The Den at Jon Thorners in Mendip

Really surprised how I feel after our visit here here for breakfast. Stopped off for a late breakfast brunch. It was very quiet. And very muggy and warm inside. Big sign that says Wait to be seated - so we did. Then told to sit anywhere. Service was vaguely good. Excellent at times and dire at others. Got a menu. Placed an order. Little interaction from the waitress, but she seemed competent. First the coffee - wish I could use Emojis here. You know the one with the puking face. Sums it up. Bitter, stale and horrible flavour. Barely drinkable though I've had worse. Then the breakfast. One full English - greasy but ok - mediocre would be fair. But the worst bit was the smashed Avocado on sourdough. Bleeeuuugggghhhhh. The white bread toast did not resemble sour dough at all, it just looked and tasted like white toast, but I could have lived with that. A pile of Avocado and two poached eggs. One egg was undercooked with a runny white (YUCK), the other rock solid?? And the avocado was tasteless, dry and just horrible. So horrible that I barely touched it. I waited for the waitress to come over and check everything was ok? she didn't. So eventually I took the plate to the counter. She didn't look up and just said thank you (as if I had brought the dirty crockery back) and went to the till to charge for our breakfast. I said I wasn't ready to pay and that I had brought my breakfast back because it was dry and horrible. She didn't even raise an eyebrow, just said she wouldn't charge for it. She didn't say sorry or even ask if I wanted something else?? I didn't bother to tell her how foul the coffee was. True to her word we didn't pay for my breakfast, but the other breakfast plus two vile coffees was nearly £20. Save your money and go elsewhere. Wish we had. The waitress was on her phone in between serving food and really not bothered. Not impressed. We go out for breakfast often and this was the worst breakfast I have EVER been served. I could forgive the rotten coffee - I am a fuss pot when it comes to coffee but there is no excuse for poor food.

Visited this farm cafe again today and was very enjoyable. We've been waiting for better weather to visit with our dog in the outside seating area and had a very enjoyable experience. We both had pancakes and still lemonade for breakfast and would highly recommend, absolutely delicious! Thank you to all the staff working that day to make our visit so welcoming.

Visited a month ago and was the the best breakfast I have ever had. Had to wait 20 minutes but worth it as all cooked fresh to order. Fast forward to today then that’s not the case. Yesterday’s warmed up burnt sausages, runny egg whites, greasy hash browns, the tiniest piece of toast I’ve ever seen, barely cooked bacon about a tablespoon of mushrooms and all swimming in bean sauce and everything was barely warm Was a bit worried when we received the breakfast in less than 5 minutes. Yes I could of left it but I have to take rapid insulin so had no choice but to eat half of it. I don’t eat out much and this was a monthly treat but it wasn’t a treat it was the worst breakfast I’ve ever had. I hate confrontation so paid and left. They’ve lost a few customers now.

Called in for breakfast - great food ,atmosphere and service . I can’t see any reason not to be hugely enthusiastic about the place ..an opinion seemingly shared by our fellow diners. I’ll go there again.

Visited this morning for breakfast and really enjoyed pancake stack with bacon and maple syrup. My husband also enjoyed his sausage sandwich. The food was tasty and made with top quality ingredients. Staff were attentive and polite. Highly recommended and will visit again if in the area.

Excellent food and our waitress Ruth was extremely helpful and friendly as were all the staff. One criticism it was very hot in there could do with air conditioning

Booked tables and meals for 16 members of Long Sutton W.I prior to our visit to Shepton Mallet Prison. The food was served quickly and the pre ordering was well managed. Everyone enjoyed their meal and would definitely return. Staff were helpful and efficient, nothing was too much trouble. Food delicious with wide choice.

