely breakfast here, well priced and dog friendly in the conservatory. Staff were friendly and nice views.

This is a lovely little cafe with friendly and helpful staff. The conservatory and outside area are also dog friendly. Was pleasantly surprised by the vegan options available too.

Probably one more f the worst meals I have had for a long time. Microwaved rice and and excuse of a tiny chilli sauce also microwaved and totally tasteless. An insult to the staff to have to serve this as food

Stopped in here for a snack lunch whilst going round the exhibitions. The soup was delicious and the focaccia served with it very tasty. Friendly staff and efficient service made for a nice break.

We visited the Castle and really enjoyed the exhibition (free entry and fascinating). Whilst there we spotted their afternoon tea at £20 for two. We booked ahead with the cafe staff carefully taking details of our food requirements. When we returned for the booking, we were delighted that a table in the conservatory area had been reserved for us. The afternoon tea was delicious with a great choice of sandwiches, tasty cakes and perfect scones. The service, location and food combined made this a delightful treat. Bude itself is also well worth a visit.

Fantastic cakes, Amazing views and extremely friendly staff! Pay them a visit you won't be disappointed.

We usually call here for lunch when in Bude. As we went to sit down a waitress shouted to us that we shouldn't sit at the dirty table until she had cleaned it. I appreciate life has been hard for cafes these last few months but they really don't want to drive customers away. We sat at the cleaned table and ordered, and the sandwiches seemed a little overpriced for what they were this time. Another couple entered and she told them they couldn't come in as there were no places (there were) I must say her manner left a lot to be desired and as our grandson would have said "What's spoiled her day?" As we left the building we saw that takeaway picnic boxes were available, and wished we had bought thse instead. Something to try next time.

A needs stopping point after summerleaze beach and canal. Very friendly staff, excellent service and delicious cakes and coffee/hot chocolate taken. Dog friendly in certain areas and great little museum to explore.

Stopped here for a pot of tea for two. Had to wait a while before it arrived, then when we poured out the tea thought it rather weak. When checking the teapot I found one small teabag in the pot. Not even one large teabag. Total ripoff.

Hidden in The Castle is this pleasant cafe. The food is good quality. The staff were friendly. It isn't crowded as it is off the beaten track.

The view is fantastic out to the breakwater and that alone could have made up for the limited menu and the disappointing food. However being lectured by the waitress really spoilt the experience. On serving our food she asked us to put our masks on. Nothing wrong with that although not a request I've experienced elsewhere. She then however went on to give us a lecture on how she could not serve food and stay a metre away and a low down on government regulations. I smile and a "could ask you to put your masks on while I serve" would have sufficed

We popped in for lunch and expected a lot more given the reviews so far. Given the price on the menu of a sandwich - £4.95 - I hoped it would be something a bit more special than what I could buy in the supermarket. No one expects you to spend £4.95 on just a sandwich, right? I ordered tuna mayo, and hoped for a sandwich on a plate, maybe with some salad to make it worth nearly a fiver. What I actually got was a boxed sandwich, bone dry due to an apparent lack of mayo, not even with any salad in it, and a bag of crisps. We then ordered 2 coffees (and a sandwich for my partner), and spent a grand total of £14.90. Save yourself the money and pop to a supermarket for a £3 meal deal, then a coffee shop for a coffee separately.... you'll probably spend less, and you'll get the meal deal drink as extra!

We stopped here for lunch as much quieter than cafes down by the canal. We sat on outside terrace and food was really good. The member of staff on the front door was particularly welcoming and explained Covid protocols. Felt very safe and clean.

Called in to get out of the rain. I had a BLT sandwich and my partner had a jacket potato. The food was very tasty, the drinks were lovely and hot. The staff were extremely friendly, chatty and helpful. also a good museum with lots to see and learn. Thank you. To all the team for a pleasant visit.

The cafe is attached to the Castle. There are good views from the conservatory and some outdoor tables. There is a decent menu to choose from. My wife and I had tea and sandwiches. Food was tasty and service was very good

Visited yesterday just before the cafe closed....was able to order some delicious scones with jam and cream and a ‘full to the brim’ pot of tea! Staff were obviously clearing up ready to close but were more than willing to let us finish our tea and cakes, and were happy to chat about things to see and do in the area...in fact we felt guilty holding them up especially as there were other tables still to clear! So friendly! We had a quick look in the art galleries and will be back for a proper look next time we visit Bude. Well worth a visit.

