Riverside Cafe in Exeter

Best carrot cake I've ever had!

My wife and I decided on the Riverside Cafe whilst out along the Exeter quay last Saturday. No space outside, so we sat at a table inside. The lady taking the order was extremely nice and before taking our order advised that there was about 30mins wait on food. To be fair it's a very small kitchen. We ordered anyway and as it happens both the hot drinks, toastie and cake were much quicker than thought. Once again, I can't emphasise too much just how lovely the lady was who took our order and then also served us..... A very rare experience by most standards these days. My wife and I shared both the toastie and the cake as we only wanted a light bite (but didn't want to miss out on the lovely cake!). No problem at all with us sharing though and we were provided with additional cutlery without asking. The drinks were spot on, as was the food. What's really nice too is that although we sat inside, we didn't end up with our clothes smelling like a cafe. We'll be going back at the next opportunity!

Relaxing cafe next to an antique shop and the River Exe.

Great little place had burger and chips so fresh lovely little salad with it jacket potato’s looked good as well cooked all fresh great little antique shop worth a visit

Thought I'd enjoy the views by the quay until a man told me I couldn't sit there with friends because we had to buy something... One there were many free tables and it wouldn't have changed their income and even after we offered to buy something the older man told us to leave. Horrible customer service and plain rude

Came with a few friends to hang out and have coffee/cakes, cake was overpriced and not very nice, and a gray haired man that served us was very rude, moving us away right after he could see us finish, even though there were still tables available!!!

Went to sit down next to the quay, man supposed to be serving us denied my request to order drinks and moved us on for no apparent reason, terrible manners and no consideration shown

A great choice im summer, you can enjoy eating their delicious cakes in front of the river 🩵 you all must try their carrot cake🩵

Charged with looking after the family dog while wife and kids were at Crealy Theme Park I took a walk around the historic quay and stopped for a cream tea at this place. Food was generous and excellent- best cream tea I’ve had in several years. Service was efficient and polite and the quayside is a nice spot to while away an hour or so. Highly recommended.

Absolutely the best cafe in Exeter. The food is always excellent, the staff welcoming, and the atmosphere is relaxing, no matter how busy it is.

Excellent service once again! Superb breakfast bacon sandwiches and then lunch baguettes BROUGHT OUT to us while we were manning our stall at the West Country Potters' Market. Nothing is too much trouble for this lovely team of girls! See you again next year!!! Mary and Derek of Periwinkle Pots.

Food really good, service spot on. Was a busy hot day and lovely to sit next to the river

Just pop in for a sandwich and drinks , location is really good but thr price range and the service is horrific , they don't trained enough to keep eyes on tables and customers. Hope the management makes some progress .

Lovely Café with good food and nice staff

They were rude. The board outside says food is served until 4pm, I went in at 3:30 and after waiting while one member of staff chose to clear a spill on the floor behind the counter before acknowledging me, was belligerently asked how they could help me and then told they were not serving food any more. I referenced the board outside mentioning 4pm, they replied very bluntly that the kitchen had been busy. No apology or niceties at all. I felt very unwelcome as a potential customer and so won’t be bringing them my custom today when I revisit Exeter Quay with family (the reason I was scoping out food places yesterday). Being rude to customers is always inadvisable when you work in hospitality.

Friendly staff and polite service

Lovely riverside venue - café and antiques centre all in one - we had a lovely visit last Saturday afternoon for coffee and cake following our red coat tour. The owner is super friendly, the service was great and the cakes are delicious! In such a brilliant location I often think businesses don't have to try that hard but I would definitely visit this one again

Friendly staff, fabulous food at a great price. This is without a doubt one of our favourite places to visit. Every time we have been the food has been outstanding quality and the staff are always so welcoming.

Lovely cafe by the river. Wholesome food, lovely staff.

Can’t praise this place enough, front the front of house who save us a table and came and found us when it was clear, to the good quality well prepared food in such a small kitchen too! Fantastic ! Praise to one and all. Will be back when next in Exeter!

Stopped for snack after a walk. Had a delicious ham and cheese panini, daughter enjoyed her sausage baguette and husband had a sandwich and salad. Friendly staff and great service

Great location for a coffee and cake

Lovely breakfast great service nice people

Been to Exeter many times but never been to Riverside Cafe. Atmosphere very nice, friendly welcoming staff. Their coffee blend was excellent! Will defiantly go again next time in Exeter!

Warm people with nature-friendly cafe It took a while to get served my dishes because of a lot of people and the small kitchen. Its the perfect place if you want to chill out!

Lovely position on the Quay only stopped off for a coffee but will hopefully be back in time to sample the food.