1st time visiting the Den at Thorners, I’ve past it many times, went today. The service is excellent and very attentive, The food was excellent, quick hot and above expectations and reasonably priced, I could kick myself for not going before, however I will certainly be going again

Called in for lunch after purchasing some excellent meats from the store.Sat with the menu and ordered the beef baguette waited for 30 mins for it to turn up looked good on the wooden board (why ) which had a paper cover on it which slowly disintegrated during the meal,the beef was the toughest we have ever eaten it was in a sort of gravy I swear we could have resoled our boots with it,told the waitress about it but no reason was given ,we then wrapped the meat up to take home for the dog after mincing it.Usually this meal is of thin slices of beef cooked very quickly on a hot grill plate and this method will rend most cuts of beef very tender.We will not return

Visiting my son working on the Glasto festival site. We fancied a decent breakfast n coffee. Happened on Thorners farmshop n restaurant. Breakfast available until 11.30. We got there at 11. Lucky to get a table n they kindly seated the two of us at a reserved table for 6 as they were delayed Great atmosphere - busy, buzzing but relaxed. Really nice, smart decor. You can tell as soon as you walk in they're organised and on it. I was expecting it to be expensive, but we don't treat ourselves that often to eating out so was prepared for that. In fact the Ultimate Breakfast I think it was called, with more than enough to challenge the hungriest eater (my son) was a tenner. N mine was £7.50. Really reasonable considering the quality, variety n amount you get especially with suppliers n bills going sky high across the board right now. Both breakfasts included bacon, sausage, egg, baked cherry tomatoes, hash browns, black pudding, baked beans, mushrooms n fried bread or toast. I swapped my hash brown n black pudding for an extra egg n rasher of bacon. Quality ingredients perfectly cooked. Had a large flat white n latte while we waited. Top notch coffee. Straightforward menu on the table catering for most cooked breakfasts down to something on toast. Order at the counter. You can see the chefs through in the kitchen cooking. Friendly n efficient front of house n waitresses. Service with a smile. Really nice relaxed but buzzing atmosphere. Outdoor patio seating n farmshop to have a wander round afterwards with arts n crafts upstairs (pricey but nice to look at!) n food downstairs. Meat surprisingly reasonable. Highly recommend n will be back next time I'm in the area. K

We visited today for a cooked breakfast, having been there before we knew the quality would be good or we thought we knew, how very wrong we were, as soon as it arrived alarm bells rang 😡!! On their website & trip advisor it shows a lovely looking breakfast, what they serve is completely different & it’s awful, while we were there another table complained as well as us

I can thoroughly recommend the breakfast we had at Thorners Restaurant this morning, even though, due to staff shortages, it was a slightly reduced choice, we all said that the full breakfast we all had was one of the very best we have ever had. It was cooked to perfection with quality ingredients and beautifully presented, we could not fault it. So very well done to all concerned.

Had the side salad bowl with croquet monsieur. It was very over priced...more like a garnish. I would not recommend the side salad at £2.75...really poor value as the size was smaller than a 125ml wine glass.

Popped in for a cooked breakfast en route to Bristol Airport. Good job we booked a table as most were already booked and it was busy. Lovely big cooked breakfast with high end quality Thorners products, served quickly, hot and delicious. Pot of teas each, I like mine strong so had to ask for another teabag, but lovely friendly staff and happy to oblige.Nice ambience and a great start to our holiday. Thank you!

Sadly disappointing their steak and ale pie. I couldn't chew through the tough meat however their ale sauce and pastry was lovely. What sold me on ordering this dish was the promise of creamy mash. Unseasoned, lumpy and unpleasant... How can you get mash that wrong? The vegetables were soft and overcooked. On a whole not great. I left the mean mostly unfinished. On a plus side, the coffee, a latte, was exceptional. The service was good, although no seasonings available on the table or offered. Don't think I'll be back however they were busy so I imagine this feedback isn't their norm. An off day?

We were looking forward to Sunday lunch, which we booked a couple of weeks in advance. On arrival we were told they were only doing Sandwiches!!! Perhaps in future a courtesy call to let us no there wouldn’t be any hot food . What a waste of a twenty mile round trip.

