SD Bell in Belfast

I had hoped to have a sandwich at 2 20 pm on a Saturday afternoon. This was not possible. An unwelcoming staff member--a very young staff member--and apparently with limited experience--made it very clear the kitchen was closed. So only tea/ coffee--and basically sweet stuff available. This had to do. We sat at a table which was clean--as all the dirt from it had been cleaned off and was on the floor As we had our tea a staff member started sweeping--and moving chairs loudly --it was unclear customers were unwelcome--as we are closing This place appears to have gone downhill--and is run to suit staff not the customers !!

I have been going to Bells for years for my coffee and the service from who ever is working in the shop is a bit hit and miss. A couple of members of staff have a bit of an attitude, one of which I've been led to believe is one of the owners. Todays experience has definitely the worst of them all. I stood at the counter for about five minutes waiting to be served when a woman came out of the back cupboard and said she would go and get some one to serve me. She shouted to some guy called Scott that I was at the counter. I could see the guy in the mirror and he was standing talking to some of his colleagues, I waited almost 15 minutes and still Scott was standing talking to his mates. I decided enough was enough and started to walk out of the shop. As i reached the door Scott appeared and asked what I wanted, I said obviously your mates take priority over customers and that it didn't matter I'll go somewhere else. Totally unphased by this Scott said please yourself turned and went back talking to his mates. I won't be back!

Unless you're plenty of time on your hands , i wouldn't recommend going here . S.D. Bells has been here for years but service was poor , we waited over half an hour to be served . With the recent well documented rodent infestation etc found at their premises , they may have rang their last bell 🔔 . Definitely won't be back !

After giving my order x2. I had a long wait before the food arrived. I think 22 minutes is def out of order. Mine was cold and even the cheese had not melted. The other meal was overcooked. Greasy and the bacon was burnt at the edge, dried up and not as expected. The bread was overcooked and very crispy and greasy. The chips were cold and out of a packet, which meant they were probably micro waved. Tasteless and very poor food. Def don’t visit on a Saturday as it’s a cut down menu with limited choice.

Went this morning for breakfast with my young grandson and sister. We waited 20 mins to be seated (fair enough as busy time of year) got seated and given menus. We decided quickly what we wanted and set menus down to reflect we were ready to order. No one came to take order..we waited and waited, meanwhile others were being served who had been seated after us. I finally spoke to staff and asked if our order could be taken as we’d been waiting quite a while. Girl took our order, brought our drinks and gave us our receipt (they generate and give receipt at time of order) . So we drank our drinks and over 20 minutes still no food. My sister went to counter to see what the hold up was, only to be told the kitchen didn’t have any such food order. I’m at a loss as to how we were given a food bill with items on it yet no order was received. We were given a few feeble “Sorries” but we decided after nearly an hour of time wasted we would leave. It would have been a fave of mine but I honestly can say I will not be back. It’s by no means cheap and the service was nothing short of horrendous. We left drove 5 mins to Belmont road and had a lovely lunch (breakfast had past) served promptly I would not recommend SD Bells

Poor service quality of food terrible and very expensive. The place could also do with a good clean. Please tell your staff it cost nothing to smile

I met a colleague recently for some breakfast. The food and service was fine. But it's very noticeable that prices have risen steeply. A couple of years ago you would get two fries (including tea or coffee) for around £12. Now it's nearer £20. I genuinely believe that eateries in this area are pricing themselves out of business and will ultimately see a fall in custom.

