Donnelly's Bakery & Coffee Shop in Allerdale

Coffee shop it is not . It is more like a greasy spoon cafe. Seems to exist mainly for all day brunches and not coffee and cake. Choice of cake in the ‘ coffee shop’ limited unlike in the bakery downstairs. Loos clean but tables were not . Staff friendly enough but lack of menu information letting them down. Some menu boards above serving area seem to be covered by bin bags . Vibes of a seventies cafe . Sad .

Donnelly's no longer exists. It is now called McGoldrick's Home Bakery & Coffee Shop, and the person working there told me Donnelly's retired a few years ago. McGoldrick's is very good, though - highly recommend.

Called into cafe above just before 12pm, and sat down and waited to be served as the signs said. 10 mins passed and I decided to ask the waitress for a menu as none was brought over. I asked "do we go up to order?" And she said no, someone will come and take it. We waited and another 13-14 mins passed until I decided to ask again "is no one taking our order?" She said someone will come in a minute. I jovially said "if I had have known, I would have went up at the start". Which she replied with a frowned smirk and smart tone "Well go up then". I decided to just get up and leave. Almost 25 min wait to even get your order taken. I wouldn't mind if it took that long to wait on the food as it was busy. We weren't the only ones that left as after we went out, a table of fellas came out after us two minutes later with the same reason, the wait to be seen to. All because of one cheeky comment as the cherry on top of the cake. wish we could have enjoyed the food as it looked good.

Excellent Meal and Cake selection. So much more than a Coffee Shop. All day breakfast. We were starving after long cycle ride. Hit the spot perfectly.

After wandering around the town center, we happened upon Donnelly’s Bakery and wandered in. To our delight, the glass cases were full of breads, rolls, scones, sugar donuts, and crème and fruit filled pastries. It was too early for dinner; so we decided to go upstairs to their coffee shop and have a “cuppa” and some goodies rather than do “high tea.” We ordered a wheaten (yellow/Beige in color) and date scone to share with our coffee. It was so delicious that we ordered another and since we were carbo-loading, a Bavarian Crème filled Berliner for “dessert.” There is dedication to perfection and the quality of their baked goods and service show the pride of this family-run 40+ year operation. Donnelly’s is a must visit.

didn't even know this place was on here until reviewing a local bar. i have been in here several times. mixed feelings about it. when in on a normal day and had a fry it was just a normal fry and taste was what a fry tastes like. was in it once on a lammas fair day and the same fry was UP in price because of the fair being on and it was being threw out. deep fryed as fast as they could and dumped on the plate. wanted you in and out as quick as possible. haven't been back due to this and unlikely i will be.

Donnelly's is a great place for a coffee while shopping in Ballycastle. Their date and wheaten scones are healthy and delicious! Good coffee is also on offer and the service is very friendly.

What a great wee bakery always fresh baked goods staff are always friendly and quick to serve its very clean . Up stairs is a great restaurant again all fresh food daily cooked not expensive it’s worth a visit

Upstairs restaurant, good range of food at reasonable prices. Good lunch choice and sweets. Worth a visit

Have tried the bakery a couple of times, absoutley awful, tried different products both times, not good infact on the 2nd try goods not fresh, will never return here.

Very pleasant and helpful staff - the sandwiches are delicious likewise their coffee in the cafe. Very clean and inviting

My first visit to Donnelly's. It's a small cosy cafe upstairs from the bakery. Very clean including the loos. My scone was delicious, very fresh unlike some city coffee shops. Very good americano. Staff friendly and helpful in both the cafe and the bakery. Lunches were just coming out of the kitchen as I was leaving and they looked delicious so I'll have to have a return trip. It is very popular with the locals and there seemed to be a lot of repeat customers. Ballycastle is a delightful little town.

Carvery type service upstairs, was good home cooked dinner seats about 40 upstairs. Small menu but good food and was quick

This bakery has so many delicious treats for choosing. They serve breakfast and have plenty of sweet treats for dessert. The ladies that work there are wonderful. It was a very nice place to have a little snack and tea.

