Common Loaf Bakery in East Devon

made a special trip here today after reading the positive reviews, we were the only ones in the cafe apart from another woman. As we walked in the lady running it ignored us and took a phonecall, which was rather long and a bit embarrassing as she was shirty about not paying a bill because she hadn't had a invoice. We waited patiently, when she finished she glared at us, turned her back (we were 3 ft away from her behind the counter)and proceeded to start a large pile of washing up. Again we waited, we were polite , but when she finished, after quite some time, she gathered more and still ignored us! At this point we just left. Quite astonishingly rude service. We are not tourists, we are local and like to support our local businesses when the weather is cold and they need the trade. So disappointed and won't be coming back! Update. Thank you for your reply. We were stood behind the lady you mentioned in the cafe, this was very clearly not a mistake, the lady was very clear that we were not with her and then sat down, we remained at the counter. Your member of staff was just very rude. We do appreciate your offer of a meal on the house, thank you but feel it would be a very uncomfortable experience so would like to politely decline.

I've been buying their granola for years and years. I enjoy it so much that after I was no longer able to get it nearby I started mail ordering it from them. At £3.50 a bag plus £7 delivery it wasn't cheap but worth every penny. Today I went to order some more and they've put it up to £6 a bag. Absolute daylight robbery. I know the price of things and energy have gone up, but this is predominantly oats - which are still dirt cheap, and peanut butter which is cheaper than it's ever been. So £6 a bag? An almost 100% pricehike? Sorry guys but I thought better of you than this. How disappointing my custom is ending like this. -- edit Following their reply - I have since made a very similar product at home myself. Oats, Honey, Peanut Butter, Vanilla essence, little bit of salt, making time (15 mins) and cooking time 20 mins. Approximate cost to make £1.70, and that's without being able to buy in bulk the way you do bringing the prices down much lower than I'm paying. So, that reply is waffle. You've had a rebrand and decided you'd almost double the price because that's the done thing right now. Very poor show. I've adjusted my review down to 1 start accordingly.

Great, friendly, cozy atmosphere, very nice coffee, the owner was very chatty that made our stay very pleasant

Again another great find whilst on holiday in Devon. Great hospitality in a welcoming cafe with lovely log fire. Homemade cakes & bread.

Owners are super friendly and the homemade cakes are superb

A really fantastic restaurant and café serving a variety of hot and cold home made filled rolls . Wonderful service and and friendly staff.

A very relaxing place, nice selection of tea and cake (we particularly enjoy the Carob cake). It's a great place to just escape from the world for a short while. The staff are always pleasant and accommodating and their 'pay for what it's worth' policy is different and probably pays more than charging set prices.

(edit!) This was completely the wrong location for a review I meant to leave at a bakery in Tofino, BC that has the same name. My apologies. 5 stars because I can’t delete my original review and others make it sound worth a visit 😅

Visited today with my partner. Lovely little place. Sat in front of the fire with a pot of tea. Only banana cake and apple cake available which was a shame. Was offered a beef and cheese sandwich and it was delicious. Would gladly go back.

fantastic people ,service and quality home made food

Amazing place very nice people and lovely atmosphere

Such a gentle place, great food and cakes and awesome people

Want good bread made really well and with love. Spend your hard earned money here... its worth it.

Such lovely people and atmosphere. 🙏

Tranquil atmosphere delicious cake and friendly welcome

What a little gem. The carrot cake is the most delicious cake ever. The staff are absolutely amazing. Filter coffee rather than machine made but again, the best filter brew that I've had. Worth treading off the beaten track. No hesitation in recommending the Common Loaf. BRILLIANT 5stars from me.

I had the pure pleasure of sampling Common Loaf Bakery's Carob & Walnut Brownie via Earthwise in Somerset yesterday and I must say it's the best indulgent brownie I have ever sampled! It is substantially caroby gooey subtlety sweet that is truly satisfying in the best way ie not sickly and sugary sweet like a lot of other supposedly handmade brownies tend to be. Thankful I stumbled upon a local gem of a supplier, producer and caring community so close by to where I'm currently based. Thank you for making them as they truly are a Labour of love. Keep up the excellent work. Happy New year ✨

Bottom line: cozy space in a beautiful setting, very welcoming people and delicious food... What else can one ask for? What a gem of a place! You get a cozy feeling as soon as you pull into the driveway, and the wooden interior, lovely views and fireplace are just so welcoming. Both the other guests at the table, as well as the hostess were very friendly and hospitable. The food was quite amazing as well, I had the deef and cheese hot sandwich (the onion roll was just so soft and delicious), and the banana loaf was very good as well. It's pay what you choose kind of arrangement, which is very fair. We would definitely come back!

Lugar esplêndido, lamentável alguns comentários maldosos, sim eles crêem é servem a Deus como todos deveriam, conheço bem este lugar e ninguém está preso sem poder sair como alguns dizem, Eles não obrigam ninguém, todos voluntariam suas vidas nesse lugar. Tudo que eles fazem é divino.

Very welcoming and friendly Delicious fare!!! Thank you very much

A lovely place. First time there. Lovely setting for a very enjoyable cake and tea. Bought some lovely plants as well. So defiantly be back. Thank you😁

Wow what a lovely experience to meet the these lovely friendly people the cake 🍰 and roll where first class and the coffee was the best I have had for years 😊 they helped us when we got lost with our caravan

Your kindness and friendliness made my parents holiday. After getting lost and being helped to turn their caravan around, you made them feel at ease in a stressful situation. Mum and dad have said nothing but wonderful things about you all. Your food was second to none and they even brought a muffin home for me (which was delicious) I'm looking forward to coming down for a visit to see for myself. Thankyou once again. X

I love their sour dough bread. Buy it all the time. Highly recommend.

