Signal Tea Room in Scarborough

I can't understand some of the reviews on here. I think people should review things based on reality. This is not Starbucks, Costa or Greggs. It's not Pret, McDonalds or Burger King either. It's a facility within a charity aiming to bring alive an era before these massive organisations had taken over our society. Manned not by highly paid executives rolling out strategy to beat the competition but run on a shoestring by volunteers and a few paid employees who are providing memories for a public who remember station waiting rooms and buffet bars exactly like the Signals cafe. This NOT a commercial operation, it is part of the exhibit of the railway buffet bars of the 40'-60's when a certain Dr Beeching took an axe to the railways which provided links to towns an villages throughout the country. Review it in the context of it's situation. To the women who were on duty when my family of 5 adults and 2 children called, thanks for providing us with the food and drinks which I remember from mainline and local stations operating pre Beeching cuts. It let us pass an hour in the type of buffet which was commonplace in my young days. Also gave me an opportunity to educate my youngsters over the life I used to live in and brought much of what they had just experienced in the steam journey from Whitby. A thorough authentic experience in keeping with the North Yorkshire Railway objectives To other reviewers who were less than appreciative of the reconstruction of the rail experience pre 60's, I suggest you volunteer your time and skills to one of the thousands of charities in the U.K. who are doing their best to serve their local communities. It might just help you come to grips with life and appreciate the work others do to help their fellow human beings.

Met a friend for a drink and cake just before lunch and this was the only cafe open in Grosmont. Tea & coffee served in takeaway cups, cakes thrown in a takeaway bag. Cake was very stale and expensive for what it was. Obviously they’ve got the monopoly if it’s the only cafe open on a Wednesday and don’t seem to care about the customer’s experience.

We visited for tea and cake. There is little seating but they offer takeaways for folks travelling on the trains. Standard cafe but generally adequate. Why are they using disposable crockery: so wasteful?

We popped in whilst waiting for the steam train to Goathland. Very pleasant staff served us in this “time stood still” venue! The hot chocolate was amazing and worth every penny!

Open on a takeaway basis with good outdoor seating. Good place for a stop and to get some of the atmosphere and ambience of the railway, even when not many trains are running.

nice tea and cakes, we really enjoyed the pleasant chill-out time watching the steam trains and the passengers

Visiting the station I popped in here for a restorative cuppa and a bit of cake at teatime. The tea was great, the cake was a nice big slice but a bit dull. This station tea room is just how they should be, a good view of the platform and all the goings on

fabulous bacon bap and good cuppa freindley staff good vaule right at the side side of the station good choice of menue

The breakfast buns started us all up for the day. Tasty. Full. Very good. They also know how to make a good brew :)

Had a splendid breakfast scrambled egg here before a day out. Great service and several nice seats to watch the trains.

Part of the authentic station experience, set out in style, clean and tidy. Nice cream tea (uht clotted cream), friendly efficient service

Having had a visit to this very pretty and interesting village and railway station myself and husband decided to have a bite to eat in the station tearoom. There's quite a reasonable choice of things to eat and drink and as we were a bit peckish we decided to go for the Signalman's lunch. It sounded good and filling without being too stodgy and consisted of a choice of three different quiches, a fresh crisp salad and homemade coleslaw. I chose the quiche with peppers and my husband had cheese and onion quiche. It was nicely served and delicious! The quiche pastry was the best we've ever tasted - so much so that I returned to the cafe to ask how it was made! Two very pleasant ladies were serving and the pastry cook, Wendy, told me how she made it: in the proper old fashioned way.... no recipe required, just lots of experience! We had a lovely day out on the train, walking through the long tunnel towards the sheds and having a look around the village. The icing on the cake was our lunch in the station cafe - many thanks.

Whenever we are walking along the 'rail walk', we always drop in for refreshments at this 'themed' tea room. The staff are always helpful and keep the tea room very clean and tidy.

Best ever scones!!Lovely cup of tea.Good choice of freshly prepared food.Bacon rolls went down well.

