Riverside Restaurant & Rooms in Torridge

Stunning views with your food, what more can you want. Must go when in North Devon. Good for families as well.

We had tried the afternoon tea on our last visit to the area and this time we ate in the restaurant. I was planning to stick to two courses but couldn't resist the desserts so had three! The food was wonderful. Couldn't fault it. And very happy to be sitting by that lovely river again. Would not hesitate in recommending this restaurant.

I gave my niece and her husband a gift voucher for their wedding anniversary to have tea at the restaurant and they had a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing afternoon. Weather was beautiful and a delicious tea. Perfect afternoon. Chris

What a lovely lovely place to have lunch or afternoon tea! Beautiful china, tiers of sandwiches, different types of scones, cakes and cream/ jam with the teapots replaced regularly with fresh tea. Beautiful location on the river- we booked the summerhouse, so beautifully set up with china cups, saucers and plates. Already booked to go back for evening meal in the riverfront restaurant.

we booked to stay at Riverside for 3 days last weekend to attend a very special wedding. Riverside is absolutely fanstatic in every way. Our room, Riverside, was gorgeous, large, clean, comfortable with the most amazing views. Ours hosts Donna and Simon are amazing people who made is so welcome to their home. Breakfast was to die for, we have never tasted such flavoured food, fabulous. I have fallen in love with their miniature donkey, Toyser as well as their spaniels, Charlie and Chloe. An overall absolutely wonderful place to stay, cant wait to return.

Stayed for 10 days and as before most impressed not only by the quality of the rooms and food but also the owners - Simon and Donna who make you feel so welcome it’s more like staying in a lovely home. Donnas Homemade bread each morning is absolutely top class. Regrettably was unable to sample her cakes due dietary reasons but am sure they are equally superb. The scenery is amazing both from the rooms and the dining room. Cannot wait to stay there In the summer next year as both my previous stays were in the spring and autumn. All in all top marks and I will definitely be back.

Wonderful evening and food as delicious as always. Even though there were 18 of us we were all made to feel welcome and there was a lovely atmosphere created. Everyone enjoyed their meal and had a brilliant time

I had a wonderful birthday party at Riverside last night. There were 16 adults and 2 children. Simon and Donna created such a lovely atmosphere for us, and the food was incredible as usual. Thank you both so much - we would recommend Riverside to all, without any hesitation. Xxx

we had a great meal at the riverside restaurant. beautifully presented dishes - interesting flavours eg the mackerel escabeche, the spinach empanada. the exmoor gin and tonic was a treat also!great service. will return especially as sitting outside looks a good option in the warmer months.

Went with the wife 2 weeks ago for dinner which was first class. Would definately go again. Go when it's still light enough to see the Torridge river. Great location too, although it's very easy to drive by the entrance without stopping. Wish we'd gone before.

Received a xmas gift voucher for a Sparkling Afternoon Tea, waited for all the holidaymakers to leave before we took advantage. So glad we did !! Lovely homemade sandwhiches,cakes and scones along with prossecco. Very relaxed but attentive atmosphere, great location along the side of the River Torridge.

Came for a family evening meal on a Saturday night - what a beautiful place - wonderful location, warm and friendly welcome and food was absolutely wonderful. Very attentive in every way and made us feel so at home - will definitely want to come again

Oh my goodness, what a find! I was looking for things to do in Devin on a weekend break, and obviously thought “afternoon tea!”. I’m so glad I found and booked here, because everything about it is fabulous - the warm welcome, the decor, the location (we loved watching the river tide come in, hypnotically), the food (such delicious scones!) - everything about it was wonderful! Very highly recommended from 3 generations x (And we hope Charlie the dog found his ball!)

Four of us booked in for a traditional afternoon tea. The sandwiches were tasty and our vegetarian friend well catered for. Scones were freshly baked albeit modest in size. Cakes were interesting and we were given a "doggy bag" to take away the one cake we had not consumed. The downside was service which, as is recognised, can make or break the meal. We waited over 30 minutes after arrival for the scones to be delivered - no explanation offered although we later learned they were cooked fresh. Two of us wanted coffee which was served in cups - both first and refills were served in a cup and saucer with coffee slopped in the saucer - no apology and no attempt to mop up. Why not a cafetiere? My wife asked twice for extra hot water for tea it never arrived. Sensing these lapses were not the standard the establishment aimed for I emailed them form the link on their website seeking their comment. 3 weeks on they have not responded which, to me, demonstrates a bewildering lack of concern.