I visited with my mother, sister and two toddlers under 2. We arrived and were told that they were going to stop serving soon so we ordered quickly. The cakes were lovely. And the view was amazing.But there is a BIG BUT. We were rapidly told that the cafe were closing and were basically hustled out. If we had such little time to sit and eat, why were we served? The two staff members stood over us as we packed up. It took a few minutes as we had babies, toys, etc. The two staff rolled their eyes at the food on the floor (an amount i would assume was normal with little ones?) The babies got restless and cried, which was met with tutting and huffing by the staff watching over us. We were hurried out of a side door with the two staff members pulling faces at each other and rolling their eyes and muttering. They could not hide their annoyance that they had customers! The side door led to an area with steps so we struggled down with our elderly mother and two pushchairs. Why did they not let us leave via the front door? We felt very badly treated. I've never been treated like that and i visit cafes almost every day! It was an upsetting ending to our day out. The staff let the cafe down. A real shame.

I went on a lunch date with some of my friends and I was eager to go in the conservatory as it was mysteriously hot during the winter period. I was handed a small number plate and we sat down on our table. My immediate thought was how small the tables were, and for a family friendly restaurant things were certainly cramped. We all ordered proper lunch, I had a ploughman’s ham sandwich and my friends had bacon sandwiches and one had a jacket potato. The waiter struggled to find our table because the given table numbers are too small and some are wearing off making them hardly noticeable, especially for such a tight spaced area. It wasn’t his fault, however I do think tables should be bigger since although some come for just tea and a small cake if more than one person chose to have that, space would immediately be an issue, the trays and plates are big for meals as well so waiters/waitresses are obviously going to struggle handing food if there’s no space to lay the tray down on the customers table and no available place to set it down on an empty one. I’m just glad I didn’t come on a busy day because there were definitely a lot of kinks that would need working on for efficiency. Other than that the area is beautiful, the staff are lovely and the food is good as well as reasonably priced :)

Lovely cafe with views of the beach. We aim for Cafe Limelight most Sunday mornings after a swim. Lovely friendly staff and excellent cake. Always good art displays and lots of local info. Mr Goldsworthy Gurney invented Limelight by the way.

Nice Cafe on the second floor of the Castle. Beautifully set out with a lovely covered patio area with great view down to Summerleaze Beach. Very reasonably priced too.

The cafe is a very pleasant place to stop for a drink or snack there is a lovely open air area for use in the summer, food and drink is reasonably priced

Stunning views, cosy cafe...would visit again! Menu looks basic but that’s not a bad thing and seems very reasonable. We just had drinks and they were nice, came quickly. Family friendly!

Went today for lunch after a walk around Bude. Very clean and tidy. Friendly staff. Food was ok, I wouldn't say it was outstanding but nice for what it was. Prices not too bad either.

Went for lunch here today.You dont have to go to the castle to visit this cafe.We went up the steps behind the castle itself.Although not a huge choice of food, there were plenty of lunch ideas for us.Lovely, generous bacon sandwich on beautiful fresh bread and a BLT with crisps and salad

Set in Bude Castle. A pleasant quiet, clean, reasonably priced cafe with views over the canal & over the bay. Small menu but perfect for a light snack. Our cheese & onion toastie was perfect. Pleasant staff & a place to relax away from the crowds of the holiday season.

An extension to The Castle Bude Heritage Centre, this cafe offers teas, coffees and eats at reasonable prices. Seats both indoors and al fresco. Very clean. Staff are helpful, friendly and efficient. Very clean toilets. Prices are good.

We visited this cafe because the nearby one was closed, and we are so glad we did. The prices are extremely reasonable and although he menu is not extensive there is something to suit everyone. if you are lucky ou may get a seat in the lookout area, which has large windows with a great sea view.

