The Book Cafe in Derby

Was taken for a retirement lunch but we were all disappointed with the choice. Only 1 vegetarian option. 2 of us had the open steak sandwich, the steak was very rare and the sauce, which was supposed to be blue cheese but wasn’t soaked through the bread making it very soggy. Not a great experience.

Wow - what an absolutely wonderful sunday lunch . We both had roast beef - every single thing was perfect - including the gravy . Lovely friendly staff . Fabulous

This was my first visit to the cafe with my wife who has been before and recommended it to me. We both had the Sunday beef roast and it was the best roast I have had in years. Everything was cooked to perfection and the beef was fantastic with a nice edge of fat to the slices which were very tender and tasty, the gravy was absolutely top grade. Needless to say we will be back again to try the other roast options very soon. Thankyou to all the staff for a very pleasant and enjoyable meal out today Sunday 3/3/24

Great place, lovely food and good value. Wraps are superb, in particular the Yorkshire Pudding Wrap with a pot of Onion Gravy

Such a delightful cafe. The decor was beautiful. Friendly staff, lovely atmosphere. I went with my daughter. The hot chocolate was seriously chocolatey. Would recommend.

Hmmmm, Bookcafe has changed hands?, it no longer feels welcoming with the new order here tech, or encouragement to use the app. People are still queuing but staff didn't rush to stop the queue building. 2nd issue the downstairs toilet, no one cleans it so I found urine on the floor, no loo roll and no soap. This does not happen in a day so it's constantly being overlooked and if that isn't being attended to what fate the kitchen? This used to be my go to place for any meeting or simply coffee, I won't return.

Great vegan options! We had the breakfast and bhaji sandwich, both large portions and tasty. We tried to order on the app but there was no option to specify vegan, ordering at the counter was fine. Please keep the vegan options, especially the breakfast that doesn't revert to falafels .... 😀

Booked afternoon tea here for my friends birthday. Paid a week before as requested and the table was reserved for us on arrival. There was a good amount of food! A mixture of meat and vegetarian sandwiches, scones and cakes. We also enjoyed a bottle of fizz. The service on arrival was great but then we didn’t really see anyone again for the duration we were in there. It was busy and we were content. We asked for the bill and left. The building is nice and the atmosphere busy, Id go back - we aren’t from Derby it’s a half way meeting point.

Lovely ambience and food fine. Problem was ordering - we had all travelled various distances to meet for a relaxing pre christmas lunch after a difficult year. Being 3 older and slightly digitally challenged ladies with only one smart phone between us, we decided to try and order at the bar only to be refused by a young slightly sneering lady who actually laughed lady when I said we had never app ordered before. After returning to our table we had to find and download a scan app before we could begin to order. I had been travelling since 8am and urgently needed a cup of tea. Worse still, my friend needed to take her cancer medication. Servers rushed by but no one helped and we felt out of place and unwelcome. After about 15 minutes we finally managed to navigate the menu and find what we needed. Luckily payment went better despite PayPal not being a choice. Servers arrived with food and couldn't have been more helpful then, but all too late. What we wanted was a relaxing lunch - table service would have been lovely and tipped heavily, bar service would have been fine too, just not a stressful IT lesson. Inclusivity covers a lot of things but in this establishment it doesn't cover those who have digital issues

Great stop for brunch, lunch or just a coffee. Plenty of GF options marked on the menu. Easier to order at the counter but this wasn't obvious as no staff welcoming customers. Food was great and came in a reasonable time. Lovely surroundings and good prices.

From the moment we walked in and effortlessly placed our order, the experience at The Book Cafe was off to a great start. The tables were pristine, and the warm welcome added to the inviting atmosphere. Opting for breakfast, I chose the small veggie breakfast without eggs. A considerate waitress offered an alternative to replace the egg, a thoughtful gesture that was truly appreciated. The drinks promptly arrived, and the pumpkin spiced latte I selected was an absolute delight. Meanwhile, my husband thoroughly enjoyed the generously portioned pancakes with a delectable berry compote. A lovely surprise occurred when I headed to the restroom, and a staff member went out of their way to compliment my Halloween hoodie, adding an extra touch of warmth to the atmosphere. The café's ambiance was perfect, hosting a diverse mix of patrons, from friends celebrating birthdays to families with young children and individuals enjoying their own quiet moments. Our experience was so satisfying that we're certain to return. The welcoming atmosphere makes it an ideal spot even for solo dining. Highly recommended for a splendid dining experience at The Book Cafe in Derby.