I popped in today a little after 3pm to grab a spot of lunch and was initially told that the kitchen was closed and that only cakes and drinks were available but sandwiches could be purchased next door at the farm shop, which is fine. For those that haven’t visited before, the farm shop is about 10metres away and is part of the same complex and family business. I then nipped to the shop and purchased a sandwich and drink as suggested and returned to the outdoor seating area (which was empty along with most of the shop as well). At this point I was confronted by a member of staff who did introduce or excuse herself but quite rudely and abruptly said I had to purchase a drink to utilise the seating area as it is ‘Company Policy’. I calmed explained that I had just purchased my lunch from the farm shop as previously directed by another member of staff, to which the lady just repeated her previous statement again. Given the time of day and that the shop was basically empty, policy or not, some decorum could have been shown as well as some simple manners. Not wanting to argue I just left! To whoever is responsible for customer service within your department or company, I would kindly suggest that this member of staff is pulled aside to be re-trained and re-evaluated. I often visit both the shop and restaurant as I like to buy local but after today’s events, I am sorry to say that I don’t think I will be returning! To those of you that find yourselves in the same position, be very careful of this situation. I am struggling to think of a word other than SCAM! Simply appalling Jon Thorner, I thought your company was better than this! If I could, I would give this review zero stars…

Called in without booking but very well organised and welcomed, impressed they refused to admit people without a mask. Had a wonderful full breakfast and can recommend fully too. Clean, lovely staff...what’s not to like

Well I have to say the best fish cakes I’ve had so full of fish and very tasty, the home made chips were great all in all fabulous food, very Covid safe and very friendly and helpful staff will look forward to my next visit highly recommend.

Fantastic breakfast and lovely coffee in a COVID safe environment. Well done to the management and staff for doing a great job in these challenging times. Would definitely recommend.

My daughter and I visited The Den for lunch today. Where the food was fantastic and I cannot fault it at all, although I was very surprised that the Track and Trace was being used for Marketing purposes as there was a box to tick to opt in for e-mails. I never saw a member of staff wear any face covering and was taken aback when I saw the server take a coffee order for two ladies sitting outside, she took their physical card to process their order and even used the ladies contactless facility to pay for the coffee before handing it back with the receipt.

Stopped for coffee and a cake and was made to feel very welcome. The staff were attentive but not intrusive and the place was comfortable and warm. The food and drinks were good and had a nice relaxing time. Would visit again.

This was my second visit and I would come again. They do a very nice bacon buttie and a good breakfast which is plentiful. We had a vegetarian breakfast this time that included eggs mushrooms beans toast etc. The sausage was a vegetable sausage not quorn. It comes with bubble and squeak which is a small disc on the plate which can confuse we were expecting a good homemade bubble and squeak. I think that would do really well. Lovely Service.

Nipped in for a quick lunch with my wife, fairly standard menu not too big. Wife chose soup of the day which was really good. I had bacon and brie sandwich - nothing fancy but well prepared and presented.Staff quick efficient and friendly and whilst not the cheapest everything seemed pretty reasonable.

Good Sunday lunch (You will have to book). Friendly staff & very tasty food, Only downside is front door opens straight into the eating area & on a cold/windy day can put quite a chill into the room

Came here for breakfast on our way home from our holiday. I had bacon and maple syrup and it was delicious. Such a good find!

Stopped off for breakfast on our way back from a weekend in bath. The cafe is located next door to the farm shop and it’s obvious they use all the ingredients from the shop. Great quality. The sausages are fantastic! Service was a bit slow but who’s in a rush on a Sunday morning! definitely worth a visit.