We used to go here all the time, it used to be a lovely, well priced restaurant. We went today 2 adults 2 kids and we were so upset at how it has went so downhill. Ordered French toast for £3.95 which was literally one slice of pan bread and really soggy, child could hardly eat it. Pancake ordered also , one very small pancake for £3.95 arrived on a side plate. Husband ordered a scone which was rock hard and a slice of wheaten bread. Well, they tried to serve us one minimal slice of wheaten, like the end of the loaf that was toasted until black and I immediately said I won’t be taking that, I can’t believe they even had the nerve to bring it to the table and try and charge me £1.95 for it. I ordered the 4 piece fry, I have never been so disgusted in my life. 2 discs, yes discs of potato bread about the size of a jam jar lid, 1 disc the size of a connect four chip of black pudding that was revolting, not fresh or cooked well and a slither of fatty bacon …£4.95. I was appalled, the kids were so hungry we just ate what we could. I complained when I was paying to our waitress who was extremely rude and just said I’ll pass that on, no discount no apologies given. It also used to be filter coffee and a free refill they now charge you 50p refill so be careful! Just so disappointed, I have worked in the restaurant industry now for 20+ years and I cannot understand how this place has went so downhill, it used to be such a reliable, lovely local place for breakfast or lunch with all fresh pastries and well priced frys to choose from. Safe to say I will never return. Poor food, way over priced , small portion and awful customer service!!!

We visited this afternoon for the first time for a fry up. It was very busy but we were served really quickly, staff were friendly and attentive. Fry up was one of the best I have had. Extensive range of teas and lovely coffee. Definitely will be back!

Four of us went to SD Bells today. It was a very disappointing experience. 3 of us got the 6piece fry. The poached eggs were hard - bullet hard, one fry had only 5 items. We complained about the eggs and only one plate was whisked away. By the time it came back, others had made do with what they had been given. The plate that was brought back was almost thrown on the table (still minus an item), with a very sarcastic 'there you are Madam' No apologies were offered. The lattes were cold. They did offer a reduction in price, (hence the 2 dot rating, not 1 dot), but we wont be back.

1 Looks like its being run by youngsters, pleasant but not user friendly as we found, when selecting six items for the all day fry I chose a pancake as one of the six, the young man said we don't do pancakes but I pointed out that they were on the menu, he said you can not have a pancake with your fry and if you want it you will have to pay extra, I replied if we can not have pancakes we will not be back, it appears Bells are willing to sacrifice custom for the sake of a pancake, we will not be back.

I had gone with my wife for a late breakfast. It was delicious. Of particular merit were the 'home made' potato bread. It is inspiring to see a cafe go that extra to create a very good fry, and it was reasonably priced. My wife had for her lunch the Lasagne, and again good tasting home made lasagne. Staff were cheery and efficient, food arrived on time - will be back

The place has rapidly gone down hill the service us literally none existent! Not that busy at 245 in the day … shown to a table given a menu…. Menu sitting flat not looking at it and still 10min later still sitting there…. I left… what is wrong with owners … the person coming in the door us your life blood- ignoring them closes you business!!

Place is a joke. Wrong food sent out. When it was sent back it came out cold. Waited 40 mins for food to arrive. Cafe should be closed for a week and cleaned. Coffee /tea shop great place

Hadn’t been in these parts for a while but called today for some eats. The relaxed community atmosphere which characterised this long-established place has all but gone. Far too regimented and impersonal. Food not up to Bell’s standards. Sorry I called.

Needed a hangover cure and was told the fry here was good. I did like the sort of mix and match way to order the size of the breakfast. However when it arrived, it was pretty underwhelming. Maybe all pre cooked and kept warm, as all a bit dry and lifeless. Some of the cakes looked good, but I would not bother with the fry again, I can do better myself at home

A friend and I went for breakfast. Staff pleasant but food woeful. Sausage looked barely cooked and black pudding was burnt and a really mean portion. Eggs overdone. Never again.

No. Really no. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. I visited the shop, waited in the queue while the customer in front of me was served. He left the shop. And so I began talking to the shop assistant. But the customer returned! He just started burbling on about having dropped his purchase outside. The assistant, who was by that time dealing with me, turned away from me, midway through my sentence, and began to deal with the customer who had already left the shop and returned! She left me, mid sentence, to deal with another customer! Really! And she didnt seem to think there was anything wrong with that! She didn’t apologise. She didn’t comment. Just expected me to wait until she was ready to deal with my query! Really! I am still shocked that I allowed this to happen! I am shocked that I didn’t comment at the time! But I won’t happen again, as I will not visit SD Bells again. And now, having read so many similar comments, I think all the reviewers are referring to the same person! Surely it can’t be so wild spread throughout SD Bells - can it?

