The Clock Tower in East Devon

We came across this cafe when walking through the Connaught Gardens. I had a bacon sandwich and my wife had the biggest piece of Victoria sponge I have ever seen. We managed to get a seat outside and enjoyed a very relaxing snack before walking back to Sidmouth.

The clock tower has been our go to place for the last year or so we visit every weekend when we are down, The staff are always friendly and the coffee and cake are out of this world big shout out to the staff and owners making this a most visit place if you are ever in Sidmouth

I’ve been coming to the Clock Tower Cafe over many years, but unfortunately after visiting with a group of friends on Thursday 19th of September on our way back from Cornwall. The one star is not for the coffee, or the views which were v good, but the particularly rude and quite aggressive Barista who I believe is Aussie? We were literally told off when we went to one counter which we thought was where to order. We were told that there was a sign - we didn’t see it as there was another couple in the way. Moving to the order side we were then ‘told off’ again for getting in the way of the other staff. Another customer was told off for enquiring if the upstairs was open - there was another sign, but it looked like an ‘end of the day’ closing. The assistant was sarcastic in telling him that the sign was clear and he should understand. In the queue, another gent was spoken to and told off for being in the wrong place, he commented to me that it felt like being back at school again! I didn’t get a chance to order cakes as was literally rushed out of the way! I like to write positive reviews, am a positive person and understand that people do have ‘bad days’, but this aggressive behaviour gives out such a bad image of the cafe! A real shame as it’s been a gem of a place in the past!

Breath taking views over the beach and Jacob’s ladder. Great food and amazing staff. Helpful and polite. Good value for money too.

Called in today, been a few times over the last year. V busy today , cakes were great , service was good too . Coffee was poor threw mine away all three of us commented how bad it was, weak and wishy-washy, beware

Lovely cafe with spectacular views. High up on the Sidmouth cliffs. Tea and cake were lovely. It’s been revamped recently and still an excellent spot to relax. Set in Connaught gardens which are also worth a visit - very peaceful.

Fantastic location overlooking sea, cliffs etc and super friendly staff. First visit had a wonderful Xmas cake, so moist along with a really good espresso. Went back because we were impressed and had a lunch and we were not disappointed. I’m Gluten-free and they were very helpful and as a consequence I enjoyed fried eggs and chips. The eggs were perfectly cooked which is never easy! My wife had a very tasty special of chicken burger & fries with homemade slaw. They do a lot of home cooked dishes and their cakes are excellent but my wife was too full! Must visit you won’t be disappointed!

The Staff are absolutely wonderful. We couldn’t recommend this place enough.. thank you to everyone for giving us such a fantastic time with such delicious cakes and drinks , we will definitely return💖 Don’t forget to look at the views .. these are something to marvel at 😍

Great place to catch up with friends. Friendly staff and great food Thank you. We were welcomed even though we hadn’t booked! Great vibe

Quite often call in on our way back to the nearby carpark. Situated on Connaught Gardens and is a very popular place for locals & visitors. Under new ownership and with a larger selection of vegan friendly food. I'm no stereotypical Vegan and eat all food types. Birthday visit to Sidmouth today. Had my usual black coffee with Pistachio & vanilla cake. Absolutely bloody delicious and scoffed. Not a crumb left on the plate.

Very good location and prices. We had done a long walk to be able to reward ourselves with a cream tea and The Clock Tower did not disappoint. We had two cream teas and a sticky bun for, I think, £12 which really is excellent. Staff were all friendly and service was fast. A mistake with tea was quickly and happily rectified. I would just say that almost always it's nicer to have a scone warmed up a little, but there was plenty of cream and jam to go with it. Our Danish was delicious. Dogs are welcome here and there is a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

Stopped here for breakfast while on holiday. We sat upstairs which has lovely views of the coast. The staff are very helpful and the breakfast is delicious. Highly recommend

Coffee was great and staff were very attentive and helpful. A lovely spot to relax with great views from the terrace. Will return in the summer to sample their delicious cakes.

A family favourite by the Jurassic Coast! Took time out from Cyber Monday shopping to enjoy coffee and cake.

Wow, what a setting. We had drinks and cake which were absolutely gorgeous. Opted to 'takeaway' so we could enjoy the sun. The inside is really lovely...quirky.