Lovely waiters. The young girl in particular is super welcoming!! The rest of the workers are very nice too. Was so served quickly. My favourite place

Absolutely beautiful cafe and extremely friendly staff who could not have made you feel more welcome . Food fresh and homemade . Cosy interior or sit outside watching the world go by. Antiques shop attached to browse in ! Highly recommend this lovely cafe .

Hubby and I stopped in for their all day Brunch and had one of the best breakfasts we have eaten in a long time. Wonderfully friendly exotic staff and such a beautiful assortment of antique books/trinkets in the shop! We will definately return and sit outside next time as it was pouring rain- the cakes looked superb too! Thank you for a lovely experience.

Really small room with poor ventilation. Spelt my name wrongly, I pointed out and the woman serving said: you don’t need to say it. Really offended.

We spotted a spare table across the quay and after some recommendations, we thought we would try this lovely place out. By the time we reached the table (some 10 minutes later) all the plates, cups and saucers, along with half eaten scones, jam and cream were still there from the previous people! Seagulls were quite happy though as they were happily eat the leftovers not only on this table, but on several others! It was a good 15 minutes before anyone made any attempt to clear the tables. The girl then quite sharply snapped at us that we needed to order inside! I had to refrain from snapping back that we didn’t want to order anything until the tables had been cleared as we didn’t want to have to share the table with lots of leftovers and squabbling seagulls! Then on ordering our drinks, the staff were really rude and made it clear that our custom was clearly a nuisance! Such a shame when if only they could sort out this poor level of service.

One of my favourite stops in Exeter, just excellent! Staff are very accommodating and the views of the quay are just perfect.

Exceptional service all day while we were working in The Potters’ Market next door in the transit shed. Super bacon sandwiches made just the way we like them and huge mugs of coffee - all served with a smile. Although they were very busy, they still brought our food and drink out to us throughout the day, so that we didn’t have to leave our display table. Thanks again, girls!

Once again the girls excelled! Exceptional service, and great bacon sandwiches - made just as we like them - delivered with a smile to our stall in the Potters' Market next door. Huge mugs of coffee (and very naughty cakes) kept us going throughout the day. Thank you, girls, for looking after us so, so well!

Lovely English style cafe, no espressos here but the filter coffee was superb. Not sure how they made the cappuccino but my wife liked it. Super friendly and efficient service. Great seating outside on the riverside and they have a loo!

Lovely location- that ‘ice and slice’ though…

Superb location on the quayside. Very friendly and efficient staff. Food was OK but nothing more. Fairly pricey (a breakfast, a baguette and a couple of coffees for £30) and a bit of an odd arrangement with the antique shop, indoor seating and outdoor seats.

Outside. Sunny day. Brunch spot on. Service great. Non pretentious. Food as expected, it's a cafe but friendly a little quirky as antiques provide a pleasant distraction as well.

Nette fijne bediening. Eten is heerlijk. Lokatie is prima !!

Super lekker eten, lekkere tosti, cake en sandwiches! Vriendelijke bediening en een top locatie. Ideale plek voor een lekkere lunch

Very average food for the price. Got an iced coffee without the added ice cream and they still charged me the full price - then when I asked for a vanilla shot instead, said it would cost extra!! Flat white coffee very weak and tasteless. Expensive for what you got.

We took a 2 hour bus ride to Exeter for lunch here, our favourite cafe in the area. It was quite busy after we had walked from the city centre, and there was a wait for toasties, so we opted for sandwiches instead. As usual, they were delicious, and the outside seating area makes it a great place to visit. Roll on July for our next trip!

Amazing cream tea, best scones we have ever had. friendly staff and lovely location, definitely recommend.

Delicious lunch and friendly service.

Super friendly staff. Lovely big pot of tea and although the cake is expensive, you get a good sized chunk and it was very nice.

Waited an hour for a rubbish latte & hot chocolate

Came for a breakfast, 4 people in total.. Total spend £64.. 2 cups of tea, 2 lattes, 3 frozen baguettes and the worst bread possible for a sandwich... Not the best outlook for a busy cafe, in an ever changing world. Advise, use fresh produce to have returning customers.

My daughter and I called in here after a brisk walk. We had been in for food in the past. We both had Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup. We opted for white bread and butter instead of the baguette. Piping hot and very tasty, the soup arrived with the fresh bread and lots of butter. This was followed by Coffee Cake and Victoria Sponge, with Red Bush tea and de-caff tea. The cakes were homemade and delicious. The service was quick and the cafe staff very friendly.

Nice staff, mediocre tea, rude and unhelpful management

Joint site with an antiques centre on the quay at Exeter with riverside and indoor seating. Snacks looked good but we were just on coffee, where unusually there was the great option of a mug!