Great food and friendly staff, the Sunday roast is the best I’ve had in a long time 10/10 would recommend!

Great if you like absolutely zero service. There was no one here to welcome me, to see me to the table I had booked. There was an app to order which wanted loads of info so I went up to the bar. Loads of people standing around behind it. Then I had to wait for my drinks and take them to my table, they couldn’t even bring them out for me. More like McDonalds that a cafe.

Stopped for brunch service was great, food was hot and very tasty, did ask for one breakfast without mushrooms to avoid waste they did still end up on the plate but everything else was eaten!

My husband and I recently hired the Bank Managers Floor of the Book Cafe in Derby for an afternoon tea to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We cannot praise the staff highly enough-they were helpful, friendly and efficient from start to finish -especially Annie who organised the whole event for us and was there on the day to ensure everything ran smoothly. The function rooms are beautifully decorated, very spacious and air conditioned which was very welcome on what was one of the hottest days of the year! We had the afternoon tea but were able to tailor it to our specific requests and all of our guests commented on how delicious the food was-especially the amazing scones. All the food was freshly made with an excellent choice of sandwiches, savoury croquettes (which were all taken before I got one 😢) and fantastic cakes. Our guests needed no encouragement to go back for more and the remaining cakes and scones were boxed up for us to take home and fight over later! I would highly recommend the Book Cafe for both private functions and regular visits. Two of our friends very kindly bought us vouchers which we’re looking forward to spending on a champagne breakfast very soon! We will definitely look to book the function rooms for any future parties we have planned and I have to say that the added bonus is the fact that it is dog friendly so our chihuahua Woody was also able to be part of our celebration!

After trekking through nearly all of Derby trying to find a lunch spot which wasn't boring, we finally found the Book Cafe - and we're very glad we did! The menu is very interesting and both our food was really tasty - one had pork belly loaded fries, and the other had the American pancakes with berry compote. Lovely decor and plenty of seating as it's quite a large cafe.

Extremely helpful staff who go above and beyond. I visited the cafe recently and unfortunately left a bag containing a couple of vinyl records I’d bought behind. As we live in Bolton NW England, I rang the cafe hoping they had found them. I spoke to a very helpful member of staff who confirmed they did indeed have them. He then offered to return them to the shop in Derby that I had bought them from. I arranged with the owner of BPM Records to post the albums back to me and they arrived safely within a few days! Excellent service and a very kind gesture from the cafe staff member. The food was top class too.

I had the vegan breakfast, my son had the breakfast bap, my daughter had the avocado on toast. Food was hot on arrival, service quick and friendly. Recommend the vegan breakfast! I had so much food I shared with my kids.

Visited today for afternoon tea for a birthday treat. The sandwiches and cakes were lovely and plenty of hot tea. The staff made sure we were well looked after and met all of my friends dietary needs. Can't wait to visit again

Popped in today (Saturday) after my last experience with a couple of my friends who are vegan. I had seen some hype about your vegan food options. I jumped on the bandwagon and had one of the Indian spiced cauliflower wraps! What can I say? INCREDIBLE! Service was perfect, especially the warm welcome we received, food again was fast but delicious!! I’ll keep returning and writing these reviews if you keep up this outstanding work! The team all seemed in high spirits and the atmosphere was great amongst our neighbours. Good time had by all. Thank you again x

The Book cafe was brilliant. A lovely interior full of books, comfy chairs and yummy breakfast and coffee! Sabrina was lovely and would def recommend and will be back!!

