Pannier Galley Cafe in Torridge

I popped in to the Secret Garden Cafe hoping to have a light lunch with my daughter for a special treat - we had been given a £15 voucher to spend and had been really looking forward to our visit. However, it was not the lovely lunch we were hoping for… When we went in, there was a bit of a wait for a table. One of the waiting staff popped out into the garden to see if a table was free there. The older man in the kitchen spoke very rudely to him saying a rather aggressive manner, “you should know if there’s a table free if you could only do your job properly!” The poor guy (who was probably only late teens) looked really upset. While we were waiting for a table, I chatted to another staff member and showed her my gift voucher saying we were excited to finally be able to use it as we had been given it for Christmas. The man in the kitchen then demanded to have a look at it. He said that we couldn’t possibly use the voucher as he only provides laminated vouchers and ours was just on a piece of paper. He implied that we had printed it off ourselves! He then questioned me (in a very abrupt and abrasive manner) for about 5 minutes via the female staff member, wanting to know where I had got the voucher and kept repeating that he only ever gives out laminated ones. I wasn’t really sure what to say! He then asked the female staff member to write down a note about the voucher in their book and take my name and phone number! He said I couldn’t use the voucher until “it had been investigated.” I felt like a criminal! It was also very embarrassing and uncomfortable as everyone in the cafe was staring at my daughter and I! I was then given a menu and told that someone would be over to take our order. I said no thank you, and we walked hastily out. I won’t be back. My auntie (who gifted me the voucher) has been conned out of her £15 so if you are considering buying vouchers from here as a gift, I would say don’t bother, as you won’t be able to use them!

Really lovely place with excellent customer service. Yummy food - all 7 of us VERY happy with our different meals. Reasonably priced too. Happy to help and accommodate. We’ll be back next time we visit Bideford! Thank you.

Lovely beachside cafe, great place for a good breakfast. Other than breakfast it's the usual 'something and chips' unimaginative menu. Clean and tidy, toilets across the road, disabled friendly and dogs welcome. What seriously needs attention is the staff, very slow at clearing and more interested in each other than the customers. I asked for black coffee with separate cold milk, which needed much explaining, then got black coffee with separate HOT milk. I had paid up and left and my table had still not been cleared. It's an OK spot but with a bit of effort could be the talk of the town

Great food. Great service and very reasonable prices