Three adults, plus dog, visited for afternoon tea. We were greeted by Simon with the biggest welcoming smile. Unfortunately for Donna, my mother suffers from various allergies so, our requirements were quite specific - Donna met each and everyone of them. The food was delicious, a selection of finger sandwiches, dainty cakes, warm scones accompanied by thick clotted cream and what I believe was home made jam. The tea was lovely, my husband had coffee which was eaqually as nice. All served on elegant fine bone china, just as it should be. Simon was very attentive but not invasive, he even bought out a bowl of water for our dog. Would we visit again - ABSOLUTELY!

My husband and I visited the gorgeous Riverside restaurant for my birthday and it definitely exceeded my expectations. The menu was a special launch menu working alongside Joe Draper and all the meals were beautifully cooked, tasted delicious and plenty of food so we left feeling very happy! The menu used seasonal vegetables and some ingredients I hadn't tasted before so it was a delight to try something different. The customer service was wonderful with friendly waitresses and the owners, Donna and Simon are amazing hosts. I cannot recommend the Riverside enough - with gorgeous surroundings, beautiful food and even chance to have a stroll along the river its a place you must visit for any occasion.

We came here for dinner, everything was amazing, from start to finish. Staff are friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend.

We went for an evening meal to celebrate our Wedding Aniversary, and it was great. Food was fantastic, service was excellent, and a great location right by the river, we will definitely be returning soon. Thank you.

I saw Mad Henry's (now re-branded as Riverside Restaurant and Rooms) whilst kayaking on the river Torridge and was intrigued. So two weeks later booked an evening meal there with my wife. We had no idea what to expect. It turns out this was one of my better decisions. We were immediately charmed by the goats and heavily pregnant miniature pony who were all very friendly, the Golden Guernsey was certainly a bit of a character.

Living in the local area, we had always said that we would love to try this restaurant. Under its new banner of The Riverside, we have just had the best meal ever. The food was absolutely delicious, innovated and superbly cooked. The ambience of the location, coupled with the most friendly and helpful staff have made this evening a truly unforgettable experience. I look forward to celebrating my special birthday here in November. Thank you all so much.

A spur of the moment suggestion on a hot Friday afternoon led to a delicious high tea at Mad Henry’s in a lovely summerhouse on the river front. A three tier cake stand full of delicate homemade sandwiches, assorted scones (freshly baked and still warm) and homemade cakes and biscuits with lashings of Devonshire clotted cream and strawberry jam. Then topped off with strawberry’s and profiteroles.

Friendly reception, no fuss and great view - even on a drab day.

I phoned to book a table for myself and a friend explaining that we were both vegetarian and that my friend was allergic to eggs. Not a problem I was told and neither was it.

We spent a lovely afternoon at Mad Henry’s Vintage Tea Room The quality of the venue and the home baked food was delightful. Donna and Simon - please don’t change such a winning formula.

I came across Mad Henry's on Tripadvisor when I was looking for a location to celebrate by Nan's 90th Birthday. I was struggling to find somewhere to accommodate 24 people and was relieved when I spoke to Donna and she said that Mad Henry's could fit us in.

This was our second visit after having Afternoon tea before Christmas (fantastic views of the river) which was wonderful so decided to book dinner in the New Year.

Many many thanks to Donna and Simon for making our wedding day perfect. We were searching for a small venue for our wedding reception and came upon Mad Henry’s Vintage Tea Room, set in a super position overlooking the banks of the River Torridge.

We came here for my sisters baby shower what a beautiful place lovely view and the food I just can’t comment was amazing will be visiting again x

I was invited to a baby shower at mad henrys for afternoon tea and all i can say is wow what a lovely setting next to the river. The room was set out beautifully we were made to feel very welcome . We were offered a wide range of hot drinks all served in very pretty China then served a delicious tea stand I'm gluten free and was supplied with a wide selection of homemade cakes, scones and sandwiches the pina colada cake particularly good. Also noticed they do evening meals which I will definitely be revisiting for. I would highly recommend a visit to incredibly well run business set in stunning surroundings you won't be disappointed.

There were 17 of us in our party for afternoon tea. We were extremely well looked after by Donna and Simon. The venue is beautiful and very clean and fresh. The food was absolutely delicious and there was plenty of it. Simon kept refilling our tea and coffee pots. The views are lovely here. We had a couple of people with special dietary requirements which were perfectly catered for. We really couldn't have asked for a better afternoon. Everyone really enjoyed it. We will be back!!

