The Cream Tea Cafe in North Devon

We wanted to recommend this lovely cafe as not only did we get a really delicious cream tea , but the man who runs it with his wife went out of his way to accommodate us. We were on a short visit to Devon and so excited to have a cream tea - it was late in the day but he kindly put more scones in the oven and allowed us to stay on after he should have closed! So we had warm scones with all the trimmings. He also had a selection of home made cakes so we were able to take those with us . Huge thanks to him for his kindness and to his wife who is obviously a superb baker !

Lovely friendly cafe in centre of Barnstable - ( some super little independent shops nearby) . Absolutely delicious cream of celery soup followed by delicious cream tea. Loved the use of teapot for a real cuppa with my scones.

I’ve pottered around Devon over the past couple of weeks, and can confirm that the Cream Tea Cafe has the freshest, tastiest, most moreish scones I’ve come across (and great value too!). The two types of homemade jam are an added scrumptious bonus.Added to that, this lovely little cafe in the centre of town has a warm, welcoming atmosphere, a great selection of treats, and a super-friendly owner who will chat away about all sorts with you.There is NOTHING mediocre about this place - do yourself a favour and check it out...

The 2 lovely ladies were enthusiastic and very welcoming. I ordered tea and a teacake. Lose leaf local tea was a treat and something you don't find in many places. and the homemade teacake was very large. I wish them and their business the best for these uncertain times

I learned about "cream tea" during my visit to England, and this is the first ever place I've tried it. I'm glad to be wirting the review now, after I've come home, and having tried many, many other places for cream tea. Unfortunatly, the scones are a sorry representation by which to stake the name of their establishment upon. While they weren't the worst scones I've had, there are just a lot better places to get cream tea.

Lovely Cream tea mini for me with one fruit scone . 2 Scones for hubby. Lovely fresh baked scones generous clotted cream and jam. We had coffee not tea. Really good coffee as part of the price. Friendly staff pretty decor. Thank you x

Found this lovely gem hidden away behind the pannier market. The light lunch was one of the best I’ve had in ages. Toasted cheese scone with mature cheddar chutney and side salad. Coffee was a lovely blend too and served piping hot, so much nicer than chain coffee shops! The hosts were lovely and friendly too. Highly recommend if you are in Barnstaple and want to get away from the usual crowded t shops on the high street.

Having a stroll around Barnstaple when we came across this wonderful little gem. As we were only in Devon for 1 day it would be rude not to have a cream tea. Oh my word the scones were just out of the oven and still warm, the jam was homemade and was delicious. Would recommend this place without question.Thank you.

Went for a stroll this afternoon in Barnstaple town centre and came across The Cream Tea Cafe !!! Im so glad I found this gem of a traditional tea room in the side street opposite the Pannier market.Bright and cheerful decor matched the lovely welcome from the Scottish owner and his wife (although she could’ve been his daughter as she looked so young and beautiful !!!) I wasn’t hungry so I just ordered one scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam and a cup of coffee.The owner said was it ok that the scone would take 10mins before I could have it, to which I replied no trouble at all as I was in no rush. I settled back and listened to the chitter chatter of the customers sitting on tables going about there day. The music in the background was of Cuban origin, and I actually knew the the album that was playing which was a first for me. The photos I have posted speaks volumes of freshness and quality including presentation and friendly service 10/10. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon and I will be back when I am next down from London.

We enjoyed an absolutely delicious lunch yesterday. Food is excellent quality and the owners are lovely and provide excellent service. Highly recommend. Thank you

Stopped here for a bite to eat, sandwiches were delicious on home made bread and afternoon tea was so tasty and fresh. Definitely should go here for lunch. Service was very friendly. What more could you want?

Even though there was a lot of customers in the cafe, the lady was working on her own and doing a bloody good job at it. As a small business owner myself I respect when you are having to juggle everything all at once. We had the cream - it was delightful. This was a passing visit as part of our staycation, if it wasn't 170 miles away we'd come here more often. Thank you so much

I have never tasted cream tea like this. A beautiful setting and traditional experience. Well worth a visit. Fantastic service lovely people.

I came with my family last Friday and it was wonderful. We had scones, coffee, hot chocolate, 3 amazing cakes also. Its a beautiful place with everything freshly baked. I even grabbed a cake to go as it had just come out of the oven! Our kids loved it too. Topped off our lovely time spent in North Devon.

