River Life Cafe and Bistro in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

Came here with our niece who lives in Bude & the service & food were excellent.. Reasonable prices & the food was definitely worth the visit. What a gem of a place , will definitely be coming here again. Mr & Mrs Millington..

Lovely honest little cafe where nothing is too much trouble for the friendly staff. If you have a request they will do their best to meet it. As the lovely man who took the order said "we want our customers to enjoy their food" Very reasonably priced, and spotlessly clean. Highstandards all round. Well worth. visit if you fancy a breakfast, cake or a light lunch (sandwich, jacket potato etc) and a great place to divert to on a walk along the canal and over the marshes

We have visited this cafe a few times. On this visit we noticed that the outside space had been extended and the interior had been moved around to create a few more tables. This cafe is always busy and has a good menu, catering for most tastes. The atmosphere is relaxed and the cleanliness cannot be faulted. It is very dog friendly and its location on the canal path makes this ideal for dog walkers. My only negative remark regarding this venue would be the lack of an alcohol licence.

The best breakfast/lunch spot in Bude for sure. Amazing friendly and accommodating staff where nothing is too much trouble. The food is amazing, been here multiple times and it never disappoints. If you plan on going arrive earlier rather than later as it’s so popular is fills up super quick. Will forever be my favourite place in Bude to go and eat.

Lovely cafe, dog friendly and the nicest cakes and hot chocolate. Reasonable priced and lovely atmosphere. Would recommend a visit

Lovely cheerful cafe in great location near walks yet still close to town. Booking was easy for small group. Nice food/drinks and very pleasant staff.

Lovely cafe where nothing is too much trouble for the friendly staff. If you have a request they will do their best to meet it. As the lovely man who served me said "we want our customers to enjoy their food" Very reasonably priced, and spotlessly clean. Highstandards all round. Well worth. visit and a great place to divert to on a walk along the canal and over the marshes

very clean, friendly and great food .outside dining area.near the bude canal..nothing was to much trouble for the guy who was serving.looking forward to taking my sister there

This cafe is a hidden gem and tends to be frequently attended by locals all year round. A comprehensive house menu and daily specials board delivering quality breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas at affordable prices. A family run business with a warm welcome every time. Highly recommended.

So friendly and welcoming. It’s our tradition when we visit Bude every Summer for our first breakfast and we weren’t disappointed

I had an absolutely the best jacket potato with cheese,coleslaw and side salad..wow it definitely was the best i have ever had and i have had plenty..the flat white was spot on and family had jacket with different topping..i am hoping to go this week before my grandaughter goes back home..excellent

Back here for lunch after a walk along the canal. Nice sandwiches with plenty of filling, good value too. Good friendly service.

Great little place. We are quite picky with food quality and service and I can honestly say the food was lovely and the staff really go the extra mile to make your visit great. Dog friendly and just a lovely place to eat. Don't pass this place by.

Excellent service as usual. Had today special homemade quiche. 😋 out of this world. Hisband had the the riverlife special. Very popular recommended booking if a large party.

Plenty of food options from snacks to full meals. Inside and outside eating. Our sandwiches were really nice, chunky tasty bread and plenty of filling. Excellent cappuccino coffee. Some parking but also not far from the town, shirt walk along the river/ canal. We ate there and then walked to town and back. Support your independent and individual cafes! Friendly staff, good service.

Amazing little cafe with really lovely staff who were so helpful. The coffee and tea was lovely. Didn’t try the food but I bet it’s good.

Lovely bright cafe lifted our spirits to go there during Storm Noa.Nice views over the canal.Although we only had a drink the cakes looked yummy as did the food going out Very pleasant staff

Went for my husband's birthday, with our family. Had a wonderful meal as usual. Followed by warm chocolate fudge cake, lemon & raspberry and carrot cake. Friendly staff lovely staff.