What can I say? See photo Which was taken AS WE LEFT....which proves we we were there on time after a two hour drive willing & happy to order & pay for my husband’s birthday breakfast. We were actually there quite some time before it was taken after some polite pleading.ALL OF WHICH FELL UPON A STONE-HEARTED APPROACH. The cold, unyielding way the manageress point blank refused to serve breakfast citing she still had 6 tickets waiting to be plated up made both of us feel quite upset. We could see the very small kitchen, it was still well manned & was STILL cooking breakfast I wasn’t asking for anything peculiar just two bog standard full English breakfasts. Would that really have mattered? Or was this a power trip? She actually said...“ I make the decisions around here” The website doesn’t say we only serve breakfast until 11:30 if there is no one else waiting does it?Seriously, how harsh is that? I live miles away but I’d never consider returning even if I lived across the street. This establishment had been recommended to us by a friend. The reviews look amazing; but on arrival we commented we probably would not have pulled in to the wooden summerhouse building, which in situated in a farmyard.

We ate in the outside area. We had to order inside and pay ahead of time to be served. We had scrambled eggs and bacon and poached eggs and bean with the best grainary brown bread. I woul stop again just for the bread. Also, there is a farm store here and we bought quite a lot here to take along.

Met up with a cousin here for a catch up.Outside is clean tidy and dog friendly.Inside a very nicely laid out cafe that is clean and well presented.Good menu and reasonable prices on par with other similar cafes. Service was polite and helpful. Coffee tea and a bacon sandwich was ordered. Coffee was a good one. Tea served in a teapot and was plentiful. The bacon buttie was served in tasty freshly cut bread and the bacon was proper bacon from the farm. Wheelchair accessibleChildren's cornerWould definitely come here again to try out the other meals on the menu

Found this place by chance on way back from Bristol Airport, needed coffee and breakfast, 9 of us rocked up by the time we had walked in the table was set up for us. Have to say best breakfast not cheap but worth every penny. We will name this a regular stop off when driving by from now on.

This is a hidden gem, just along from Bath & West Showground. The cafe has a farm shop next door, if you want to browse or buy.

No vegitarian option with sunday lunch. So had to have veg and yorkshire pudding. Behind the times... why no nut roast or mushroom wellington. Etc...

We came across this place on route to delivering produce through work... my boyfriend decided to treat me for breakie for my birthday. Glad we choose this place to stop as the breakfast was amazing, could not fault the food at all, the decor and cleanliness of this place too was top notch... although it was very busy busy there was no wait on the food and drinks too. Would highly recommend :)

Have visited on a previous occasion and were keen to return. On this occasion we were placed in the additional upstairs seating area due to it being a busy Saturday lunchtime (in itself a good sign). Was disappointed to see lots of dirty tables, neglected by the busy waiting staff. Myself and my partner both enjoyed a tasty panini & nice crispy fries (a highlight), although the waitress didn't bother to wipe the crumbs off our table, left by the previous occupants. Food, tasty and good value as before, just let down by the dirtied surroundings. The ambience lacked a bit as well, in comparison to downstairs - maybe some music?

Not a good experience!!! Watched as two customers returned dirty cups to then watch waitressing staff handle the cake as they transferred to plate. Our cake was dry and crumbled once you got the fork into it...

The exterior does not give a good impression, with the unpainted wooden cladding. However the food was very good and reasonably priced. The service was initially prompt but we had to go to the counter to request a dessert menu as our waitress repeatedly ignored eye contact, which was frustrating and disappointing.

Popular and busy - great place for leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch. Pot luck whether you get a table but worth waiting for !

First visited some time ago on my way home, and enjoyed a good cup of coffee.

Did not eat on the last occasion, but had good coffee, and noticed amazing-looking breakfasts being served.

We regularly stop here on our way to Devon for either breakfast or lunch and have never been disappointed. Staff are always friendly and obliging. Food has always been good and is reasonably priced. Because The Den is good it can get busy but is definitely worth the wait.

Stopped here while visiting Weymouth for the day. They were really busy and we had to wait for our food and coffee while entertaining two dogs in the rain, wow the wait was worth it, brilliant food, fresh and locally sourced products on the plate, black pudding to die for, will definitely return when next in the area

naughty place, it plies you with some of the best stuff that John Thorners the deli and butchers across the car park sells which only makes you walk straight into the shop to purchase loads of nice things with a few other things placed into the trolley because they look nice too

I love this place. Travelling from Weymouth to Bristol on the A37 and gagging for a coffee and a light breakfast I stopped here as I have done a few times. I chose poached egg on toast and it was delicious. It does get busy at times but the attractive staff cope well. Good clean toilet facilities and across the car park is probably the best farm shop in the West Country. Thoroughly recommended.

