Schoolhouse in South Hams

So disappointed… Had to pay £6 for the privilege of parking the car. Had booked a table, arrived slightly early and were told we could sit anywhere. Sat on a larger table as had our 2 large dogs with us and needed them to settle under the table. We were then asked to move as we were taking up too much room. No problem, but show us to a table rather than being told to sit wherever we wanted. We put the dogs in the car and went back and sat on a tiny table of two. My chair was tilted backwards in the gravel and it was so uncomfortable. On ordering 2 drinks, we were asked if that was it for the drinks order. My soft drink was served in the unopened can together with a glass. No ice or lemon. My food was very overpriced for 2 slices of bread, mozzarella, cheese sauce, couple of slices of salami and a small handful of rocket with a drizzle of Balsamic. The crusts of the bread were black and there was absolutely no taste of fennel as described on the menu. My husband enjoyed his crab linguine, saying it was a shame about everything else. Overall disappointing. Went onto the ice cream parlour just down the road. That was a much more enjoyable experience

Can't believe how much you charge for a portion of chips!!!!! Not even half filled! Six pounds !!!! Complete rippppp offff. Go elsewhere

Terrible service, could not make a hot coffee and expensive, the service is really slow and it took a couple of attempts to make a hot coffee

Came with family for there bbq and music night .cant book came from dawlish when we arrived 6pm all closed nothing on their website to say cancelled .wont be coming again !!!!

Outstanding place. Had a great breakfast and booked 9 of us in for lunch a few days later. We had a wonderful meal - there’s someone there who gets the value of quality ingredients and knows how to put them together. Fairly straightforward food like tomato bruschetta for example, was full of fresh, zesty flavours. Local mackerel, crab linguine, steak and the rest - all regular stuff done brilliantly by someone who cares. The friendly, chatty people and the wonderful old building (a bit original, a bit homemade) capped it all off. We’ll be going back shortly.

After several years, I'd been invited to attend a friend's 52 birthday celebration partly on the estuary and then up to the schoolhouse. It still has the relaxed atmosphere I remember and the team worked hard to please their guests. Some of us in the gathering ordered food which is now a barbecue with fish, chicken or vegetarian options.....it was very good although at 25 quid a head, I felt this was a bit steep for the average punter.....I presume that the meals were organic, blessed by the pope and the dali lama! Very enjoyable gathering, dog friendly, children friendly and even coped with old people (I'm 71) but apart from my body my mind tries its best to to keep me young ! So all in all a lovely experience if you can afford to eat there.

We live close to The School House and now we have a new addition to our family ( Puppy Bruce ) we are at Mothercombe most days . We love the fact that we have the use of the amazing SchoolHouse for coffee and cake after our walk . We are always made to feel very Welcome . Last night we enjoyed an evening with music and a very yummy bbq . It was a very relaxed vibe , with great food and service. No booking needed , just turned up . We will definitely go again soon ! I have also had lunch there with a friend and that was also delicious. It offers something for everyone.

Our family party of seven had brunch here. My granddaughter, aged 7, only wanted a slice of toast. We were billed for a full breakfast for her! Menu options very limited, small & expensive. Staff disinterested. The Schoolhouse is taking advantage of the fact that it is the only option for meals at Mothercombe beach.

Great staff, location, music and atmosphere. A bit pricey. Just right for stopping off with friends or a newspaper after walking the dog.

The best food I have had in a very long time, super friendly staff, incredible food and view. Thank you! Would definitely recommend

We were warmly welcomed by lovely staff who were very attentive and informative throughout our lunch … new head chef who cooked the most delicious scallops, sardines , goats curd and the most scrumptious truffles potatoes… all in all an absolute must! Perfect for pre or post lunch walk on the beach.

This was by a long way the best lunch I’ve had in a restaurant for years. It was fab. There is such a nice atmosphere. The waitresses were so attentive and efficient. The food absolutely delicious. I had sardines. They were totally yummy. Best I’ve ever had. Please go there. Just a wonderful place.