After a long walk along the towpath of the Bude canal we stopped off here for lunch. The place was nearly full, mostly local people which was a good sign. We ordered tea and sandwiches (prawn and mayo and chicken and bacon with sweet chilli...

Very welcoming cafe. We had breakfast here on two mornings last week and the food and service were excellent both times. I would recommend the bacon and egg breakfast bap - delicious. Ideal spot for stopping off on a circular walk on the canal and...

Stopped by for a bit breakfast. Great sausage and egg baps and lovely coffee, with a friendly efficient service. A great find.

We decided to take a walk along the Bude Canal, when, unfortunately it began to rain. Thanks to some local info we came upon this Cafe tucked away on the Wetlands. We were given a very warm welcome and ordered two of the best hot...

This is a real hidden gem and dog friendly too!. Amazing breakfasts, really decent pot of tea also great coffee at great prices. The staff are lovely, made us feel very welcome. The cafe is very clean and well presented, with lovely bright decor. I...

Great breakfast for 5 of us all with specific requests. Perfectly cooked, hot and the service was lovely. Making sure we go back before the end of our holiday!

Our second visit to this lovely cafe, where there is a great selection to choose from, outside and inside dog friendly, staff are very pleasant and helpful, prices are very competitive and the place is spotless, ideally placed along the canal walk. Had a lovely...

We called in at River Life cafe after a walk along Bude Canal returning via the Cycle Way where the cafe is situated . We had coffee and raspberry cake and both were delicious and at a very good price . Super friendly staff .

Called in about 12 noon and we were lucky that there was a table just coming free. 90% of tables were all reserved by those who are obviously in the know. Friendly, prompt service. Ordered from the specials menu and were were treated to a...

Lovely friendly staff. Good choice of food, even for veggies. They will adapt meals for you without any fuss. Been back numerous times. Parking right outside.

This is a lovely cafe in arguably the best location in Bude. The food, cakes and coffee are beautiful and the staff were really kind, friendly and helpful. I knocked over a full coffee as I had my hands full and somebody bought over a...

Wow! Well worth a visit. Book ahead as it will be busy. Lovely friendly staff, Great food,Top coffee. Lush Cakes too

Found this GEM while walking the canal route its a very popular meeting place for locals on Sunday it was very busy and with new staff everyone was very patience all served with no problem all staff very polite will visit again before our holiday...

We were visiting Bude for the day and I was looking for a cafe that had some gluten free lunch options. The Riverlife cafe had loads to choose from - jackets, sarnies, toasties, and salads all gluten free. I went for a cheese and tomato...

Stopped in here on our walk 2 kids and a dog, sat outside - lovely sheltered spot in the sunshine. Lots of options to choose from on the menu. Loved our sandwiches no skimping on the fillings either , all staff we encountered were super...

Friendly and warm welcome. Super clean. Great service and we had some excellent scones and pastries. Recommended.

Lovely menu with a ‘off the beaten track’ feel. Bude can be insane this time of year and the little walk to this lush cafe is well worth it. Great menu co side ring the size of the place. Salads need a rethink as very...

Found this amazing cafe. We were a party of 3 adults & 3 children all drinks arrived at same time. All food arrived at same time hot and delicious. Will definitely be returning.

Went for breakfast this morning before leaving the area. We both had a cooked breakfast and it was superb, well cooked/presented with good quality ingredients. The staff were friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend this cafe without hesitation.

Great cooked breakfast for my partner. Fab gluten free breakfast for me. Really friendly staff and dog friendly. Lovely setting too. Would definitely recommend!

Wanted to find a quiet cafe away from the town. Weather was nice so sat outside. Got our menus, went inside to order food then they brought it out to us. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Gluten free friendly. I had a yummy bacon, brie...

Visited here this morning after walking the canal ….Friendly welcome from the guy at the counter , Lovely coffee, made exactly as requested…. Wasn’t planning on eating but I saw a Mexican breakfast burrito on the menu and couldn’t resist. My wife had the avocado...