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch we had toasted bacon, Brie and cranberry. It came with a small salad with pomegranate seeds and what I think was handmade coleslaw. Then after we had a cream tea we ordered for one and brought a second scone and cuppa. There was more than enough for two. The service outside was good and David was very welcoming and helpful. The only thing I would question was the attitude of the staff on the till. We asked if we could have the tea with our sandwiches and then the cream part after as it was a hot day. The answer was no. We didn’t buy other drinks on principle so had tap water and went back again to buy the cream tea separately so we didn’t have warm Cream. That’s a small issue as the food was excellent and the location beautiful.

My husband and I had lunch to celebrate 53 years of marriage It was outstanding,food superb,staff brilliant,and the finest setting in the south west

On a recent trip to Sidmouth visited the Connaught Gardens. Had a wander around and found them very pleasant. Noticed there was a cafe and decided to return in the afternoon for a cream tea. Enquired what time they were closing and was told 4.30 which personally thought that was a tad early for a glorious Sunday,oh well. We did return about 3.30,and ordered 2 cream teas. Only one scone was left with fruit ,for hubby, so I had a plain one. Regretfully the plain one was dry even with the addition of the cream and jam. Ended up leaving most of it. More the pity as it is lovely venue, but cannot say the same for the scones.

Have visited many times but have never experienced such poor service from extremely rude staff! Tables were not cleared and dirty water bottle’s empty but worse of all it was the attitude of two staff members.

First time coming Food was amazing very lovely staff can overall say it was a very enjoyable afternoon

The staff were indifferent and sad non interactive with customers. The tables were filthy 5 times I watched waitress come out with trays for new customers and to clear away ,never did she use a sanitiser or cloth ,tables left dirty attracting wasps. The aspect of the cafe is so wonderful with outstanding views.

We have been visiting sidmouth every year for over 10 years and we used to really look forward to our annual treat with a huge slice of delicious cake at the Clock Tower. A particular memory was their toffee apple cake! The last 2 years have been slightly disappointing as the cakes don’t have their usual ‘home made’ look/ taste (the sponge feels more like from a packet) there has been a distinct taste of baking soda in them the last 2 times. The bins outside also attract quite a few wasps. The setting and staff are always very friendly and hope that our feedback is taken into consideration as we would love to keep visiting and have some more cakes like how they used to be!

First time I've been here since new owners used to be a regular The worst cream tea ever the cream was runny I would say it was double cream instead of clotted 🤷‍♀️ Scones not great Get yourself down to someday Something see how it should be done

Must have changed ownership. Less tables outside and inside! Food not amazing. Waiter not suited to working in a cafe!!!

The Clock Tower is in a fabulous location with produce to match - the food, cakes, coffee and wine are fabulous too. I visited twice - along with my family - during a recent trip to Sidmouth and enjoyed it immensely on both occasions. Value...

Very child friendly with colouring pencils and sheets. My 5 year old said the fish and chips were the best she’s ever eaten (and finished the plateful without prompt!) Beautiful views and yummy cakes and coffee. Will definitely be back!

What a lovely hidden gem in the beautiful town of Sidmouth, if you are on the beach, make sure you climb Sidmouth’s Jacob’s ladder to the top and check out the clock tower, lovely coffee and cakes to die for! Not bad prices either, but...

Stopped off here for a bit of refreshment after Frisbee on the beach. My daughter and I had the biggest, most delicious slice of Victoria sponge each. Made many of the other cafe visitors look and comment as it was so big. Lovely hot chocolate...

Visited 13 7. 23. Ordered can of elderflower presse, charged £3.70. Obviously grossly overcharged, no receipt given, no glass to drink from, Server disinterested in having to bother to serve me,. a customer !

This is a super cafe with stunning views. The food was excellent I had a freshly cooked fishfinger sandwich and returned the next day for hot chocolate and cake. a favourite with locals and visitors with welcoming staff.

This spot is a real gem. Great attention to detail, lovely staff and all produce is fresh and locally sourced. We had a thoroughly enjoyable meal. Well worth a visit and one of the top cafes in town.