I wouldn't normally leave a bad review but on this occasion I feel I have no choice. I haven't long moved into the area with my mum so am still trying to work my way through the local coffee shops and eateries and I'm sorry to say this is one to avoid. No friendly welcome on my way in,not a lot of interaction from the staff at all. My scone was definitely not freshly made today, it was dry and tasteless. My cup for my tea had not been washed properly, still had a bit of a ring around it. The place itself feels old and the floor wasn't very clean, a few dirty tables even though it wasn't very busy. It's definitely a place that suits a more elderly customer. I'm afraid this will be on my list of places not to go to or recommend.

I went to this establishment for breakfast one morning. As soon as I walked through the entrance of the adjoining shop, I was confronted by a bossy, officious staff member who, without even a good morning, challenged me as to why I wasn't wearing a mask. I replied, truthfully, that I have a medical condition. Then, still no good morning, this martinet then demanded my details for track & trace. This was not a legal requirement as other eateries I'd been in didn't ask for such information. I turned & walked out. Not my first bad experience with SD Bell's unpleasant staff. Luckily I was able to get breakfast nearby, somewhere else where they treated me normally, not asking for my personal details for a data gathering exercise. I look forward to never setting foot in this pretensious dump again.

I have visited SD Bells's with friends on numerous occasions over the past six months or so and always enjoy it. The staff, many of whom have hot to know us, are super friendly and always take the time to chat. There is an extensiomenu...

Called in friday for a quick lunch, was seated quickly, I ordered toastie which was a meal in itself with coleslaw and side salad. I told the waitress That I couldnt finish it so she said she would box it up for me to take...

Stopped here on my Birthday, just for a coffee and cake after a lovely overnight stay in town. Well way to dampen the mood. I wish I had never seen the place. The inside was not clean, crumbs and napkins on the floor, I should...

Very disappointing. I had breakfast there and I must admit the quality of the food was mediocre at best. I went for something relatively basic ie Scrambled eggs on toast with black pudding. The plural should have been scrubbed off since only one egg was...

We recently visited SD Bells on a Thursday morning for breakfast. Due to Covid-19 restrictions there is one door in and one door out. Upon arrival we were met by a member of staff who took our name and telephone number and showed us to...

The service was great, with staff willing to accommodate. The menu was good with with meals and with sandwiches / paninis, able to have your own ingredients. When it arrived, the meals (panini / toastie) looked appetising with salad garnish (usually lacking at other places)...

Called in here for a bit of lunch and to stock up on some coffee and tea. The lunch was fabulous, best club sandwich I've ever had. Great coffee as well. Bonus is that they also sell fresh ground coffee, brilliant

Pleasant room and great music, but £12 for two badly poached eggs and two pieces of toast was hard to stomach.

My husband and I popped into sd bells yesterday and I have to say how surprised I was. Pleasantly surprised.. every member of staff we spoke to was luvly, very helpful and a credit to the owners. Food was great ,coffee amazing we even bought...

Called in here for lunch and had the 9 item Ulster Fry with my wife choosing the 5 item one. The 9 item one included bacon, sausage, mushrooms, beans, fried egg, black pudding, potato bread, soda bread and tomato. Everything was cooked to perfection and...

We were taken here by our nephew for a Sunday morning coffee - only to find that the entire place had been taken over by reservations for the Jazz. Luckily, there was one table left, and we all squeezed in. Bells are specialist tea &...

Went for lunch with a friend at her suggestion. We had to queue up and order our food and then return to the table with a number to indicate to the server where you were sitting. Food choice was relatively plain but my sandwich was...

SD Bells is stuck in a golden age, but it’s all the better for that with a lovely traditional charm. We’ve been several times for the Jazz brunches and as an overall experience the food is good, the Jazz set up really depends on the...

