The Coffee Cellar in Exeter

The place looked nice from the outside, so we decided to give it a try. But as soon as we walked in, it was like we were invisible to the staff. After finally grabbing a table and picking out what we wanted to eat, we tried to order at 11:57, only to be told that the lunch menu didn't start until 12. Fair enough, but why couldn't they just take our order and hold off on making it until 12? The staff were a bit of a mess - talking loudly, swearing, and sitting on the counter. And their personal conversations... I really didn't need to hear all the gossip on who’s sleeping with who, while trying to enjoy my lunch. To top it off, one of them had Snapchat notifications going off non-stop, which was beyond annoying. On the bright side, the food was actually pretty good. But the service was so off-putting that I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone or bother going back myself. A shame because it’s a lovely location and interior nice.

Primley staff , quick surface, Great atmosphere , Healthy, food

Place looked quirky and interesting. Said it did bacon baps before 12.00 but then they said they had no baps. 11.50 they were probably hoping we would wait for the 12.00 menu. Ordered a warm cheese scone which was heated up in the microwave so boiling hot and spongy, so fed to the birds outside! Water for tea pot was not boiling so did not make a nice cup of tea and cornish pasty....only thing available was ok. Shame as it looked such a nice place to visit. Nice cups though.

Lovely stop off while shopping.

Lovely polite service Dog friendly extra attention for them Relaxed Nice coffee and bacon sandwich would definitely recommend

Lovely atmosphere but I got the impression the staff member that served me didn’t want to be there or cared. I came here with my mum and aunt and we all decided to get food. She took my aunts food order and as someone else was waiting I let her do her order first. After taking the other ladies order she then asked me to wait while writing something down for about 5 minutes. I then went to give my food order and she told me it was too late and they’d stopped food. It was dead on 3pm. I’d been waiting for 10 minutes and this was really upsetting as I needed to eat due to a medical issue. Lovely cafe but I sadly wouldn’t recommend

✨️a great place to sit and watch the world go by along the quayside. Recommend the carrot cake ! 🥕 big slices!

Rather expensive but tea and flap jacks okay. Staff bit disinterested. Not too friendly. However sitting outside near the water makes up for that.

Always a pleasure to stop by and enjoy a coffee. Staff are always courteous as well. What a view to relax and while away a pleasant interlude. The new chairs are comfy too 😊 It’s our place to go weekly when in Exeter

Very welcoming Staff polite friendly

They have an amazing English breakfast tea served with fresh milk. I have also tried their tuna melt which is one of the best in town. Also, my friends enjoyed their flat white and iced coffee with fruits scones.

A lovely place to sit at the quay. Nicely eclectic- boho feel

Great little spot with a cosy vibe inside, with tables and chairs outside as well.

Have never given a one star review before. We didn’t actually have coffee here as we planned. We decided to stop here for a drink after a walk along the canal as it looked so nice. Found a table and went in to order, my friend and I stood at the counter for around 10 minutes waiting to be served, there were 3 members of staff behind the counter, a young chap, an older woman and older man, not once did anyone of those people engage with us, no eye contact, nothing was said to us about the long wait, no apologies about being busy, they completely ignored us, nothing! Rude and not customer focussed at all, not going back.

Cool place. Good service, nice food.

Ignored when trying to pay for a simple order, it was a little busy but staff seemed to be in a trance with tunnel vision so could only see their current task, taking offence to the fact all we wanted to order was two bottled drinks (which they didn’t even have to prepare)

We were queuing up to buy drinks to take with us. None of the staff even acknowledged us. I asked one of the staff after 5 minutes of waiting how we would pay for our drinks? She said someone will be with us in 2 minutes. They all just completely blanked us, we ended up walking out. Great location, miserable staff.

Rude staff. Avoid and go next door to Sundays. Which is where we did get our coffee from. Accidentally sat in the wrong place (deckchairs) and was shouted at by a man from Coffee Cellar to get out of his seats / table. He came from behind us and made me jump. I’m ND and it really frightened me. Everyone stared at us and commented how rude he was. It was a genuine error. Will never go here. Staff should think about who they talk to and how they speak to them.

Unfriendly waiting staff. Cool location.

Absolutely beautiful cream tea, handmade warm scones, lovely jam. pretty vintage china... lovely..the best cream tea I've had . friendly relaxed cafe recommended 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Absolutely beautiful Devon cream tea, handmade warm scones, lovely jam and cream, pretty vintage China. The best cream tea Ive had, and a dog treat for our pups too. we enjoyed our visit .thank you

Really cute little place that I stumbled upon to avoid the rain. Coffee was delicious & the scone was lovely. Will be back for sure as the staff were smiley & friendly which makes all the difference.

Proper baristable alternative milk. Well done! Lovely inside and out, and dog friendly! New favourite spot.

Really nice in here!Lovely decor and the staff are so nice!Very welcoming and all reasonably priced!Food is incredible especially paninis!