£20 for 2 sandwiches & 2 coffees, cost a lot more than other outlets we’ve used in the last few days and not as nice Some of the food is very pretentious, the ‘Chef’ should understand it’s a cafe and not a 5 star establishment...

It's in a great location [and pay road parking is a very short distance away]. We enjoyed an excellent brunch, the staff were very friendly, the toilets are excellent. We'd make a point of returning when in the area.

We (6 of us of the older generation) visited on a really hot afternoon after a long walk. My sister is disabled and as there were no vacant tables outside we helped ourselves to one from a pile in the corner. When we went to...

An excellent cafe in a wonderful location overlooking the sea , in the midst of an excellent garden . Superb coffee and a wide selection of cakes are available.

Once again the attentive and friendly staff served up wonderful food and coffee. Highly recommend you visit.

We had a cappuccino and a latte - both consisted of warm milk with no taste of coffee whatsoever. The chocolate brownie was not home made and quite inferior. And because we chose to sit outside we were served in takeaway containers. 2 sips of...

Appalling attitude from the young man at the till when ordering food, to say he had an attitude problem was an understatement. Food then ordered, one item sent out straight away which was cold and should have been hot, the second item sent out 10...

Amazing location with wonderful views. Went following a recommendation and we're not disappointed. The food was lovely and the service excellent. The very kind owner even posted me my hat that I had mistakenly left behind - talk about going the extra mile!!

Very pricey for a cuppa takeaway T! £5.20 for 2 Won’t revisit, can’t afford to, sorry we’ll take a flask next time

Ok, so the menu is limited and a little overpriced but I had an amazing bacon roll and we’d definitely return. My food was from the breakfast menu but I was allowed it for lunch which was appreciated. Very romantic upstairs with the beautiful views,...

It's a great shame that the previous owners left early last year. Then it was a beautiful cafe with a good food and service. It is now a pale shadow of its previous exemplary high standard. Food choices are limited and service is ok but...

This is a lovely cafe. We are regulars for the delicious rock cakes & a cuppa. Staff are always cheery and very obliging which makes for a lovely feel good visit. The view if you are lucky enough to get the window table is stunning....

Well presented food. Beautiful views out onto the coast. A lovely place to stop in after a walk. We love the cheesy chips.

Saw this cafe previously but was late in the day so on our return there today we made a point of stopping in for lunch, lovely views from sitting by the window upstairs. Breakfasts had finished and the lunch menu was limited, not even sandwiches...

Whilst in Sidmouth visiting family over the festive period we stopped here and ordered 5 hot drinks. A member of my family complained to staff as his coffee tasted odd and she replied stating that one of the other drinks he had purchased is the...

We were very disappointed by one of the waiters, when we kindly asked him to clean the table he came in his hand with a surface cleaner and sprayed all over the table from up high, it even went in our coffees. When he came...

Great location, stunning view but expensive. £8.50 for a cheese and ham toastie is a bit over the top in our view. Might not be as good and won’t have the view but same item in the town is only £4.50!

Came here for breakfast today and enjoyed two ‘big breakfasts’. Both portions were huge and the food was delicious. The staff were friendly and attentive, the whole atmosphere was great. We walked along the beach and made a day of it and will be recommending...

Lewis and Suzy allowed us to host a 50th birthday party for family and friends at the cafe. The food was amazing, all locally sourced dishes and with flavours at another level. Elton mess but like no other Eaton mess we’ve ever had! The team...

I came in last week with my husband , the staff were very friendly, the coffee and cake was delicious and the view from the window was impeccable. followed by a lovely walk on the beach next door. I will definitely be returning!👍🏼

I popped in to have a look at the new vegan options and wasn't disappointed. The Coronation chickpea sandwich was delicious as was the apple cake and my usual dark hot chocolate with oat milk. The staff were friendly and helpful as ever. Well done...

We visited on Friday 28th October and spent £16 on 2 pieces of cake, 1 piece of brownie and 2 teas. The carrot cake sponge was full of flavour, moist with tasty frosting...perfect! The brownie was perfect too. The chocolate cake sponge had no chocolate...

A welcome snack after a walk. Very pleasant place. Clean. Staff friendly. Quick service. Blonde (raspberry & white choc cake) best I’ve even had. For me the hot chocolate cold have been a bit hotter and stronger in taste.