Stopped on our holiday road trip, didn’t even have to leave the A37 The bacon & maple syrup pancakes are amazing Decent pot of tea and very friendly staff

We were taken here by friends who live nearby, they absolutely raved about the place and I can see why! The menu is extensive and covers veggie and GF options too.

In company with friends, we often lunch at The Den, chosen not only because of its mutually convenient location , but also for its excellent lunch menu and specials board. The meals are first class, and the service friendly and efficient. Located on the Fosse Way, it is easy to find, and there is ample parking. What more is needed?

Locals were forever telling us "You must try The Den for breakfast" The locals knew their stuff. What an amazing breakfast we had. The selection of items on the menu is fantastic.

The Den has great food and best of all it is alongside Jon Thorners Farm Stall. Great food and variet.

Staff always welcoming & friendly & we now plan our trips to get in here for breakfast or lunch.

The breakfasts are fantastic! Prefect place for a Sunday morning. The staff are friendly and helpful and the food is well priced.

Children had juice which was past best before date. Couldn’t be drunk as it smelt wrong, when I approached the lady at the counter I met with hostility.

On our way out for the day so we called at the den for breakfast. Warmly welcomed and told to choose a table and someone would be over to take our order. The service was prompt and we soon received our drinks and awaited our food. I had the medium sized of the three full English breakfasts and my partner had the "smallest". Both meals were served hot and were full of flavour and certainly filling. Good start to anybody's day

My husband has been raving about the breakfast for some time but this was my first visit. popped in for lunch and I had a jacket with garlic mushrooms and brie. Superb! My husband had his breakfast and our friend had the steak pie, stuffed full of meat. He enjoyed so much he went into the shop and bought more pies to take home.

We called into The Den for breakfast, there is a variety of food on offer to suit different palates and appetites. Looking through the menu, the wide range offered also extends to lunch and snacks. It is licensed too. The service was fine, although the restaurant was quite busy. Next time I go I will take a small note book for the waitress to write down the orders... she does seem to have memory problems. However, we did eventually receive the correct order, and very enjoyable it was too. Plenty of parking just outside the building, but upstairs seating also available. More than happy to go back to try some other delicacies.

We have been here several times and until recently it has been our favourite place for breakfast on a Saturday morning. Good value and a lovely choice of food. For the past few times though, there have been errors in our order or a really long wait for food. We haven’t had a drink that has stayed hot for our meal for ages and there have been several issues such as mixing our order with another table, being served out of turn (frustrating when there is a wait), items missing off the plate, each on different occasions.

Have stopped here several times on the way to Devon and as yet have not been disappointed. The staff are always very pleasant and helpful and the place is always clean.

The hostess, whilst under pressure was very welcoming and was able to recommend a superb dish for my wife who has gluten and dairy intolerance - liver, garden peas, pea shoots and potatoes covered in gravy. The stand-in waiter, who we found out was the bottle washer, was also very keen to please, excellent job.

Visited on a Saturday morning looking for a breakfast. The place was really busy. We were found a table upstairs...

I have often stopped here for coffee and lunch. I have never been disappointed. It is not particularly attractive externally...

After making a planned trip to The Den for lunch we were quite disappointed. The table we sat at was...

Popped in for a late lunch it was not busy so found a table and then the poor service began....

Having left a National Trust restaurant without managing to get anything to eat we travelled some distance trying to find...

