King's Cafe at Talyllyn Railway in Gwynedd

We visited for the special event Steak Night on Friday 24 May 2024. The food was great, the service good and the cocktails fabulous. The steak was great with the blue cheese sauce, for desserts the Eton Mess and Citrus Cheese cakes were super. Looking forward to the next event.

I enjoyed pie of the day which was lamb and mint. Chunks of meat and lovely pastry. The cafe is well located by the platform with views of the sidings and heaps of coal. The staff were very polite and friendly. Overall, a great place to eat before you head off on the steam trains.

Takeaway sandwich, very expensive, a few bits of fatty undercooked bacon, forgot the egg and chucked into a box not even wrapped up. £7 for that! Shocking.

As always a friendly service and great food We often go for tea and a tea cake or lunch. Soak up the atmosphere of the trains!

We were on holiday and were here last year also but missed out on the Railway Cafe so made sure we visited this year on our first full day. We were not disappointed. I had the ham, egg and chips and my wife the Welsh Rarebit. Both were excellent with generous portions. My wife said it was the best rarebit she had ever tasted. Interesting that a number of locals were having their lunch there and we enjoyed hearing their tales and comments. Yes, we would visit again if we ever get back to Tywyn! I bought a mug with a map of Tywyn area from the shop as a souvenir so I can recall our visit!!

My son and I had Sunday lunch at King's restaurant as part of a "Behind the Scenes" experience at the Talylln Railway. The choice of food was varied, and the food itself was freshly prepared and delicious. The staff were pleasant, friendly and helpful despite being run off their feet. No surprise that the restaurant was very busy - it's a gem!

Qe popped in for lunch as a couple on a sunny October Saturfay. We sat on the platform and watched the train go out and enjoyed a delicious lunch. There is a good selection on the menu for hot and cold meals. The drink selection is good too with alcoholic and non alcoholic options. We had welsh rarebit and tuna sandwiches with chips. A lovely place to while away an hour. We will definitely be back

We stopped here for a light lunch after a trip on the steam train to see the waterfalls. The staff were really friendly and we all decided to have a sandwich, the bread was really fresh and the fillings were delicious, we had sweet chilli chicken, coronation chicken and tuna with a tasty side salad. I had a latte with a vanilla shot which was also delicious. Everyone cleared their plates so that says a lot.

Went for Sunday roast dinner for 1pm . Very busy which was great to see but meant long queue and wait for food. Choice lamb beef or turkey although had run out of beef by time I ordered. The regular sized lamb meal was delicious when it came and couldn’t fault presentation, amount and taste. Wasn’t cheap at £11.45 but was a nice treat.

Here 2 days running this week. Both had the Broad Gauge breakfast, although there are several breakfast options to choose from to suit all appetites, and vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for. Basically, a big breakfast, with good quality ingredients, well cooked. It shouldn’t be that difficult, but you’d be amazed how many preserved railways can get this wrong. At King’s Cafe at Tywyn Wharf, they do everything right, and the staff are always cheerful and helpful too, even when busy. Quite simply, the best breakfast on any preserved railway in the UK, in our opinion. Thanks Kings.

An hour before leaving on the Talyllyn Railway stopped here for some light refreshments. This licensed outlet offers a good and varied selection of hot and cold dishes in a clean environment. Well prepared food and excellent service is provided by the small friendly team. Given the significance of this being the Platinum Jubilee Year it was my opinion that their Coronation Chicken Sandwich is arguably the best that I have eaten anywhere.. A really enjoyable break.

This week I had the bestest plate of Fish 'n chips in Tywyn for ages. The Kings cafe Chef team of the day, produced super thin crispy batter without sogginess - maybe twice dunked??, 'cos it was a deep rich brown colour too. With a side order of peas - fresh/ mushy, or beans available, plus the chips of course, a dish of tartar sauce ( no stupidly fiddly sachets here ) &, a fresh wedge of lemon. A fabtastic meal. I hope the same chef team are on shift next time I go. My name isn't Arnie but...I'll BE BACK!!

A nice coffee and bacon bap from the cafe, socially distanced and v very tasty! We sat out on the platform and enjoyed 'people watching' as we ate and drank. Then had a great trip in our own private compartment.

