Manons Riverside Cafe in Gwynedd

I call at Manons when travelling to see friends on the coast. Friendly staff, gorgeous caramel apple pie and delicious vegan savoury rolls. Perfect pit stop!

Along with the beautiful location, this café has the friendliest staff and a great atmosphere. I am now a regular and cannot recommend the Belly Buster Bap enough!

We were recommended to try Manon's for breakfast by the owner of STORI in Bala. The breakfast was just what the doctor ordered - good local produce, hot, well cooked and tasty. The staff were chatty and friendly and Manon's has the added benefit of being attached to the White Water Rafting centre, where you can watch groups fly down the river-it looks like great fun. Definitely worth the short drive if you're in need of a full breakfast.

We were recommended to try Manon's for breakfast by the owner of STORI in Bala. The breakfast was just what the doctor ordered - good local produce, hot, well cooked and tasty. The staff were chatty and friendly and Manon's has the added benefit of being attached to the White Water Rafting centre, where you can watch groups fly down the river-it looks like great fun. Definitely worth the short drive if you're in need of a full breakfast.

The owner has an attitude problem. not nice at all. I will never go there again. The breakfast was ok though, at least the cooks are ok.

Fantastic place always worth stopping by to and from trips to north wales fantastic staff and good value drinks and food miles better then the venue down the road on the A five .

Just love this place - always a fantastic day out in the summer. Friendly staff, great cafe, superb rafting experience. Showers, toilets etc always spotlessly clean! We go every year -10/10!👍👍👍

Just an awareness for vegan/lactose free customers... We ordered 2 vegan breakfasts and the menu said add eggs to make it vegetarian. I ordered it without eggs and with an extra hash brown instead. Had this conversation with the friendly lady serving and she said the eggs are no extra cost but the eggs are an option to make it a vegetarian breakfast so we got hash brown instead as it was the same price. It arrived without the mushrooms so we asked and were told that they had run out which was disappointing as we weren't told this when ordering and weren't offered an alternative but still paid the same price. Then we tried the toast and unfortunately knew it was dairy butter so we checked this and were told that we didn't tell them that we were vegan when ordering. This is confusing as we ordered the vegan breakfast (and two oat milk lattes) so would assume it comes with vegan butter not dairy butter. They replaced the toast which was good although it was hardly toasted and had soo much butter on it when we got the vegan one which felt annoying but we couldn't be bothered to ask about something else. Overall disappointing as good vegan breakfasts are so few and far between in the area and we paddle at the Tryweryn as well so really like the venue. But especially having paid over £20 for two breakfasts/coffees we would've liked to have not experienced this. Usually hate writing negative reviews and sorry to write one but we do appreciate a bit of feedback about vegan food so thought others might like to be aware too. So maybe just clarify that you're vegan when ordering the vegan breakfast. Sausages are the Linda McCartney ones which from my experience, have a negative reputation in the plant based world and they didn't have any vegan sausage rolls unfortunately. On the bright side, good to see Branston beans and not cheapo ones! And the servers were friendly, dogs allowed, free parking and obviously the river next to it!

Fantastic café in a beautiful location. The staff are lovely. Very good coffee and delicious locally baked cakes.

What a fantastic place! If the set meals aren't quite to your liking, they'll substitute with something else. The staff are really nice, the proprietor not only invents nices dishes, she's a dish herself! The only downside is that the canoeists from the white water rafting centre are bellends.

Excellent cafe lovely view of water rapids. Coffee great

The food was amazing! Manon, Louisa and Sian were so lovely and made our whole day! Please if you are in Bala go have breakfast there!

Super friendly, great value tasty breakfast. Highly recommended 👌

Little gem of a place Food is outstanding, really friendly staff. Keep your eye on the specials board some tasty treat , had hunters chicken on one visit which was terrific. Highly recommended Sgwrs yn y Gymraeg iw gael yno hefyd.

Really lovely Cafe to relax and watch the White Water Rafting. Excellent Service, ample choice on Menu of great reasonably priced food, free parking nearby, Dog 🐶 friendly.

Great location on the Tryweryn where you can watch the rafting and kayaking, friendly staff and really good value. Superb breakfasts!

Here mostly to serve the white water sports folk but anyone can go in and it’s dog friendly with lovely walks nearby along the river. The home made food was excellent but it’s worth coming here just for the coffee!