We came at a quiet time, in the rain. We were begrudgingly offered tea on the condition that we sit outside in the building site style yard - a charming place in the summer perhaps, but in December the wet tables and creaking corrugated clad scaffolding presented more of a punishment than a place to relax. Inside it was cosy and well lit and there was plenty of room for the three of us. We got the distinct impression we were spoiling the fun of the staff and their young friends, so left without ordering.

Had a so called bacon sandwich here and I've never had such awful bacon! It was all FAT! If it hasn't been for the fact we had walked all the way down to the beach with it I would taken it back. £20 terribly spent.

Idyllic autumn day to sit outside and enjoy one of the sensational Schoolhouse pizzas. Unusual toppings that are perfectly balanced on a delicious thin and crispy base. Lovely friendly staff and hip shabby chic decor. We’ll be back!

Not allowed anything other than 'takeaway' pizza or fries if you don't want to sit inside the 'restaurant' area, which is a bit tight if you have a dog. Considering it's a great dog walking spot and they have plenty of other seating that's a shame. Especially when arancinis which they do, were originally street food, but you can't take them away, to a bench, 40 foot from the door. Pizzas were good.

From the most excellent Bloody Mary (or 2 lol - being a bartender it matters!) to our crab arancini to our local plaice and duck ragout to decadent lemon posset…all I can say is WOW! Exceptional food and service - in this day and age it’s such a rare thing ♥️ Thank you Schoolhousedevon for a glorious afternoon x

We visited for a late lunch and luckily the weather was nice enough to sit outside. The service was friendly and attentive and the food was excellent. Everything was so fresh and innovative. The venue itself is also fab.

If you're an 'all you can eat', 'have a nice day now', matching velour seats kind of person, give the Schoolhouse a miss and head for your nearest Toby's. We remember the Schoolhouse of yore - two old ladies methodically spreading margarine onto two pieces of white sliced bread presented with a chunk of decent ham, some Golden Wonder crisps and a carton of warm Just Juice. Wow! What a transformation! The Schoolhouse is still one of our most favourite places on earth - an hour's drive from our lair in central Dartmoor, and the first place we head to, the minute the sun comes out. We don't really care how much it costs. It has to survive, despite its three month season, importing everything to its extraordinary location in the middle of a field, nearly ten miles away from a decent road. We are bemused by this plethora of poor reviews. The location is sensational, the ambience to die for, the food is current, creative and delicious; and the staff are highly educated young people, often working during their gap years or uni holidays, sometimes the offspring/relations of the estate owners. Not drilled in artificial obsequious waitressy cliches, but real. The Schoolhouse is truly our happy place. And guess what. The first thing you're offered on arrival is a (free) jug of tap water. And a water bowl for your dog.

We went for the bbq last night because we loved the look of the menu and it didn’t disappoint! The food was delicious - I had the lamb rump, whilst my partner had the mackerel. Neither of us are veggies but we were quite tempted by the courgette with halloumi and pesto too. Lemon posset and a glass of wine finished the meal nicely. Staff were super smiley and friendly. Great service all around. Live music was a nice touch too! Would definitely recommend and will be back to try the main lunch menu soon.

We came here on recommendation and have used their excellent sister café, The Beach House in South Milton. We were expected to pay £6 to park, even though we were here for an hour or two for lunch. No agreement with the carpark owner which is in an adjacent open field. We left for an icecream at nearby Surfing Cow with free parking. 🇬🇧🇳🇿

Food is limited and poor quality. The portions are miniscule for the price and is over seasoned to the point no return! Really poor considering this is supposed to be a recommended place. Just awful all round. Tiny portion of chips cost £4. Pizza was burnt around the side yet sloppy and undercooked everywhere else. How do you do that?! We had children and there was no menu for them and nothing other than a pizza to choose. The drinks are extortionate. 3 quid for a can of coke?! All in all a poor experience. Had the kids not been so hungry we'd have left. Plus service was poor. And they added at service charge. Which we had removed as the whole experience was below standard.