We turned up just as they were about to close the kitchen, no problem, kindly took our order and delivered tasty food within a short time.

I came here to get a simple sandwich but was served a meal worthy of royalty, such friendly staff, super fast service and just a wonderful place to be, had the best coleslaw of my life here, Definitely worth a visit

Visited the cafe for a drink during our bike ride down the canal, the drinks took a very long time to arrive and when they did they were the wrong drinks and were not very nice. Would not come back again, disappointing..

Definitely recommend River Life Cafe. Good food, good beverages, friendly staff, lovely and relaxing experience. We left our contact name and phone number, just incase! And paid by contactless. Simple. Take note Life's A Beach!!

Lovely person young girl who served me best smile in Cornwall, dull day made better by a good service,

We had my Mum staying with us for a week so parked up and walked her along the canal. On the way back we decided to call in here for lunch. Friendly staff, very clean and well organised with sanitizer and track and trace. Lovely...

This cafe deserves much praise, it’s clean the staff are very efficient and friendly the food it excellently presented and the potions very generous and prices very reasonable highly recommended.

The "Flying Start" breakfast is excellent, as good as it gets. Try and see...Friendly, clean restaurant in a great spot for parking and walking.

Came to bude to have some work done on a van at Fairlight cages from southwest Cornwall. Found this lovely cafe on a horrendous rainy day. It's great. Great food and coffee, everyone friendly and so polite. Highly recommend here. Thank you x

Very friendly staff and the BEST carrrot cake I've had for ages!! Brightened our day, despite the weather 😊

What a great place. Friendly people, clean and serve great food. We both fancied the fish pie and weren't disappointed. There was a steady flow of customers and it is not surprising. It's located on the edge of the town centre, but it is well worth the stroll.

Small but friendly. The food is fantastic, and reasonably priced. A great selection and very tasty. We will certainly be going back.

This was a great find. The place was busy but service was good and friendly. The food takes a while but is well worth the wait. Will definitely be going again and again.

Ordered 2 breakfasts and a panini . All were delicious and at great prices. Fantastic service and prompt. Will be back again!

Lovely place to come on a regulars basis on our day off from our local business. Food lovely. Great variety on the specials board and very reasonable priced. Owners always welcoming and staff lovely. That's why we keep coming here.

walked past this cafe almost every day while on hols in this area going into bude, thought we would give it a try near the end of our hols break, we were so glad we did, quite a big choice on the menu and specials board, there was a short wait for our order to arrive, as they were very busy,but the meals were worth waiting for, served hot, and a good size, this cafe gets a lot of locals using it which is always a good sign,the staff were all friendly, this place has a nice feel to it, if you are in the area give it a try, probably one of the best cafes in bude, by the rugby club

We visited riverlife this morning The service was excellent and our greeting was warm and friendly. Our breakfast was out in no time and what a great breakfast it was . Halfway through the waitress asked was everything ok ,which it was and the price was very competitive. Thankyou to the team at Riverlife we will be back

I visit this cafe at least once or twice a month and food is always excellent.Went into there this morning (Saturday 15th)for lunch and became the invisible couple.Waitress failed to take our order and stone walled us and served subsequent customers and even ignored us when we asked if she could take our order.After another 15 minutes waiting we exited and enjoyed a very tasty meal at the Olive Tree.This waitress needs to go on a customer focus course but to be fair she was unknown to us and it is not the normal high standard service we enjoy mid week.

Nice lunch spot, friendly atmosphere and fast service. The food was delicious. Very satisfied - Thank You!!

Always good food and friendly service. It is tucked away just outside the main area in Bude, but is worth finding.

Very friendly staff and great food! Children enjoyed their lunch and ice cream cones for pudding! We’ll be back!

We visited as a family of five for breakfast. It was fantastic, the staff were friendly. The food was lovely with plenty to choose from. We all had the full breakfast which is a must as it was so good. We will be visiting again for sure

Excellent food and very friendly welcoming staff. I feel comfortable, even when I dine alone. Popular, so book if you want to be sure.