We’ve been here many times but since 2020 eating out for us had taken a back seat….. so this was our first visit since then and we were quiet excited. It’s changed and in my opinion not for the best sadly. We sat down and had the option to order at the till or via a QR on the table…. The till seemed a little slow as it was lunch so we decided to order on the new system we hadn’t tried before. All went well and about 10 mins later our drinks arrived. We had a cookie milkshake, raspberry lemonade and an iced vanilla latte.. the milk shake was a huge disappointment, with half a glass of cream, and no real taste of anything my husband managed to finish it in 5 straw sucks….. there was that little in the glass…. Definitely not worth £5 sorry but that needs looking at. The iced coffee was pretty bland but was drinkable and about the same price elsewhere. Food shortly arrived after …. I had the halloumi skewers with pita bread humous tzatziki and salad. The skewer was very nice pita was warm. The humous was a little dry, like it had been put in bowls and left to go a bit crusty on the top but it was fine in taste. The tzatziki was very runny, and just about ok…. But the skewer was lovely. My husband had the shredded salt and pepper chicken which came on chips and he very much enjoyed…. So worth picking. My son had the new boa buns, and said they were really nice…. They came with crispy chicken pieces in them but for £8 no they were over priced… especially with no side like salad or even a 3rd boa bun…. We decided to have a desert - lemon drizzle, cookie dough and a biscotti millionaire short bread. Again we used the order system on the phone as it went well the first time. Shortly after ordering the waitress came over and said they didn’t have any lemon drizzle left so could I pick something else. I asked why it wasn’t taken off the system and she said she didn’t know…. They have an amazing epos system that takes seconds to change but they obviously don’t care too much about that… the only thing that she read off as an alternative was the red velvet cake…. That I would eat, so I went with that. The cookie dough was ok according to my husband … a little dry but not bad. My son was disappointed with his shortbread as he said it was stale..:: and didn’t look anything like the video screen above us…. Which made me laugh as nothing ever looks like the pictures they advertise anywhere. My red velvet cake was the size of a cake you have with a coffee , those taster ones when you get a few different ones to try, it was that stale I didn’t eat all of it…. It left a nasty taste like a margarine taste as well so I just left it…. Only to find out it was a vegan cake, that explained the taste other than butter… but I’m sure it should not have been stale…. Disgusting price at £4 as well. My son also ordered a chai latte …. Nope it was a cinnamon milk and he actually choked on the amount of cinnamon…… drinks are not their thing unless it’s bottled I’m afraid . So for us the main food was ok, overpriced but ok. The deserts- no, over priced and not nice, the drinks, we’d recommend staying away from the overpriced milkshakes for sure… We will go back, possibly…. I’m undecided…. It’s changed a lot and not sure for the better.

Whenever I visit the city centre for a spot of shopping The Book Café is the only place for lunch. The food is outstanding, as is the level of service and the warm welcome and atmosphere. Yesterday I had the Chef's Special. Halloumi and red pepper skewers with hummus and tzatziki. And we shared the cheese and ham hock croquettes with garlic aioli. It was fabulous.

I came here with a group of friends for an afternoon tea. I have to say, it's the best afternoon tea I've ever had!!!! The sandwiches were lovely with some different fillings that you don't see normally. The scones were fresh and warm served with clotted cream and jam. We were all too full for the cakes bit the staff gave us bags to take them home with us. I don't drink tea or coffee so was really pleased to find soft drinks were included in the price of the afternoon tea. Staff were amazing and food was fresh and delicious.

Lovely quirky and cute place, we almost drove by but decided to give it a try and so happy we did. The food was so fresh and delicious, I had the quiche of the day (tomato and Basil) and I wasn’t expecting it to be as awesomely good as it was, came with a side salad with a delightful mix of leaves, fresh chopped veggies , pomegranate seeds nuts and yummy dressing and home made coleslaw, yummy 😋 the book store was a nice place to browse with a good selection of gifts, cards, local goodies and maps. We will definitely be back before we head home

Visited with a group of friends and we were all absolutely blown away by our food and drink. From sandwiches to topped fries, everything was delicious. I had the triple grilled cheese sandwich and it was the best I had ever had!! Everyone was happy...

Fantastic poached eggs … runny and like a little ray of sunshine . Fabulous flat white …all in all 10/10 for a brilliant breakfast Will see you again soon

What incredible value. We had the celebration breakfast- I can’t recommend it enough. Pastries, a breakfast, a flapjack, a glass of Prosecco and a coffee for £22 each!? The food was lovely, the service was great and the atmosphere was friendly. Can’t wait to go...

Have been a regular patron of the book cafe for a long time. It was once a lovely place but something has changed. Although the food is still nice, there is something off with the way it is being run. Many of the staff are...

My friend and me choose the place because it looked pretty cool from outside. We were seated straight away. Ordered on the app, left the requirements on the comment section. Our coffee came out with cream and normal milk instead of soya no cream. (Would...