Views great, staff pleasant wine good but food very disappointing, would certainly not recommend for lunch. We both had ham ploughmans. What there was of ham was tasteless and fatty. Will not go there again

We have had a pot of tea for two here each time we’ve been to Bude recently, in cold weather and warm. This is a very reasonably priced cafe with a lovely glassed in area, which has great views and is warm when outdoors isn’t. The cafe always seems clean and tidy and the service has always been good. The gallery and museum makes this an interesting visit as well.

After wandering around the museum and the weather outside turning damp we visited here and sat in the glass area overlooking the beach area and enjoyed a drink and snack. With a choice of cakes and a few other savoury choices this makes a lovely place to rest and refuel.

There are many nice little tea and coffee shops in Bude. Poor coffee here and small portions. Ordered a coffee and cream team/scones and was charged an extra 45p for having a single mint teabag instead of the usual. Tight!

We visited this cafe today. It is in “The Castle “ which has some artwork on display and some interesting history of the local area. Also, information on a scientist called Gurney who was a pioneer when it comes to light, go and see for yourselves! Back to the cafe: fabulous coffee , hot chocolate that wasn’t too sweet, lovely coffee and walnut cake and apple and toffee cake, under £10! All this with a view over the mouth of the river/ canal. Having walked around the town just can’t understand why this place isn’t near the top of the rankings. They also do light lunches and we would happily return here if passing this way again. Fantastic toilets too!

The best views of the sea whilst enjoying a delicious coffee and a piece of yummy cake.Bliss go on treat yourself. Pleasant staff & clean loos. Interesting museum too.

Enjoyed a slice of victoria sponge and a cup of tea on a grey and drizzly January day, enjoying the view of the beach. Service was friendly and efficient, everything looked very clean and we were pleasantly surprised by the price.

Fantastic spot for lunch if you can find a space on the decking or in the ‘conservatory’. Views out along the river and across the beach. The food is ok if a bit pricey, but the views make it all worthwhile!

OK, so as I have reviewed before, the views from this café are amazing. There is a conservatory area that is very popular because of the view, but the empty table was piled high with dirty crockery. We sat inside and watched the waiter walk past the table next to us that also had dirty crockery left on it, and did not pick anything up as he went by empty handed. Obviously staff training is needed in order to clear and clean table promptly. Having said that we could not help overhear another waiter tell the one that had past us not to just stand around as tables needed clearing! It took me all of my willpower not to say something. Maybe the member of staff did need to be told, but not in a loud voice so all customers could hear! Some training needed there also I believe, a quiet word in the back would have been better. There was not a good atmosphere.

This cafe is situated on the first floor of Bude Castle which also houses a museum. The cafe offers what you'd expect in a cafe...teas, coffees, hot chocolate, cakes, cream teas etc...In addition this cafe offers wonderful views towards the beach and sea.

Spent a week self catering in Bude at The Cornwall Cottage and explored the area, as well as revisiting places such as Clovelly etc that we've visited in the past.

We loved this cafe because it was light and airy and the food was delicious. It was clean and the staff were friendly and efficient.

La primera visita de un lunes alrededor de 13. 30. Buen entorno con excelentes vistas desde el conservatorio, pero este estaba caliente en un día soleado, así que tenía una mesa más fresco en el interior. Pequeño gran variedad de sandwiches y era decepcionante que se habían quedado sin relleno, por dos de las opciones. Personal de disculpa fue de hecho. En general nuestro grupo estaba satisfecho con la comida nos instalamos. Vale la pena tomarse algún tiempo para echar un vistazo por la galería y Centro del Patrimonio.

Tenía un muy buen café con leche y galletas. Eché un vistazo rápido por el museo del castillo. Muy informativo.

Adoro este café, tiene las vistas más increíbles. El capuchino en seco es la mejor que he probado en Bude y las tartas siempre fresca, sabrosa y totalmente delicioso. El personal es amable y servicial. Todo mi favorito de café en Bude.

Este es un café que sirve bocadillos y un delicioso café. El personal es amable y acogedor. Un amigo y yo prefiero a compartir un bocadillo en lugar de que el personal siempre tortas y llevar la placa adicional. Tener una taza de café mirando la franja de playa es una manera Summerleaze encantador para pasar media hora.