Came across this little gem on route to Frome . A must visit if that way amazing food lovely staff . Can't wait til my homeward journey to visit again

My girlfriend and I have been here a couple of times recently and many times in the past. In my opinion the food is better than most of the local pubs, and you can still enjoy a beer.I think that the prices have crept up a bit, but it remains excellent value for money. It is always busy so well worth booking a table, if only on the day. We have only ever been for breakfast and brunch/lunch, everything that comes out of the kitchen looks and smells great, can recommend one of the breakfast platters and the burger.The staff are always smart and very polite.We will be back soon.

Having been let down badly for breakfast by the Premier Inn at Frome we looked for somewhere else to have a cooked breakfast on our onward journey. We were SO impressed here! The welcome was warm. The cafe was clean and the atmosphere very calm. The cup of black coffee I had was the nicest I'd had in a long while. The breakfast choice was large - my husband had The Big Cooked Breakfast and I had the cooked breakfast. Everything was cooked to order and was absolutely delicious - it really was the nicest cooked breakfast we have had in a long while and far superior to the Premier Inn and at a very reasonable price too. Can highly recommend here for a tasty good value breakfast.

After two hours on the road from Portsmouth, we were ready for breakfast and having read previous reviews, we made a diversion off our route to get here. We were more than happy with the decision: both the eggs benedict, and pancakes with bacon & maple syrup were excellent. Friendly and quick service, all for a great price.

We did not intend to visit this venue as we were more interested in the antique premises close by. However, we popped in for coffee, and although it was ok, it was nothing to talk about. The food was ok but nothing special. We were served by young waiters who appeared unexperienced. We all have to start somewhere, so this is nothing personal, but training would help.

We stopped on our way back from Wells and had the breakfast,amazing, it filled me up and that takes something. Really well cooked,sausages full of flavour and all for 8.50. We both really enjoyed it and will be back. The actual restaurant was well laid out,comfy seats,nice outdoor area and lovely staff.

We have been here a few times for breakfasts and coffee. Lovely staff, great menu, and all at very fair prices. The clientele are varied - from OAPs taking advantage of the Wednesday special offer, to farmers en route to the silage harvest. And us!There is the added bonus of Jon Thorner's Farmshop next door.Don't drive past The Den, stop off for a pleasant surprise.

Decided to visit the Den for a late breakfast yesterday, after hearing & reading great reviews. And it didn't disappoint! Very busy, but found a little table for 2 & were immediately seated. Our food order was taken within 5 minutes and our food arrived about 10 mins after we placed our order, so next to no waiting time, which was great as we were starving! I must say, it didn't disappoint. Presented beautifully, everything was hot and super tasty. Prices very reasonable for the standard of food. Staff were attentive. My only gripe would be that it was far too hot inside the Den. No windows were open and it was a nice day outside. Made it quite uncomfortable so we left straight after eating. 10/10 for the food though!

My sister in law took me here for breakfast this Saturday. From the outside it looks like a large wooden shed. Inside it is warm and cosy and serves great food. We had some coffees whilst we studied the menu. My sister in law had the pancakes, back bacon and said it was lovely. My wife had the full English which said said was perfect. I had poached eggs and beans served with toast.The poached were perfectly cooked. I would recommend this for a leisurely breakfast followed by a pleasant meander around the Thorners butchers and farm shop next door.

Pleasant surprise when we walked in as the place looked much better inside than out. Excellent choice of cakes and the coffee was very good. Pleasant atmosphere and good friendly service.

Went for breakfast here. Food used is of top quality from Jon Thorners farm shop, and taste amazing. Staff are welcoming and overall was a good experience.

Called into Jon Thorner shop and noticed The Den on the left hand side of the car park.What a find. Fantastic food. Fantastic service, and the coffee is good too. When we got home we told the family of our experience. Even though it was between Christmas and New Year everything was perfect.