Fantastic food with a very chilled vibe. Mellow music with really friendly staff… Bryony and Charlotte couldn’t do enough for us. Lovely smiles and very helpful. I had the Chicken and my husband had the Cod - both were delicious and good value for money! We treated ourselves to some Rosemary and salted chips which were out of this world. Tiramisu was first class as was the Takeaway Ragu Pizza. We’ll definitely be back - thank you ladies ;) x

This is such a great location, so cute and cosy! The food was perfect, burrata and pizzas! Great Prosecco and cocktail selection. We booked for inside and ate inside, we then moved outside for drinks and board games in the sunshine, before a walk on...

Perfect cafe for coffee & cake , so much so we came back for lunch the next day! The atmosphere is great in their outdoor space - decor is perfect for the setting and there is clear indication for the different areas . cakes were...

After a long walk on the beach the School House was just what we needed. We’ve been warmly greeted by a lovely young woman and the menu explained. The coffee arrived quickly and the main course arrived soon after: grilled zucchini with delicately frittered &...

Expensive. Shocked to find that not only service at 12 1/2% had been added to the bill but also VAT at 12/ 1/2%!! VAT is normally included in the menu price. The menu did not indicate there was an additional VAT charge (so far as...

We visited Mothecombe beach for the day and Schoolhouse is situated perfectly right up from the beach. The food was amazing and service was top drawer. Perfect way to top off a beach day!

Lovely staff, good coffee and food but very expensive... £15 for a tasty but tiny courgette dish which did not even come with bread or salad! 12.5% service charge!!!!!! We would have coffee here again but sadly not food.

The idea of the restaurant looks great. A casual dining area for pizzas and a more formal area. Covered in scaffolding and quirky objects. However it's the most disappointing experience and pretentious beyond belief! I was shocked at the lack of allergen options, especially in...

Rather abrupt staff. Not what I would call a ‘restaurant’, more of a rustic shack. Nice lunch food but not restaurant food. Website photo’s misleading as seating area covered in with scaffolding poles and corrugated iron roofing cover. Atmospheric I guess! Service charge added to...

This is a beautiful spot but for that you pay a premium. £14-16 for a pizza in a cardboard box. For that I expect excellent customer service. Whilst the waitresses weren’t rude, they certainly lacked charm. It was as though they couldn’t be bothered to...

Visited before a long walk and decided to get a bite to eat. They're totally geared to pizzas, so if you're after a sandwich, go elsewhere. It's all olives and artichokes and NOT vegan friendly. Our pizza had been through the crematorium and the chips...

This place should be great. But it isn’t. Cracking location, perfect after a nice walk or visit to Mothecombe Beach, and is a quaint building and setting to while away a summer’s evening. However, the service is absolutely abysmal. I have been at least half...

We visited here today after a really long walk and my partner just wanted to sit down so took a seat, he was then very rudely told that “did he not see the sign for please wait to be seated” and was asked to move…...

The outside has a rustic feel which is great on a warm spring day, but our table had sharp rusted metal edges! Ordered pasta and two sides all of which was mediocre and very expensive. After the 12.5% service charge (no option) it was £35....

Beautiful location but poor service! We ate here with another family and spent £130.00 between us on numerous bits. Very over priced for what we had. We enjoyed a beautiful day on the beach so sucked up the cost! However I was gobsmacked to be...

Lovely place been using it for years ever since I was a little girl but now sadly but too expensive so we don’t use it

Went to the old schoolhouse yesterday for what we hoped would be a quick lunch. Paid nearly £75 for 3 pizzas, 2 portions of chips and 5 drinks (one small beer and 4 hot drinks) then waited more than an hour and a half for...

The beach at Mothercombe is fantastic, when you park in the car park for the beach you will notice the school house cafe and you will think to yourself “ hey that looks like a really cool and quirky place to have a drink and...