Handy stop off location when on a long journey. Food was pretty tasty. Coffee was ok. Staff were very friendly. Good baby changing facilities. We stopped for a break and to have a walk along the adjacent river. Good to get some exercise and check out the canoe course. Didn't see an otter unfortunately.

What a lovely warm welcoming cafe,the staff were so polite and friendly,food was great,scenery is beautiful,lovely place to stop have a coffee and lunch and just watch the river flow by.

Have stopped off here a few times for coffee whilst out on my motorcycle... Saturday 11th Nov, had a bacon and sausage bap with a coffee and it was delicious fresh warm and a lightly toasted bap... Excellent place, probably be next year before I try the full English... Staff are polite and friendly, great to watch rafting when it's on...

Fantastic place to break the trip to and from sites in the motor home fantastic staff service and we always get a warm welcome around 3 car parks on site the place has both inside and outside seating next to the river.

I always visit this cafe en route to North Wales as often as I can, I can honestly say it’s the best breakfast in Wales! Beautiful riverside location, excellent food and the staff are lovely. Definitely worth a visit or 10!!

Have been visiting this cafe for a few years and the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff never fails to impress me. My husband has even said it’s the best breakfast he has eaten. People looking for great food need to visit. After biking all around wales still place this as the best.

Amazing cafe. Manon is brilliant. She looks after you so well and always gives my dog attest. The food is fantastic and freshly cooked. Can’t recommend this cafe highly enough. Manon has great staff and is soo helpful and always has time for a chat. My husband and I go regularly when at our family. Today I took nine members of my family and they loved it. Fantastic food in beautiful surroundings. I have taken friends and they love it too and so get yourself there!!

Excellent stop on the Bala road. Excellent breakfast, fresh produce in a beautiful location. Sit by a fast flowing stream whilst drinking your mug of coffee and eating your bacon and eggs 😉💕

Made our day when we stumbled across this lovely cafe, with super friendly and helpful staff, watching the whitewater sports was an absolute treat too. I would recommend a visit if you're in the area.

Great quality food, friendly staff and amazing location. Beautiful scenery of streams and little waterfalls.

great place to break the trip in the motor home loads better then the rhug est thats a total waste of time and money the reviews show just time .

Manon and her staff serve very good quality food. The atmosphere at the clean and well presented cafe is welcoming. There is also seating outside. The cafe is not just for users of the White Water Centre. It is a great base for walking the Tryweryn Trail or just watching the paddlers and rafts pass by [sadly, there was no water when we called in earlier this week]. There is plenty of free parking [which is hard to find in nearby Bala].

Lovely place for a drink or a nice breakfast. When we visited the two ladies in the cafe were really welcoming and cheery. Made a big fuss of our dog and our two year old boy. Nice walk around the riverside trail, then back for a breakfast bap. Again the ladies in the cafe were really friendly and even got my little one some squash for free. Thanks ladies you made the visit extra special.

Lovely location. We had a really good breakfast here with plenty on the plate. We both felt it was high quality and really good value. The staff are lovely. We highly recommend that you stop here.

The location by the river is stunning throughout the year. The cafe is very dog friendly and there's a lovely walking loop. The reason we keep coming here is the best veggie breakfast in the Bala area

Stopped off here for the second time in a year. What a great place to recharge your batteries on a journey home from your holiday. Stunning scenery whatever the weather. I am into kayaking so perfect for me. We had some lovely food, my partner had a full english/welsh, lol breakfast and I had a bacon and black pudding bap and we both had a latte each. Food was lovely and the coffee was excellent. The staff we so friendly and we had a right laugh with them. I would certainly recommend paying this place a visit and we will certainly be going back again when passing.

The place was very busy with locals, work men and tourists. The wife had a sausage and egg roll, which were all soured locally. I had homemade mushroom soup which was full of flavour. Both very reasonably priced.

Fantastic location and great service and outstanding food for the price you pay we always stop at the cafe now to and from the area in the Motorhome lots of parking on site we think it’s got 3 or more areas to park up in the cafe is far better value for you money then the place on the A5 around 10 miles away

Stopped off for coffee and cake. Bakewell Cake was delicious and the cappuccino was great too. Sat outside by the river watching the canoes on the rapids. Dog friendly (sell Scoops Dog ice cream). A couple of walking trails along the river if you need...

This cafe is located in the National White Water Centre. There is plenty of free parking just a few steps away. We had seen the good reviews and decided to try it for breakfast the next time we were in the area. The food is...