Stopped for a quick bite to eat along with our dog. Seated straight away and the service was excellent. Quick to take our order and not a long wait for our food. The food was delicious, I had the French Dip which was absolutely fantastic....

Visited here just for coffee and cake, the staff seem ok, but it’s obvious they are not happy whilst at work. During our visit, we heard what seemed to be the boss of the place, bark orders at the staff such as “is anyone out...

An ideal place to kick back and see off the last of the Saturday hangover +or is that just me?). Great decor and atmosphere with fast and attentive service. The food was excellent with decent sized portions arriving quickly at the table. The internet based...

Me and my friend have been visiting The Bookcafe for years for lunch, but since Covid the menu has become seriously depleted, which I could understand, but now portions are becoming smaller and all items overpriced. I’ve tried everything on the current menu over recent...

Popped in for a spot of lunch it was not that busy with plenty of tables free. Ordered drinks/bite to eat which was quickly served and was very good.

Just visited book café for a birthday afternoon tea staff are friendly helpful and very welcoming the food sandwich’s and cakes were amazing and very filling good value for money can’t wait for a revisit

A real find. Lovely decor. Friendly Staff. Good food. Relaxing space. Will def return when back in Derby

Had our breakfast/brunch at the Bookcafe after a small (very early) wedding. The lady who greeted us was really lovely and friendly and made us feel so welcome even tho we turned up earlier than planned! Excellent service, great food and great price! Thanks to...

Visited today, 2 of us had soup which was delicious (portion could have been a bit bigger) but was served with nice toasted granary bread. Other companion had steak sandwich with fries which was also very good and nice and hot. Good coffee and lovely...

The four of us popped in on Saturday lunchtime lured by the all day breakfast we sat on a table in full draft from the door but were moved when we requested i had the avocado on sour bread toast with poached eggs .... this...

We enjoyed an Americano and a slice of carrot cake which was delicious. The staff who cleared the table, took our order and served the food were all pleasant and the dining environment is stylish and impressive, originally built as a bank. Savoury plant based...

Poor booking system, poor service, surly and rude staff. So disappointed - we ended up going to Bear instead before we were served, which was far better. Unlikely to go here again for one of our many brunch outings.

Called in here yesterday Friday 23rd September 2022. Was busy but managed to get a seat ok. Very good menu but we were here for a drink and a snack. The coffee was very nice as was the toasted T cake. Prices were good, service...

We had lunch here one Friday recently. The menu had lots of things on it that I wanted to try, it was quite a challenge to decide. I did want toorder the special but it had finished so I had the roast beef French dip...

Very unhelpful staff bordering on being rude. They sell a large veggie breakfast, which was bigger than I wanted, so I asked if they could make their small breakfast veggie by substituting the bacon and sausage for a hash brown and a veggie sausage. The...

Visited here with a few friends. We were well looked after by Matthew. He made sure we had everything we wanted and that the drinks and laughter flowed. Food was really good and.we cannot wait to meet up again.

The place is beautiful and has lovely decor. Outside seats are also available. We only had drinks so rating is based on that - the coffees were as you would expect. Nice that there was free water available. The table was very sticky which I...

Ordered falafal and halloumi dish, we were told that the flat bread they normally use wasnt available so we had to make do with a paper thin wrap. The dish came out and was swamped in tatziki and yoghurt, and i mean swimming in it,...

Never been here before, came for brunch and it is did not disappoint. Great location, nice food and decent portion sizes. Will definitely go back again

We visited here last week, enjoyed the food so came back. Daughter ordered the exact same as week before, pancakes/berries and syrup in a pot at side. Came absolutely soaked in syrup and warm fruit on top, when asked the staff and told them that...

Extremely disappointed with the food today, I had the Open steak sandwich, I had to ask where the steak was, tiny chunks barely visible with very watery mushrooms, a sauce that I couldn’t quite fathom the taste and a bread roll that was rock hard,...

A grand but nonetheless inviting building, originally built as a bank in 1879, Grade II listed with beautiful features, from the white pillars to the high ceilings, cornices and ornate plasterwork. After being served by the polite and amiable female member of staff I enjoyed...