We had a leisurely lunch on Saturday and returned two days later for more hospitality at Schoolhouse. I was disappointed to read such awful reviews for this eatery. We've lived in Devon for nearly 8 years and Saturday was the first time @ Mothercombe. Immediately...

A bad start when you are told it’s £5 to park, car park also used for the lovely beach at Mothecombe but we were only eating and thus seemed a bit harsh. Had a pizza and beer. Pizza was actually very good. Beer very expensive...

I’m only giving it 3 stars for the location and friendly staff apart from that I wouldn’t bother - next time it will be for a coffee only - the food is unexceptional and very expensive - my calamari was swarmed in aioli ( tasty...

The setting is wonderful but this is supposed to be an eatery. Our chicken dish was billed as accompanied by a "Caesar salad". This consisted of some lettuce with 3 or 4 small croutons and a few battered nuggets of chicken. The price was exorbitant...

It was my first time to this beach restaurant- the history and character of the place added to the whole experience. It was extremely busy when we first arrived so we waited 10 mins outside before a table was free. Well worth it - the...

Overpriced average food. £5 to park. £8 for 4 prawns! £19 for undercooked pizza (n chips) £7.5 for Presecco served in a brandy glass, unforgivable. £4.5 half pint tin of beer! And a hearty service charge slap at the end. Shame as the location is...

This is the only cafe available here and it is very disappointing. You have to pay £5 to park, a burger & chips costs £19.50 and the quality of the food is average. Our friends ordered burgers and got bits of chicken in a burger....

Nice food and lovely setting. Unfortunately somebody has had the bright idea of adding a 12.5% service charge to every bill, without any prior warning, meaning you have to either pay it, or request it to be removed. Great way to annoy your customers! Its...

The location was perfect, but the food and price did not warrant the price tag. I felt the cost was greedy and the quality was poor in comparison. This is no reflection on the customer service, she was quite sweet. £35 for 2 adequate small...

Super quick outdoor lunch order. Coffee was delish and my Italian BLT was possible the best sandwich i have ever eaten! Beautiful courtyard too!

It’s a 4 mile walk from our house to The Schoolhouse in Mothecombe. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) the only disappointing aspect of our day was the total absence of any semblance of value for money (vfm) of our takeaway meal....

Miserable staff. Handed me my hot chocolate without saying anything and as i was saying ‘thank you’ she shut the door in my face! mid sentence! Made me regret buying anything

Our family of six had lunch at the Schoolhouse today. Food was excellent (emphasized by the fact that our young grandchildren ate all their food!). Service was very good: friendly and professional. Can't understand some other recent negative reviews about the staff! Food took some...

very unaccomadating miserable staff makes you not want to eat there beautiful surroundings nice chillout music winter night no fire outside when asked for some help waiter just grunted a few words and let the customers do the fire with no help food menu used...

Had the most awful experience with my 6 month old and toddler. We were first told that prams were not permitted in the restaurant so we had to carry my baby in and sit her in my lap which was not very conducive with eating....

I went to school house in the summer, idyllic location. However is such a shame to see such hard working teenagers being taken advantage of. Obviously had no training on how to deal with hungry/angry customers. You could tell when the owners arrived as the...

Popped in for a coffee and hot chocolate after a beautiful walk on the River Erme estuary, however, the cups were the smallest I have ever experienced, literally half the usual size of a traditional takeaway regular cup. The price was equally surprising at £6...

Great coffee. Got takeaways to go for a walk and play on beach with & then came back for cake & generous hot chocolates. Guiness cake was delicious. Prices similar or slightly less than most places in (expensive) Devon this year. Food smelt good although...

So sad, this used to be the most wonderful laid back unpretentious spot with gorgeous food (albeit a little pricey) and great ambience. It’s now little more than a student union bar run by smiley by totally useless students and with nothing on the menu...

Very limited menu - most of which wasn't available - no cutlery - nothing in the way of customer service - kitchen seemed completely out of control! No explanation or apology... What a shame!