It’s not for nothing this tea and coffee shop is so highly rated. Homemade cakes, bread, scones and home made jams, delicious! Staff are charming too :)

Lovely fresh scones and proper tea! Friendly staff. We had young children with us and they enjoyed it too.

Lovely cafe and lovely people. Had very yummy cheese toasty on homemade bread followed by naughty homemade scone (well we are in Devon) and the nicest meringue and raspberry/strawberry compote and cream. A real gem of a place which we highly recommend.

What a fabulous baker! Socially distanced tables, nice couple own/run it/bake delicious cakes, even the chocolate sauce on the sundaes is home made. All home made cakes, cream tea to die for and the kids said the fudge sundae was the best thing they’d ever eaten! Took some cakes home with us and still great after several hours in the car! Definitely worth a visit!

Beautifully made coffee, delicious cakes and the loveliest team you’ll meet in North Devon. When one cake is sold out, it’s instantly replaced by a freshly baked slice of heaven. Don’t hesitate to order anything with a pastry base, it is guaranteed bliss. This has become a weekly favourite. Sometimes somewhere is so good, you don’t want to let anyone in on your little secret. But in times like these we need to shout about places working hard to get it right every time.

Found this lovely cafe on a day trip to Barnstaple, lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and lovely cakes! Would definitely recommend and during the current pandemic it’s good to support independent businesses.

Small churchyard cafe, reorganised so that there is good space between the tables. We were pleased to see it's open again. We had a delicious cheese and pickle toastie, and perfect poached eggs - followed by an ultra-light berry roulade - all really nice. The bread - both white and sourdough - was delicious, not too thick or too thin. Friendly service, no intrusive music.

Really lovely place just off the Pannier market in Barnstaple. Beautifully run and amazing cream tea with other delicious cakes on offer. They also did savoury dishes, soups, eggs on toast, sandwiches etc. There's isn't much in Barnstaple but the Pannier Street market area is worth visiting just for a light lunch, the bakery, kitchenware, cup cakes and more. We missed the market itself so not sure what that offers. It all leads onto the main shopping area in Barnstaple which sadly is run down and could be anywhere in the UK.

Stopped off in the first trip out since March. Lovely plain scone with homemade jam - delicious. Service was friendly and the cakes looked wonderful. Pretty little cafe. Will return.

Loads of home made cakes and fresh drinks. Good information on gluten free options and kind welcoming service. Good covid precautions.

I have visited The Cream Tea Cafe several time in the last few years and enjoy the experience every time. The homemade cream team is delicious and I haven't found anywhere else like this place. The staff are lovely and always welcoming. Worth the visit.

Had a cream tea and scone and jam. Jam was homemade and very tasty. Cream tea was fabulous. Staff are friendly and v careful about hygiene and s.distancing. would highly recommend.

I was introduced to this place by a friend. All the food is homemade and delicious. Yummy soups and homemade bread. The toasted teacakes are lovely and spicy. The people are friendly, the atmosphere is warm and comfortable and the prices are reasonable.

Read very good reports on this cafe . Staff were extremely helpful and friendly . Fairly basic facilities, food served was okay and sensibly priced

This is one of the best cream teas I’ve ever had. We took the whole family and they loved it Everything is freshly baked and the staff are so welcoming

Beautiful little cafe, super friendly and helpful staff and serving the best coffee around. Thanks again.

Absolutely beautiful cream tea. Really soft fresh scones, quality conserve and plenty of clotted cream. Lovely china cup of loose leaf tea and another in the pot. All in all an excellent cream tea.

A lovely independent cafe, which serves wonderful homemade food and cakes. A warm, welcoming atmosphere and excellent service. This was our first visit and we will be back for sure. Thoroughly recommended!

Lovely cakes and light lunches , very nice people, quick service always with a smile, a real treat !

Walking around Barnstaple desperately trying to avoid all the usual high Street Cafes. Stumbled across this place by happy accident. Magnificent Experience, superb cream tea lovely staff. Go there you won't regret it :)

If u want a lovely cream tea , then call in here . Lovely people , service was quick and the scones with the jam and cream were delicious , thank u for a lovely tea go check it out 😊

The Devon Blue cheese & chutney toastie on granary sour dough baked that morning was the best toastie i've ever eaten in my life <3 The coffee is exquisite (Americano with cream) and the chocolate tart, offered with vanilla ice cream, was divine. Decor pleasing - painted floorboards, mis-match furniture, flowers in the window boxes.Nice touches - flowers on the tables, children's colouring + some books.Staff welcoming, helpful, attentive and friendly.I'm impressed, and I ran a busy city centre independent coffee shop for 10yrs so recognise the heart and soul that goes into making such a venture so successful.Thankyou for a most enjoyable visit!