Boulangerie traditionnelle qui fabrique pains et autres (ce qui est très rare au Royaume uni pour être signalé) Ils ont gagné le prix : "Bakery of the Year" award 2017. coffee shop = HDCA Winner of Best Breakfast in Northern Ireland for Ulster Fry 2014 and runner up UK 2015. Il y a un grand choix et c'est de qualité. je recommande surtout l'Apple pie". Les ingrédients sont tous de qualité et locaux !A l'étage, un coin restauration sympathique.

Stayed at the Marine Hotel in town although opted for the fantastic breakfast here (also referenced on my Marine Hotel review). Cooked to order perfectly by attentive staff. Love the design, the cleanliness and the world's largest scones. Thank-you.

We loved the bakery, stopping there several times while staying in Ballintoy. We did not go to the restaurant- only the bakery.

We initially were planning on going for breakfast but it was lunch time so we had the homemade minced beef pie which not only looked delicious but tasted as good as it looked. There was a choice of vegetables to choose from , finished off with gravy [optional] .One of our party opted for the full breakfast .

Cafeteria style place. Get in line, order your food, pay and they'll bring it to you. Staff were all business and not very friendly. Coffee and food were just okay. Very greasy. Place was clean and prices were good.

Donnelly's was my go-to breakfast place when I was in Ballycastle. Yummy food, generous portions, wonderful coffee, and a kind and attentive staff. Highly recommended!

Nice coffee and excellent wholemeal date scone. The bakery has a lovely range of traditional wheaten breads and cakes. Good value for money in the cafe

Called in to just the bakery today. Been upstairs before, which is worth a visit. But the bakery has a fantastic selection, lovely pastries, most of all the young lady working today was very helpful and patient (as there was so many to choose from, took me a minute). Thanks, will call again.

Was out with family today in ballycastle and we decided to go in my 1st time. We were met with a lovely girl laura I think her name was great girl took are order. My flavoured latte was the best I’ve ever had even the man behind us wanted to take a photo off it I had apple tart and custard and omg it was gorgeous and the rest off the family enjoyed theirs everything was 1st class. Haveing great staff always make a difference id definitely recommend coming ere service and food 100 percent keep up the good work well definitely be back

I am a regular and love the health wheaten, they occasionally have spelt bread which is light and delicious toasted

Called in for breakfast after seeing an award in the widow. One of the most disappointing Ulster Frys we have ever encountered. The cups and plates had seen better days. The quality of the bacon and sausages were poor. Everything was luke warm. We would never go back to this cafe.Ballycastle has much better places to offer

Stopped for lunch today, but that was a mistake.

We stopped here for morning coffee and we were so glad we did, delicious wheaten and date scones and my husband loved his egg and bacon sandwhich. The staff were lovely.

Start with positives staff were friendly and overall look of the place quite nice However... The food was very disapointing They had lots of options advertised but many of them weren't actually available Generally food was fried or heavily fat and sugar based All looking very tired and sad The vegetarian options were very limited and the main one consisted of 95% rice and almost no fresh vegetables and 0% protein so really haven't a clue about how to offer a healthy balanced veggie option The meat eaters with us had a poor dried up main dish So really expected better when we arrived I hope they read there reviews and will do something about it Otherwise no more business If you like high fat salt and sugary options you might like but caution advised

A great range of bread and cakes. Upstairs a lovely café with a lovely selection of hot food and sweets. Friendly staff and good service. Well worth a visit when in the area

We enjoyed the Ulster Fry here for breakfast on a Saturday morning. The 'small' portion was just the right amount of food to fuel our day exploring the Antrim coast, I particularly enjoyed the soda bread. Comfortable cafe with tempting bakery smells.

The food in the café was not particularly nice, we did not have a chance to try any pasteries from the bakery. The paninis were undercooked, and the ham used was like plastic. The soup was nice and homemade but clearly reheated. The waitresses were lovely, but unfortunately the food was disappointing.