When for a quick lite bite with friends from church. Usual choice of lunch menu, all reasonably priced, with comfortable seating area. What makes this stand out from the crowd however, is the choice of coffee available, and you can purchase various world brands at...

One coffee and one tea ordered with a sandwich and a fruit square, with cream. Refills available but the teapot I received gave me three cups, and it was good tea! The sandwich was well filled and I requested cream with my fruit square. The...

Qué sueño. Una cafetería tradicional que atiende a la excelencia tradicional. El desayuno es una delicia y una tarifa muy razonable. El personal es muy agradable, en general, un destino relajante.Puedes tomar un café y quedarte todo el día, pero te desafío a no aprovechar las excelentes opciones de menú.

I’m sure that this would be the same people. Superb range of teas and coffees at very reasonable prices. I opted for a hot beverage to have with a breakfast from another stall. Pleasant staff.

He estado yendo a SD Bells durante un par de años, en promedio un par de veces al mes, para reunirme con amigos para el desayuno o el brunch. Me parece que el personal es amable y servicial, la comida es buena, tanto en términos de calidad y valor como en el ambiente general del lugar, simplemente genial. Le he presentado a Bell's un buen número de personas y recomendaría este lugar a cualquiera.

They are renowned throughout Belfast for freshly blended coffeesand teas which they sell by the kilo. Here you can drink them in nice surroundings and they do serve breakfast and lunches. They also host live jazz some Sundays. Off road car parking adjacent.

Hoy llamé para el té pero conseguí un combo de comida con la sopa. El guisante y el jamón eran gruesos, llenos de ingredientes, y totalmente deliciosos. Tenía hebras adecuadas de jamón real con un montón de guisantes que sabía simplemente perfecto. . . ¡Y no aguado!

Stopped here for breakfast on Saturday Morning - very disappointed on breakfast, service not that great. Dont think we would return.

He ido a las campanas un par de veces y cada vez ha sido un placer. El personal es encantador, incluso cuando son empujados al máximo y no mucho para ellos, a veces muy ocupado, pero eso es una buena señal, puede sentarse o salir y hay una gran variedad de opciones. Me gusta especialmente el hecho de que puedo elegir qué artículos quiero en mis alevines (lo cual es raro en estos días) y todo está fresco para usted una vez que lo ordenó.

I visit often and rarely disappointed, the service has improved over the past few months not that needed to really a victim of good food and great coffee

We are regular visitors to SD Bells. It’s grear to see s business that has stood the test of time. Prices are very reasonable in a pleasant atmosphere. Highly recommend though the traffic getting there can be a nightmare with the new pointless bus lanes.

Had a brunch of Eggs Benedict yesterday. What a delight. At £5.99 was cheap for what was a delightful meal. Staff were super friendly and a warm and welcoming place to eat. IT never disappoints.

Visited with a group of friends during July for brunch. Menu is fairly large and it’s a order at the till system. Fairly good value for money and enjoyable food.

Called late in afternoon staff where starting to tidy up, but it was no problems for us to order Tea and Scones , still had a good selection of scones so late in day. Staff very pleasant, clean and tidy.

He estado aquí para el almuerzo, desayuno, aperitivos por la mañana, aperitivos por la tarde, y la comida es siempre impecables. Cafetieres café viene en individual, y hay una gran variedad de granos para elegir. Chocolate caliente viene caliente. Recomiendo su almuerzo ensaladas, mezcla y muy sabroso. El personal siempre servicial no importa lo ocupados que estén.

Se detuvo a un té y un bollo. Se le cayó accidentalmente la bandeja con el café en la mesa. Personal donde de inmediato a aclarar mi desorden y traído nueva taza de té sin cobrarme. Estupendo servicio y conseguir real hojas de té, y no es el típico bolsa de té basura estás normalmente el servicio. Bollo genial y precio frescos y grandes.

