The Merchant Tea Rooms in East Devon

Stopped in Colyton for a lovely lunch at this place. We had a ham sandwich and the quiche. Great size portions for the price. The cheese scones looked amazing, but we were too full, so will have to go back.

Such a quaint venue. Beautiful comfortable dining . Lovely friendly owner and staff. Very enjoyable lunch followed by a huge plate of homemade mixed cakes decorated with fruit and flowers. The 4 of us will be returning.

Very pleasant visit. Excellent tea and cakes. Very friendly staff. Nice garden area behind main building. Can highly recommend.

What a wonderful gem of a place fabulous homemade quiche. Bit of a Tardis of a place with surprising rear garden and wonderful cakes, plus a cocktail option. Popped in for coffee and had a wonderful unexpected few hours even the sun was shining Worth a visit and breaking the diet for. Thanks to Tammy and Sean x

Walked into Colyton after our tram journey and came across this place. We sat outside in the garden and had a lovely ploughman's, served by really friendly staff. Very enjoyable and relaxing sitting in the peaceful garden.

The best afternoon tea we've ever had, at this fairly new business, Merchants in the small village of Colyton. Friendly & accommodating staff & owner. The food was amazing & plentiful. We were offered more sandwiches if we wanted more. There were chocolate chip scones or fruit scones, everything homemade. We will definitely go back there again, whenever we're down that way again.

Came upon the lovely Merchant Tea Rooms by accident! We had been advised to go to a pub in the village for food (after arriving on the tramway from Seaton) but they had stopped serving so we went back to the Merchant as we'd just passed it. Had a comprehensive and very tasty Ploughman's lunch and my wife had a very nice afternoon tea. The children had a tasty and filling lunch too. Great ingredients and excellent service.

Food was OK I feel a bit over priced for where it is. Attitude is average from the owners, no great write up. They could do better

The chef is working hard to make this an unusual place to eat. We love his evening meals so wanted to try his breakfast. There was far more than we could eat; every breakfast food imaginable, and good quality.

Had the most lovely Sunday roast. Very highly recommended. The whole family enjoyed it very much, thank you, we will most definitely be back.

We found this absolute Gem by accident when looking for cream tea . We actually ended up booking a table for the set menu in the evening. Our food was all prepared by chef Dariusz and served by him too . The food and flavours were absolute exquisite. I can quite honestly say it was the best food I have ever had in my life . We will definitely return and recommend to others .

Breakfast was fantastic. Probably the best in Devon. If not the best then within the top 2 in Devon. Food was superb Quality, quantity was sufficient and great service was had.

Amazing breakfast at the Merchant Tearooms. Plentiful and delicious. Lovely coffee everytime we come and sweet setting.

This was our third visit. The food is amazing! The service is second to none and I can’t wait to visit again. The owner is so courteous, helpful, and happy. I love this place and the food.

What a fantastic little spot. I went last night with a few friends for a Christmas get together, and we were thoroughly impressed from the start. The small dining area felt intimate, uncomplicated and cosy. The menu was made up of simple ingredients just cooked with a lot of care. Between us we had venison, turkey, gravadlax, sausages, soup , profiteroles and cheesecake and not a single dish disappointed. The icing on the cake was the extremely reasonable pricing. We were stuffed after 3 courses for just £33/each. I also liked that we were asked to pre-order our food as to me that means the chef is keen to reduce food waste. I'd recommend this place to anyone. Bravo!

Very good food. Excellent cookery and attentive service. Amazing value for money. Only drawback, the room wasn't warm enough. We had been warned of this by a friend who has eaten here several times. We will definitely eat here again, but perhaps next spring, when the weather warms up.

Iain and I have eaten in some amazing restaurants world wide but the tastes in this 4 course meal were up there with the best. Fabulous Dariusz. Thank you The meal was a work of art in its presentation. Each tiny addition of food was a taste bud delight . Served at an appropriate pace with flowing conversation. A real treat

We had a very enjoyable meal here on 1st September 2023. It was a set 4 course sea food menu and was absolutely delicious. I have no idea how they managed to bring this in at such a good price of only £30 per head and that included half a lobster! Their limited wine list was also very reasonably priced and you are able to bring your own wine for a small corkage price. The only thing I would change is the music which was a little intrusive

A fantastic Sunday Roast! Booked this as we had a couple of tea and cake visits, we loved the owner he is very polite, kind and attentive. The roast was excellent, we both had lamb, perfectly cooked as were the yorkshires and all the vegetables. 10/10, we will be back. The service is great as well, cannot fault anything at all! Thank you for a lovely time!

First class,food all well cooked Lemon sole,stole the show,very resonable prices,low corkage charge.

