Rivers Edge Cafe in Epping Forest

First time here since it changed hands. Didn't expect much following the reviews but I was pleasantly surprised. I had lamb chops with vegetables for Sunday lunch and it wa delicious. Couldn't fault the food or the staff who were really friendly and helpful. Will now resume visiting here on a regular basis.

Well I paid a visit to this excellent cafe by dobbs weir I found a jem of a place.Not only is it in a perfect setting but this cafe was spotlessly clean the food was fantastic and the menus are so good.Thanks to the people who run this place had a fantastic experience and will visit you many times.Isaid I would blog this place because I believe it is well deserved pay this place a visit people and enjoy.

Been going here for years. As our favourite cafe. Must have changed hands. Didn’t recognise any of the staff. Left half my meal Spanish omelette & chips. My husbands scampi rock hard and peas also hard. Chips not cooked properly. It’s a shame as toilets been renovated and it’s spotless inside.

Amazing food, excellent portion size, friendly atmosphere have been a few times and have been totally satisfied every time.

Visited the place twice on our trip to Canterbury and on our way homeWhat a delightful place with very friendly staff and very good quality ingredients we both had a sandwich going and on our return we both had a breakfastReally good food good for everyone

This has changed hands since before lockdown, it was a place we used to regularly have lunch in. It's really gone down hill! We should have guessed why few people choose to eat there now as the car park was nearly empty and there were lots of vacant tables. We ordered our food, how can a cafe run out of jacket potatoes at lunchtime? So after being told there were no Jack Pots left we opted for plain tuna salad; it stated on the menu that salads come with boiled potatoes. When they arrived they had no potatoes. I pointed it out to the waitress who said if you want potatoes with the salads you have to order them separately and, if you do ,they'll take time to cook. We didn't bother. We were later told they had run out of potatoes so it was just as well we didn't wait for the non-existent potatoes to arrive.The tuna on the salad was mixed with a whole heap of mayo, it was sat on a pile of iceberg lettuce, a few slices of tomato and a minuscule amount of sliced tinned olives, a few kernels of sweet corn and sliced peppers. That was it!Won't be retuning, it's a great pity as it's set in a nice location.

Just do not bother coming, food comes before your drinking. Plus the lady serving doesn’t understand English.

After a nice walk along the River Lea, popped in to the cafe. A great decision. We both opted for the quarter pounder with cheese and bacon. Tasty burger, a huge amount of bacon, cheese and fried onions in a really fresh bun with crispy fresh lettuce. Amazing.The staff were welcoming and friendly and the place was really cleanWill definitely visit again

Great little place with good food and service. I can highly recommend the cherry pie and custard. Be prepared for huge portions that are great value for money

This is a fantastic cafe with really great food at very reasonable prices. There are plenty of choices on the menu and service is super fast. The place is very clean and well maintained.

We had a wonderful meal as always. Wonderful staff. Good portions fair price. Would definitely recommend.

As we do not ride our bikes so much in winter our visits to the Palace have been few and far between. However, now we are back in the saddle so to speak I can report that The Palace is just as good now as it was before Christmas. The coffee is excellent as is the service. Absolutely top-notch all around.

We received a fantasticly warm welcome that matched the coffee and breakfast. Everything was served with a smile in good time. The eggs like the rest of the breakfast were hot, well cooked and tasted great.The tables were clean and tidy and the floor well swept. We were provided with a daily newspaper as well.This brilliant cafe just keeps on getting better.

10 out of ten for service and cooking skills , and such a very good menu and i love their sunday roast but wish they could add turkey or beef as the lamb lets it down a little as too much fat. had many different food there with a large amount of food every time. i have a drink at the pub across the road but eat here as so much better and great value for money. thanks , will be back soon.

Went here for breakfast, which was outstanding. Been here on a number of occasions now, for breakfast and lunch, wide variety of choice available, reasonably priced, great tasting food. Very polite and well mannered staff.

met a couple of friends here for lunch. very basic but the food and service are good. lots of variety on the menu and very large portions. it was busy but we didn't have to wait long for our order so a good place to go to in your lunch break. great. location if you are fishing or having a nice walk along the river lea.

The location is lovely, if a bit spoilt by the busy car park.Nice location overall but the food was poor quality. Cheap looking plastic packaged cakes. Nothing looked home made (which might be a good thing). The toasted sandwiches were half cold when we got them, and the fillings were pretty tasteless.All in all am extremely disappointing stop.Won't be going back.Shame because some years ago the small little café there was brilliant.

We have been to the Palace many times and we have never been disappointed. The service like the welcome is always exceptional. The coffee is top-notch, like their fare and the tables and floor are always clean and tidy.With all the effort they make, there is only one score, a big fat five.