Paninis (2x) were burnt so sent back. No replacement as they had run out of hot food (Sunday 2pm). Gave money back. Service slow

The cakes are delicious, the atmosphere and location were good, the decoration is interesting

Lovely little café to stop off at if your in the area. Usually stop here after riding up from Exmouth.

Reed diffusers smelt great. Fun maximalist decorations. Cuisine did not speak to Steve (but we didn't try the food)

Loved it in here, quirky but cool. Staff were quick & friendly. Definitely be back.

Coffee was good. Didn't have any food but the cakes looked really nice.

A lovely spot on the Quay, great for people watching and sitting in the sun. Good coffee. Funky cellar.

Kooky staff , very helpful, absolutely delicious cappuccino with oat milk. Music, great view of the river

Lovely coffee shop with a warm welcome always. Great choice of cakes and lunches. Excellent value for money. Dogs allowed. Definitely the best coffee shop on the Quay.

We didn’t stop for food, because unfortunately the cafe was out of what we wanted, instead the staff gave us an excellent recommendation and even called them to make sure it wasn’t a wasted trip. It was so kind and lovely and it will definitely lead us back for desert. Go there!

Popped in for a coffee. Great cosy little coffee place.

Super setting and a lovely lunch with you yesterday x She loved the soup (tasty spinach & lentil, a bit spiced) x Thanks changing bacon for tomato in my panini, great & tasty salad bits x Wow at the setting in Exeter Quaiside, the decor, lemur, wooden screens. I'll be back x

This is a lovely spot to sit outside on the Quayside and people watch whilst sipping a coffee.

Great atmosphere and decoration and amazing outside seating area overlooking the river and Quayside. Fantastic cakes and coffee.

The blackcurrant yoghurt topped flapjack is a must. Lovely river view. Very chilled. Coffee took a while to arrive but worth the wait.

Best Dang Chocolate I have ever had!!! Aside from this great setting, just what you want from a cafe. The tea was copious too.

What a fantastic place! We’ve been here a few times now and it just gets better with every visit. The coffee is always great and the offer of cakes always tempting. The quayside seating is ideal to sit and enjoy your coffee anytime of the day and the staff are always so welcoming. Inside is great too With its quirky but elegant styling. A firm favourite rain or shine.

Lovely staff, great coffee, fab view of the river ☺️

Such a lovely, friendly little place. More cake please!

Lovely situation, service was a bit indifferent. And the coffee was actually unpleasant. I won’t be going back.

The place is beautiful and wonderful, and the view of the river is distinctive.. Nice treatment from the staff.. and the food was delicious

Lovely coffee and cake right on the quayside great staff

Brilliant, frist coffee in 15 years so had to go to the best place.... Stunning coffee really enjoyed it..... Highly recommended the carrot cake outstanding xxx

Generous and tasty cakes, Sitting outside in the sun , could have been the Cote d'Azur

What a great place to stop for a bite to eat or a coffee. Sit outside. Watch the world go by Sensible prices Good service

Lovely coffee. Fabulous tray bakes. Sat in the sun people watching😊😊😊

Great location on the quay especially when the sun is out. The coffee was average, staff were a little abrupt and unfriendly as a small rush of people arrived shortly after us. Didn’t take note of alternative milk request when we ordered and proceeded to make with cows milk, easy mistake that they misheard us. Would be nice to keep up the good customer service even when it’s busy.

Was expecting a bit more, disappointing not very hot mocha and £9 for two , a tad pricey.

Great cafe in a fab location, friendly staff. Drinks a little on the pricey side, £5.50;for a pot of tea for two, had to ask for extra hot water as not included.

Lovely coffee shop by the quays and a nice selection of breakfast pastries and cakes. Also has outdoor seating available which will be lovely in warmer weather

Lovely soup, but not so keen on the blues music!

Nice little coffee bar after a parkrun

5* standard service, incredible cream tea, made even better by cheerful team. Definitely recommend, ordered second round!

Slow. Only wanted a coffee! Recommend you try the place next door if you want a coffee sometime this century.

Although called the coffee cellar they also do fabulous ice creams and milk shakes which I can vouch for 🍦. Lovely setting on the quayside.

Just got takeaway coffee but overpriced and terrible. Shame as it’s in a great location.

Lovely place to sit outside. Lovely Coffee and cake. And the lady running it was lovely.

Very nice place on the quay. Great coffee milkshakes made with real coffee. Run by a friendly guy, makes a good time. He brings additional milkshake to top up your glass when you're finished. Wide variety available. High quality. Recommended

Nice little coffee shop with cakes and pastries.

Fabulous coffee shop. Great service. Always a pleasure.

Love thus place. Always stop for a coffee when I am in town. My only grumble is why we are still not allowed to sit inside? It's fab inside, so chilled.

Visited the Coffee Cellar again today and as usual received both efficient and friendly service. Thank you Tim

Lovely coffee and delicious cakes.