I went for tea as part of a group of girlfriends. The riverside setting is simply stunning as

We had our friends baby shower here and it was amazing! Simon and Donna were so accommodating and the setting was just perfect! Couldn't have picked a better place, A proper hidden gem!

As guests of the B&B; we couldn't resist booking in for afternoon tea. Located by the river it has beautiful views - we sat inside (it was a bit grey and cool outside) but we ventured outside to enjoy the gardens and river views after we had eaten. The food was fresh, home-baked and delicious! The service was relaxed and friendly - we were not rushed out the door, in fact we were encouraged to relax and take our time. And very reasonably priced. We enjoyed it so much that we wanted to book a table for a couple of days later but alas they were fully booked. :-(

Went here for afternoon tea for 40th birthday. You HAVE to book and we found out why. Its a beautiful spot on the river and there is a little shack down some steps which is where you can have tea too. This spot books up very fast! However the lovely room we sat in was great. The sandwiches were fresh and tasty, scones warm and very fresh (three different types and not too big, lemon cake, cherry and other cakes on offer were delicious. A member of our part was catered for who wanted something else. Nothing was too much trouble. Smashing treat.

Currently suffering from gastritis which restricts my diet, so my wife emailed in advance to see if they could accommodate my needs. Prompt reply advised this would be no problem and listed the various alternatives to things I could not eat.

Popped in to this place, with no reservation and was accommodated in a summer house over looking the river despite the place being chokka at the time!

Looking over the river, we enjoyed one of the best afternoon teas ever. Everything was home made. Beautiful China cups and a lovely glass of Prosecco. Idyllic.

Donna and Simon provided one of the best cream teas we have had. (and we've had a few :) ) Warm scones, Jams and various teas.

Have just had the most delicious meal in beautiful surroundings with a magnificent view. The food was superb, can thoroughly recommend the ham hock terrine. My husband and I shared this and the scallops followed by perfectly cooked duck ragu, husband had the pork for main and we shared two really yummy tarts to finish. Superb service from Simon with his entertaining stories and lovely to have such personal attention. Great to meet chef Donna too to give her our positive feedback. Look forward to seeing you both again soon. Thank you, Elise and Shaun

Lovely location with views of the river. Beautifully laid table. We had ordered our food in advance so we were all served together. mackerel pate for me ham hock and scallop in Proscuttio Ham for the rest of the family for starters. the mains were varied as well, pork raised in sherry, duck ragu, teriyaki sea bass followed by white choclolate torte, lemon meringue and warm brownies. The food was well presented and tasted delicious. The only thing I did not like was the cold plates for the mains. The wine menu was good.

If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Beautifully present home cooked food. The scones were excellent and will definitely recommend to friends and go back for more. Lovely warm welcome and excellent hosting by Simon. .

Great Friendly service. The food was delicious, well presented, fab variety. Beautiful setting, fantastic scenery to look out on. Loved the donkey!

Beautifully presented tasty homemade cream tea in this delightful place with spectacular views over the river

We went to Mad Henry's for my friends birthday and it was brilliant- from the amazing views to the tasty cakes and sandwiches! Simon was our host and he was very informative. There was no problem accommodating our vegetarian either. Think for the money you pay, it's definitely worth a visit. Can't wait to go back!

A big Thank You to Simon & Donna for a wonderful afternoon tea today. They fitted us in at the last minute and laid on a gorgeous, three- tiered afternoon tea for four with amazing home-made savouries, cakes and scones. The English tea was superb and refills kept coming. The service was very attentive without being obtrusive. We've had quite a few afternoon teas in recent months and this was definitely our favourite. Glorious views over the estuary were the icing on the cake and we will definitely return soon!

We were staying here as guests and saw on the website before arriving that the owners Donna and Simon also ran a tea room. Having never experienced afternoon tea in this type of environment we decided to book and go for it.

A lovely position by the river. Hosts very welcoming. A nice coffee and although the scones were very tasty they could do with being a bit bigger. Would go here more often but seems a little bit hit and miss when they are open.

What a wonderful warm welcome greets you at this superb tea room. We celebrated a friends birthday and what a delight. The setting is magnificent right on the river and the hosts were charming. The selection of cakes, sandwiches and nibbles were very tasty and all home made. I would definitely recommend and hope to visit again soon.