Called in while passing through Ballycastle. Got seated upstairs and sat in for coffee and pastries, which were lovely. Reasonably priced, and a few gluten free options were on display if required, which is nice. The tea/coffee was plentiful, and if you really like, you can then buy more pastries from the bakery downstairs to take home with you. Staff were very friendly, and smiling at all times. Would call again. Parking could be hard outside, but some spaces are available at the square down the street. Free for 1 hour!

On our way out of Ballycastle on a Saturday morning, we couldn't find the breakfast place that our B&B; hosts had described to us so we stopped off here instead. Firstly, amazing display of baked goods downstairs (we walked away with a treacle scone, rice krispy cake and apple puff turnover that became our lunch). Upstairs there is a basic little cafe, one of those 'help yourself' type cafes like you get on ferries. We grabbed a tray, picked up some juice and ordered our meals and coffees at the till. The American went for a full fry up whilst I went for the veggie one and asked to pay for more potato bread (I'm in love with it!) and they happily gave me some extra for free. Food was served quickly and was really yummy. Gutted I didn't walk any with more treacle scones to be honest.... I think I'll always regret that!

Fouteen of us arrived for lunch on a Saturday at 1345. We were hopeful rather than realistic. Much to their credit the staff took our number in their stride, took our orders that they would usually have served over the counter and asked us to take a seat. The process was rather slow, but the food and drinks had arrived within about a quater of an hour. As some of us were visiting from Engand they tried the Ulster fry which was good value at £6.25 including tea/coffee and even black/white pudding. One order came without either pudding or tomatoes, but when this was pointed out they quickly corrected it. Nice food under pressure. Well done! Those that ordered the fry even got a voucher for a half-priced fry if we come again. We might well do that!

Good tea, good coffee. Good snack lunch. Busy enough. Upstairs with views along the street. Pleasant enough.

This is a GREAT bakery. Everything looked tempting and everything we bought was delicious and so reasonably priced. Plus, the ladies behind the counter were so sweet - just like the items they sell. We entered for one item each and bought several bags of goodies. Loved the caramel bars and chocolate items, but also enjoyed the bread we purchased. There were many choices! Stop at the bench in the center of town in front of the church to enjoy your treats!

We stopped here for baked goods (which we took to go) and had breakfast upstairs. The food was delicious and prepared fresh to order. The best soda bread I had in Ireland. Later that day we enjoyed moist delicious brownies, cereal bars and cake. Prices cant be beat.

We arrived and was served by a lovely lady with blonde hair, sorry can't remember her name. Good service and good quality food thank you

Called in here when out cycling. We were made feel very welcome even though it was very busy. The breakfast fry is amazing and the bagels are too. I'll be back soon to get the wheaten bread with dulse which sounds divine. Staff very friendly and looked after us well. See you soon :-)

This place use to be the in place to eat but lately the service is slipping down hill...the food is now what i would call average and it is hit and miss at times some days its good some days its poor..Management need to pay attention or soon it could be another closed business in the town..

Had some wonderful. Breads and desserts. I love the people serving and they are all very friendly and helpful

Buen precio, buena comida, buen personal. Recomiendo encarecidamente elegir entre la amplia gama de artículos de desayuno en oferta. Siempre limpia.

Un pan muy agradable y tarta baker's, mucha variedad. También arriba una selección de comida caliente, buena calidad, buen servicio

Just nipped in here out of the rain for a coffee and pastry and was pleasantly surprised. Very clean, bright bakery with a table and chairs in main shop and a larger coffee shop upstairs.Great selection of pastries and breads.

We had the ulster breakfast & the porridge. Lovely meals very well cooked.Staff was very friendly and welcoming. Restaurant was spotless.

Stopped over before heading across to the island to get fresh bread for the weekend and had a lovely big bowl of stew - food is great priced both upstairs in the cafe and down in the bakery itself- the bread was lovely and fresh and big enough to last the whole weekend without waste

I wouldn't say the cafe upstairs was fine dining or even exceptional. However, it was tasty and filling. The service was very good. Sometimes, "average" is comforting and just what you need.