Called in for a couple of coffees and baguettes - went to sit outside. Our drinks were delivered to another table which was only realised when they brought out the food and the other table said it was not theirs. At least when the coffee came it was hot! Bacon, brie and cranberry baguette was quite nice - bacon was good. A bit pricey given the service, etc.

Not only was the coffee awful but after an hour and a half, we were asked to leave so that other customers could use the table despite other tables being free. After 15 minutes, another member of staff asked us to leave despite there still being free tables. Both members of staff were rude.

Amazing Breakfast, was told will be a wait as staff member down. Having said that food and drink came out in great time. Coffee hot and breakfast superb. Staff very friendly and welcoming. Great little touch as I didn’t fancy item on menu so was offered to swap with something else with no extra charge.

We settled down on a picturesque outdoor dining area, blind with thirst and thwarted by the beating and unprecedented heat from the prevailing star in the sky. Our throats parched, we ordered a measly coffee, but what we first imagined would be but a quencher turned out to be a 3-course meal! Rivers of coffee flowed, which seemed apt seeing as we were by a beautiful quay. My heart was full, finally.

I think this little cafe must have changed management between July this year and last, as the service was so different. We were exhibiting at the Potters Market on the Quay and after an early start needed the essential bacon sandwich for breakfast. Not only was this one of the best bacon sandwiches I have had, the young waitress even bought them out to us in the Market. At lunch time we returned and again super food and again they delivered to us! The service was superb, all the staff looked smart and had a lovely attitude.

If I could give these girls more than 5 stars, I would! Exceptional service all day while we were working in The Potters’ Market next door in the transit shed. Although they were very busy, they still brought our food and drink out to us so that we didn’t have to leave our display table. They even cut a large baguette up for us and served it (with garnish) on two plates! Super coffee, super bacon butty and a baguette overflowing with delicious filling. Thanks, girls!

Absolutely wonderful place. Food, coffee and a great collection of antiques and collectibles.

Brilliant location. And that's where it stops. Extremely over priced for the poor value food and coffee.

Great location,great food and wnderful friendly staff what more can someone want

We had lunch here after a tour guide. The staff were friendly and welcoming and the service excellent. Our lunch was very well prepared, presented and tasted good too! It was rather cold outside so we didn’t sit out by the river but could imagine how nice it would have been out there had the sun been shining. A very nice place to eat.

Very good service friendly staff .. clean cafe and very nice meals also large portions

The cafe is dog friendly which was a bonus and the homemade cakes looked delicious, it’s a shame they use pre sliced bread for their sandwiches as they could be so much nicer with fresh made bread. The staff were very pleasant however…. Having plugged my phone in to charge at a wall socket whilst I was having lunch, I was asked if the phone was mine and that “they don’t allow that”. Really?? Fully charging a phone which would take a good few hours costs about 1p! I was there half that time and had lunch. A great shame, because after a pleasant start…. I left with a bad taste in my mouth….and that wasn’t from the sandwich I’d just eaten!

Delicious cake and coffee 👌 Very friendly welcoming 😁

During a visit to Exeter to see the City Centre and Quay areas we fancied some lunch. This cafe was handy, and offered outdoor seating to watch the world go by whilst enjoying our lunch. The helpful staff were very pleasant to deal with, and...

Whether you want a cup of coffee and piece of cake or a full meal you are very welcomed. Hot food freshly prepared and serviced whilst piping hot. Great location.

Very nice coffee and cakes. Friendly service reasonable prices

What an amazing place. Staff wonderful. Food and drinks fabulous and to top it all dog friendly. Seemed to be a rarity in Exeter. Will definitely visit again if I the area.

Were really rude and unhelpful when my partner mentioned his allergies. Despite having a separate but incomplete allergy menu and the server being nice about it when she went to double check with the woman behind the till she started borderline shouting about how if we have allergys she doesn't recommend eating her at all and we should just go somewhere else. It's quite a small building and every table could clearly hear her and was kinda embarrassing as we had to just leave. We have eaten out at so many lovely places who have all been more than helpful and accomodating it was a very disappointing experience.

Lovely little cafe. We stopped by this afternoon and sat outside (with dog). Nice menu with a good range of options - we had a bit of everything: burger, jacket, baguette and eggs Benedict. All fantastic. No complaints at all, the staff were all really nice too.

It's quite an old school, little cafe. The coffee is ok, but the cakes are very nice. It's nice to sit outside. The ladies are very friendly there and we love coming back.

I was so surprised going into this cafe expecting to just be able to order a cup of black coffee as usual and nothing to eat, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was offered gluten free bread as well as a lemon slice and...