Great coffee and lovely scones. My Grandsons loved The Hot Chocolate. Very busy place hard to get seated due to people occupying tables for 4 with newspaper spread out. However look forward to another visit soon.

I Received £25 worth of Bells vouchers for a gift. This was purchased for me as I enjoy a regular cup of SD Bells coffee. I was very disappointed when I went in today for my first coffee to be told I couldn’t get change from my voucher. In other words, I have to spend £5 each trip. This is no use to me as I only buy a coffee. Very disappointed. Not sure how to use my gift.

This is a very popular coffee house. Top quality coffeee in a comfortable American diner type layout. There are good parking facilities and it is an easy place to get to from most parts of the greater Belfast area.

I had work colleagues who regularly used SD Bells for lunch, so I thought that I would try it also. It's a 5-minute drive from my office, and I was also intrigued by the coffee counter!

The automatic doors in this establishment seem to be their only concession to welcoming disabled customers in wheelchairs. Sadly, this also makes the place unbearably chilly on a December day, especially if the doors are continuously activated by people queuing in the shop.

Called in for a speciality tea and lunch, wanted somewhere I could relax on a cold December day. Unfortunately, the place was freezing, sliding door to the rear car park is a bad design. Service was a bit robotic, more interaction from a self service machine. I waited 20 minutes for chicken panini with small salad & it was small, hardly worth the effort,very disappointing and it came across that they were scrimping on portion sizes. Why?? It’s always obvious and ruins a meal. WiFi is really slow, television screens installed at high level, don’t bother, its too difficult to watch them. Overall, disappointing experience and it’s a shame as there is so much potential it just needs a few tweaks here and there.

Fuimos a nuestro 'local' para comer y no nos decepcionó. Mi bocadillo de pollo, servido con una ensalada pequeña y patatas fritas, fue suficiente para choke un burro! Pechuga de pollo fresco entre rebanadas de pan, de color marrón. De mi esposa chiche con ensalada y patatas fritas, también estaba delicioso. Los precios fueron buenos para lo que se sirve. Buen lugar para reuniones y buen ambiente.

We had a Belfast Fry and coffee for Breakfast. Excellent coffee and food good value for money. It also has a good range of reasonably priced food options. The staff were very helpful

Hemos venido aquí cada vez que visita Norn de hierro. Mejores scones de cerezo en el mundo. El café es genial.

Bonito lugar acogedor ambiente buena taza de té y una bandeja de hornear volvería otra vez. Buena tienda se puede conseguir cosas para ir a casa.

Paré en S D Campanas esta mañana con seis turistas estadounidenses y fueron desbordados. El buss, hospitalidad, una variedad de té, café y bollos frescos hermosos. Gracias LAURA haciendo la "milla extra" hoy. . . . . . . . . . . apreciado. Sin...

Como se mencionó en una crítica anterior vinimos aquí para el café y el postre después de una mala experiencia en Olivers. Chico, qué contraste. Personal muy amable, gracioso y acogedor. El lugar estaba lleno (parece ser que tienes que reservar con antelación), así que nos sentamos en un día glorioso sol.

Solía ser un habitual en el brunch de jazz pero ya no mudarnos de casa había sido por un tiempo. Así que estábamos muy ansiosos de nuestra tarde, hasta que nos enteramos que el precio.

Nice comfortable roomOrder at a service counter and take your drinks, scones etc to a table. Hot food is delivered after cookingLots of retired folks but a reasonable mix of workers and families as wellFilter coffee was poor- tasted a bit burnt to me although the oldies seemed to be enjoying refillsI would advise getting a cafetière or barista drink rather than the filterWon't be rushing back- better places closer by

I can't fault the decor or food and coffee but the tiny 5 piece fry my mum was set down in front of her was grossly overpriced.