We were four motorcyclists. We had a great time watching the canoeists and rafters on the river while enjoying hot beverages and some snacks. Plenty of parking within yards and it I was passing, I would always stop.

A delightful cafe in a unique setting. Great menu at reasonable prices with friendly attentive staff. We so enjoyed our delicious lunch and excellent coffee sitting beside the rushing river. A lovely friendly cafe that made us and our German Shepherd very welcome. Highly recommended.

Fantastic place staff and food it’s now my new number one stop in the motor home to and from home great brews and food good service great parking on the car parks on site we would recommend the site and location

Perfect paddling food, both pre- and post-paddle. Absolutely can't fault it! Great choice, good value, lovely cakes!

The food is good and is served with exceptional care and presentation. Probably the nicest BLT I've had.

Dropped in after a recommendation from the camp site I’m staying at (Pants Yr Onnen). The breakfast did not disappoint and the service was very warm and friendly. There is a lovely terrace overlooking the river. Eating food and having a nice hot coffee whilst...

We had a super lunch here and watched the rafters go by! Lovely food and a lovely spot on the riverside.

While we were not young enough to enjoy the water sports here at the National Whitewater Centre, we loved our time there today. Only about 4 miles from our base in Bala, it has free parking and picnic benches and tables right by the wild...

Delicious wood-fired pizzas next to the river. Two very happy customers - gluten free & vegetarian! Great ice cream too, the orange sorbet was perfect on such a hot day!

We regularly go to Manon’s after our walk along the water. Manon is a lovely lady and so welcoming. Love her to bits! She makes you feel so welcome and it is like seeing your best friend. Her staff are brill like Manon. You are...

What a place... Sat by the river in the sun... Fantastic tasty breakfast... Meat veggie gluten free no problem... Service with a ☺... Superb coffee... If anyone can find a better cafe in Snowdonia I want to know about it!

Good value, lovely staff, great food to fill you up.. and riverside dining. Good choices for vegetarians.

Quick stop for a big breakfast. Although it was all very good I have to say the sausage was excellent and supplied by a local butcher from Bala. I may go in search... I will return!

Been all over wales with my husband on motorcycles, so stop off randomly for food, and have to say this is our favourite place for breakfast. And staff are friendly

This cafe is well run and has very helpful staff,the staff ensure all the covid regulations are adhered too,the toilets are clean and it is good fun to watch the kayakers etc coming down the river.

Real oasis as limited number of places open in Bala area. Friendly and efficient service, lovely homemade cheese ploughman’s salad and great riverside location. Even got passing kayaks and a white water rafting group to watch as we waited for food. Highly recommend for roadside stop-off.

Fantastic breakfast by the river with my partner. Lovely produce in ‘All Day Breakfast’. Nice end to North Wales trip.

Staggeringly rude owner, had a coffee whilst catching up on emails, went up to order another drink when I was hit with a barrage of abuse about being there a long time and only ordering a coffee, I checked and at that stage it was 32 minutes which I said only to be called a liar (I really can tell the time ) ordered another drink anyway (as I had always intended to), then obviously decided to leave. I've visited this centre many times as my son has raced there over the years, this is the last time I'll spend a second in there. My visit was 37 minutes in total, I don't think that's an unreasonable time for two drinks. The cafe wasn't full and I was minding my own business in the corner.

What a fantastic spot these guys have, watching the guys going down the rapids is incredible - if only the food was as good.Sadly the food was only average, but that’s not to say it’s bad! My wife and I had the chilli, I opted for half and half (rice and chips). Chips were very average and the rice was microwaved. Would definitely go again and I do recommend, just don’t expect anything amazing.Poor gluten free choices

We walked here from the nearby Tyn Cornel campsite for breakfast twice. Lovely breakfast with both veggie and meat options.

We stopped here for breakfast after reading the reviews on here, and before our walk on the trail. The breakfast was delicious and cooked to perfection, and dog friendly too! As mentioned, it’s a great spot to watch the white water rafting! Will definitely visit again when we are next in Bala.

Interesting place to visit to see white water canoeing. Plenty of free parking. The cafe itself is very reasonably priced & well situated

A lovely cafe and walk - slightly off the beaten track, but beautiful location. The cafe serves ice creams, chilled drinks, hot and cold food and amazing CAKES! The WiFi worked well too.