Riverlife café has become a second home, always a friendly welcome and tasty food. We now greet other diners like old friends, a very pleasant and discerning clientele - of a certain age - the jubillados!

Wonderful home cooked food in a clean comfortable cafe. Service by owners is cheerful and quick. Highly recommended for good simple food.

I asked if I could take my fold up Brompton bike into the cafe, it folds to the size of a cabin luggage suitcase. I explained that I was worried about it being stolen.

Popped in yesterday for a couple of coffees and a date slice Gorgeous coffee lovely date slice amazing value and lovely staff Thanks!

Top place for breakfast or lunch, very friendly and top service. Call most weeks with work colleagues.

Loved visiting here! We had the English breakfast which was delicious, especially the sausages! The lady running the Cafe (owner or manager I assume) was very welcoming. Previous reviews say that dogs are only allowed outside, this isn't true! We ate inside with our two dogs and they were even given a treat! Coffee here is excellent also. We will be coming back!

Massively improved. Great service and lovely food.. well prepared and presented. Good sized portions and we'll seasoned to taste. Highly recommended. Seems they have someone new in the kitchen now.

2 grannies, Mum and Dad and a 5 year old for lunch.

Visited for the first time after discovering the cafe on a bike ride recently. A little bit tucked away and out of town but well worth a visit as the food was great, reasonably priced and very friendly staff.

Visited River life for the first time last week, I’ve often driven past the sign,

Called into the river side cafe after a day on the beach and was greeted by really friendly staff. My husband had the daily special, haddock and mozerella fish cakes which he said was delicious, I had the chilli nachos which was huge with lovely homemade chilli, really tasty and our little boy had fish fingers and chips but also tried both of ours lunches and loved those too. Really nice staff that are so warm and friendly and the food is really tasty and great sized portions. Will be back to try one of their delicious looking homemade scones.

10/10 - this place is great, excellent friendly service & top quality ingredients make the cooked breakfast one of my top 10 of the year.... it’s really that good

Found this little gem on our walks along the canal at Bude. We found a path off the canal and noticed t his bistro in the afternoon. Sat outside and this friendly man brought our drinks out, asked us where we were from and then told us something about himself. We felt like old friends so we visited again and met a few locals who use this café and we thought it was the best café in Bude. \Maybe hard to find from the main road but always locals in the café so thait is a good sign

Met here to catch up with done friends over from NZ we hadn't seen for a couple of years who had also had a baby in that time!

We were made to feel very welcome even though we had just dropped in for a cuppa before the café closed. The owners and staff were very friendly and didn't seem to mind that we were only buying drinks. Our two jack russels were welcomed and given a bag of treats. We are hoping to visit before returning home to sample the homemade food.

We have just returned from a holiday in Bude and we visited this cafe every day apart from Sunday and Monday (they are closed). It's a lovely place to eat and very generous amounts which I struggled to get through, although my Husband didn't! The food was extremely well cooked and presented and very good service.

great quallity food and friendly service,butchers sausages and bacon very well cooked not swimming in fat .Very well priced .

Selected this cafe for breakfast from trip adviser as we were staying in nearby Premier Inn. A lovely sunny Friday morning. The owners were welcoming and gave us lots of ideas of what to see and do in the area. We ordered a breakfast bap for my husband (this kept him going all day !) a toasted teacake for myself and a tea and coffee. All unhurried, well cooked and good quality food. Would highly recommend and will visit again when in the area for sure.

Popping in here more and more often. I just keep finding an excuse. Whether it is to grab a bacon sandwich before work or at the other end of the day, to relax with tea and cake. No pretensions here just great service and proper food in big portions.