Went out for a quick lunch and didn’t wait very long for food to arrive. We had the house chicken burger (served with salad) (£13) with one portion of chips (£3) between us which was plenty. Tasty and great service. We will be back.

We used to love this beach cafe even though the prices started to creep up. This year however has been so disappointing and save for perhaps an ice cream or coffee, we won’t be eating there until things change. The menu is now very limited-...

I went for lunch at the schoolhouse after a friend recommended it to me. When i arrived there was only 3 items on the menu, i asked the staff about a vegan option for my partner and was told there wasn’t any. We sat down...

I popped into the SchoolHouse for a takeaway lunch after seeing its impressive website. Initial impressions were good, however, it didn’t take much scrutiny to discover that looks can be deceiving. How disappointing reality can be. This place is far too ambitious but unable to...

The Schoolhouse is located in the carpark on the way down to Mothecombe beach. We decided to stop off there on our way back up from the beach, with our inlaws and 2 children. It was very busy and we had to wait for a...

Being positive, this place has great potential and could be MUCH better, just needs decent manager. Have been to this places sister restaurant the Beach House which is vg, so travelled here…., first visit for coffee and cake was ok, coffee and cake good, young...

Should have been great - and thought it would be after write up in Times this weekend. Food was actually pretty good, if you put your hand over the prices. £16 for a few curls of (good) fish goulons, with a bit of salad and...

Been going to this place, and tea house before it, for years. It was lovely when it started. Now it's overstretched itself, got greedy. We waited 30 minutes to have our order taken, then 1 1/4 hours for it to arrive. Cold shoe leather chicken...

What a shame! This place could be so good and a real goldmine! The management are poor and it shows. So many rules - very limited take away menu, some of which they didn’t have in stock. Larger menu if you eat in but you’re...

This evening 13 of us were looking to the £20 barbecue and live music evening at The Old Schoolhouse. That’s £13 x £20, so £260 plus drinks. So we all order from the (very) short barbecue menu. We’re talking about 2 options here, fish or...

We were a party of 13 people. It was a Saturday night and they have a barbecue -the choice was prawns and monkfish or falafel and cauliflower - jo meat option - one of our party wanted a sandwich instead and they refused - we...

As you can see, I am an experienced reviewer and always try to give fair and objective reviews. Very few of these are ‘one star’. We had a terrible experience at the Schoolhouse this evening. We were a party of 11 and decided to have...

I'm going to start with the positives. We are not local to the area but have visited the school house on several occasions while on holiday (and also their sister restaurant the beach house). The food has always been absolutely sensational and we have raved...

I wish I was writing a better review for this place but unfortunately it is just not up to the same standards. We have been going to the schoolhouse over the past year for just drinks, lunches, dinners and even the BBQ night, so it’s...

Exceptionally poor value. Average quality food in fun but basic environment. Owners clearly putting profits before customers. It's a shame bit expect they will run business into the ground. Will not be revisiting and wouldn't recommend this venue.

i can't believe these reviews. i have never written a review before but am upset by the unfairness of the reviews here. i am a local (Totnes)_and have been here twice over the last months -May & June. i am vegan and really enjoyed the...

We are locals to the area and after a visit to the beach today called in for a drink which consisted of a bottle of beer and a ready mixed small bottle of aperol spritz ( of which you can buy 3 for £8 at...

The night we went there were two choices. Basically a barbeque with salad. Fish or falafel. Anyway there were 3 of us. 2 adults 1 eleven year old. 3 meals later and a few soft drinks we were 63 pounds lighter. In my view 40...

I am hoping that I am writing this to The Schoolhouse cafe at Mothecombe we felt completely ripped off today. My bill was £52 the charge for a glass of wine was £8 each making £16 for the two (I can get a reasonable bottle...

Having heard mixed views about the place, we popped in to check it out. Arriving at 4:20, we were ‘only’ charged £3.00 to park as it was after 3:00. Normally it would have been £5.00! At first glance, it was a handsome old building, set...