Our location of choice to pop out to for a coffee when staying in Tywyn. Weather permitting sitting out on the platform is the ideal location for train-watching and people-watching, and one can always pick up a book from the self-service secondhand bookstall to browse through. Welsh weather can mean that sometimes it is necessary to sit inside, in which case it can be on the noisy side when busy, although the looping photographs on the big TV screen give a great impression of what the Railway has to offer and how engaged the volunteers are with their hobby. To be absolutely honest my "brand loyalty" to King's probably comes from being a railway enthusiast, enjoying popping in to the station to see what is going on and knowing that I am supporting the TR by drinking their coffee, and if I wasn't I'd have probably tried more of the other coffee shops in the town by now, but nevertheless still very happy to recommend.

My wife and I have been there twice now, our first visit was disappointing however we decided that we should give them a second chance but unfortunately our second visit was just as disappointing as the first. The service was acceptable however the quality of food was not. I`ll keep it brief and simple. We had a Sunday lunch each, one lamb and one pork roast. All was quite tasteless including the veg which was either frozen or out of a tin and the potato was `smash` and so because of that was also over priced. Who could possibly think that its ok to serve food of this standard ?

Came by the cafe at the start of a bike ride. I ordered the large breakfast as I was very hungry. The breakfast was very very good. All top quality ingredients, cooked properly. Very friendly service by nice staff. Also a nice cup of coffee.

Lovely fish and chip supper after travelling on the tallylyn. Having visited many many times over the years the nostalgic novelty never wears off! Food and drink is simple yet lovely. Not fancy, but filling. Staff are generally really friendly and they’ve some lovely beers on tap.

Super lunch great breakfast as oap we had small lunch small breakfast both very adequate and great serice

Sunday lunch for our family group of five, before taking the two hour round trip on the steam train, and the food was wonderful. The roast beef, which was thickly cut and so tender, came with homemade Yorkshire pudding, along with plenty of tasty and perfectly cooked fresh veggies and potatoes, as well as the not-to-be-missed horseradish sauce. Truly delicious! Staff were friendly and efficient, the meal was well presented with decent sized portions and it was great value. We were so impressed that we actually called for breakfast a few days later, before our journey home, and that too was excellent. Reassuringly, we found the place to be really clean with good Covid safety measures in place and the toilets, which are along the platform, were spotless. Not only is the food fabulous but the ride on the steam train is delightful. Food and train ride are both highly recommended.

Great food, great location, fantastic experience. If you can time your visit when a train comes in and sit on the platform it's awesome

Visited here before boarding our train, had 2 delicious hot drinks and had excellent friendly service from the member of staff, look forward to visiting I no the future

We booked Sunday lunch on a beautiful September day so we could sit on the platform under the veranda and enjoy the train activity. The Sunday roast lunch was excellent value for money, hot, tasty with a good array of vegetables and plenty of meat. Excellent safety procedures during the Covid period too.

We had tea and toasted tea cakes waiting for the train, immaculately clean and good service. We had struggled to find a cafe which would let us take in dogs and they are friendly here and have plenty of space.

We paid two visits during a short break in mid Wales. On the first occasion we enjoyed an excellent Americano and on the second we had a light lunch (panini). Good food and pleasant service. Unfortunately on our second visit the coffee machine was out of order so only filter coffee was available.

V clean cafe at Wharf Station. Social distancing in place. Lots choice on menu. Delicious hot chocolate. Can eat inside or on platform watching the trains

Had a sandwich and cup of tea here. Sat under what they called the grandstand but was a tent on the other side of the railway track. Lovely fresh sandwich with salad quickly served. Able to watch the trains come and go.

5 adults, 3 children including a 2 year old.We arrived just as the previous train was leaving, so it was quiet. The hot snacks and sandwiches were very tasty, and the coffee was good. The hot chocolate was a little too sweet for some tastes.Service was excellent, social distancing very well thought out and cleanliness first rate. Definitely value for money.

Popped in for breakfast as our bedand breakfast was offering it due to covid-19 restrictions. It was recommended to us and we are very glad we followed the recommendation. Good choice, very reasonably priced and in unique surroundings. It was very clean and the staff were very welcoming. Wouldn't hesititate to eat here again.

We had drinks and cakes. Highly recommend the hot chocolate. The white chocolate shortbread was good. Outdoor tables or indoor (with contact tracing details required)

We were, like many at the moment, a little apprehensive, visiting a restaurant. We need not have worried. Greeted at the station door, we were directed where to go to find the restaurant. Inside the restaurant the staff were also really friendly and helpful. Breakfast was really tasty and of course we benefited from the Eat out to Help out discount reducing two full breakfasts and two hot drinks to under £9.00.All in all a great experience and the volunteers who run the railway deserve recognition for going the extra mile to give us a great experience. We will certainly be going back for more.

