The Backyard in Derby

Fantastic food excellent service Unfortunately I don’t get to the area often enough But next time I’m close I’ll be back I feel like I’ve found a little gem Wish they were in Nottingham

This is a coffee shop with a twist, a twist that provides for friendly staff, great service, top quality and fresh food, and a pleasant atmosphere. Find that combination anywhere in the world, and you've struck gold. This is a great place to either chill and relax in, or to grab a take away from. I know, I've done both, and their efficiency on match days has to be seen to be believed. And when I say fresh food, here's a tip: ask for an oven warmed snail (that's a raisin pastry swirl). Made on site, they are to die for, trust me! Love this place so much, its almost become a destination.

With a bit of effort, I eventually got a coffee I could drink. My standard coffee order is always a large, 4-shot black Americano, and this was what I asked for. The expectation was four shots of coffee in a large mug, topped up with a decent amount of hot water, as per a standard, normal Americano. What I got, from uninterested and slightly confused baristas, were four shots of coffee in a small cup. I asked for it to be put in a large cup with more hot water, and it came back in a slightly larger cup with barely a splash of additional hot water. I eventually asked for a cup of hot water, so I could top up the offering and get the coffee I actually wanted. Perhaps my expectations were not clear. Perhaps my request was unusual. Perhaps my requirements could have been questioned and clarified by the barista, e.g. "This is the largest cup we have". Whatever the reason, it was hard work getting a decent coffee. The cafe is a large comfortable space within Derby County's Pride Park football stadium complex. It's nicely appointed, contemporary in style, with a variety of seating arrangements including armchair and sofa seating areas, individual tables, group tables, bar-style seating, and more secluded areas at the front of the cafe. The cafe is very clean and neat, and the restroom was of an acceptable standard. The usual menu of coffees was available; my companion fared a bit better than me with a flat white. There were some pastries available, but the selection was fairly minimal. Maybe that was because it was not a match day. Most parts of the cafe are wheelchair accessible. Would I visit again? Probably not!

Friendly staff and a fresh pot of loose leaf tea. The backyard is my new favourite place for catch ups.

Absolutely thrilled that the Back Yard do a Gluten Free Bacon Cob! Hungry mornings are no more! (AND IT WAS DELICIOUS!)

Plenty of comfortable seating, staff friendly and welcoming and a decent cup of coffee but a tad disappointed with the choice of cakes, need more.

I visited yesterday morning for coffee and breakfast prior to an all day meeting at the stadium. I’m dairy and gluten free and I was very very impressed. The chef offered to make me a special bacon roll and the coffee was divine. They roast their beans to 200 deg and it really makes a flavoursome cup. My coffee this morning pales into insignificance. I even popped back in after my meeting for a coffee to take on the road. Coffee and food was delivered to me at the table and the staff were polite, helpful and very cheerful. Nothing was too much trouble. I can’t wait to go back 😍

Good coffee, nice food and decent WIFI add some pleasant staff and you have happy customers, very Good.

The Back Yard is a little bit of remote working paradise in the heart of Derby. Lots of parking - outside the football club (be aware of match days) Once inside. Coffee - great. Food - great. Staff....errr....also great. The best bit for me. Sockets and the most amazing wifi. In fact...the wifi is so good, I don't want to mention it as it may mean more people start to use it. Despite this, if you're looking for a remote workplace or spot for a meeting, this is ideal. Far more convenient that trying to battle the parking in the city centre too!

Excellent venue, nothing is too much trouble. Lovely Coffee. Staff take pride in their work and making sure the customer is happy. Xx

The staff at this place are absolutely amazing. Cannot fault anyone!! They have great character and make you feel really welcome. Very engaging indeed. I tend to use this place to work in very often and come back because of the reasons above. They are also prepared to accommodate and be flexible on your dietary requirements and are happy to go that extra mile for you. With that said I have to mention that the food is really nice and fresh. The flavours do hit your mouth well. Better then buying something from your local supermarket. The decor is impressive and music is good. Ideal for meetings, working and just catching up with your friends. Drinks are great too, The standard Americano and the Chai Latte are definitely worth trying. TTaank