Breakfasts are great, and jacket potatoes, homemade curry, chilli con carne, and kebabs, all so good and salad is the best ever! Roast dinners too, lots more on the menu, we eat here regularly and it is always excellent! The staff are great and prices very reasonable

Been to several cafes on this site over the years. At the moment this place is excellent. Great breakfast, friendly efficient staff and good value. What’s not to like.

The best cafe for mikes around. Huge portions, awesome friendly staff and fantastic food! Highly highly recommend.

A clean and popular cafe with friendly staff and exceptional service. The cafe is situated next to the river with a free car park available. The variety and quantity of food is amazing and the prices are good value for money. Highly recommended.

Stopped here when cycling along the Lea Navigation. I only had a bacon sarnie and a cup of coffee but both were good. The service was fast, even though the place was busy, (it seemed very popular) and the menu showed lots of meals all at very good prices.

Nice cafe which went a bit down hill at one point . This cafe has now been massively sorted out , great food and service . The manager (Surag) is absolutely fantastic and will always go the extra mile , So much more than a greasy spoon !

Every time we go to the Riverside Cafe we are never disappointed. The service is so warm and friendly and the coffee is definitely a cut above the rest.

We visited this place to give their breakfast a try. My other half had a set breakfast and I had an omelette with salad. Her breakfast was good and the food was hot. She asked for a soft runny egg but it came slightly soft but apart from that we were happy.

A brilliant menu of breakfasts, lunches and even Sunday roasts - we can’t recommend highly enough! The food is fresh and not swimming in grease, with a range of options for vegetarians too. The staff are friendly and very attentive 👍🏼

What a little gem have a lovely lunch very friendly highly recommend outside seating was dog friendly too

Absolutely love the sausage here, great service and food, never had a problem eating here, highly recommended

We were made to feel very welcome and after taking our order for two coffees we sat down and waited for them to bring them over. As always the coffee was delicious, full of flavour and hot.

Great value for money and huge portions. Lovely little cafe and a nice spot by the river. Would recommend.

Friendly service, great value tasty food and a lovely location. The menu offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch options to suit every taste.

Great breakfast, timely and beautifully clean. Large portion and good value for money, thank you ...

I needed some lunch and popped in, I had driven past on a number of occasions so didn't know what to expect.

I am a frequent visitor to The Palace Cafe and I am always very pleased with the coffee and service. As always the tables like the floor was spotlessly clean and tidy.

This place has really gone full circle. Started out great then had a bit of a blip ! Been back here many times recently and it’s really turned around . Always happy service , fresh food and even does nice salad (and I’m not a salad kinda person ) ! Keep it up guys your smashing it

As we arrived on our bikes the rain changed from a light drizzle to a real downpour.

Stumbled across this place after a dreadful experience in the pub opposite. The staff here were friendly, professional, lovely menu, reasonably priced. Free parking. We had lunch. We ordered a jacket potato and two sandwiches plus drinks. Whilst we waited for our order, which wasn't too long, everything we saw being delivered to other tables looked lovely. Service with a smile goes a long long way and they have got it right here. Only a tiny tiny critism would be that the sandwiches that were ordered could have been cut into dainty triangles rather than just cut in half and a bit of garnish on the plate would have been nice too. The jacket potato had a lovely garnish. Will definately go back.

My wife & i stopped off with our two grandchildren for a couple of coffees, a couple of canned drinks & either a cake or a chocolate bar for each of us & we still had change from £10 !

Came across this cafe when visiting the pub opposite. Decided to have a brunch here based on the good reviews and we weren't disappointed!

Massive portions, veggie options, excellent friendly staff. Brilliant breakfasts and dog friendly. A gem.

Four of us were camping at Dobbs Weir and popped in for a brekky, the food and service was very good, everything was correct and the food was hot and very clean.

Really good food, freshly prepared, tasty, big portions for good prices. Staff was friendly and helpful, highly recommend

Very friendly staff everytime, excellent value for money, well cooked and good quality food used. Portions are very large, sometimes too large.

We had an early start and was surprised to find the cafe very busy. The service was, as expected, warm polite and friendly.

Wow wow wow these guys get it right every single time me and my wife go there. Any time you want a place to go, and have a nice bit of food breakfast, lunch or dinner any day the food here is amazing and it's fresh and hot. Never ever had a problem and good service and value for money

Out on the bikes we only stopped for a coffee but the service was just the same as before, warm, polite and friendly. The coffee was top class, with a wonderful flavour that stayed with me whilst I pedalled along the towpath.

We stayed at the nearby Lee Valley Caravan Park for a weekend and visited this little cafe for breakfast.