While you visit and going on the Train just pop in the Cafe for Breakfast or Lunch you will not be Disappointed,

Visited for Sunday lunch which was very enjoyable, washed down with alcohol from the bar and a view of the trains.

We arrived early for our train had a couple of coffee whilst waiting what food we saw looked very nice Staff were very helpful

I visited recently and had some lovely food, however, me and a relative were quickly put off as a member of staff started to cough without covering their mouth and sniffing. It wasnt nice at all and we couldn't finish our food. I was a bit concerned as she brought out the food.The food was delicious, and I have no complaints about it at all.

Very good value and portion sizes and decent standard of food, would recommend for lunch if you are in the area

The joy of the place is that it serves a very good value cooked breakfast (from 9.00am). There's not a lot more to say ...

My boyfriend and I visited King's Cafe for lunch on 17/09/19 after enjoying the round trip to Nant Gwenol and back on the Talyllyn Railway. We both chose the turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwiches. These were freshly made to order, generously filled and served with a salad garnish. We also had 2 different coffees which were just as goodThen there was the added bonus of having a table on the station platform so we could watch all the activity while we ate. The ideal lunch stop for my railway enthusiast partner!

Awful visit this week to this once great cafe on the fantastic Talyllyn Railway.Very limited menu, lovely girl on the till but the place was full of kids and dogs...the kids were in a big group and were noisy, but you know what that’s fine, they were happy and no bother. Dogs everywhere, I don’t like dogs in food service areas, two started yapping at each other aggressively, just spoils your mealtime.My son had popcorn chicken, microwaved beans and chips....5 minutes later my parents 2 x fish and chips arrived, then another 5 minutes elapsed before my truly awful sausage, mash and peas landed. They didn’t have the sausage on the menu and after confirming (rather aggressively by who I can only guess was a rather harassed cook/chef) that I wasn’t vegetarian they offered an alternative. The alternative was clearly sausage left over from breakfast time, the mash had the consistency of ready mix concrete and the peas were....well, probably frozen.The G&T saved the day.....or at least helped me through it.Eaten here several times over the years, this was either a one-off or just how things are now.

We got a voucher to spend when we bought our tickets and had a look at the store and cafe.Staff helpful and friendly.

We stopped here before going on the railway and had a good lunch, perfect for a rainy day. The soup was Sweet Potato & Tomato which we highly recommend, and the sandwich we tried (BLT) was good - none of the fatty bacon experienced at other places this week!

If your into railways and want to eat from a good menu this is a good place to go, children’s menu seems to be popular. There is plenty of activity going on at the station so no chance of being bored.

Enjoy a brew on the platform and watch the train chug away. Dogs welcome too. Good shop selling railway mementoes 🚂🚂

This really is a hidden gem. The breakfast are excellent and fantastic value for money. The place itself it really interesting and has a museum and a shop as well as being able to see the trains. When the weather is good you can eat on the platform. But the Sunday lunch is the best, really good portions, fab veg and tastes just like a home made Sunday dinner!!

Lovely food lovely staff and very clean plus they take dogs. There is a very good choice of food and drinks all freshly cooked. The do a great Sunday roast

I have been to this restaurant 3 times now and every time had a major issue. So far I have ignored the issues because I enjoyed the rest of the day so much on the train itself. However, this time I have to say something.

Enjoyed a roast lamb and pork on a beautiful sunny Sunday. Busy but quick service. Very yummy - indeed.

Good fresh cafe food (no British Rail curled up sandwiches here!) with lots of gluten free options served with a smile. Good for breakfast and lunch.

After an excellent morning steam ride, lunch was the order of the day. We were not disappointed at all, my husband had soup, my choice of jacket potato was excellent. Cakes were very welcome too

Had a lovely lunch with family. We all had something different and it was great, well presented and very friendly staff

I enjoyed a nice coffee whilst waiting for my train. The adjacent shop is also worth browsing too. I wasn't hungry but the cafe does a good selection of food too. Of course one can watch the comings and goings of the railway activities either indoors or on the adjacent platform. Worth a visit!!

Excellent breakfasts and lunches served all year round (except for the first week in January). Waitress service. Very popular with visitors, locals and railway people alike. Set menus, including three different sizes of breakfast (substitute elements allowed if you don't like something. Sunday Lunches a speciality. Spotlessly clean.

Called in for a bowl of hot warming soup and sandwich for lunch . Although the soup was on the chalk board on ordering was told there wasn’t any and then the assistant proceeded to rub soup off the board. Disappointed we ordered sandwiches and pot of tea . Our sandwiches came and quality of the turkey and bread nice and fresh, sadly the tea was stewed and was not a nice taste (medicated ) within 10 minutes the people around us were served soup and it was returned to the chalkboard !!!