By luck we just happened to park outside this wonderful cafe when you walk in the door the aroma just makes you want to stand and breath it in for a long time.Decided this opportunity was too good to miss I went up and selected some pastries to take away then on paying for our tea got a home baked loaf to take home.If you are ever in Ballycastle give it a go we can not wait to go back here.

Visit here at least once a week to get a lovely breakfast upstairs. It is always quite busy at midday but the staff are very friendly and service is quick. They usually have deals and offers on so the prices are reasonable. The bakery is also amazing, apple pancakes are my personal favourite.

anytime we are in Ballycastle a call to Donnelly's is a must.fresh crusty bread and scones are great.

decent Ulster fry in the cafe upstairs at a great price, handy place to stop for breakfast if you're passing through.

une boulangerie du tonnerre et franchement la vendeuse était super sympas à nous proposer des spécialités local. Un régal!!

My kids love the sausage rolls in the bakery.. partial to German biscuit or two as well ! You can eat in upstairs , cafe type area but we have always taken out . Friendly staff too

For us this was a perfect stop before heading out to the countryside each morning. Loved the variety of scones and such. And, the cappuccino was very good. I needed a third hand for the steering wheel.

Had a breakfast . Quite good . Good bacon. I hate beans with a breakfast , usually associate them with something cheap to fill up the plate . I would have liked to have been offered mushroom and tomato . However the breakfast was tasty

We called in here on a family outing and went upstairs to the cafe. It's a canteen style cafe, you lift a tray and place your order at the counter. You can get hot food, fried food, freshly made sandwiches and there is a selection of buns and cakes available. We ordered a couple of sandwiches, a sausage roll, a small fry and some buns, coffee and soft drinks. The £17 bill was acceptable enough for what we got.The sandwiches were freshly made and had thick cut bread with a good crust. There were no complaints from the kids about the sausage roll or fry. The staff were very friendly and the premises (including the toilets) were clean. We will go back the next time we stop in Ballycastle. The selection of cakes and buns downstairs in the bakery is hard to walk past on the way out. Recommended.

Visited today and the prices are dreadful!! Small childs fairy cake £1.08, the local Spar sell packs of 10 for less than a pound!! Side garnish of Cheese cost me £1.59 and the rest.......Will not be back, feeling ripped off!!!

I just love this place. Great, well-priced food in the upstairs restaurant served by friendly staff. A fabulous range of freshly baked cakes and bread in the shop. I always recommend Donnelly's to visitors from abroad and after visiting, all have agreed with my comments.

Every time I go to ballycastle this bakery is a must it's fresh and staff helpful so if you like savoury or sweet then it's for you, the selection it has is just amazing definitely spoiled for choice, YUM YUM YUM

They have an upstairs cafe, but if you have a wheelchair then there is a table in the window downstairs. The food was good and reasonable priced.

If you like fresh baked savoury or sweet then this is the stop for you. The selection is amazing and it tastes even better. It has a small cafe area as well. Making old traditional as well as local favourites. The best Shah I've ever had.

The service was friendly and excellent. The bakery goods were fresh and delicious. Easy place to bring young children. Fast service. Good breakfast place.

Found on spec,we had Soup,Vegetable with Scones. Confusion at till the lady gave us extra wheaten bread,without charging.Quick serviceLots of local people demonstrating what good value this is, full menu that will suit allStay way from the Touristy joints and head here

Enjoyed a scone and latte (with a dash of cinnamon!). It was delicious and the staff was very patient while we figured out what we wanted to order. Definitely recommend for breakfast!

Dropped in for a coffee & some breakfast after a 4 hr drive up from Dublin. Can't praise this place enough. Very pleasant staff, great coffee & a full, proper Irish breakfast. Well done, will return next time I'm in the area.

Went for breakfast with husband. He had their award winning fry and I had a freshly baked scone.both were delicious .coffee comes with shortbread just like marks and Spencer's!. Very relaxing morning .they have the morning papers too.