I had tried booking a table on a number of occasions before but did eventually manage to get a booking to see The Joseph Leighton Trio on Sunday. A great experience.The food was great and the staff were friendly and helpful with lots of offers of coffee refills,even decaf!The brunch menu is varied and great value when you consider that it covers the live music which was wonderful.The event provided a lovely backdrop for a relaxed farewell brunch for a couple of friends heading back to England after a few days in Belfast.They loved it! I will definitely be back, in fact I've already booked for an event in June and will be checking out the website for more dates.

Fabulous cafetière of coffee, think it was Cuba...so strong and powerful I had second helping!The coffee shop caters for all ages yet you still have privacy with a great choice of seating.The scones are excellent...can recommend the cherry or fruit.

Love this coffee shop it was were our business started as just a dream and some notes scribbled down, now its a reality. Great food & coffee :-)

Dont have the scrambled egg for sunday brunch. Very poor value compared to the 5 piece fry. 2 egg portion, 1 piece of toast £10? Admittedly you can have as much coffee as you want but then so can the meat eaters.

SD Bells is an institution in E Belfast. For many people it is almost a social club, always busy, the food is average, the service the same. As you can see from the reviews some love it some hate it. Give it a go and see what you think. What do I think? Well I go about 3 times a week for lunch so I suppose I must like it. But maybe its the people I meet there..

Hadn't been to SD Bells for yearsPrevious visit I had found venue dates and a bit "stale"This time however I was very pleasantly surprised Coffee freshly brewed and delicious Scones were huge fresh and deliciousSells all the teas and coffees it is renowned forWhat a great wee local place

I go to Bell's most Saturdays for tea and scone. The staff is very nice and friendly and the scones are big and yummy! They host a live music on Sundays, which I have been once and enjoyed. They have wifi as well.

Called in today at 10-40, the place was packed with only 2 free tables . The French Toast for two was served within a very shot time frame . I love how you get the coffee while you wait and top ups almost free. This is a unique place so don't expect your food to be exactly the same every time you go. The tray bake are awesome and each one slightly different. Super quality staff too

Most of my visits to SD Bells in the past was for one reason and one reason only - their proper homemade, chunky, man-size sausage rolls made of real pork meat without the horrible cheap, breadcrumb fillers or bulkers you find in so many places including home bakeries these days. Hands down, these were the best sausage rolls in East Belfast and possibly beyond.However, on recent visits my heart sank as I discovered they are no longer available and have been replaced by miniture, inferior wouldnt-feed-a-budgie type imposter sausage rolls. The meat may still be good quality but these new finger sausage rolls are a shadow of the former and not in the same league. The closest ive found recently to the former SD Bells sausage rolls is in Cream cafe in Dundonald. What a pity !

OK, they sell tea and coffee but the place lacks atmosphere. Visited with some work colleagues recently and I don't see me planning a return visit.

Despite the first impression of a sleepy old fashioned tea room, this place is actually an underused gem of a place serving the greatest coffee available practically anywhere. I say underused, but anyone who's been in will know it's incredibly popular and often you have to hunt for a seat. The coffee is a given, it's top notch, the for though is pretty decent too. The scones are very good, the sausage rolls are just terrific, and the sandwiches and wraps are freshly made and seem to go down well.

I had french toast at Bells, staff always friendly, prices cheap to mid range. Menu choice was reasonable. I had the french toast which was very tasty. I love the booths seating and it seems very popular with people of all ages.

We have been irregular customers for a long time travelling in from Limavady and have noticed a decline in the atmosphere here. On our last visit the place was packed which meant tables were not being cleaned, there were no knives available and we felt rushed along the counter only to wait at the till. The coffee of the day, (which I accept will be of various strength and flavour) actually tasted like a filter coffee that had been run through for the third time. extremely loud to the point that we could not converse over the table and though the lasagne was delicious the chips were tasteless. All in all not the quiet coffee emporium it used to be. if this is heading towards being just another loud cafe then we will need to find somewhere new.

If you haven't been here. Well worth a try. Homemade food. Awesome coffee and teas Great friendly staff and owners always knocking around. Shop is great and worth a browse. Good old fashioned setup with modern twist. Relax chat and enjoy.