Called in over the Easter weekend. Varied menu. I ordered the sweet potato and halloumi flatbread it was delicious and full of flavour. Reasonably priced, good service. The others had a burger and salt and pepper chicken and loved it. Recommended 👍

The service was prompt and attentive. The coffee was very good. My wife had a gingerbread latte it was excellent. My plain latter was also very good The brownies are excellent. The cream egg brownie was dark and chocolaty but not too sweet. The bakewell...

Great setting, good selection of food/beverages, with friendly and helpful staff. The ability to order, pay and take receipt at the table is great!

Stopped in for Sunday afternoon drinks. Fast service. Nice range of non-alcoholic drinks. Fun environment.

Popped in and found a table straight away. Staff were great and the food was fairly priced with good portion size. Will definately go here again

Great breakfast at this dog friendly cafe. All ingredients to very high standard. Best pancakes I’ve ever tasted! Quirky setting

Went on a day visit to Derby, found this lovely restaurant to have lunch it is a delightful place . The staff were very nice and although very busy we did not wait long. The meal was delicious very impressed and so reasonably priced, will...

A group of us had the festive afternoon tea. The tea was lovely The sandwiches and cakes delicious. The service was great the staff were very. Pleasant and you could tell they really wanted us to enjoy ourselves. We had a lovely afternoon thank you...

I've been to the Book Cafe a number of times over the years. It is a wonderful place to sit, relax and watch the world go by. It is one of those places you just know the food will be excellent and that is why...

My friend I came in for breakfast/lunch , hot drinks and a chat . We were split for choice with the menu so ordered our drinks first , then finally decided on food later Louise ordered the all day breakfast and I had the salted...

Hadn’t been to the book cafe in years but decided to give it a try! I was under the perception that they just did sandwiches and cakes but wow I was surprised! The menu sounded so nice I couldn’t decide what to pick. Ordered through...

We hadn’t visited Derby for some years and we were pleased to see that this café is still here. It has a large and pleasant historic interior. We enjoyed two flat whites in a good atmosphere, the coffee was of good quality but we did...

Had breakfast there today. Really expensive and it was awful. Pancakes drowned in cheap maple syrup and frozen berries defrosted and placed on top of lukewarm pancakes. We were starving so didn’t check reviews. Super expensive. Service poor. Not going back.

Absolutely delicious full English breakfast ! Open airy beautiful environment with friendly staff and good prices. Would highly recommend to anyone living or visiting Derby - great find wish we had found it before our last day

Went for breakfast. The best cooked breakfast I have had in a long time, clean, amazing building, lovely setting, friendly staff and lots of space. Would advise anyone wanting a cooked breakfast to visit the Book Cafe

Wowww the spicy bean loaded chips were amazing! I really enjoyed it here, well priced too for lunch. The girls were really nice both at the counter and who brought our food to us, think it might have been a training day as the owner...

Kind flexibility for someone with dietary restrictions - staff went out of their way to make sure our food was fabulous !

Excellent. Clean, friendly, efficient with amazing food. Can’t fault it. Kind staff. Covid regulations clearly marked and adhered to. Thank you.

A few tables outside. Order through scanning a QR code. Ordering process very easy but information on order status confusing - it said we would get a second email when the order was confirmed and they were preparing the order but the food just arrived...

This is the third time I have visited the Book Cafe. It would of been the fourth but on one of my visits last Christmas we couldn't get a table due to it being so popular. Lessons learnt I now book although not always necessary....

Still looks like the great cafe i am used to, but didn't get to eat this time. Didn't want to sign up for an account, and waitress refused to take order manually. When I complained, she said "it was the law". REALLY ??. Methinks this...

Ordering is the wort. You order on the website, pay then wait for a txt to tell you if its accepted. If I pay for food I expect to get it and not have to wait to find out if I can have it. We...

So if you have rules about what can be eaten where and when have your meet and greet staff consult as you walk in. Certainly do not let people go through the time consuming effort of building an account to order and pay. Do not...

Unless you’re ‘tech’ savvy don’t visit! Worst dining experience ever, poor menu choice, can only order on their app!. Staff were very helpful & friendly

Booked table for 4,seated inside.When we ordered scones and a drink,we were told we had to order meal to sit inside,so we would have to move outside.As non smokers we did not want to sit with smokers,but not given choice. When food arrived,they had run...