Came in for coffee, had what was a very nice cup of coffee. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Nice atmosphere, Came downstairs and bought some very tasty cherry scones. Will be back here :)

I have been in here a few times during recent trips to lovely Ballycastle and found the excellent array of fresh breads and cakes looked very appealing. Each time I have experienced an impatience and a general level of apathy from the staff. Significantly the last time I went in I found the older lady who was serving had absolutely no interest whatsoever in serving me but she was more interested in conducting a conversation with another lady. I tried to ask her a question about a particular bread item & she was so curt & abrasive that it was embarrassing. In fairness,the baked goods I have purchased here been good ...but unfortunately the very poor standards of 'customer service' have put me off returning.

The baked goods are a little synthetic and mass produced and haven't really got the 'home made' taste and texture. However my biggest issue is that the staff pick up all items with their bare hands!!! They are handling money all day too so imagine how dirty their hands get. It wouldn't take much to invest in a few pairs of tongs. That's the reason for the low rating. Other than that it's ok. The scones and sausage rolls being the best things on offer in my opinion but I guess everyone's taste is different. Didn't try the coffee shop.

I ate breakfast at the upstairs cafe two days in a row. They have a fantastic Ulster Fry and they make great coffee too. One can not argue with quality food at a good value. The staff was pleasant as well.

The bakery has outstanding quality in all their breads and cakes. The coffee shop is immaculate, has friendly staff and a good range of meals, snacks, cakes and sandwiches.

Great wee bakery with a cosy self service restaurant upstairs serving great value home good food, although when its gone its gone so get there before the rush

Don't miss this treat yourself to the wonderful chocolate cake what a find really enjoyed scones also all fresh and lovely.

We ate here three times during our holiday in Ballycastle. First time was breakfast- we had the Small Fry- lovely! On other visits we had soup and roll for lunch and scones for tea. Always very good with great service. The tea and coffee is great too. Nice clean place with a good atmosphere.

On impulse and tempted by the image in the window for a burger, chips, drink meal deal I popped in to the cafe for lunch today. The first thing to notice is the relaxing sound of dance music thumping away constantly in the background. This would normally be enough to make me turn around and leave, but i decided to persevere encouraged by the promise of award winning food. The staff were passably pleasant however the food was not. Pallid, limp, still raw and crunchy in the middle fries (not the golden chunky chips in the advertised image), thin greasy burger in a plain toasted bun (not the thick juicy quarter pounder with salad and dressing as in the advertised image). There seems to be no effort here to produce a decent end product, just do the minimum you can get away with. All in all a very poor experience.

honest home cooked food, great breakfast all day long. Very friendly staff. Speedy service. Very clean and free wi-fi.

Food was very good, people were very friendly to the weary travelers. Baked goods and pancakes, sausage rolls were great.

I have never had a problem with this place, actually that's a lie, sometimes if I dont get in early enough everything has been raided. always fresh and very tasty produce, I always leave with a box of stuff, never one or two items. Very keenly priced, I've been to much more expensive bakery's who charge a small fortune for stuff that is mediocre in comparison to Donnelly's, I just hope it stays that way.

been in Donnelly's before and good lunch but called in on Thursday morning for scrambled egg bacon and toast egg was good bacon was tiny and looked like it had been deep fried toast was hard bread with no colour! didn't seem like it had been in a toaster. friendly staff and clean place but wont be ordering that again bought some pastries downstairs and they were very good

I regularly visit Ballycastle, and almost every time I end up in Donnelly's and the coffee shop upstairs is amazing! Every time I would order a strawberry milkshake and maybe sausages mash and beans then when I leave I might get some pastries for later . A MUST VISIT

I live in the Ballycastle area. I eat in donnellys regularly either for breakfast through my work ( which they came runner up in uk for their Ulster fry) and also with my family. I enjoy the food as it reminds me of home cooked food and also I know as much as possible it is locally produced. The staff are also friendly and helpful and ensure that u receive a good service. The bakery also provides tasty treats and has special offers on regularly. It is definitely not to be walked by when in Ballycastle!!

called in to donnellys today about 3.30 for a bite to eat, food was awful, I had potato and leek soup which came with skin over the top of it, and the roast beef and salad sandwich was tastleless, the only thing I could take was the latte, my husband ordered bacon, sausages eggs and soda bread, which was all deep fat fried. honestly I give up on this country since we retired we have spent a lot more time eating out and 9 times out of 10 the standard of food is awful

Called in here and had a coffee in the wee upstairs cafe. Had a lovely espresso. Didn't eat here but the menu looked excellent . Saw several people being served lovely meals- will definitely eat here when we return to Ballycastle. Staff friendly and helpful and atmosphere cosy.