I would without a doubt recommend Mad Henry's Vintage Afternoon Tea Room. Not only are the hosts warm, friendly and welcoming but the tea is absolutely scrumptious. Everything is home made by Donna - scones, jams and cakes. We couldn't eat it all - and I absolutely love cake and have a great appetite - but several doggie bags went away with us! The view from the tea room is gorgeous, the river, either tide in or tide out always provides something to look at. Great atmosphere, great surroundings, great food, great hosts. What more could you want. I will definitely be back!! Thank you so much Donna & Simon

Well I was not impressed at all.Yes the setting is fantastic but the service very slow.I went with three other ladies and was very disappointed. The scones are tasty but very small,also the cakes were far too dainty.We did have a good pot of tea and it was refilled when we went searching to ask someone, didn't expect to have to do this. They either need to reduce the price or make the portions a little bigger.There are so many really good cream tea places in this area who do give value for money so they must change.

Went for lunch with a friend and had a delicious home made quiche with salad and one of the latest cakes ( Elton mess ) which was also delicious . The tea room overlooks the river with a deck outside for warmer days. The decor is very tasteful as is the China and the owners were very friendly and made the whole experience a delight. Why a find but now it will get busy so best to book in future.

My friend took me here and what a delight it was! Fantastic scenery and delicious food, try the Welsh Rarebit, best I have ever tasted! English breakfast tea served in a china cup and saucer. Don't be fooled by the size of the cakes (made daily in house) they are just big enough. Very friendly and attentive service, well worth booking a table. When I visit again from Birmingham I shall insist on another visit!

We booked this Afternoon Tea at Riverside cottage after reading an excellent review in a magazine,and prior to going to stay at The Commodore Hotel at Instow. We can thoroughly recommend it - excellent service - a unique view of the river from the Dining Room window. There are places to sit outside - on our visit it was unfortunately to windy.

Went to mad Henry's today for afternoon tea, very welcoming and friendly staff, lovely well presented tea house playing vintage music. We had a cream tea and cake which was perfectly presented and tasted amazing and I'm very fussy as I bake a lot myself and I could not fault it. The best cream tea in Devon!!

It's was by far the best afternoon tea we have ever had. The staff, unbelievably friendly and the food was amazing. Well worth a visit and the highest of recommendations given. We loved every moment of it.

My husband and I on the way to our hotel , spotted the tea room , great location and great views. We did not have a reservation but were seated and seen to. Great selection of cakes and homemade sandwiches , music was very nice to listen to and keeping in with the feel of the tea room. I would recommend if driving towards Devon to stop off.

Mad Henry's is an amazing find. Beautiful scenery by the river, super friendly staff/owners, and incredibly tasty home cooked scones and cakes. The afternoon tea was probably the best I've ever had and wonderful value for money. Definitely worth the visit! We were so impressed that we will be back to stay in the Riverside Apartment very soon!!

Outside has comfortable seating on a lovely decked area with stunning views over the river, inside is beautifully decorated - both are spotlessly clean and have a wonderful atmosphere. We received first class service and the chap who served us was clearly busy but still very attentive, polite, helpful - an absolute credit!

A lovely Saturday afternoon catching up with an old friend. Beautiful setting. We had the vintage afternoon tea and pamper session. The Henry's provided a delicious vintage afternoon tea, the cakes were amazing, and the service excellent!

As we were on holiday it would of been rude not of had afternoon tea. We picked this one as saw the sign on the road as we drove past. As we pulled in we were greeted by some goats and rather friendly donkey. We were made to feel very welcome by the owner who asked us where we would like to sit. We chose the summer house which was facing the river

Despite having lived here for 6 years this was our first visit. I suspect we have usually been driving past in the mornings ! As a tearoom it doesn't open till 12 and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. However it is well worth a visit. We had a light lunch which was tasty and good value for money but looking at other reviews the cakes and afternoon teas are excellent.On the banks of the River Torridge and lovely views of the wading birds. Plenty of interesting places to sit including very comfortable egg shaped basket chairs. A lovely little summerhouse too.Hosts very welcoming. Be mindful if you are driving from Bideford to Torrington it is a very sharp turn in. Having found Mad Heny's it will be high on our list to visit for ourselves and when friends come down.