Apart from there being no proper salad the bread was dry and tasteless, the ham was thin and the cheese sandwich very average. There were 3 of us and one had a jacket potato with beans and cheese. She was up all night with violent diarrhoea. It couldn't have been anything else as we all ate exactly the same for the whole of the day, both before and after.

Each time we visit Bude we have coffee and cake here. The view is the best in Bude and the coffee is wonderful. If you like dry cappuccino then look no furth

Regulars cafe WhIth buetifull art gallery,conservetry and out door seating area with a buetifull view of somerleaze beach

Lovely cafe with nice conservatory part with fabulous views over Summerleaze beach and breakwaterr. Delicious carrot cake.

We were lucky enough to get a table by the window - the view is so lovely we didn't want to leave! We ordered cream tea and thought we were sharing the two lovely scones with a pot of jam and a pot of cream served on a lovely oblong dish but no - we had one each! Two fabulous (& large!) scones each - they were absolutely delicious. We were also asked if we wanted tea or coffee which was nice. After we had finished the cream tea we bought cold drinks - anything to prolong our stay. There is a lovely serene feel about the place and the things for sale are beautiful (vases, candle holders, jewellery etc). Wholeheartedly recommended.

My wife and I Popped in for some lunch . Sat on the dog friendly decking with our 2 dogs . Food and drinks were excellent and the staff were very friendly . Would recommend it to anyone .

Very pleasant cream tea in the cafe which enjoys stunning views over the breakwater and the Summerleaze beach at Bude. We also really enjoyed the lovely museum and exhibitions. Particularly about Budes forgotten hero/inventor. Fascinating a even better sas that it is free!

The view from this cafe is my favourite view of Bude. Add to this the coffee is fantastic, the cakes and scones dreamy and the staff very friendly makes this place a lovely place for a snack, or afternoon tea. If you like dry cappuccinos look no further, they are perfectly made here.

As far as location goes you cannot beat this for views over Bude bay. Lovely sitting in the glass room overlooking the bay but rather warm in the sun. Lovely cappuccino and tea. Handmade chocolate we tasty too although a tad expensive. A lovely experience.

Cafe Limelight is situated in The Castle and has one of the best views as you look over the Lock, the Beach and Breakwater. The coffee and cakes were excellent and on sunny days there is an outside seating area. There is a small shop area where you can pirchase books, Sea Salt and items for children, along wih candles etc. The staff were so lovely and bring your coffee to the table. There is also free WiFi. The Cafe is in the first floor up so e stairs but there is also a lift if needed.

The café is part of Bude Castle which includes a gift shop, museum and art gallery. The view from the café towards the sea was good and the café was very clean (as were the toilets elsewhere in the building). Speed of service was about average and the staff were friendly. The thing I found most disappointing was that the menu was limited to just tea/coffee and cakes - although there were a good selection of cakes and I think you could probably get a sandwich at lunchtime. There was no indication that any hot food was available although this could be because I visited "out of season".

I would thoroughly recommend this gorgeous cafe to anyone visiting Bude. The cream teas and cakes are amazing and the coffee is just lovely. I drink dry cappuccinos and not many places makes them as nicely as the lovely young girl working here. The views are some of the best in Bude, especially now they have added a conservatory. The toilets are wonderfully clean and the whole castle well maintained. It really is a stunning place to visit.

This Cafe is in a prominent position in Bude Castle overlooking the beach and sea. It has had a recent refurbishment with the addition of a conservatory on what was the patio. This has locally meant the cafe is now referred to as the "CUBE". It also has a decked area shielded by a stone wall. The cafe is very clean light and airy. As part of the Bude Castle it has good facilities and excellent loos!! We met friends for coffee and chat for which this is a good place. My reticence is the limited offering, drinks and cake, with the antiseptic atmosphere. I don't mean in the sense of any smell just an empty feeling. It has a great deal of potential that is not being realised for such a wonderful locating. For coffee and cake I thoroughly recommend it but just wish it offered more for such a great location.

We happened upon this cafe during a coastal walk from Widemouth Bay to Bude on a sunny but very breezy day. We followed the signs from the path near the sea lock, not realising at first that the cafe is part of the castle. Very pleasant sitting in the courtyard (in the sun, but out of the wind). Good service. Good coffee. Tasty cake. Very clean loos. Enjoyed our brief visit.