Well what can be said, since my last review things have improved dramatically. We've seen the best manager ever retire (she knew what it was about and is really missed!), an acting manager (Paul) who once he knew how the place (us regulars) ticked really started to understand those of us who spend significant amounts of our lives in here, and again now he's gone back to his real job upstairs is also missed! And with a new manager at the helm lets hope to see it get back to great things again. The coffee is great, proper coffee, albeit cup size has shrunk, and price is up there with some coffee shops in London, food is more limited, gone are the amazing breakfasts (RIP Fry up Friday), the soft bread replaced by somewhat chewy 'muffins' (I think thats posh for stale rolls) All it needs now is its soul back, no more silly promotions aka afternoon tea at lunch time, and cater for those who are the core of business which I am fairly sure are the folks on the Pride Park business areas. So come on the folks upstairs, you are sat on a real gem, an amazing team of staff, who give everything they have, this is Derbys hidden gem, let them keep doing what they do so well! Will I still keep coming here, yup, as I have for a decade ... better than a Costa, not quite better than the Starbucks but I'm sure it will be! Its home from home for so many, some though have gone, and won't be back, because of the changes, and I can see why.

Excellent coffee. Excellent food. Excellent service. Full credit to new Manager for significant improvement in whole experience.

I come to have a coffee here once in a while and normally, the coffee is good. Today I was waiting 15 minutes for the coffee to be delivered to the table - I would have been happy to carry it myself. Also, the coffee wasn't up to the usual standard, just an average coffee that I can get in any other coffee shop. As I said above, a disappointing experience today. I'll think twice about making a trip across Derby here next time.

Like the layout very spacious. Coffee very good. Tuna baguette to share, staff offered to cut it and give two plates. Filling was good with ample tuna. Staff friendly and helpful. Will go again.

Since they've changed to delivering your order to the table it's quicker at the tills and still good quality food and drink, love (sadly) the sausage rolls.

Fantastic food and service, would highly recommend. Had a coffee and breakfast muffin and was lovley.

Popped in to meet a business colleague and ordered a coffee and a tea. It was delivered to our table without spoons. And for the tea all that was on the table was brown sugar. For the price we paid I was at least expecting a little biscuit on the side but alas, no even a large pot of tea or a large cup of coffee. Needless to say, we didn't hang around to eat there although that was the plan :(

Paul and the lads eased my pain of dropping my coffee all over the car park this morning, reassuring me it wasn't going to be the worst day ever and replacing my poor coffee with a new and improved one = TOP LADS!! - thanks for retaining my love of Fridays wahoo Have a great day guys (DISCLAIMER- definitely wasn't asked to write a review!)

Nice surroundings serving a god selection of food including Jacket Potatoes with plentiful toppings. Plenty of space and easy to get to in Pride PArk.

Sesame salmon and a gingerbread latte, tip top!

Having recently started a new job in this location I visited the backyard a couple of weeks ago and I have been in for a coffee and lunch almost everyday since. The food is delicious, the coffee is amazing and the staff are incredibly friendly, with quick service! So much better than any other branded coffee shop I’ve been to!

Every time I call at Pride Park for tickets, business or football I always pay a visit. Everyone is always so welcoming and the food and coffee is first class!!

I took my team out for a celebratory breakfast and coffee. My mocha was weak, I couldn’t taste the coffee and my colleague’s chai latte looked and tasted like hot milk. My pain aux chocolat was warmed when I asked for cold. This is a large departure from the usual standards and quality I had been getting at the coffee shop.

Having been a customer of both Starbucks and The Backyard daily for around ten years, and previously always positive and complimentary, Friday was a step too far.

Arrived at around 1000hrs and walked in to a very noisy environment, it was impossible to feel relaxed. There was a crowd around the till area as people were stood waiting for their drinks and/or food. This is because there is no service to the table. I took a seat and my partner ordered coffee and bacon rolls. The coffee was served in proper cups but filled to the brim leaving no room for milk. The milk and sugar etc is located away from the till. No tray was provided and so several trips were required. We had ordered bacon rolls and these had been toasted which had done nothing but make them dried out. The filling was fatty and sparse. There was a lot of loud communication between the till, the crowd and the kitchen throughout our stay. We were approached on several occasions to ask if we'd ordered this or that clearly showing a lack of organisation. Overall quality, presentation and service was poor. We won't come here again.

My first visit here, but won't be my last. A really nice place. Great appearance, nice staff, good coffee. I wish they did a 'bring to your table service' though.

The backyard is perfect for lunch in the pride park area, they offer a good range of food especially the new jacket potatoes they have recently introduced and it’s a comfortable place to eat and drink.

Came for food and a hot chocolate the other day. The service I received here was incredible from the moment I walked in to the moment I left. The staff were warm and friendly. The young lad is fantastic rushed of his feet but still gave service with a smile. What a credit to the business. Applies to most Staff there also.

We went for a quick coffee and bite to eat and noticed that they did jacket potatoes! No word of a lie the jacket potatoes were the best I’ve ever taken. The staff were so attentive and lovely, especially Aimee! Will definitely be returning!