Wow is all I can say at first, this is an amazing place, warm friendly hosts who welcome you with almost open arms, Add to that the rustic charm of friendly farm animals greeting you at the gate *donkey, geese, goats' then right down on the waterfront there is a gorgeous little summer house where afternoon tea can be taken in beautiful china cups and saucers of course! You can admire the baby ducklings swimming with 'mum'. or if you prefer to sit at one of the many outside tables with comfortable seating or if you prefer to dine inside then there is the tea room, Plenty of choice on the menu all cooked fresh and home baked, can I recommend the soup and the quiche especially! all served with salad/crisps and id you fancy something that isnt on the menu I am sure the hosts would be happy to put something together for you. I have visited twice now and took my elderly parents on the last visit at the weekend and now they are hooked! Despite us turning up just before the closing time the hostess was so welcoming and didnt once alert us to the fact we were late, she was more than happy to see us, the charm has worked its magic and Dad is thinking of booking his Birthday party there as he was so impressed. My only downside to this place is the noise from the traffic on the busy road behind but if you dine further down the garden /patio area or down in the summer house then it shouldnt be a problem. If like myself its not just about the good food but the ambiance of the place then you will NOT be disappointed, I intend to visit this establishment regularly now and recommend it wholeheartedly as a Gem down by the river,Perfect for afternoon tea or high tea. The hosts also own a holiday rental house next door called Riverside cottage and they also offer luxury packages such as relaxation massage with meal included or sparkling wines to add a little bit of fizz to a tea with a difference, great place for a girly pamper afternoon or a romantic rendezvous, try it, you will not be disappointed. The hosts have an article in a top glossy magazine where their story is told on how they came to be the owners of the tea rooms, its a lovely story and one which a lot can relate to.

I visited Mad Henry's with my husband, father and 5 year old daughter. My only regret about this place is that we didn't go on the first day of our holiday! We waited until 2 days before the end to visit and it was so fantastic that we visited again the following day!

This is such a lovely setting for afternoon tea , children will love the resident Donkey , Goats , Ducks , strongly recommend this

We stayed at river cottage apartment and were pleasantly surprised to discover the tea rooms run by Simon and Donna who are so welcoming. We enjoyed a lovely cream tea whilst our dog relaxed in the enclosed garden :) couldn't recommend it enough!

Thank you for a beautiful afternoon tea! We had a peaceful and relaxed afternoon looking out at the torrington estuary.

We were visiting devon and couldn't leave without having a cream tea, we found Mad Henry's website and decided to pop along. We're so glad we did, what a find! We had a terriffic afternoon tea, the food was delicious, the scenery is stunning and Simon was a lovely host. We enjoyed watching the ducklings waddle across the banks of the river and petted mad henry the donkey so he didn't feel left out. Overall a beautiful afternoon and we will definitely be returning.

Having hired bikes in Great Torrington we cycled along the trail and after a slight detour we found ourselves at Mad Henry's - we were a party of 8 celebrating two 40th birthdays and had booked ahead. We had ordered the sparkling vintage afternoon tea and were not disappointed. The sandwiches, cakes and cream tea were delicious, the views were fantastic and the hosts, Donna and Simon, could not have done more for us. We felt very welcome and I think it's fair to say that every one of us will return next time we are in the area. It's a hidden gem and well worth the detour from the trail. Signposting from the trail would be useful. The path from the trail is narrow and the road quite busy but don't let this put you off. When you get there you'll feel you're in a different world - so peaceful and with seating inside and out there's plenty of choice as to where to sit and enjoy this beautiful setting.

Sadly, the wonderful Mad Henry's tearoom has ruined cream teas for me for life.

We found Mad Henry's by accident but are we pleased that we did. The cream teas were absolutely delicious with great views over the river ( a heron was flying up and down) and the cost was very reasonable.

We Visited at the end of our holiday and June and its such a lovely place to have a cream tea. We arrived and was offered a lovely summer house on the front of the river which was stunning. After we finished the owner let our son feed the animals they had on site. Cracking hidden Gem !

The situation right next to the River Torridge is absolutely gorgeous, it has an extremely relaxing atmosphere and a lovely place to have a cream tea. It really does not matter whether you put jam or cream on first as the food is homemade and delicious.

Fabulous selection of home baked cakes and finger sandwiches presented on vintage china in a most relaxed atmosphere. Truly delicious! Essential to book in advance, but definitely worth it. Such great value in an extremely pretty setting.