Of all the cream teas my wife and I had (of which there were many) the cream tea cafe was our favourite. The scones were freshly baked, the jam was home made, the cream was plentiful. It’s a quirky little place but we had a wonderfully relaxed afternoon in their squishy mis-matched arm chairs, drinking from beautiful

A lovely little cafe offering a range of dishes and the best cup of tea for miles around. Gluten free options too and friendly helpful staff.

Found this little cafe just off the main high street by the indoor market. Excellent service all home made food egg sandwich on sour dough brown so fresh and delicious husband had cheese t oastie which he said was tasty with home made lemonade. Would have loved to sample the cakes but was just too full up. Well worth another visit

We visited here last week after looking on trip advisor for the best cream tea in the area that provided indoor seating.

A real hidden gem with tasty food and cakes excellent coffee and the best service in town!

Great scones jam and cream with service to match. Accommodated our family of 7 and looked after us well. Highly recommended!

Great scones. Freshly made. Cream and jam. Good coffee. Pot of fresh tea. Can sit and watch people. Highly recommend

We stumbled across this place purely by accident and decided to have a hot drink and cake whilst sat outside watching the world pass by .

We managed to call in just as a batch of scones was coming out of the oven. A fresh and warm scone can’t be beaten making it a very scrummy cream tea. Clean eating area with pleasant staff. A rest room had wheelchair access.

Arrived about lunchtime to meet a few friends - although seating was limited due to the size of the place, but cannot fault the food or service. We had a pot of tea between two of us and yes it was real tea leaves so that was a surprise as usually its a tea bag..... the menus was varied the sandwiches were large and came with salad/coleslaw and crisps. the bread was homemade so the choice I presume varies on a daily basis. There was daily specials (home made soup or quiche). all i can say good value for money and something different.

Great cakes! I had an apricot frangipan that had just come out of the oven. All cakes baked on the premises. Highly recommended!

This was a lovely find, cute cafe off an alley, with quaint interior. Super friendly staff. All home baked. BEST cream tea ever!!!!

I quite often meet a friend there for lunch, or go with my grown-up son. It's a small place, friendly welcoming staff. Proper leaf tea with a strainer, really good scones and cakes that they make themselves, and lunch - homemade soup, ploughman's or sandwiches - delicious, generous portions. No obtrusive music. A few books or magazines if you're on your own.

We stopped by today to try out the Cream Tea Cafe after finding it on Facebook. We regularly visit tea rooms locally and decided to see what was on offer.

This is such a lovely place. It has great food; the focus on local is good too see. Attentive service too; many thanks for that. Too often in places you are not made welcome. Total opposite here. This is a perfect spot to pause and induldge!!

Had some afternoon cream, it is a must when in devon. This quaint little cafe in bamstable is a must visit. The staff are friendly, traditional home made fayre, I had the mini cream, however would recommend 2 scones as they are delicious and lots of cream / jam provided. Lots of tea to choose from too.

Everything homemade including the bread! Friendly efficient staff, cosy atmosphere. Menu to suit all tastes.

Stumbled across The Cream Tea Cafe on a trip to Barnstaple for the day. The waitresses were lovely and the service was really good. But the crowning glory of this cafe is the food! I had "the Haymaker" sandwich which was amazing and my sister had the chocolate cake which was really yummy too. Would definitely recommend this cafe and will return if I'm ever passing by again!

Close to the Pannier Market. Small but quality! Wanted a simple sandwich and cuppa and found it here. Could have eaten so much more as everything looked tempting! Cakes and scones were hard to resist especially as being enjoyed by other customers,

Popped in for a cream tea today with my little girl and it was so good! Best I've had for years. Lovely light, fluffy scones, generous portions of clotted cream and tasty jam and proper loose leaf tea. Friendly and polite service too. A much needed treat after an otherwise disastrous holiday!

Delicious coffee, such a friendly welcome, lovely warm spot, and the food....wow! The Vegetarian thoroughly enjoyed his Stilton and Red Onion quiche (special) and my cream tea was fabulously decadent. So many delicious choices on offer, you could eat here every day and be assured of the freshest, tastiest lunch in Barnstaple!