Myself and my best friend came to the book cafe in derby for breakfast. We placed our order and 45 minutes later I kindly asked the waitress where our food was as the whole of the restaurant had received theirs. She wandered off and came...

From the moment I arrived, I should have just left. We were told if we wanted to eat outside then we should order via their app. I downloaded the app which was rubbish from the start. It asked for my mobile number so it could...

The Belper Book Cafe has not been open long, so we decided to have a takeaway from there. We had three Turkish Wraps and mini fries which were delicious. We ordered them on line and then collected them when instructed. Highly recommend!

Ordered a afternoon tea takeaway. Really nice!!!!. amazing selection! Cake. scones. Sandwiches. Highly recommend!!! Thank you......

Met a friend for an early lunch. The cafe was clean and the staff were friendly. Had a superb open steak sandwich followed by very good chocolate fudge cake. Good value and great service.

Great breakfast and really different decor. Food and service good. Good value for money. Really worth a visit.

After being to cinema we decided to give this place a try. We was not all all disappointed the food was quick served by smiley staff.

Wonderful full bodied coffee, their own blend. Tasty full cooked breakfast. Quiet happy to change menu slightly to suit the customers and not much waiting for food or the drinks. Great decorations and surroundings. Price reasonable so no complaints. Staff friendly and we enjoyed the...

Afternoon tea is nice. However not enough sandwiches on the plates and we got 2 scones between 4 people. So could only have 1/2 each. It took forever for the food to come out. And the place was cold. The food was tasty just wish we had a little more.

I visit the Book Cafe often, as I love the ambiance. However, portions are always small. Today's Jacket Potatoe was no exception - small, mushy and lukewarm. Great selection of cakes though, which I ended up buying a slice of, as I was still hungry. Attentive staff, clean - just need to up the portion sizes to match the price

Visited here on a cold day in November and fancied a hot drink to warm me up. Walked past here many times and always thought it was pretty from the outside. Hot chocolate was so tasty and exactly what I needed. Ordered at the counter and it arrived within 15 mins. Next time I would love to try their food!

Nice cafe. You need to queue to place your order. They have the staff to take table orders which would be better. Ordered the salt and pepper chicken. Basically £9 for a plate of (nice) chips as very little chicken. Very tasty, just needed three times the amount of chicken to make it worth the price.

I really enjoyed my recent visit here. The food was delicious. The team were very good with my allergies and went above and beyond to find out what was in the food I was eating. Will definitely be returning, It’s not the cheapest place to eat but you definitely get what you pay for.

Popped in with a friend for a late lunch after shopping. The cafe wasn't too busy and I didn't have to queue for long. My Book Cafe Burger was excellent, my friend had a jacket potato which was also very good.

I’ve been here a few times and it is always lovely. Just has the full Derbyshire breakfast, possibly the nicest poached eggs I’ve ever had. Can’t fault the place, clean, chilled, lovely food and reasonable prices.

A very well appointed cafe which serves excellent food at a reasonable price. We had a really nice enjoyable visit! Plenty of choice but the large coffee should really be called a Jumbo. Excellent all round.

What a a fabulous place , 23 of us ladies had afternoon tea and drinks which was excellent. Sandwiches fresh and plenty with a lovely range of cakes. A little hiccup with booking initially which was quickly rectified showing great customer service.

I met four friends today for lunch and chose the Turkish Chicken Wrap. On the menu it sounded delicious but when I started to eat it found it to be tasteless and there was hardly any chicken in it. I opened the wraps up to see exactly what was inside and found 3 small and I mean small pieces of chicken in one half and 1 piece in the second half. It cost £7.99 which I felt was a waste of money.

Everything was top banana here, service friendly, food was perfect for what we wanted great ciabatta’s & a very relaxing vibe. Defo. 👍🏻

Relaxed surroundings, for a quick coffee or more leisurely lunch. Staff where attentive and very pleasant. And for a bonus there is always something to read !

Hospital visit and minor operation sorted we decided to treat ourselves to lunch.

My second visit here, these are freshly searved cups. I have been few days ago and situation was the same, but i thought to give the place second chance, nothing has changed.

Dropped in for lunch whilst waiting for car to be serviced. Really excellent food and price. Staff very friendly and courteous. Very happy lunchtime atmosphere. Can thoroughly recommend