Had Sunday roast dinner which could not be faulted. A surprising find in deepest Devon. Friendly courteous service If you are in Colyton and looking for a place to eat this is a highly recommended establishment.

Had a a light lunch here on a Saturday afternoon and booked for a Sunday lunch the next day. The most fabulous meal ever with a good variety of veg as well as the standard meat, roast potato and Yorkshire pudding. Also the pudding after dinner was wonderful. Couldn’t have had a better meal anywhere!

Good location, excellent lunch, great cup of tea. The staff were really friendly and helpful. The jacket potato with chorizo and cheddar was delicious. Quick service and budget friendly.

We’d caught the Seaton Tram and alighted at Colyton village , we headed straight to The Merchant Tearoom in the centre of the village. We sat in the garden at the rear and ordered sandwiches. We weren’t disappointed ! They were delicious. Generous fillings and beautifully presented. Our pot of tea also came with a jug of hot water (rare these days). I’d certainly recommend this tea room for all food and drink.

Loved the atmosphere, the decoration but mainly the tasty scones which came with clotted cream and a lovely raspberry jam. Staff were very friendly and it was lovely to be able to choose from a selection of different flavour scones, we had the almond and...

We arrived by tram and walked into Colyton. Very historic Devon town. The Merchant’s House was in a very old building. We were just in time to have a cream tea. Quite different flavours from the normal , we had cinnamon and raisin scones which...

Just had an excellent Sunday lunch at merchant tearoom. The chef pays great attention to detail and customer service. Been several times before and will be back again

Idyllic little cafe with an amazing menu and chef whose care and attention to quality is second to none. Thought today I’d have a simple fish and chip meal which was wonderful. Lovely crispy battered fish, not the slab of tasteless wet whale, overhanging the...

We had a really lovely meal here on a Friday night. Three courses set menu, very tasty and well presented food and excellent service. We were also able to bring our own wine for a corkage fee.

Really enjoyed our Sunday Lunch today. Delicious food and great service. Thanks we'll definitely be back

We treated ouselves to a night out and sampled the 4 Course Tasting Menu. The quality of the food and service was excellent, as good as any London Restaurant and in the heart of Devon! My gluten free menu was prepared with love and care...

We have come to love this little restaurant that offers the best scones we've ever had. Always served warm and fresh! Either with cream and jam or savoury ones with cheddar or cream cheese and four cups of tea each!

The menu states "Please do note that whilst we take great care in the production and storage of our food and drinks, we also opperate in an historic building with a small, restricted kitchen and cannot completely guarantee that some minor cross-contamination of ingredients such...

Visited for the second time this week for lunch. The most authentic and charming tea room offering delicious lunches and sweet treats. Today we had a savory tea consisting of 2 warm scones each , infused with rosemary sweet onion chutney, cheddar and soft cheese...

A group of 10 arrived unannounced and the young ladies waiting on us and the chef were amazing!! I don't often rate full score, but this visit was blinding from the start to finish. The ladies were professional, patient and attentive throughout, the food was...

Lovely little watering hole. Garden is good size and plenty of shade. Staff very friendly especially to dogs as water is provided for them without asking. Quaint and charming. Have been many times to this delightful tearoom.

It was delicious food don't get me wrong but it was as if I walked into a cold atmosphere. And elaborating on this point it was like a stare down and felt rather uncomfortable from the owner I think but everything else about the charming...

We have been now for a few times, for breakfast and afternoon tea. The food is great, absolutely delicious actually! But everytime, the lady of the house gave us a feeling that we were intruding rather rhen being guests and happy to see us coming...

Lovely garden to have good home cooked food. Excellent quality with wonderful fresh ingredients. Breakfast looked lovely .

Inside the cafe was just tables for two, but the waitress asked us to go around the back, and we came to a lovely courtyard. There was a great choice of food, including home made fishcakes in balls with sweet chilli sauce, and my son...

We had a ride on the tramway from Seaton to Colyton and took a walk into Colyton to find this gem of a tearoom. A pretty little place serving delicious warm fruit and cinnamon scones with lashings of jam and clotted cream, all washed down...

We saw the front of the cafe and stuck our heads round the door to ask if they allow dogs. The very nice lady suggested we went into the garden round the back of the cafe. This we did to be welcomed by a young...

While staying nearby last weekend, we discovered that this tea room in Colyton did takeaway Sunday lunches, and we were very pleased to find that when we enquired at around 11am on Sunday, they were able to provide lunch for us an hour later. Perfectly...

Brilliant food (freshly prepared and made on site), friendly service in a beautiful cafe in a beautiful village. A must if you take the tram from seaton.

We were four friends in need of afternoon refreshment on a very hot day. Colyton is a lovely Devon village and right in the centre is the delightful tearooms. Outstanding scones with clotted cream and jam. We all agreed quite the best we had had...