We came across this little gem of a cafe and cannot recommend this cafe highly enough for their fantastic customer service amazing food which is such value for money even to their own handmade specialty cakes delicious! We will be returning for sure!

I stopped there today for lunch with 3 friends on a walk from lee valley. The food was very very good and the staff really friendly will definately go back for more . Especially the chicken kebab with rice and salad best I've tasted and prices cheap.

Staff lovey & friendly couldn’t do enough fo us. All had panini’s with chips. 6 meals & 4 cans of coke £32. Excellent value. Will be back

Good value for money - would far rather eat here than in the pub over the road, free parking, cheerful staff, good food

Top food a good cafe. Very large portions. Food quality too. The staff are extremely friendly and all had big smiles

Been here twice now for breakfast. Lovely hot fresh cooked food. Eggs cooked to perfection and nice crispy bacon, just the way I like it. Staff attentive and very friendly. Have to go back and try their lunch as it looks so tasty. Highly recommend this cafe

Coffee and a Panini tuna melt was ordered and was delivered in good time. The panini was hot and tasted very good as the cheese had melted completely. The tables were cleaned almost immediately the customers left. A most enjoyable break and excellent value.

Stopped here for coffee and a sandwich. Service great. Coffee nice and hot and the bacon sandwich was fresh and tasty. You can see the kitchen. The cafe menu is fairly extensive. Cafe very clean and reasonably busy for a Sunday afternoon. The roast dinner looked huge (£8.95!!).

After a lovely walk around Dobbs Weir we decided to stop for some lunch here. We were met by friendly smiles and a warm welcome.

We often ride our bikes from Dobb's Weir and the Riverside Cafe provides us with a very welcome start to...

Great food, nice prices and good service!! We stayed at nearby Dobbs Weir and popped in for breakfast/brunch, they have...

What a lovely cafe for breakfast. very clean, lovely staff and excellent breakfast. Also took away some canoli which were...

Brilliant, just brilliant, keep doing what your doing, and I'll return with others too, thank you so much for what...

Great setting and we have used several times in the past. This must have changed management or something because this...

Talk about fast, the omlette came within minutes and was so large my wife had to pass some to me!...

This was the first time that we’ve been here for around ten years & obviously since the change in ownership & wow what a contrast !

Rápidamente servido por un personal amable. El extenso menú de cafetería. Bueno, la comida recién hecha. Precios razonables. Cafe está en una buena ubicación para un paseo del río.

Fuimos para una visita hoy con la familia. Precioso lugar limpio, muy agradable y un servicio rápido. Todos tuvimos un desayuno caliente pero todas diferentes y no hubo quejas de todos nosotros 4. La comida estaba caliente todo bien preparado y no grasienta. Había un montón de cosas y nos costó claro nuestros platos. Volveremos! !

El café estaba muy lleno, pero aún así nos sirve con nuestro café rápidamente. Afuera, en el aire fresco fue una escapada de lo más agradable donde pudimos leer el periódico todos los días que me brindaron.

The cafe has a good menu, the staff were friendly and efficient, food was good value. Clean environment, dog friendly outdoors

A friend and I regularly walk to Dobbs Weir where we often stop at the Rivers Edge cafe. Breakfast here is very good along with good service from pleasant staff.

This is now called River Palace Cafe. A lovely little cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. A whole range of food is on offer including all day breakfasts and lunches. We were served very quickly and had our food within 5 mins. All fresh and tasting delicious. The staff member - possibly the owner or manager shook our hands on the way out which we thought was a nice gesture. Situated on the river this is s great spot for breakfast or lunch. Thoroughly recommend and will be returning soon!

We visited about a year ago and it was mediocre to say the least. I gather there has been a change in ownership.We visited again today. Food was super fresh and very reasonable. All freshly made in no time. Staff working together as a team.We will definitely by coming back very soon.Well done to all

Best breakfasts, jacket potatoes, omelettes and salads are all superb, everything is so fresh and tasty. Staff are fabulous and seating area outside is great, chairs really comfortable. Highly recommend this great cafe, excellent food and staff. Thank you so much for always making our visit such a pleasure. Selina X

This cafe has changed both in ownership and style.Now its brighter and probably a tad cleaner, especially in the lavatory department than the cafe of old. We only had poached eggs on toast, with coffee but it was perfectly adequate, not over priced, and the service and welcome was spot on.