We often visit the Clock Tower cafe and the new management are doing an incredible job - the food and drinks choices are perfect, delicious and great value. Highly recommend!!

Wonderful cakes, with good gluten free and vegan choices. Ask the staff for recommendations - the number of options may be overwhelming!

I visited this cafe for the first time today and had a fantastic welcome by the lovely staff and was served and showed to a table with a gorgeous beachside view. I had a cup of tea and a Full English Breakfast, which i must...

Where do we start Lovely setting in a beautiful town - downhill from there… Arrived at 2:20pm and double checked the cafe was dog friendly still - yes, but was asked to sit at a recently vacated table full of someone else’s lunch. Chose our...

Visited twice during our stay in beautiful Sidmouth, second time took friends plus dogs who were staying nearby. What a welcoming, warm, lovely place, especially the Welsh welcome we received! Had fabulous coffee, dogs welcome and wish we’d been hungry as stunning cakes and home...

Lovely food and drinks right next to the beautiful view of Sidmouth. Pet friendly, right next to connaught gardens with plenty of space. Scones were divine!

We came to Connaught gardens on the 14th of August to celebrate our first wedding anniversary as we got married here a year ago . We were greeted by the wonderful staff and sat by the beautiful window admiring the view . Suzy brought us...

A fantastic location, prompt service and good food. Next to Connaught gardens at the top of Jacobs ladder. Really worth a visit and seeking out if you're nearby, the views of the coast, westerly, is proper Jurassic coast and a marked contrast to the easterly...

Would visit again to sample their great cakes, then sit on a bench and admire the view. Would visit again when checking out the lovely Connaught Gardens - lovingly tended by volunteers

We live in Exmouth and have often visited Sidmouth but this was the first time we went to the Clock Tower Cafe. There wasn’t much choice on the menu especially for the children we had ordered the Eggs and Soldiers for my daughter and was...

Enjoyed delicious courgette and halloumi fritters for lunch today . The food is high quality and cooked to perfection,worth every penny ! So good to have the choice of fine dining for lunch in Sidmouth.

Went admittedly at 3.35pm and they close at 4pm. However I felt there was no excuse for rude impatient finger rapping behaviour by the male attendant whilst we ordered. Closed the toilets off 10mins prior to closing also and even blocked the exit to make...

We live not far from Sidmouth and often walk our dog there. We always used to end up at the Clock Tower for a pot of tea and one of their delicious cakes, either in the conservatory or outside in the garden. Unfortunately dogs are...

Just had the most amazing courgette and halloumi fritters with poached eggs and pea shoots with a side of chilli jam. It was hot, tasty and filling. Lots of other choices too plus vegan options. Fabulous cake display with lots of choice, all made on...

Lovely setting, friendly cafe but when I took a coffee back because it was seriously off the lady was not happy at all. She replaced it with a cheaper drink but got really stroppy. I use a lot of coffee shops some which also sell...

We were lucky enough to get the table wIth amazing sea views! The gardens are lovely and well kept. The new owners were welcoming , the place was quite small inside but they somehow managed to accommodate all . We had a delicious Quiche and...

Congratulations to the new owners! Your dog friendly welcome is much appreciated. Sparkly clean, friendly atmosphere. Coffee and scones, perfect! Thank you

The cafe location is fantastic with excellent sea views upstairs and beautiful surrounding gardens. I tried the courgette fritters with poached eggs that were a great combination with the chilli jam. Other things I tried and loved: kiln breakfast, Cornish pasty, vegan Bakewell tart, freshly...

With a stunning location, great views, adjacent gardens, this is a wonderful place to tempt the many visitors to pause for a drink and cake. We did so on our previous visit and recommended the Clocktower to everyone for years. But stopping for coffee today...

Beautiful breakfast, incredible cakes, stunning views and lovely staff (cannot fault at all) our new family favourite

Amazing view of the bay fro the top of the gardens, especially at sunset you can see a fantastic landscape with the sound of the rolling waves.

I visited on my own and was well served by pleasant staff. As they were so busy I chose to eat upstairs and the cheerful waitress brought my tea and cake up to me. A good range of delicious cakes to tempt and I shall...

My husband and I ordered cake, scone and 2 teas. We sat outside. When the order was ready we were called to collect it. We had no issue with the food but the tea was diabolical. It was so weak I took my tea in...