Sat in the lovely garden and had cream tea, best scones I’ve ever had! Friendly service overall little hidden gem of a place

I visited the tea rooms with my mother and grandparents. It is beautifully decorated and the service was excellent. We enjoyed the cooked breakfast, and were pleased to see that the tea came with plenty of extra hot water and milk! One of our party...

It was our first time to eat out at the Merchants Tea rooms today. The service was really friendly, with a wonderful woman of oriental origin seeing to everyone’s needs. She was truly a marvel of a human, and felt really comfortable in the whole...

We were here today after a Tram ride from Seaton to Colyton. What a lovely place to stop and have a bite. We received a warm welcome and the food we all agreed was delicious and plentiful . I would without doubt recommend this to...

We visited this lovely little tea room on a sunny afternoon for a light lunch/cream tea and were very pleased. The service was friendly and efficient and the choice on the menu was plentiful, especially as we arrived at the end of the lunch service....

We booked a table for two to go for breakfast today and sample their new breakfast menu, which launched today. This is not a character assassination, however after our experience this morning, I would strongly advise that the owner, Rebecca - a lovely lady -...

We stopped at Colyton on our way back from the coast to where we were staying in Devon to see what was there. I had occasionally visited the village for work around 40 years previously but had not seen any of it other than where...

The owner and staff are so lovely and the freshly prepared food and cakes superb ! It's a very old building and they have preserved it beautifully - garden out back for dining outdoors in fine weather - they even serve your tea in proper...

Very welcoming and friendly staff, would highly recommend! Amazing milkshake and cinnamon style scones! Great stop after catching the Seaton tram with the dog

What a joy it was to find this quintessential English tearoom in Colyton! It first caught our eye when, having ridden there on the tram on Sunday (see separate review) we saw the owner painting the outside bright pink! We promised her we'd return when she was open (she's closed on Sundays and Mondays). We duly returned Tuesday lunch time and, after using the hand sanitiser in the porch, ventured inside to be welcomed by 3 delightful ladies (all wearing face masks) and a wonderfully decorated interior. As it was lunchtime, we chose delicious quiches, followed by very naughty but nice cakes, all homemade. We washed it all down with a pot of tea, served in bone china with an extra pot of hot water for top ups. So enjoyable was the experience, we returned the following day for a cream tea. My friend had fruit scones, flavoured (and coloured) with cinnamon. I chose plain ones. We had lashings of jam and cream and, of course, the usual pot of tea. It's lucky we don't live locally, otherwise we'd end up the size of elephants, eating there every day! There are, alas, too few lovely tea shops left; we're all too used to fast food and drinking out of mugs or even paper cups! Long may Merchant's Tearoom prosper so more people can experience its wonderful charm and delicious fayre!

Lovely little tea room - it’s tiny inside so definitely recommend booking in advance (we booked morning for afternoon)Really good cakes, gluten free options good too. Savoury scone and sweet scone both delicious - warm and really tasty- (slightly more on the expensive side compared to what we have paid in other places but can’t fault the quality)Customer service was excellent, really friendly ladies. We would definitely visit again for fresh cream tea.(We visited whilst using the Colyton/Seaton trams only 5 mins drive away)

Delightful restaurant and lovely staff. The friendly greeting was enough to persuade us to abandon our search of local bookshops and invest instead in hot scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, elderflower sorbet, hot tea and delicious latte. Beautiful décor, very tasteful and smashing food and drink but like I said, the friendliness and welcome from the staff made it all a little bit more special.

Covid safe . Scones,milkshakes were the best I've ever tasted. Lovely quaint decor.Really friendly helpful staff. will definitely visit again. Really nice our door garden with a pretty washroom. Pretty teapots on sale

This establishment is on the route of the East Devon Way. I was walking that route in three stages of over 13 miles. I arrived tired and in need of sustenance having completed the miles for that day ( 22nd June 21). There is nowhere on the isolated route to get food or drink. The cafe looked to be full but I saw people standing up to leave so I stood in the entrance waiting to be seated, as requested. The young girl serving took the customer’s payment and proceeded to engage in conversation with the elderly gentleman. I felt at that point I should have been attended to as I was next. The rest of the customers then stood up to pay one by one. I was tired and hungry with waiting so sat on a chair by the door.She didn’t engage with me at that point but decided to take payment from all the other 4 groups and chatted to all of them. Eventually I spoke to her and said that I was sorry but I just had to sit down.She then said that she can’t serve me as it’s after 3.30pm. I had been standing in the doorway and sitting for well over 5 mins. It was at that time 3.34. There’s nowhere else to get food in the village apart from the shops.I was tired, hungry and fatigued and dehydrated after walking 13 miles. I just wanted to sit down and have tea and cake. This was refused blatantly, in spite of me waiting in the premises before the cut off time. Just to reiterate this was 3.30 in the afternoon on a Tuesday, not late in the day. The people that had been so eager to get up and pay all stood in a huge group on the pavement blocking my way and making it difficult to leave the cafe without hiding my tears. I cannot express how upsetting the whole experience was. So I had no alternative but to stand outside and wait for the bus to take me to Seaton where my accommodation was. I don’t understand this mentality with businesses turning customers away.Is it worth the bad review for a few minutes?A couple sitting at a table were just starting their food when I arrived, so it would have made little difference. A little kindness on their part would have created an amazing review instead of this one.It must be nice for you that you have enough business to turn paying customers away. This East Devon Way walk is advertised far and wide, and encourages people to come and experience the beautiful countryside of East Devon. What a shame the hospitality, barely existent, on most of the route but woefully disappointing in Colyton at this establishment. Shocking customer service. You should be ashamed.