We visited while we were waiting for our rafting session to begin, amazing breakfast, great value for money, lovely friendly staff and everything was clean and tidy, we will be back to sample the amazing looking cakes.

Visited the Manons cafe for breakfast today. What a find. Glorious position, lovely cafe two of the nicest ladies working there. Best cup of coffee had for a while, lovely cooked breakfast with excellent quality food, at very reasonable price. Very good menu, good choice of meals.

Perfect traditional cafe, great food, good price , great location and very friendly. The owner couldn’t be nicer and any food you want is available if she has it in stock. Great, clean toilet facilities.

Saw the cafe overlooks the white water rafting river. Very easy to find. We had a lovely walk along the riverside and enjoyed a tasty lunch watching the action. Would be brilliant for families with young children.

We’d just driven through the beautiful mountainsides when we saw a sign saying there was a cafe up ahead. So we decided to stop off.

Don't often stop in Bala - always seem to be on our way to somewhere else. This cafe and it's setting is excellent. Great food, pleasant staff, we will be back! Thank You.

We just saw a chalkboard by side of road. It was time for breakfast so the 3 of us made a decision and ate breakfast here. The food was excellent and very reasonably priced. This is a great place to fuel up.

This was recommended by the owners of the accommodation we were staying at. Despite not being in the position to take part in the white water rafting or canoeing it was a perfect place to watch others taking part, have a lovely home cooked lunch,a gentle walk along the river, through the woods and back in time for coffee and cake before the cafe closed. Highly recommend this and next time we visit the area we will take part on the water.

After white water rafting, this is just the place to replenish your energy. The food is good and there is lots to choose from. My wife is Gluten Free and her diet did not cause any problems. Set on the banks of the river, you can watch other raftersd go by as you eat your food.

Staying in the Bala area we saw this place a couple of times as we passed it, today we decided to go for late lunch. Food was spot on made with fresh ingredients along with good size portions. Very accommodating with dietary requirements, overall very impressed and hopefully will pop in again before we leave. Thank you.

We came here for breakfast on our way home from a weekend in Bala . We was made to feel really welcome. Couldn’t fault anything breakfast was cooked to perfection with plenty of coffee & toast

Myself and partner stayed in the local area for a week to celebrate my birthday. We visited the little cafe 5 times! We loved popping in to see the owner. She is a lovely lady who made us feel very welcome! Fab coffee, fab location, fab experience. We plan on coming back in the summer to try the white water rafting! Can't wait!! Thank you x

what an experience! the smile with which we were welcomed, even just 3 minutes before closing time. Manon is the most customer friendly cafe owner we've met ever! of course it helps that the food was excellent as well, made to order... highly recommended, we'll be back....

Visited here for breakfast as TripAdvisor showed it as open. Walked in to Cafe only to be told it wasn't open. I hate it when businesses can't be bothered to update simple details.

drove here for a walk around the white water centre. as we were staying near by. weather was poor rain, but we didnt let it put us off. walked through a wooded area and went for a coffee and sausage roll in the cafe. lovely and welcoming you can sit inside or outside which is under cover great little cafe.

Went there today with my biking group. Very warm welcome, lovely food and great coffee. Best of all - the multi-purpose manager/chef/waitress was utterly lovely: jovial and humorous, in spite of being run off her feet doing everything on her own. She does a great veggie-breakfast, in spite of trying to hide it (not on menu......why?). Looking forward to our next visit.

Gorgeous cafe by rapids. Lovely staff, great food ! Would recommend this place, hot choc fab and situated in white water Centre.

Great place to spend an hour or two by the river nice food & the pizza truck is a bonus well worth the little drive from Bala

We decided to have cake and coffee before our experience, we had eaten lunch in town. The lunches looked really nice but can only comment on the cake which was great! Gluten free cake too, much appreciated. Friendly staff, would recommend.

Heading for Llangollen for lunch but due to one of our family really needing the toilet we stopped here. So glad we did. We had a lovely lunch chosen from a simple but varied menu. Staff were friendly and helpful, food was great and all at a really good price. Next time we're this way we will seek Caffi Manons out on purpose.

Decided to pay a visit to Manon's Cafe having been there a few times before and enjoyed the food and the setting. Two steak sandwiches and two panininis later all whilst listening to the cascade of the river left us all satisfied and relaxed. Had a lovely chat with Manon and can't wait to go back to try some Pizza one evening.