One of my favourite cafés - lots of spaces to sit, relax, work on your laptop or read. Free WiFi of good speed, great coffee and fresh food. A couple of gluten free cakes available (also vegan ones) and lunch options, all really nice. Professional atmosphere but plenty of space for families and room for a meeting over coffee etc.

Staff are friendly, Coffee is hot and taste increible! I personally only drink americano witha hint of milk so I can always tell if the coffee is good or not and I've gotta say them beans are too die for!

Great coffee and cake! Nice friendly atmosphere and child friendly. Great if you fancy a coffee without the hustle and bustle of town. The staff served quickly and were hot on keeping the place clean!

Spacious and very nicely decorated. Love the 200 degrees coffee (better than Starbucks).

We went in on Friday 16th November to meet someone for a coffee and lunch at 12:30. First thing I did was ask what was safe for someone who had a peanut allergy to which I got a cheerful "Nothing!" I again asked if there was anything, such as the baguettes, that were nut free or free of peanuts as a minimum, and I was told that the chef goes home at 11:00, otherwise he would have been able to prepare something fresh for us, but as he was gone and all the food was prepared upstairs and had no ingredients listed she could not say anything was safe!!!!!!

Superb place. Really nice atmosphere . Many business meetings going on . The staff were all cheerful and engaging and the coffee is spot on

Amazing for a cup of coffee and a quick lunch with Friends! Staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. Love the drinks and food selection, lots of variety. Will definitely be returning!

Stayed in Derby for a few days for business trip and have stayed on pride park. We visited the yard which was good so decided to give this place a go too. We were extremely disappointed, coffee wasn't great, staff were miserable and scruffy with the food menu being extremely pricy and poor.

What more can you ask for in a morning! The very best coffee and the very best company. This is my Coffee Shop of the year. Brilliant service, friendly and attentive staff. The manager will do anything to make sure your visit is a great experience. Comfortable, clean and modern, The Back Yard is a great place for work and relaxing. The team will make you feel welcome, advise on the drinks and brilliant food on offer and help out whenever you need.

Walked in just before 11 on a Saturday wanting some brunch . It was pretty empty. No breakfast on offer, not even a breakfast roll that could be heated in the absence of a chef. We and another couple departed shortly thereafter. Bring back Starbucks

My first visit to the Backyard. I had a pot of tea, which was very nice. The staff were friendly on the occasion of my visit. The layout is large with lots of seating available.

As it was International Coffee Day today, I decided to try out the Backyard's offering. Sadly and sorry to say, the cappuccino was one of the worst I've tasted - very much like the awful grey coffee served nationwide by Starbuck's. I would say the coffee blend needs careful reconsideration and the general ambiance needs improving. The potential for custom here is huge, so if the coffee, food and service is done well, this place could be full rather than half empty at lunchtime, especially as the current choice on Pride Park for the many workers is hugely lacking.

I have never seen so many staff with unhappy faces behind a counter, it does not cost anything to greet customers and perhaps then stretch to a smile. Cake and coffee were very poor, coffee was tepid and even when drinking in you do not get a saucer, what is that about. When tables are vacated a member of staff needs to clear and clean them for other customers, its not rocket science.

Just been for a cappuccino which turned out to be just a very strong coffee, no saucer given even though I was drinking in-house and toilets smelt terrible Bring back starbucks!

Really disappointing customer service. The staff were extremely unfriendly and tried to close the shop half an hour before closing, packing away all of the food. We arrived an hour before closing and were refused cups or plates despite requesting them and were charged for a full teapot of tea despite only being allowed 1 paper cup (even though we did ask staff about this).

Paid our first visit today and it will be our last. It was expensive for the small cup you got and it was below tepid, we were able to drink them straight off. Prefer Costa and Starbucks any day.

What a great place to get a great Coffee! The team are fab, always keen to help and greet you with a smile first thing in the morning. Love the food especially the Raspberry Flap Jack! It's yummy. Love the girls who create the swirls Sparkle, Lola, and Hollyx

We tried the new, former Starbucks cafe, for a Saturday morning breakfast.

Only one size coffee, so if you like a small flat white you're OK. But same price as a large coffee anywhere else. Personally I want a large coffee.

Dropped in early Tuesday morning for a quick cappuccino and cake. Both the coffee and cake were OK but eating off wooden cutlery is not the best no matter how environmentally friendly it is.

Went for a lunch, the choice isn’t amazing but it was ok, no cooked food at all. Coffee was fine but small portions.