This is an excellent place to meet for coffee or Breakfast - have regularly met friends here since I discovered The Den. A real friendly and warm venue serving delicious home cooked food.Highly recommended

Nice cosy place for a coffee or tea and light lunch which was very tasty. Comfortable and clean. Friendly staff

Went in at opening 8 am ordered 2 breakfasts pot of tea the tea was lukewarm lifted the lid on the pot it was all tea stained breakfast included half a slice of black pudding the other half was on the other breakfast this was the large breakfast! The eggs were snotty and the bacon well undercooked mushrooms were tepid sausage wasnt very warm either seriously want to up their game

We called in for a late breakfast stop and was pleasantly surprised by what we found. The staff were friendly and helpful and everywhere was clean and tidy. Our order was taken quite soon after we sat down and the food arrived before long. Obviously all freshly cooked and very nicely so. Prices all very reasonable. An excellent refreshment stop.

Needing a light lunch whilst driving home from Devon we stopped to look in the farm shop and then had a great lunch in The Den. The food was freshly cooked and great value and the service was first class. This was a real find and would go again if in the area.

Came across this little place and thought it would be much the same as all the other farm shop cafes in the area. I was really pleasantly surprised as it was very nice indeed. There was a great menu and I had the brie bacon and cranberry baguette which was fresh and tasty. The Christmas menu looks lovely and I'll definitely be bringing my family.

We have often pass here but never stopped as it is a fast road but when your in need of tea this is a welcome break.It is very clean and the staff polite .Plenty of seats inside and upstairs as well as out side seating.table seats and sofa seats.we had a pot of tea which came at a good price and relaxed atmosphere .You can get breakfast here and has a board menu as well as a list menu.Family friendly and has disabled access as well as toilets.plenty of parking and you may want to pop in the farm shop and have a look around.

I would recommend. Good service nice food. Great place for breakfast and lunches. Have not been there for evening meals.

The atmosphere is warm, welcoming and friendly, the menu is certainly a bit more than basic with a range of beverages, breakfasts, lunches and extras such as cakes and biscuits Food is locally sourced and is cooked really well and tastes good. The staff are polite and the service is efficient and timely. There are daily newspapers to read and free Wi-Fi.

Popped into this little gem as we had passed it a few times on route to Shepton mallet, very modern very spacious, and caters for children easily.... Friendly staff,and good quality food.... Clean and well worth a visit ..

Nice setting, nice atmosphere. The prices are a bit more than you would expect but this is made up by the portion and presentation. Worth paying that little bit more. Good range of drinks available and there is even a childrens play area up stairs. They have a good sitting area at the front of the café and its next door to Thorners and this is always worth a visit. A little out of town but worth the trip

Stopped off for a quick bite to eat and were very pleasantly surprised. Breakfast was so tasty and very quickly served considering how busy it was. The staff were all efficient and friendly. Very fresh food and extensive menu, reasonable prices too.

Super coffee shop that is likely to be missed unless you're visiting the Jon Thorner Farm Shop. BUT - it's worth stopping by just for coffee! Cheerful and friendly service, seating inside and out, clean and comfortable (even the loos are worth a visit!), excellent coffee, and the cakes looked fantastic (altho' I managed to resist temptation!). Great little find.

Been before, and called again on our way home from the Devon Coast. A spotlessly clean venue with good, modern decor and furniture. Quick, friendly service but a wait for the food to be freshly prepared. Well worth the wait as my pancake with Brie, mushrooms and bacon with a nicely prepared salad was excellent. The salad needed some dressing and a vinaigrette was quickly applied. My bottled ginger beer was just right too. My wife enjoyed her cheese, tomato and onion omelette too. Service throughout was efficient and cheerful. We looked around the first floor facilities too and they looked good. Perhaps we'll bring our club down from Bristol as they do cater for such things. Whatever we'll be back on our way to and from the south coast again. All good value for money as well.