Great spot for a coffee, however it doesn't take Apple or Android pay and there is no baby changing facilities. Not everyone carries cards or cash on them these days, especially in the current times. And not to have baby changing facilities meant changing a dirty nappy on the table in front of all the customers. Not a problem for us doing that but I'm not sure how their brownies tasted after that view. Great coffee and views though :)

I adore this place. Fabulous coffee (and I'm fussy!) extraordinary decor, very comfortable seating. Big squishy sofas and easy chairs etc. Amazing cakes and light lunches etc. The service is impeccable and very friendly. We always take our visitors here when in Exeter and they all love it!!

Just back from a blowy walk on Exeter quay. Have had many coffees outside from this cafe but today was windy and wet. Why didn’t we realise they had an inside??? What an inside it was! Quirky and cosy. Fabulous service and lovely drinks and cakes from friendly guys. Faultless. Will defo sit inside again. Thank you

I'll be honest. The coffee was just that... coffee nothing really I could make different to home but just cost more. The que took quite a long time, no table service and staff didn't really engage in conversation or apologies for the wait. Not really somewhere I'd go again

Beautiful decor. Comfortable and relaxing seating, great atmosphere. Good choice of light refreshments and great service.

View is so good. Relaxed and have some cups of tea and coffee

🌟𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤 𝙩𝙤!!🌟 Friendly service, good food and most importantly great hot drinks as well. Thankyou and loved the brownie 🍫☕😄

Delightful, cosy coffee shop set in the old cellars on Exeter Quay. Very comfortable, with lovely staff. A welcoming haven on a windswept day.

I have to say the hot chocolate is to die for.. Very more'ish. And you can take the dog in. I love it, very friendly staff

Great food.. not sure they quite understand what a smoothie is meant to be, but it tasted great!

Busy, bijou venue on the river, big treat tin for dogs...and looks like great baking to go with the coffee

Currently outdoor service only, so felt very safe, and looked after by friendly, obliging staff, even though it was a busy day. Great coffee and high quality cakes. Hot food selection also looked good, although we didn't sample ourselves

Lovely alfresco morning coffee experience

Visited today 18th Oct and was surprised at how spacious it is inside.. Loads of character just like alladins cave.. Very friendly staff and highly recommended.

Very cute place on the quay that does a nice Devon cream tea. The cheese scones are great and the jam was good too

Just waited 15 minutes for what has to be the most average cup of coffee I've had from a non-chain specialist coffee place. Weak, with an almost instant coffee flavour. So disappointed. Time wasted seeking "the best coffee in Exeter"

Very tasty baked good, the shortbreads especially, paired with a hot chocolate 😋 I was however very disappointed with the milkshakes, they're advertised as having actual ice cream in them, but in both I ordered couldn't find any trace of it. And for what is charged for them, it's extortionate, as frankly it tasted like a Yazoo kids shake from Co-Op

Nice outside seating by the quay.

I called in for an ice-cream. Their sign said it was Devon ice-cream and one of the flavours was rum and raisin, my favourite, so I chose that. He disappeared out the back and returned with a small cone for £2.20. There were no raisins visible, so I assumed they were hidden. By the time I had eaten about half (it didn't take long!) I still hadn't encountered a single raisin. I showed my friend and asked her opinion. She agreed I should show him, and ask for my raisins. To say he was dismissive would be putting it politely. He shooed me away, as if I was an annoying fly. It wasn't anything to do with him if his advertised ice cream is not as described. I finished it - of course, not a single raisin. So I am writing this as a warning. Do not buy ice-cream here. He accepts no responsibility for it.

Glacial slowness. 20 minutes for 3 people to be served. Staff drifted about with neither purpose or pace, including repeatedly returning to the kitchen for their notepad to jot down the simplest of orders. Currently waiting for my ice cream to be delivered, plenty to time to write a review and complete my online shopping. Painful.

Amazing afternoon tea with delicious scones done the right way 😉

Friendly staff, enjoyable half hour spent relaxing by the river

Rude and arrogant staff. We arrived just after 5 and the staff were rude.

Nice coffee , but slow service due to lack of staff . Good location

Nice coffee and cake in the sunshine. Lovely views across Exeter Quay.

Great coffee! Hits the right chords.

Great coffee, and lovely flapjacks

Excellent small cafe on the river, great produce

Nice location, great service, great coffee and a nice selection of cakes and snacks to go with your drinks. Highly recommended for an impromptu stopover.

Super friendly and lovely coffee in this relaxing quayside venue.

I had ginger, beetroot, blueberry and pineapple smoothy. It was soooo delicious. And healthy.

Very nice sit and drink place, however it is a bit expensive, a coke or any other fizzy drink is £2.50

We regularly visit this friendly little stop off on our walks. Always a tasty treat to be had and even our dog gets a cheeky little biscuit too. A decent cup of coffee 👌