Lovey staff, amazing trainee who service me, so helpful & very polite! Big size cakes & yummy! Definitely recommend

Shocking! This was always our go to for great service and fabulous food. What we found was so far from that we were absolutely astonished. Numerous members of staff leaning on the counter, all using mobiles and laughing and joking. Upstairs closed even though there...

We love Sidmouth and we have been visiting for many years now. One of the highlights of our visits has always been a trip to The Clocktower. How sad we were to see the changes in place. It was a beautiful sunny day, but there...

Have visited Sidmouth many times and the Jacob's Ladder / Connaught Gardens area is a beautiful spot for a rest stop and a relaxing coffee with a view. Went here with my parents for exactly that, great coffee with a fabulous view. A Latte was...

Lovely cake, efficient & friendly staff, amazing views - what’s not to love.? Definitely worth a visit as you wander along the cliff top.

I was so very disappointed that with recent change of hands that some aspects of the original format have discontinued. It was such a highlight of coming to Sidmouth to visit the cafe with its huge & varied selection of cakes - which it was...

Finally made it to try out the Clock Tower under the new owners and am thrilled to find they are going to make a huge success of it. If this is “work in progress” while they build their team I can’t wait to see the...

Friendly staff that knew exactly what the vegan options were. I had a delicious vegan Bakewell tart and hot chocolate to go. I'm really excited to see what the vegan range will be when they launch the full menu.

This was our favorite 'go to' place for a glorious gut busting cake treat but not anymore. The range was limited, the portion sizes small and only one of our three cake choices was reasonable to eat as one was tasteless and the other very...

had an amazing experience popping in the other day to see the new ownership! great selection of cakes as always and quick, friendly service. will definitely be returning!

Called in here on Thursday at 1.15 pm for lunch to be informed that they only had one portion of soup left and were unable to make a sandwich, as they had been too busy in the morning. We asked to see a menu, but...

This iconic cafe has new owners. I have been a few times and it is great. Really friendly staff and OMG a variety of cakes to suit all tastes, vegan, gluten free etc, Plus delicious scones, soup and sandwiches. Plus it is dog friendly, and...

Such a shame. We have been visiting the Clock Tower for many years now but never again. The fabulous cakes that were famous all over the world have been replaced with a sad and very basic display of mostly bought in fair. Only three tables...

I’ve been here before many years ago and so looked forward to visiting again this week However it had only re opened a couple of days before visited after a lengthy closure due to the pandemic it was take out service only cake and coffee...

Visited on the day of opening and found the staff to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We had coffee and cakes and while we were waiting the staff were polite and happy to tell us what they have planned for the future which sounds fantastic...

I used to look forward so much to have a delicious Devon Cream Tea at the Clock Tower. I went there two days ago to find that the whole place had been gutted. The wonderful spongecakes and home made scones replaced by tiny shop-bought cakes...

We come here usually in October 2 celebrate 2 birthdays. On this occasion we looked online and seen that they shut at 4 (weather dependant) we arrived at 3.30 paid to park our cars on the road outside then walked in only to find them...

Great views over the Devon coast. Gardens at the top of the cliff were pleasant and opened up to give excellent views.

Firstly let me say the cakes are amazing, extremely big and great tasting including the gluten free brownies. However, it was a shame by 13:30 they had one 1 type of baguette left and no savoury snacks. So my elderly aunt was unable to eat...

As with other reviews, we have always used this place when at Connaught Gardens and in the past everything has been delicious and served on china plates and in china cups and saucers with proper tea pots. This afternoons experience there was awful, the tea...

We went for my birthday treat as we have done before, but never again. Hardly any seating, no seating inside, hardly any choice. When I ordered 2 cream teas I was told to wait to be called, when called the cream teas came in a...

Sorry to have to post a bad review, but to be fair This cafe has gone downhill , ok we can all blame our covid pandemic but we are coming out of it and all the other cafe/eateries in Sidmouth are doing very well ,...

Why no price list or menus? Covid can be blamed for many things but not the lack of openness on prices. I'm guessing it's £3 for a coffee & £5 for cake. The coffee was served lukewarm & there was little taste in the carrot...