It's just the best place to have a wonderful experience of drinking exceptional tea or coffee. The service can be quirky at times but all the staff appear genuinely interested in their customers, nothing is too much trouble. Great French toast

Excellent coffees, scones and other treats. Recently extended and completely refurbished. Car parking and easy access for wheelchairs. Unhurried atmosphere. No waiting and plenty of comfortable seating.

Good location for lunch food has improved. Range of coffee and tea is excellent. Comfortable seating diner style tables. I had quiche which was tasty with salad

I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast recently, I haven't been here for more years than I care to remember. My French toast was delicious and my poached egg cooked to perfection. The service was great and everyone was pleasant and friendly. The attached shop is fantastic, such a variety of beautiful teas and coffees.

SD bells are able to offer some GF breakfast items and they had premade GF tray bakes sealed which was very comforting to see.( not sitting along side other crumbly items as in other cafes) They also had a few lovely gf cakes including a flourless chocolate and a Clementine cake. Would thoroughly recommend a visit for the ambience and tea choices! And their knowledge on GF food.

We used this venue to celebrate a family occasion at Bell's, now legendary, Sunday Jazz Brunch. As the organiser of the event, I couldn't have been happier. The surprisingly good food arrived promptly to the table - in spite of there being 18 of us, all ordering different dishes. (Well done, chef!). The waiting staff were polite, friendly and efficient - a rare combination. We received a very warm and personal welcome from the Bell family who have managed to combine various elements of the traditional and modern to deliver an experience and venue which is truly unique. Of course, last but not least, the music was pretty good too!

Called a tea house, S D Bells offers superb home cooked breakfasts as well as excellent coffee and scones and a wide range of teas - all with friendly if slow service and is a local favourite. Well worth a visit.

Really disappointed by cleanliness. We had to clear dirty dishes, used butter pats and jam portions and crumbs from our table. Floor was also covered in crumbs. Attitude of staff left a lot to be desired. Won't be back again.

I love Bell's. I often go for coffee and food. The coffee is excellent, well priced and the Barista's know how to make it and present it. I love the ambiance of the place. I have always found the staff to be pleasant, friendly and efficient. If you really like coffee you can buy beans to take home. The choice of beans ( beans in bean form or ground ) is extensive. Bell's often do music on Thursdays and Sunday's. The chosen artists have never failed to impress me. If you like caffeine and music Bell's will ring your bell! I have no hesitation recommending Bell's.

Myself and my romantic partner went here for lunch yesterday, cos General Merchants was full. It's a tea room, for tea. Bargain Hunt was on. There's a lot of trays.We went for lunch, the queue was a bit slow cos the wee girl just left and it was a bit of a pain ordering food and drink separately, but it was ok.When our order came my cappuccino was a bit of a mess, watery, no foam. The guy brought me a much better one straight away so I can't complain, but it still wasn't great for a tea and coffee house. She had some lovely smokey tea though.The food was good, she had a fry and I had some stew, both good, but not special. Overall it was good but not anything to rave your zimmerframe off about. Bring your granny, everybody else does here.

I visit S D Bells regularly and find it excellent in every respect. It has shown great improvement in many areas over the last few years. The coffee is excellent - great choice of coffee in cafetiere or simply the house coffee. The scones are first class - always fresh with a great taste and texture. Prices are very good and the staff are friendly. It's worth having a look in the shop too - a very good range of coffee and tea from round the world freshly ground if required. Lots of great coffee makers and tea pots for sale too. Well worth a visit!

I have been a fairly regular customer here with my aunt, usually on Saturdays. I have had scones in many establishments locally, particularly in Holywood and Strandtown.The scones at S D Bell's are, to my mind, the best, freshest and tastiest of the lot.Obviously they are baked daily and the fruit ingredients and size are of a high standard.I like to try a different blend of tea occasionally, and S D Bell's is ideal for sampling various blends of teas and coffees.