We arrived early to travel on the railway so thought we would have breakfast. There is three size choices for a full cooked breakfast my husband and I both went for the largest. It was a great breakfast really enjoyed it and the staff were all really friendly.

Served quickly food nice. Allowed you to change items on set meals if you didn't like them to what you liked. Nice setting. Handy location if you are getting the train.

First class food of all kinds and friendly staff at very reasonable prices Plenty of space to sit and there is the opportunity to have Sunday Lunch there as well

I got charged 10 pound for a cake and 2 coffee's. When I sat down I checked my receipt. I noticed the lady had charged me for an extra cake. I realized that even paying for an extra cake, I should still have had 1 pound change.

The perfect start to a perfect day. The Broad Gauge Breakfast and a mug of tea at King’s Cafe before heading off for a relaxing chuff up the valley and back on the Talyllyn Railway.

BreakfastIt was a nice breakfast for what we paid would be better parking was closer So not very good for disabled people

On the station, great range of beer and cider. good value food and a great breakfast. Not fine dining but a good meal and good staff and a grat place to see the trains. I will be back next year!

Good quality food and friendly service. Right next to this lovely preserved railway with plenty going on for you to have a look out whilst eating your lunch. Good Sunday roast.

Prima aanvulling op rit met Talyllyn stoomtrein. Stationsrestaurant met uitzicht over Wharf station . Iok kekker draft bier

We have eaten here before and it was fantastic so we were really disappointed when our meals didn’t compare with previous visits. 6 meals were ordered and were brought out over a 10 minute period. One lots of chips were over cooked, two other helpings looked cooked but were still raw inside. Faggots were hard as if they were over cooked in a microwave and the peas just didn’t taste nice at all. Only one good meal out of the 6 ordered and that was the soup! Hope it was just an off day because we have had lovely meals there in the past.

By gift aiding the admission we received a voucher to spend in the café at the station. Lovely fresh pot of tea and superb rocky road slice served by friendly staff.

Stopped for a bite to eat on my way to Snowdon with my wife and 9 year old grandson. My wife and I had a very nice bacon and chutney sandwich with side salad, whilst my grandson had sausage ,mash and bean-he is a typical 9 year old about his food but he enjoyed this. Quick service, and lovely coffee served in china cups not in plastic/cardboard containers! If you want a simple quick light lunch in Tywyn I suggest you pop into this café.

We enjoyed a great lunch here while we were visiting the Talyllyn railway. We both enjoyed the Ploughman's lunch, in particular the charcoal cheese. The café is clean and spacious and the staff are friendly and efficient. A very enjoyable experience.

this is all part of the original station rooms the café is very clean and pleasant surrounds we had drinking chocholate whilst waiting for our train in all a very pleasant visit

We had a great day on little train journey and the ticket we bought included a voucher for the cafe - which was well worth price paid. The service was efficient and the restaurant was clean and spacious. The food was good and filling and the dessert was fine but wicked

We checked the web for he best places to have meals . inTywyn, this was highly recommended . it advised to book a table, because when the train comes in , the people soon take up the seats. We had a small Sunday roast Lamb Beef or Chicken . so glad we didn't opt for the Large roast. Absolutely a brilliant lunch , so tasty . and Staff so helpful and polite. And you get to see the train coming in and out , so we sat outside on the Platform . The Children were so excited. Defiantly a go again Lunch venue.

Stopped by to have lunch and watch the trains. Lamb cawl was excellent as was the tea and Elderflower ale. Staff were very friendly and offered more milk and water if required. Price was very reasonable and for a good cause. Will be back with grandchildren in a couple of weeks forlunch and train trip.

We love this place which has something for everyone and caters for all. Parking is a bit of a nuisance involving paying and walking, unusual for the town. Food and drink good value for prices. Adorable staff.

Had a short while here the food and tea reasonably priced. With nostalgic surroundings. Guards and train drivers in their uniforms remembered as a child travelling the rail network.

A lovely cafe the sandwiches were very good it was extremly busy but the staff were fantastic very helpful effient and friendly and they make great coffe we had a lovely lunch would certainly reccommend.

Visited for a late breakfast/brunch. Latte was excellent and fried breakfast was reasonable although both myself and my wife were a little disappointed because the breakfast as a whole was slightly overdone, fried eggs had hard yolk while the black pudding and bacon were dry. Despite this the breakfasts were reasonably priced.