Had a cuppa and mince pie, really good. Snugly warm inside (it was Christmas). Later had a bowl of soup, pea and ham, absolutely delicious. Returned the following day, same quality and yumminess. Only slight complaint was that on the second day they had the real fire burning and it was simply too warm, even sat as far away as I could I was uncomfortable. I stood outside to cool off and a walker was about to enter - I said it was warm in there and he went in, soon to retreat agreeing that it was far too hot for him. They just needed a window open. Overall though, I really like this place.

Waited nearly an hour for 3 bowls of chips and 2 kids meals.. kids fishfingers sat under lights while waiting for chips for about 15 mins.. when arrived fish fingers did not have chips with them like said on menu .. when said to server she just looked at is and walked off no chips for kids meals arrived.. overall did not enjoy and would recommend going elsewhere while waiting for train to come

Standard cafe food but they stopped serving near enough all food just before 4 pm on a Saturday even though the trains were still running, platform busy and the cafe was open. Not sure if run by volunteers but even so not very welcoming or helpful.

We went into the cafe for a quick drink , and snack before we got on the train . Theirs not masses of choice, but it’s a lovely little cafe, the staff were pleasant. The coffee was given in a disposable cup, but you can take it with you if you need to . The Yorkshire curd tarts are lovely.Its a lovely olde worlde cafe.

.....but thats about all! Sorry to say, the coffee was terrible, the sausage rolls 'couldnt be heated up' although they were serving breakfasts. The roaring log/coal fire was very nice though!

It was war weekend so very busy, we had tea & scones they were very good, staff were so nice even though they were trying to cope with a never ending queue.

Grosmont station is a fantastic place if you want to go to see steam trains. If you check the N.Y.M.R. there will be a timetable of when the steam trains run. The tea room is a great place for a light snack and reasonable prices. One benefit is you can get to watch the steam trains coming in and out of the station as an added bonus.

On the platform at Grosmont station and worth visiting even if you are not taking the fabulous train service.

Called here after having a ride on the train, I asked for a chicken/bacon sandwich when it came it was very thick bread but what I found awful was it had about a inch of butter or spread first then the chicken it spoiled the sandwich all you could taste was butter

Even though busy friendly, smiling staff and a lovely mug of tea and Yorkshire curd tart. Sandwiches looked good too. Handy parking and great to get a bit of atmosphere before the steam engine rolled in

We always make a point of calling here when we're in Grosmont. The staff are lovely and they provide a good range of snacks and meals. My husband recommends the apple pie in particular!

The Signal Tea Rooms food is excellent value for money and a step back in time experience whilst visiting Grosmont. The Quiche with either chips or jacket potatoe and salad was very tasty, with crisp pastry the best homemade quiche I have had for years! The traditional puddings also looked very good, something to try on our next visit.

Great cup of tea and full breakfast to set us off on our journey. Staff were lovely and gave us some great tips for our walk. Highly recommended.

Llamado para una taza de café y pastel antes de tomar el tren a Goathland. Caminamos de Goathland de Grosmont en Rail Trail y llamado para el brunch. La Fuente era muy abundante Gresley y todo casero - absolutamente fabuloso! ! Sin duda recomendaría este hotel como un excelente lugar para cenar, y el personal era tan amable y servicial. Es una experiencia que no se debe perder tiempo antiguo.

En una mañana llamado brunch y lo recomiendo encarecidamente el Fireman's en el desayuno, que se sirve hasta las 11. de la mañana. Una taza de té yorkshire de buena! Muchos otros come disponibles todo el día.

Visitamos alrededor de las cuatro de la tarde después de un día encantador en el tren.

A lovely little cafe good quality food and friendly staff. The atmoshere is lovely you feel like you have gone back 50 years in time. I would recommend after a trip on the train.

Quick cup of Yorkshire Tea only on this visit but they did have some lovely looking cakes. Had it not been for the fish and chips in Whitby..........

Yorkshire tea brewed here lovely just before getting on the train. They also do some pastries if you are feeling a bit peckish.

Visited for lunch today , no seating outside for people to eat with dogs only two outside tables and unable to take dogs inside , very disappointing don't cater by providing seating for people to eat outside unless you want to eat in a closed in hot gazebo.

Popped in for tea and cake, what a lovely little cafe. Service from the delightful staff was great, lovely cuppa and a nice coffee. Looking around, there were some lovely looking meals being served. Will definitely return here.