The bakery in amazing. All of the buns and cakes are beautiful. My favourite would have to be the chocolate fudge cake which is nice hot or cold. The selection of hot food up the stairs is nice also.

Amazing bakery downstairs. My favourite is the chocolate fudge cake! Cafe up stairs had been redecorated the last time I visited and it now looks great. A lady called Linda accommodated us brilliantly and was very pleasant. Thanks Linda! Will definitely be returning.

Popped in en-route to Giant's Causeway for our first visit to this establishment - it seems to score highly in various reviews. Absolutely spotless inside (including the loo) and the place is obviously well managed. Food is simple, freshly prepared, portion control is not miserable and the prices are very reasonable. The staff on duty were extremely friendly and ensured our meals were exactly what we wanted. Plenty of locals were seated either side of us and that is very reassuring for a visitor to town.As you might expect in a bakery - a great selection of different breads and cakes to munch your way throughWould I visit this coffee shop again? Absolute yes - superb for an informal snack and we will be back.Only slight puzzle was that they don't appear to offer black pudding with their award winning Ulster Fry? Thanks to the staff on duty - you have a great and natural approach to customer care and it didn't come out of one of those American corporate manuals.

Wev been going in a few years now never had a complain about food or workers always clean well run we place ans lovly wee bakery too

A very nice surprise. Good coffee, cakes and breakfasts at a reasonable price. Friendly staff and clean tables

Been eating here since 1982. Always the first choice when in town. Consistently friendly service, standard of fare and presentation. A local gem, well polished.

Service could be improved and definitely do not make enough sausage rolls! Going in at 1pm to see they have none left...disappointing

We were staying in a self catering cottage whilst exploring the area and visited this bakery on two separate occasions. The staff were so friendly and their baked goods were excellent..I would recommend their in store baked breads, I loved their potato bread...and can highly recommend their iced buns...Just as well we did so much hiking!!!!

The choice and freshness of the products on offer was amazing and the staff couldn't have been any more helpful.

Have visited this bakery several times on visiting Ballycastle. Great selection of produce bread, pastries etc. well worth a visit.

Good cakes and coffee, nothing special just a local shop with upstairs cafe area which is all you need really.

Lovely food here in a great atmosphere. For some, the stairs will limit access I suspect but it gives a lovely street view. Ballycastle is a lovely town and this venue is one of my favourite spots there. Go, enjoy, come back again

As this is upstairs it is not very good for people with mobility problems, however it is worth it, they do the best fry in Ballycastle! (in my opinion) They have a good selection of food at lunchtime, from sandwiches,, through to a full dinner, or just a tea/coffee with a scone, they also have a selection of deserts to choose from. The staff are very helpful and all are so pleasant to deal with, it is so refreshing to receive a smile and a cheery greeting. Will definitely be back soon.

Significant Other and I while out sightseeing on a lovely November afternoon called at Ballycastle looking for a light lunch. We had noticed Donnelly's on a previous visit and decided to try it. Downstairs is the shop for the home bakery offering many tempting goodies as well as Ulster fry staples - soda bread, fadge (potato bread) and pancakes which we bought. Prices were most reasonable, way below some bakeries we had visited in other towns, while quality was high. Anyhow, up stairs to the eatery. We had the seasonal pumpkin and orange soup - delicious - with a choice of speciality breads, in our case granary baguettes and wheaten farl. Excellent! Price - like the bakery, very modest. We would recommend this establishment to anyone.