I have enjoyed breakfast here on quite a few occasions so not all my experiences are as dire as the one I am reviewing! We wanted to take a friend out for breakfast (they are unable to eat gluten) we were delighted that The Den could provide this. I even phoned in advance to make sure.....How disappointing to find the gluten free element involved removing the sausage but not replacing it with a gluten free one! The bread was the type of variety that sticks to the top of your mouth making the toast about as bad as it gets! The price was the same as the normal breakfast. The manager genuinely seemed surprised we were so unhappy with the offering. If they really want to provide a gluten free alternative maybe a little bit of homework is required - it's not difficult. A local baker "Burns the Bread" makes amazing gluten free bread for example.We will not return as the attitude towards us was dreadful, and there are numerous other places that can provide both quality and customer service.Sad as the person requiring the gluten free meal had been very ill and this was supposed to be a treat.

Stop at the Den on way home from holidays and wasn't disappointed , I had a roast beef dinner and my husband had a Jon thornier steak and Stilton pie both meals came with veg and gravy all of which were lovely . The atmosphere was very relaxing and there are seating areas if just want a tea or coffee and cake . Very clean and friendly place will most certainly be going back .

The Den is a stop off you have to do whether your a local or just travelling by. I've seen it change and grow over many years and it just gets better and better. The service is outstanding and so is the coffee and food. Nothing is too much trouble. Try one of their sausage sandwiches. Fresh white bread and brown sauce. Delicious and filling. Add a freshly brewed coffee and you'll be set up for the day.

Good bits and bad bits . Good bits ham, egg and chips were lovely. Very overdone croque monsieur but edible. Terrible tuna sandwich ,the bread was stale and I could only manage a quarter of it before handing it back ,maybe my fault for ordering this on a bank holiday Monday. I was not charged for the sandwich and my complaint was dealt with most amicably. The staff were lovely and i would have no hesitation in trying this cafe again.

I've dropped in here a couple times for lunch. There is a little play area upstairs suitable for babies and toddlers (and have seen slightly older children enjoying it too). The play area is enclosed so little ones can play safely while adults relax on sofas or at tables. Food was nice, with generous portions.

We have visited this venue around 5-6 times in the last 6 weeks, with friends, family and on our own. The food has always been of a good standard and the Sunday Lunch we have had on two occasions was very nice. My only concern it that there is no real friendliness, welcome or good customer service. It may be that on a few of the visits it has been busy but we have been to loads of other restaurants/cafes in the same time and staff in those have been very friendly and offered much better service. Other reviews have mentioned good service so possibly we have just been unlucky on our visits.

My Husband & I called in here for lunch a few weeks ago & now can't tell enough people how good it was. Food was delicious, beautifully presented & we enjoyed the coffee. It was nice to be able to see into where the food was being prepared. Staff could of been a little more welcoming but we will be visiting here again.

I called in on route from the show-ground. The weather was atrocious, but I was made very welcome, as they neared closing time. The coffee was real and the food was fresh and tasty......just right for a wet hungry traveller who appreciated good coffee.

Walked here from Ditcheat, so was very hungry when I arrived with my husband. Our Sunday roast was delicious, the beef was a little tough but overall we really enjoyed our meal. We then ordered a flat white coffee that was one of the worst we'd ever tasted. I'd recommend getting a trained Barista in to train the staff here on how to make coffee. The coffee grounds weren't even tamped and the shot poured in about 5 seconds! It was then topped with burnt re-used frothy milk so tasted awful. Good service and nice food though, we'll be back for the food and maybe for coffee if it improves!

Stopped in for the antiques centre and decided to warm up with a coffee after. What a lovely place the Den is! Really nicely presented inside, lovely decor and decent menus. Staff were rushed off their feet but still remained pleasant and attentive. Coffee and cake were top notch. Will definitely find again next time we're in the area and will try for a Thursday night meal if it's still available.

I had eaten lunch here before and was impressed, I was informed about the Thursday steak nights so thought we would try it. I went with my mum and dad who are pretty hard to please! The steaks were all excellent quality, cooked beautifully and were accompanied with hand cut thick chips, tomato, mushrooms and big onion ring. I managed to squeeze in a lovely panna cotta dessert, again beautifully presented. All three plates were clean and we will definitely return in bigger numbers! Thank you 'the den' for fab food and friendly service.