This is a great find. The place is fantastic, the food is fabulous and there is plenty of it and the staff are amazingly polite and helpful

This cafe is in the National Whitewater center and has perfect views of all the action on the river. The food is great and really good prices. Ate there 4 times in the week and enjoyed it all. The staff were all nice and helpful. Really good value.

Manons is a great place to go for breakfast and/or lunch and being located in the white water centre makes it a perfect spot also! A good selection of food on offer together with delicious hot sausage rolls and homemade cakes too. We visit the centre quite regularly and I always look forward to having my lunch here...... a nice bacon butty (stuffed with bacon, no miserly 1 slice here!) or toasted cheese and tomato sandwich, yum :-)

Fantastic setting to have a cuppa at the end of the river walk. Breakfast baps were great value for money and delicious. Fun to watch the white water rafters going past.

Manons Cafe is attached to the Whitewater Centre. It's clean and welcoming, offering food for hungry paddlers. Opening at 8am it's ideal for an early start on the water and there is a lovely outside seating area where you can watch the paddlers finish the Upper Tryweryn and play in the wave. Food is good value and wholesome - exactly what you need after being drenched coming down the rapids. Dog friendly.

Judging by the reviews of other cafes in the area this is probably the best - not sure why more people don't review? Maybe an indication of the smaller number of visitors to the cafe as it is a little out of the way from the nearest town (Bala). Having said that, the staff maybe need to be encouraged to engage with customers so that they feel that they want to review.... sorry for starting with some negatives but hopefully feedback is welcome.

We walked up to the cafe from Tyn Cornal camping site. The previous reviews were not wrong the lady that served us and the chef were both really friendly and talkative. Made us feel very at ease and welcome. Food was really nice too. Added bonus is the view of the people doing watersports on the white water rapids next to the cafe. Will def visit again if in the area. X

My wife and I after walking round Lake Bala. Took a drive out manons after reading reviews. Wasn't disappointed. By far the nicest food we have had during our stay in bala. Staff very friendly. Even if u are not into water sports this is a must place to visit

Called in for a sandwich and brew on the way to the coast. Delightful cafe, gorgeous setting sat by the river and at the risk of hyperbole, I can't remember ever having a nicer bacon roll!

We came across Manon’s by chance, and what an amazing discovery. Personal, great food, reasonable prices, and brilliant service. Could not be faulted.

Just spent a weekend at the white water centre.

I tour North Wales regularly and always stop off here for a break. Manon's cafe is always welcoming and has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Best of all, they serve propper food!

Me & my partner stopped here a few times whilst camping at Tyn Cornell Campside and this place was our little coffee spot!

Super visit with wonderful coffee and cake, other people eating meals which looked lovely. Before or after or both you can enjoy a lovely walk along the river Tryweryn and see what the white water canoeists and rafters have to endure.

Visited Manons cafe with a group of walkers (around 36) and received a warm welcome, along with a good cup of coffee and homemade shortbread biscuits. We were served quickly and efficiently with top ups offered for the tea and coffee. The cafe is situated at the National White water Centre and has lovely views of the river and a pleasant outdoor area. Thanks again to the ladies for looking after us so well.

Another member of Flintshire Explorers who enjoys going back time & again. The biscuits are to die for. Manon is a wonderful host & I look forward to coming back again. My try & drag my husband along next time!

Our coach group (Flintshire Explorers) has been to this gem of a café on several previous occasions. Yes the coffee is good, the homemade biscuits superb, the location by the river wonderful, BUT it is the welcome we are always given by Manon and her staff which draws us back again and again. If you haven't popped in for a coffee or perhaps a breakfast please do so whenever you are in the area - you won't be disappointed. If the water is flowing and you get the chance to watch the rafts and canoes then that is a bonus - why not try yourself. Superb facilities and great views. Manon has helped out with a meal for our party in the past and also arranged a birthday cake surprise for one of our regular passengers so if you are planning a celebration for adults or children alike please do enquire. Our group will certainly be back. Thanks again

Visited cafe after white water rafting - a lovely surprise. Not what you’d expect from a cafe tagged on to a sports facility - delicious freshly cooked food for a reasonable price, with a lovely smile! The cafe was very busy when we arrived (catering for a visiting rugby team) but our food was served quickly. Everyone in the group ordered different items and none were disappointed. The chilli and chips comes highly recommended!

Great food although a little pricey (hence 4 stars) but it’s a lovely little cafe and always ready to serve at whatever time. We’ll be back 👍