Spent a few hours on the wonderful steam railway. Popped into the cafe and enjoyed a substantial lunch.

Lovely Sunday lunch always very friendly and helpful. Staff . Guaranteed to have lovely relaxing lunch. to be satisfied

Huge portions. Great value and friendly staff. Can get very busy so best to book in advance- especially during main holiday season. Breakfasts are excellent too!

Brilliant food, brilliant service, very friendly atmosphere. If coming to Tywyn it’s a definite must.

Wonderful service, nice and clean,great ambience overlooking the station platform so can watch trains, and delicious and generous pot of tea ( we only had tea), all very good value too - I'd definitely choose this cafe again when inviting someone for something to eat in Tywyn.( We weren't specially visiting the railway/ museum this time, though we have done - and travelled on the trains of course - previously.)

Whether you just want a cuppa or a main meal you can be catered for with no fuss and you can either catch a train or just observe

Really love the Kings Cafe. Visit regularly, sometimes for breakfast, sometimes lunch. Nice food , pleasant staff. Can get very busy, but the staff always do their best to accommodate.

I had a lovely relaxing lunch with my sister and Mom and we sat outside on a beautiful sunny afternoon

We live locally and quite often 'pop in' for lunch. The menu is fairly simple, which is fair enough, with

Beautiful hot food and very good coffee helpful and happy staff lovely day out in gorgeous surrounding

Excellant food and drink at realistic prices. Limited menu but wholesome. Perfect way to wait for the train!!!

Family member called and booked a table for us all (2 adults @ a baby) for Sunday lunch. It was booked for 13.30 / 13.45 as some of us were still on our way over. They said that this was fine, there wouldnt be as many meats to choose from but as long as we were there before 2pm, they would put our dinners aside for us.

Ate here whilst waiting for our train ride...a fully sunday dinner was beautufully prepared and childrens options also..not over priced but very busy...my food intolerances were not an issue and they even had puddings i could eat! Plenty of choice and very helpful staff

Arriving before first train paid for ticket and gave voluntary donation which gave me a voucher for more than additional money. Used this for breakfast

We always arrive early for a good breakfast before the first train, and believe me, this is still one of the best breakfasts you will get, especially the Broad Gauge one. However, although advertised on the timetable leaflet, the Earlybird breakfast is no longer offered, and you now have to pay extra for tea or coffee, which used to be included in the price, and was even refillable. It's a shame that something that used to be very popular,and is still being advertised, is no longer available. The interior layout of the cafe has been changed again, and the serving hatch moved to by the bar. Not sure if this is better or not, but obviously managed to fit another couple of tables in, so I can understand why this has been done. Probably also easier to get a drink with lunch as well.

Nice lunch at the wharf. Staff are always really friendly and the food is reasonably priced and tastes nice.

Had a really lovely breakfast on Bank Holiday monday. Great value and excellent service. Really like the cafe now they've moed the counter. PS had a couple of bottles of beer to take out too!!

We only popped in to collect our Easter Egg win from the bunny hunt!

Had a superb meal of Pork and leek sausages, mash, onions, veg and gravy and the vegetarian option, coffee was superb, overall it was a great day.

Had a Sunday treat and was the best roast dinner in tywyn by far, recommend 100% Quick, friendly service, will definitely be returning!

went friday lunch..order specials. we were starving. scampi and chip with salad. this was six oven cooked chips five scampi. and a side dressing of. smallest salad ever seen. totally unacceptable as a meal

Easy this....food good, choices good, presentation good, service good, in fact not a single problem on any visit. Telling it like it is.

I made my first visit to Tywyn for several years today (10 Dec 17), with five members of my family aged 4-33 for the Santa special trains. We had time for lunch so decided to go for it.

i recently visited the talyllyn railway cafe, and i have to say the food has become very delicious! i wasn't fond of it before but my opinions have now changed, and so has the food!

For a cafe with a potentially captive audience this place seems to be missing a trick. there is no lure to get you in the cafe and when you get there there is a big wall where a servery could be and only a tiny space to order. Food is made to order (good, unless you want to grab a snack and go), so there is always a wait - it was quiet the day we went so no problem for us. The specials board did not stand out; some more razzmatazz on displaying the menu would help.

Steam and scream halloween special, food was awful & cold! The chilli con carne had no heat and was flavourless. A cup cake/rice krispie cake does not count as a desert in my opinion.Train journey ok but the ghost walk was poor. Not good value at all.

Staff friendly, menu choices were good and prices were fair. Cafe offers views of the railway so you can watch the locos moving around getting ready to take you up the line.