Since I saw this cafe on my first full day in Exeter I wanted to have a coffee and a slice of cake but by the time I went there it was closed. On my final morning, before I got the train back to London,...

Delicious carrot cake and nice collection of antiques.

Looking forward to seeing friends at The Riverside cafe for brunch, only to be met by a very rude man, so we took our custom to Mangos were the service and food were excellent.

Great food, service, ambience and overall enjoyable

Cafe offered a good variety of meals. We called in for a cup of tea and enjoyed their homemade apple pie.

Ideal for brunch. The steak baguette was tasty . You can sit by the river and after eating browse the antique cetre

Food beautifully presented and v nice The baked potato Brie bacon and mushroom out of this world Service very very friendly Outside seating available

This place is in an ideal location. sitting outside in the sunshine, ducks and swans swimming by, good company. What more could you want. Tables outside are scarce in good weather, or at least they were when we went. Once we got one we ordered...

Very nice English breakfast in a beautiful spot with an excellent friendly service from the waitresses.

Arrogant staff, very unhelpful and extremely rude. Would not recommend! Do not accommodate for any type of allergy which in this day and age is not acceptable.

Just wanted to have tea and cake in this cafe with my family. Asked a member of staff where we could sit but her attitude was not very nice at all. Told her we had a nut allergy but was met with an aggressive attitude...

Ended up chancing on this place after other local places were booked up on a Saturday morning. A really poor standard of ingredients and food at a high price. As a former chef in a cafe, I can understand not expecting the world from certain establishments, but this tested my limit.

Nice cake and coffee. Very insistent they could only serve if we sat at one of the few outside tables, rather than on the quayside. After paying I was told it would take 10-15 minutes...which is slow! Rather expensive at £7 for 1 x coffee and cake.

Very expensive for the size of the meals and snacks etc. Brought toast for nearly £4 and the bread seemed to be a cheap one you can pick up from your local supermarket. Cake is a just a sliver and for over £4 your better off buying a whole one from your local shop. Disappointed.

A perfectly decent fried breakfast with good choice. However, a mix up with the ordering ended up with staff being argumentative and rude. As customers we felt belittled and very uncomfortable. A real shame as a fairly decent breakfast was spoiled by poor attitude and...

Cheap weak coffee Cheap breakfast ingredients over priced poor staffing , have eaten here in the past and it was nice si were staff can only think changed hands

Service by the manager was appalling and we will never revisit. And suggest if you want to be abused by a service provider then you will enjoy. If not don’t attend again until the manager is replaced or sent on a course on how to be have with the general public. Just again appalling experience

The worst piece of coffee cake that I have ever had. Dry, tasteless and expensive. Staff were not overly friendly or helpful. Will not visit again

Nice little place : good food, friendly service.

Needing only tea and cake we were greeted by the friendly staff operating under COFID rules. It was all excellent and the location also.

Staff were super friendly !! Excellent fry up before a paddle boarding sesh ! I highly recommend the riverside starter as a small fry up ! Fab way to start the day thanks guys !!

Very overpriced coffee and cake. Loud manager behind the counter, who seemed to think we wanted to listen to her singing along to the music (we didn’t). Cake nothing special and VERY expensive. £14.40 for 2 drinks and 2 cakes. Go elsewhere.

A pricey tag you would understand from the beautiful spot and scenery. But this doesn’t have to come with unfriendly service! Not great coffee and the smallest unfresh slice of fruit cake I ever had.

We went for a Sunday morning walk in the autumn sunshine on Exeter Quay with a plan to stop for breakfast. The first few establishments were really busy outside so this was the first one we came to with empty tables. We didn’t really look...

For a quick stop by the quay this cafe is fine, good cakes and decent tea. However the poor, unfriendly service and bad milkshakes spoilt it. Overpriced for runny, disappointing milk that definitely doesn't have ice cream in them. As for the service, waitresses seem...

Called in here for a quick cuppa and ended up having lunch! Varied dishes and all very fresh. Unfortunately due to the Covid crisis tables were limited but we got to sit before our meal arrived. The staff were all friendly and the food was...

Windy and wet, great August bank holiday, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Why? Because the bacon, brie & cranberry baguette is fantastic.

We wanderd off the motorway desperate to find a nice spot for lunch. Stumbled across this cafe after parking up at the Quay. We had a warm reception and had three decent meals with tea and coffee. Staff were flat out from start to finish of our time here but they delivered for us and will be popping back to see more of the Quay and more cake here. Thank you

Excellent spot to sit outside on the river front and watch all that’s going in along the river. It was a boiling hot day and we found shade and a breeze. The food was delicious and the carrot cake was amazing! We enjoyed it so...