Wow ,unusual experience but nice unusual. Food just lovely.

Popped in after viewing a house. Wow.....lovely fire to warm yourself Sat by the fire with coffees and carrot cake talking to the lady that started this place. Really interesting story and really nice people. You pay what you think your drink etc was worth Well worth a visit.

A homely gem nestled in the countryside.

I stayed here for months at a time wonderful people, helped me enormously when I needed it most... All the food is made with love and tastes delicious...💞 Look!!!

A lovely place to spend some time. A warm friendly welcome, a lovely facility, delicious cakes and wonderful bread. A peaceful atmosphere.

It's a 'bakery' ran by a very interesting religious cult called the 'Twelve Tribes'. The cult is a spin off from the 60s Children of God sect that literally brainwashes their members who are not allowed to leave the commune unless ordered by an elder to complete a task such as evangelism or working in their fields. The cafe at the bakery is a recruiting grounds for new commune members who must give them everything they own, including all bank account contents, your house and car. They quoted the Bible to me to 'prove' that to be saved, I must join them and hand all my possessions over to their leader. Apparently, there is no salvation outside of the Twelve Tribes. I'm not saying this to be offensive. I just went there to do an ethnography on dangerous cults and they claim that Jesus is not God at all. They tried to get me to stay and take part in their meetings, which I declined because it was quite late otherwise I would have attended so I could record my findings. For anyone interested in cults this is a goldmine, but be careful, vulnerable people could be sucked in.

Such a great find. We Sat outside in the sun with our coffee & some lovely cheesy spelt crackers. Everyone was so friendly & welcoming.

Food is too delicious, I visited them and the testimony of how they live is amazing. There is bad comments with no base just rumors that have nothing to do with the reality of their everyday living. They are a good testimony on how to live with no stress at all... They are so blessed..

Stay away. This is a front for a cult that has some very dubious history. Also the Yellow Deli opening in Honiton . Just do some googling and brace yourself for the shocking news especially from Germany.

Brilliant one of the best sandwiches we have had,,

Warm & homely especially next log fire. Staff very pleasant. Food menu, other than cake, limited but outstanding. Coffee was good. Could have spent several hours reading, drinking hot coffee and eating given the opportunity. Looking forward to next visit.

Fantastic sandwich and cake, best I have ever tried congratulations on such a brilliant salted beef steamed sandwich loved every bit of it.

Fabulous experience. Warm welcome . Wonderful ambience..beautiful surroundings . Food fabulous you have what they serve . All made there..Log fire and lovely music.

Great tea stop! Friendly, great cake, beautiful spot. Recommended.

Lovely place great food wonderfull happy people well worth a visit ......

Lovely serene atmosphere and such a pleasure to visit.

Thanks Google - without you we never would have found this gem. In the middle of nowhere is this truly beautiful tea room. The tea is exceptional, served in a well warmed teapot. We had a 'steamed' sandwich, which was delicious. Shebet explained that the tea room is part of a commune of around 40 people who share everything. Interesting idea. Be aware that there are no prices. You just put what you think is right in a box. To put the icing on the cake, they also make and sell their own sourdough bread.

Nous avons acheté un "fruit and nuts granola" et un "blueberry and walnuts muffin" sur le marché de Totnes, vendeuse super souriante, très bon rapport qualité-prix ! Et bien sûr on s'est régalé ! Je conseille absolument !

Stopped for a coffee and stayed all morning! Such a lovely welcome and were really made to feel like special guests in this lovely cafe. Lunch was a steamed salt beef roll with melted cheese, a side of crisps and pickled gherkins. While we waited we were given their homemade cheese crackers to try, delicious, and upon leaving one of their carob brownies, again delicious. It’s a pay as you feel cafe so you give what you feel the food was worth or what you can afford. The cafe itself is warm and cosy done out like a Swiss cabin with a large log burner and cosy sofas as well as tables and chairs. Couldn’t recommend it enough.

We had an absolutely lovely time at the Tea Room. The the homemade cakes and cafe from a local roaster were very delicious and the staff were super friendly. The Tea Room is a cosy home from home and a place to rest those tired legs and minds from busy city lives. The bakery produces a large range of baked goods using local and sustainable ingredients. Tif you wsnt to be transported into a a different, more peaceful and friendly time you must find the time to stop by!

What a lovely little farm house cafe with loads of lovely breads and cakes all home made . We were greeted with a lovely smile and a warm welcome . I asked for a menu and she said they didn't have menus only a few set things and offered me what a table of three people who were already sitting down eating and they recommended it , I was not disappointed it was lovely very filling and Ive not needed any tea . It was a long roll with homemade bread with salted beef . Came with a side order of crisps .They also do soup I believe . When it was time to leave I asked for the menu and they said it's a hospitality payment box . Well i paid exactly what I thought you'd pay if it was any other cafe as it was so nice . I will be returning . Very far house cottage look to it , and tea served in real China which I love .

Stopped by following a recommendation & couldn't have been more surprised, an absolutely wonderful place with the nicest, most friendly people you could ever meet. So hospitable, kind and genuine, it was such a pleasure to visit somewhere so unique. Tea shop was very homely. Cakes and cookies were delicious. Can't wait to return and leave all the stress of everyday life behind. A proper family experience.

Worth coming over here from the airfield. Exceptional artisan breads and also tea shop foods. Very welcoming and hospitable.

CLB Cafe is owned and run by a Christian group called "Twelve Tribes" who live together on the farm. If you want to welcomed as old friends this is one of the most wonderful places for morning coffee, light lunches or afternoon tea across the whole of East Devon. Set in the Blackdown Hills not too far from Honiton, it is VERY much worth seeking out. A warning... you will probably buy some of their marvellous home-baked bread too. The cafe is the way to really wish cafe's could be, are are rarely. A total treat.