Called in as working local had the early morning breakfast £5.30 bacon egg sausage beans toast and coffee all products off good quality and served quick and hot staff very effective place is spotless nice to be served by people who put the customer first will definitely be calling back

Really lovely good quality food, a little bit more expensive than your average cafe but you get what you pay for it's worth it! Staff always lovely and welcoming

food excellent, very clean everywhere, nice friendly staff once visited never forgotten carpark small patio for summer very close to the river lea and a pub enjoyable walks in the surrounding areas

Perfect for an omlette and chips if you've had a nice walk by the river. Polite, friendly service and you can sit outsideIf weather allows. Varied menu, proper cafe food, if that's what you fancy. My omlette was lovely, well cooked with a good salad. Children also well catered for here!

I'm in here most days for lunch as I live rite next door very clear all ways happy foods very good my family come up from Hemel once a week I take them in there never a problem all so my husband left his wallet in there I sent my friend to go and get it and he refused to give it him witch I fort was good in away as it could of been any one so thank you

Actually now called the River Palace provides a great selection of cooked breakfasts, lunches and hot and cold foods. Excellent coffee, very quick service and good value. Highly recommended.

Food is alright for price and you can can sit outside. Owner is a little rude and clearly can't multi task.

Situated on the New River Lea this cafe is excellent location. With nice views of the river and good choice in food ok no gluten free but easy to choose difference meals

Came across this by accident and we were hungry This is close to the river and is popular with walkers and cyclists - and it is easy to see why Good service and the food is reasonably priced

On a family camping holiday on the nearby campsite, 8 of us called in for breakfast last Sunday. The service was impressive, the cafe was spotless and the food was good ! Would certainly recommend this place!!

Superb breakfast - sparkly clean and very good breakfast - perfect start to our day by the river - can't understand where the earlier reviewer would have been ?

We both ordered the chicken kebab after asking the helpful waiter for his recommendations for the day. Portions are huge! I couldn't finish mine but it was full of flavour with rice,salad, new potatoes and pitta. They have the little touches like brown sugar and even allow my dog to sit outside with us as we eat! Followed by a nice walk along the river. Perfect. Keep up the good work. See you again soon, Voulla and Dean

Didn't like the coffee either. Place is scruffy and service iffy. Certainly won't go back, ever. Would prefer a short review as the place is not worth the effort of a longer one.

We walk up and down the Lee Valley path regularly and this is the perfect place to stop for a drink or food , it is very popular and busy mainly because the cafe food is very good and ridiculous value for money . Nice seating outside as well . This is a much better bet than the pub across the road ☕️

Visited for the first time over the weekend. Very good atmosphere, food good,polite staff. Would visit again. The outside seating area needs some attention.Dead plants, cigarette butts and unsightly weeds growing on the outside of the building.

Out with some friends cycling, got to Dobbs Weir and visited this cafe. Polite and friendly staff, good food at reasonable prices. Worth a visit.

This is handily located for me and is great for breakfast or a cup of coffee. Service is friendly, quick and efficient and the food is cooked to order as you like it. Seating inside or outside facing the river and car park.

The food from the cafe was great. Big portions for very reasonable prices. I would definitely go back again!

I was very impressed with the freshly cooked breakfast and freshly squeezed orange juice. Good choice on the menu and very good service.

Don't expect this to be a quaint, cosy tea room - it's not. But what it is was just fine - very clean (hygiene rating of 5), bright, with lovely friendly smiley staff. Had a bacon roll, chips and tea - perfect before setting off on a walk starting at the weir. See photo of the menu - no frills, but does what it is trying to do very well. Would go back.

always enjoy eating here, very friendly smiley staff, food is always perfect, nice to sit outside in sunny weather, def recommend

Good menu choice. Friendly staff and portion size is really good. I always tend to be meeting friends here on our motorbikes as it's a great starting point for some good ride-outs. The breakfast selection is really good. The omelettes are great and probably contain a week's worth of eggs :-)This is also a great place to stop before walking the Lea Valley and seeing all the canal boats.

Large portions of food well cooked to order. Be prepared to be full if you finish some of the dishes available.

Title says it all. Bright and sparkly, nice and airy. Huge portions of tasty food. Smiley and polite staff. Reasonable prices. Well worth a visit.

Generous portions made freshly to order and service was pretty good. If you don't want butter, say so! Lol

Been here a few times, food is always cooked lovely, I tend to eat the mega breakfast, always hot & yummy. The bird always gets a hot baguette, prices are surprisingly cheap for it taste & location Perfect for walks along the river & the lakes nearbyWill return again & againNo dislikes as yet

Visited a couple of times whilst staying at the local Dobb's Weir campsite. Would highly recommend always received a friendly service and good quality grub. Tried a few of the dishes from the menu and can say the consistency was very good. Not just good size portions but also quality ingredients. would recommend the breakfasts and the omelets bot will set you up for what the day has to offer.