This little café near the Pannier Market was a great find. It is run by two delightful ladies and everything is home-made. We opted for the two scone cream tea. It was scrumptious - one of the best cream teas we have ever had. All the other cakes looked delicious too. If you are in the area, you must try this café.

Always excellent food and drinks. Everything is home-made and delicious. One of my families favourite lunchtime stops.

If you want good freshly made home cooked food, then this is definitely the place to go. None of the 'bought in' mass produced stuff that you get in most of the High Street chains. This is all good honest wholesome food served by nice friendly owners and staff.

Well run, friendly comfortable, and very central.A joy to find and a joy to be there, reasonable prices and good quality we told the chap serving that we were in a hurry due to our parking ticket,he pulled out the stops, we had what we had requested downed it and got back in time.

Good atmosphere. Choice of teas and plenty of homemade cakes to choose from. Pleasant staff. A little tucked away but plenty of parking nearby,

We stumbled across this delightful cafe while wandering the streets of Barnstaple, and can't speak highly enough of the service, the cakes and, (even though tea is its focus), the coffee. We returned the next day, and though the staff had changed, the service had not. Would highly recommend.

Nice atmosphere, friendly staff, great cream tea and cuppa. What more could you want? Stumbled across this little gem in a Barnstaple side street. Now we know where it is we will visit again.

Popped in here on the off chance having found it by market. Food and service brilliant - well worth the visit

I am a strong believer that a simple menu, made with good quality ingredients, and presented in an uncomplicated way will always beat out any other competition. The Cream Tea Cafe is a shining example of classic food with ingredients that all play off each other.

Cosy little café, very friendly owners who cook everything on the premises to order. cakes to die for! a bit cramped for buggies and wheelchairs. No steps though. Closed Mondays.

Very relaxed and friendly, have a drink and cake or delicious freshly made sandwich - no rush and tucked away from the hustle and bustle of town.

Looked around for a tea shop, and found this place though trip advisor. Well 2adults and 2kids, had a great time very friendly staff, very good cakes and scones. Well worth it good way to end our trip to Devon.

Found this cafe as had read such good reviews, we were not disappointed.

Staying in barnstaple to a night so we wanted a cream tea . After searching trip advisor for the best we found the cream tea room . It didn't disappoint. Lovely cream tea and bread pudding with clothes cream to die for . And a lovely cup of tea in bone China cups . Well recommend it . 5 stars all the way .

Went in search of afternoon tea and found this friendly, cosy little café tucked away close to the Barnstaple Panier Market.

Really cute little cafe, very nice coffee and cakes at a good price. Hidden in the church court yard, but means you're away from busy crowds.

Located close to the historical pannier market and the famous butcher's row, this place offers great quality lunches and cream teas with a great variety in cakes and sweets as well. Friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices.

I was looking for a light lunch and came across this cafe opposite the panier market in Barnstaple. The staff were extremely welcoming and made a fuss of any children and supplied them with toys to play with which I thought was a great idea. The menu and specials was really varied and drinking tea out of China tea cups (tea strainer supplied) was a delight.

What a fab little find. A huge pot of proper tea and gorgeous home baked scones. What a gem of a place!

Just started our honeymoon with a brilliant lunch, we had the cheese plate and ham & pickle sandwich. Both with freshly baked bread and perfect fillings & sides. Would definitely come here again.

My partner and I visited one afternoon by spotting this little gem on the back streets off the market hall.

This woman (the owner) can cook. Omg she can cook. The quiche was to die for & the cakes incredible. Just do it!

What a find! Great welcome. Service excellent and food lovely. Highly recommend. They even boxed up a piece of chocolate cake to take away. A unique cafe experience.

After my usual midday coaching session of fencing at the North Devon Leisure Centre, my usual place closed found this place tucked away between Butchers Row and the Church in the centre of Barnstaple. Only six tables looks a bit like an old fashioned Tea Room, with plenty of cakes and scones on display, but on the back wall a modern coffee machine so fingers crossed. A nice selection of savouries on the menu, though some popular items such as a quiche had run out. Had a mackerel salad, with soda bread, and a black americano, not long to being served quickly ate all on the plate. A bit of rest then a pair of scones with clotted cream and really nice strawberry jam plus another black americano.