Tonight with my partner I decided to try the Jazz Thursday nights. The evening menu contained a festive classic, turkey and ham Christmas Dinner. I wasn't going to overlook. Both me and my partner had the Christmas Dinner. Could not fault any part of the dinner, quality of food, portion size, extras all perfect. The roast potatoes were to die for. After the main course, we relaxed and let that digest with the backdrop of the live jazz creating the perfect atmosphere. The manager recommended a Belgian waffle dessert and I appreciated that 100% from the moment it arrived to the moment I finished. With Morelli's ice cream on top what could have went wrong. We both enjoyed a glass of wine (BYO with a very reasonable corkage) and enjoyed the jazz trio performing Christmas classics to round off a perfect night. The only thing better than the food and ambiance was the small figure I was presented with at the bottom off my bill. Will definitely be back, tried to book into their jazz Sunday's but it's booked up for a while, understandably, restaurant quality food, non restaurant prices, relaxed friendly atmosphere. All that's required for a lovely night out with friends or family. Ps the photo shows how good the dinner really was.

I had been in sd bells before and seen their jazz session - but this weekend I saw the new layout where all the new seating gives you a class view of the jazz (it was just a pianist and guitarist, but top notch). Enjoyed a panini and endless coffee (you buy one and just keep on getting refills as you eat) and then filled up on goodies on the way out of the shop. Go for relaxing brunch or all afternoon, it really made my day

We have been visiting S D Bells at Knock for many years. While the shop has changed over time (new layout, expanded premises, etc.) some things have not changed - the quality of the coffee and the quality of the service.We believe that if you want high quality, great tasting coffee this is the place to go. You can have the 'regular' coffee or chose to have a cafetiere of a coffee of your selection from the excellent range on offer.Also, if you are a keen jazz fan, and my wife is just such a person, this is the place to come for the 'Java Jive' sessions on a Sunday.All in all, a great experience.

Specialising in tea and coffee, there are the usual scones and buns are offered. The lunch menu is wide and varied and is slightly more expensive than average. The Jazz sessions are well supports and you might need to get there early. Parking is right beside the main Knock Rd junction at Hawthornten.

Called in for a quick breakfast recently, first visit since the refurb. Nicely redone too however the quality and presentation of the food remains as average as ever - 2 very small under-cooked eggs, the yoke was nice but too much runny egg white. Great coffee but the cups are very small so 2 or 3 sips and it's away - 30p for a refill however as I was cashless and paid by card I was hardly going to charge 30p to a credit card for a top up and I'd have loved another cup as the first wasn't enough to hit the spot. The cash till and the order counter need to be reversed - as it is you have to either squeeze past people queuing to pay or negotiate your way through the tabled area with the zimmers and the odd pram to get around to the food counter. I do agree with other reviews in that the majority of customers are the elderly 'tea and a scone' crowd, nothing wrong with that however it would be nice if the business could target a younger set and liven the atmosphere up a bit during the week. The little shop attached is terrific.

Breakfast is always very good and great value. Staff are always friendly and helpful. Coffee and homemade scones are a welcome treat on a wet day. Lunches are very reasonable and a varied selection of good wholesome food. Jazz on Sundays seems very popular too.

Been here for years.It's really pretty grim - limited menu and mainly just reheated in the microwave.Not sure what keeps it afloat must be the coffe sales.

Place is always busy so good sign, the cherry scones are the best ever.The coffee is really great with loads of choices.

Booked a table for Sunday brunch as there was live music which sounded good. Arrived and after checking menu above the service area went to order. Two teas, one coffee a scone, a traybake and a panini. Almost fainted when she said £24.00! When I pointed out prices on menu overhead she said they didn't apply as they had ”specials“ on at this time. The scone and tea was £7.00 the panini and coffee £11.00 and tea and traybake £5.00! Told her sorry but forget it and walked out. Maybe they should let people know that the music isn't free after all and is added to your bill. Disgusted.

Rubbish service and ordinary coffee. It was a struggle to pay the bill they were so disorganised. The queue to get food and pay is the wrong way round.