Popped in here for a quick egg & bacon sandwich. Delicious, perfectly cooked egg & bacon as we like it. Menu options look good, great location and we will certainly be stopping here again. The staff serving were all very friendly and made us feel welcome. If I had one small niggle it would be that there is either no air con or it was not working because there was a distinct smell of fried food. Due to it being freezing I can appreciate that there were no open windows....maybe the kitchen has a door that could be closed??? However it was not so bad (like some places we've been) in that I would not return and we look forward to our next visit.

Located on the edge of Bude marshes and the river Neet this small Bistro offers excellent breakfasts, pastries and cakes and a couple of special lunches each day and excellent cream teas. Having approx 8 tables inside and a similar number on a decked patio outside, it is a charming relaxed environment. Cooked food is prepared to order so always fresh with the slight downside being a wait during busy times. Prices are at the top side of average but service is excellent with polite staff.

Had heard good reports of this cafe but hadn't been before on our trips to Bude. First impressions are how smart and modern the cafe is with friendly helpful staff. We had the veggie breakfast which was excellent. Shame that the sign on the main road is covered with branches so that more people could be aware that it is there.

Six of us had breakfast, and most had the Early Start. This was the smaller version of the cooked breakfast, but there was more than enough - very good value. One of us had one of the Lighter options, and this too was really plentiful. The tea and coffee were very good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. One minor thing, which could just be my taste, the bacon could have done with being cooked for a shorter time (it was very tasty though). All in all, we enjoyed our breakfast very much.

Called in while walking back along the canal. Great place to stop. Cakes are good infact all the food is good.

4 of us had breakfast on Sunday 6th August. Wow best breakfast ever. Very well cooked and presented, by friendly owner. The cafe looks very inviting, and very well decorated. Will defiantly return on our next visit to Bude

Great choice of food on the menu, after having a full breakfast last time (yummy and scrummy) we opted for a bacon sandwich and a coffee this time. Excellent quality food cooked to perfection and served by cheerful and friendly staff. Could not fault either food or service which is why we return here often.

Vivimos localmente y regularmente pasa el río vida Café. Había sido antes, pero creo que los nuevos propietarios de nuevo.

No sé si los propietarios han tenido un decir en este listado tripadvisor, pero es un poco engañoso decir que hay opciones sin gluten.

Que era demasiado tarde para ir a la cafetería en sí, pero tienen una ventana para llevar donde pudimos comprar té, café y pasteles. El brownie estaba muy sabroso!

Visitamos aquí un jueves con una familia de 4:00 a comer una comida a la hora del té, sólo para encontrar una nota en la puerta que decía cierra a las 4:00 pm cada noche.

The bude canal is a lovely flat walk for families and those with difficultly walking. During the spring time there are often lots of wildlife to spot and feed if you have little ones. This is a lovely cafe offering barista style coffees, a selection of homemade cakes and a generous menu. The staff are lovely and the atmosphere is relaxed. Would recommend as a stop for tired legs or a treat to help on the way.

We have been once for a delicious Sunday lunch and another for a weekday lunch. Both times all staff and the owner have been very friendly, humourous and helpful. We really enjoyed it and will make it a regular stop.

Found by accident,my word what a find a welcoming smile.As for the food fantastic,breakfast bap,fry up scrambled egg on toast with bacon LUSH ! Great coffee and a good selection of tea's.Clean and tidy,car park too and reasonable prices try try try !!!!!!

Nice selection of hot and cold drinks, Ice-creams & good selection of cake. Nice to sit outside & dog friendly

Fantastic breakfast. Reasonable price. Great coffee with home made cakes. Really friendly staff. Well worth. Visit when in Bude

Visited late in the day on a Sunday, about an hour before closing time. Staff were very friendly and the service was great. Was a last minute decision after doing some shopping and what a pleasant surprise. Food was excellent and two of our group would highly recommend the fish pie.

Only had a cappuccino but cakes and food looked excellent and were reasonably priced.Right by the canal good for walks and tables outside for when the weather is fine.