This is one of the best Cafe in Barnstaple, the staff are always friendly and make you feel very welcome, the food is excellent quality and homemade. Can’t fault this delightful little tea shop and would highly recommend to anyone, a must if you are looking for lovely high quality food.

Simply excellent - do not pass without popping in for a cream tea! Home made jam lovely and plenty of toppings. Proper leaf tea a must!

Visited spontaneously and so glad we did. The lady and gentlemen serving us on Friday 11th May went above and beyond in making sure my young family were happy. They even provided toy cars for my 3 yr old to play with and a special metal straw for his hot chocolate once it had cooled.

I have visited here on a number of occasions and have always had a friendly service. The tea is served in proper tea cups and cakes, scones etc are really tasty. You never feel rushed and can relax in clean surroundings. The only drawback s it is quite small and can be difficult to get a place but it is this size that makes it so cosy and you just have to choose your time as it would spoil the ambience if it grew.

We had a wonderful mini cream tea. The food was all delicious and the tea was of a really high quality. Service was really friendly. Will definitely return next time we're in Barnstable.

Have been going to this cafe almost since it opened, usually when visiting family about every 3/4 weeks. Food always good I especially love the homemade Soup with homemade bread. Delicious cake selection and good coffee.

Small tea cafe with very friendly staff and great food including outstanding cream tea with homemade scones and jam, sandwiches on homemade bread, and lovely desert pastries. If you’re downtown Barnstable, don’t miss this wonderful cafe!

We found this fantastic Tea Room/Cafe. All the menu is cooked on the premises. Had veggie soup and caters for gluten free too. Followed by sumptuous sandwiches hand crafted. And surrounded by local art too. Very highly recommended..

On a bitterly cold, late Friday afternoon when most of Barnstaple was either closed or closing early because of the atrocious snow storms, my partner and I had the good fortune to find The Cream Tea Cafe. We were made to feel so welcome by the proprietor who served us with tea and scones, accompanied by her delicious home made jam! As we were in Barnstaple to attend a funeral that had to be postponed that day because of the weather, our visit to The Cream Tea Cafe made our day!

My husband and I stumbled across this delightful little place whilst we were visiting Devon. My husband had a delicious toastie and I had creamy pea soup served with seriously yummy home made bread. We asked for a mug of tea instead of a tea cup and our tea was served in the prettiest mugs which I just loved. A unique little place and would highly recommend a visit!

We wanted somewhere to get some cake & a drink with our little ones and were welcomed into the warm.

After a quick visit to the market a late lunch was in need. With the tired toddlers and hungry adults. With our large group of seven decending on the cafe, the staff were Not flustered and met our every needs. Sandwiches toasties and cream teas all delivered in good time at a high standard. Wonderful food and service. The cafe is small and may get very crouded at busy times so customers may have to wait for seating.

Although there is not a huge amount of space in this cafe, we were made to feel welcome and space was made for my granddaughter and pram.

Every time we visit Barnstaple we make a point of coming here. My partner had a cream tea and I had the most delicious handmade sandwich! The staff are always courteous and friendly without being intrusive. Really good value meals, fairly priced.

We love this cafe and always visit when in Barnstaple for a number of reasons :

Excellent value, plenty of choice and efficient staff in this small café. Popular place with I think a couple of small tables outside weather permitting.

I have been here a number of times, and would definitely recommend it. The cakes are great....and all home baked. Service is pleasant and it’s a nice relaxed atmosphere. It is quite small so sometimes difficult to squeeze in but it’s definitely one to try if you haven’t already.

Love having afternoon tea and cake here, found this little gem by chance and eat here often. Staff are exceptionally friendly. Would highly recommend this cafe to anyone. Nice China teacups too....

My wife and I were in Barnstaple to do a bit of Christmas shopping , I rarely go shopping but when I do have time of ,I love to try out new places to eat. We have friends staying from Stevenage in Hertfordshire and they had been to Barnstaple a few days before and found this gem of a cafe , So we thought we would try it , (Glad we did ..) they are both Chiefs so if they think its good it must be . I had the special quiche and my wife had the Mums favorite egg sandwich in lovely fresh brown bread , what we both commented on was the lovely precision to which the salad had been placed on our plates ,it was so neat and colourfull ,we had plenty of coleslaw and some crisps. we had a nice mug of tea each and were totally full and ready to face more Christmas shopping after we had eaten it ! Well done Cream tea cafe and staff.