Having been to the schoolhouse last year and enjoyed the fare we drove an hour and a quarter with family again today . We were slightly surprised at the price rise for the sandwiches at £10 and £12 but thought it would be good quality...

Visited the Schoolhouse with my family last weekend, stopped for a takeaway coffee and had the best carrot cake I have ever tasted! Will definitely be back to enjoy another slice or two!

The hours online stated that takeaway would be served til 4pm, we got there at 3pm after checking their social media in case they happened to be shutting earlier etc because it was quite a rainy day, but there was no mention of it- only...

intimate and excellent, full of energy and life and AMAZING food. Every dish was a triumph - Mackerel and seafood spectacular, but the burger and the traditional plates was fantastic too

Have visited the school house many times and taken friends and family! We have always had the taste sensation of Bang Bang prawns! All who have visited with us say they are a food you crave!! Went back for more today to find a menu...

Stopped at the schoolhouse for a quick lunch. Beautiful spot with quirky inside, waiting staff were friendly. Sadly let down by the food - chips were stone cold. Reuben was alright, a bit cold and disappointing with a tiny amount of salt beef and cheese,...

Difficult one to review. Service was shocking. Have they never heard of COVID? Asked the four of us to share a table with two strangers, loud music, shared condiments like ketchup (Lord knows how many hands have been on the bottles) no masks for the...

Went for breakfast this morning. My partner had the brunch option - mushrooms, bacon, poached egg on sourdough toast. It was a tasty but a little greasy. I had the eggs benedict with bacon on sourdough. The eggs were good (although I generally prefer them...

Went for brunch, food and service really good, would have preferred a few more breakfast type options.

Visited this place after a lovely walk on Mothecombe Beach. At first it seemed okay as we were sat outside however we were invited to sit inside. Shocking lack of and blatant disregard for Covid precautions. Zero social distancing, shared sauces and utensils (pot of...

After several meals which were fine (always outside - too cramped and dark inside), on a friend's birthday we had a disastrous lunch. The first course never arrived, even after a very long wait (the restaurant wasn't particularly busy), and the first we knew about...

Nice quirky establishment, good friendly service. Lovely place to visit. Small freezer food veggie burger came in at £12.50 without any accompaniments at all. No coming back from that really.

We ate here as a group of 4 adults plus one baby and a dog. The food is very nice but unfortunately it is let down by the staff and service. On arriving we waited just outside the door as the waitress was serving another...

Our first visit here and what a lovely time we had. The Schoolhouse is very quirky, laid back and in a lovely location. We sat inside and had a delicious lunch - flavours, presentation and quality all excellent. Staff all very friendly and helpful. Would...

We had a lovely day walking the coast path followed by a late lunch at the Schoolhouse. The staff were welcoming and served our drinks quickly. The food was lovely. It came out over 5-10 mins which was a bit annoying for those of us...

We were a family party of 7, five adults and two children. Not many people there as weather grey windy and wet. It took an hour for our food to arrive from time of ordering to arrival on table inside at 2.30 pm- one course...

We arrived early for our table booking and were happy to start early. Lovely food but we were then told to vacate table before we’d even finished our drinks a mere 20 mins into what would have been our booked time and then there was...

Confirming the observations from the previous reviews. Did Covid ever reach this part of Devon? No social distancing,no face masks,no hand santiser,tables not cleared and cleaned down between customers. Please give the hard pressed staff some guidance and support on this. Our visit to the...

I would like to confirm what previous reviewers have stated re total disregard to Covid19 regulations for restaurants and cafes. No sanitiser in sight for use by staff or guests, tables are not cleaned or even given a cursory wipe between customers. No attempt at...

We arrived after having the place recommended by friends. Unfortunately, whilst the food was lovely (if a little overpriced) the attention to cleanliness and sanitation was very poor. Our table wasn’t wiped down when we sat at it, plates, cups and cutlery was left from...