A pleasant choice of food and drink. In a prime position to pop out easily to see the trains - don't miss a thing!

This cafe is not British rail, hurray. It is not Betty's, but it is clean with odd items dotted around you can purchase. There were plenty of helpful staff and volunteers to help out. I had a sausage sandwich and my wife had a bacon sandwich both were very good but small. The coffee was nothing special but good enough for the price.

Does what it says on the tin. Lovely tea shop on the station. Made to feel welcome, even when very busy. Something for everyone's taste.

Very handy from train. Fast efficient service and reasonable prices. Warm cosy coal fire in winter and good wholesome simple food. Not much else to say.

We called in for tea and cakes when we catching the steam train god it takes you back in time. The food was exelant. The service was so friendly.

It's clean and staff where helpful and polite. The tea was very good quality shall we say not like British railways tea .

Quick and friendly service, a wide range of sweets and savouries (including sausage rolls, a favourite of mine!), and good tea and coffee. Perfect for a stop on the way to wherever you're going on the NYMR.

good food and very unique setting very pleasant staff and good choice of snacks prices to be expected of a tourist attraction tea rooms

Excellent, the tea room deserves your custom. And during the summer it's nice just to sit and watch the trains go by.

great little place,with indoor/outdoor seating,toilet facilities,varied menu with cream tea/coffees and a selection of sandwiches and cakes in traditional Yorkshire style and flavours,not too expensive worth a taste while in this very scenic area

I went inside, great nostaliga decor and asked for tea but when I saw most folk were drinking from mugs, said did they do pots of tea. They said no bother of course we do - service with a smile - nice pot of tea - whats not to like here. Other folk were purchasing lunchtime snacks which looked fine so later in the year will try these too.

situated on the platform of grosmont station. proper br. station cafe, but with fresh cooked food, and decent tea! you may have to queue at busy times, but remember the staff are volunteers. very clean , and friendly. the bacon rolls are realy good,good selectin of cakes etc. and varied hot food. to build your appitite, why not take a short walk to the engine shed, first.well worth a visit while waiting for your train.

I was a little annoyed about our journey (but that's another story) but we got off the train and called into the tea room as there was no refreshments on the train....was stood behind a young man in the queue who was in overalls so he mustve either worked for nymr or just locally ...but a young girl came out to serve him and Ive never heard such cheesy corny chat up lines in my life...it was cringeworthy :) my husband said he felt embarrassed to be a man listening to him trying to impress the poor obviously embarrassed young girl....I felt embarrassed for her I think his dad needs to take him to one side and either teach him some manners and respect (or better chat up lines)anyways back to the point, the food was ok, plus I also bought a cup of tea to takeaway and impressed it was made in a pot of tea and not the usual teabag thrown in a polystyrene cup

a handy place to grab a quick snack and drink whilst enjoying the whole NYMR ambiance (noisy steam engines, whistles, workers in greasy overalls et al). Seriously, it's all part of the day out at NYMR - tea was welcome earlier in the day and a bit later on coffee and sausage roll / port pie went down well. Yep: cheap n cheerful but just the job - thanks! *** it's a great way to help support the railway so if passing through on other business, stop by anyway!

Having waited over 45 mins at the Postgate at Egton and still not had our food order taken we decided to come here for sustenance. We were not disappointed - tasty pies, sausages rolls and delicious home made cakes with good coffee - all at a very reasonable price. Well filled and much happier at not having spent our money at the Postgate! Well done NYMR for such customer friendly service too - thank you :-)

the lovely icecream went down a treat on this hot june day, lots of choice jacket potatoes bacon butty, cakes icecreams, lots of heavenly foods to tempt you, while you relive your lovely day out

We did a walk from Goathland this week (February 2014) .... if only the Signal Tea Room had been open. I would advise telephoning/emailing the North Yorkshire Moors Railway ahead of time mid-week/out of season, if you plan a visit and expect it and/or the toilets to be open ..... sadly, we didn't do this! It was our own fault ... we will know to email or telephone another time - we have learnt our lesson. We think trains were only running between Pickering and Goathland - which explains why everything was shut.I have rated it 'very good' because we have visited in the past and reviews on the NYMR site tend to confirm that it remains so.