We chose the Merchant Tea Rooms to 'recharge our batteries' after participating in the circa hour & a quarter local guided tour of Colyton (the latter was very informative and well worth the £3 fee), having eaten there on a previous visit to Colyton a couple of years ago.Bearing in mind the tea rooms stated that they were open until 16:00pm, we arrived at circa 15:25pm hoping for a refreshing cup of tea (for a party of 4). On entering the indoor area (there were no other customers inside), we asked if we were able get drinks for 4; the lady's only response was to advise us that we would need to be out by 16:00pm prompt as the proprietor needed to close up on the dot to pick up their children.As per the title of my review, we were made to feel very unwelcome, and hence moved on to another tea room in the village.

Recently moved here and with Covid rules easing we were able to sit in the sunshine in the Garden with our new neighbours.Initially disappointed that Cappucino wasn't on offer but the coffee was really nice.Other had tea -also good- and our tea cakes,Scones and crumpets were all lovely.Well looked after by the pulchritudinous Emma.Really lovely to be here.

I recently visited this lovely little establishment with my mother, niece, sister and her husband. My mother had and myself had a cream tea which consisted of two large, delicious scones with plenty of jam and clotted cream, my brother-in-law opted for the savoury cream tea which came with a good amount cheese and picallilly, my sister went for the tea cake which she enjoyed and my 6 year old niece had a single frur scone and chocolate milkshake which came with cream and marshmallows which she devoured. Their locally roasted coffee also hit the right spot. The ambience was very nice and all in all we had a very enjoyable time.

This is our “go to” tea rooms when in the area. Colyton is a pretty village and well worth a walk around. The tram from Seaton terminates here and the tea rooms provide the best there is in home made cakes and savouries. We shared quiche, fruit and savoury scones followed by cake with tea and coffee. Absolutely delicious and all home made.

We stopped here after a local walk for a light lunch and the food was wonderful. The inside seating is a bit tight, but it's very sweet. We originally sat outside, which was very spacious but had to move inside due to the wasps, but you can see they're trying to deal with them.

Excellent lunch here on Friday 20th August. The food is all home made and delicious. My quiche lorraine was devine as was the fruit cake. Soups and sandwiches also. My grandson gave it 5 stars as I do. Staff very helpful and friendly. Thank you

lovely tearoom in a beautiful village sandwiches were very fresh and service was very good great value for money

Today we had a wonderful full afternoon tea in the Merchant Tea Room. This is a delightful little cafe, the china is pretty there is a fabulous mural the owner has painted along one wall and the food was lovely. We were not hurried and were given plenty of time to enjoy our tea, we sat inside but there is a secluded garden at the back where you could sit. Colyton is a pretty town at the end of the Seaton Tramway. This is a delightful cafe for a light homemade mid day meal, lovely cakes, scones and cream or a huge variety of teas.

Absolutely charming and beguiling place. Food and drink is presented in and on vintage china while the décor is charming. The open kitchen is at the rear and the owner could be seen baking a new batch of scones. We opted for 1 savoury tea and a cream tea. The cheese scone was infused with rosemary while the strawberry jam was made locally. There was a specials board on which I spotted a lovely sounding Keralan curry.

I had a lovely lunch with family in the delightful Merchant's Tea-Room recently. The menu is perfect and varied for such a small place, serving breakfast, coffee, lunch, and tea. The quiche was excellent, the service was friendly, and the surroundings are pretty - just what you want for a meal out. The tea-room is in a historic building sandwiched between the Heritage Centre and a soon-to-be-opened antique shop.

Lovely menu selection, fresh ingredients, pretty interior design. And you can make friends if you don't want to sit on your own - great idea!

Called in the other day for afternoon tea - spotlessly clean quaint tea room in ancient building just off the main square in Colyton - two lovely ladies were running the place and were friendly and very efficient - tea and home-made cake first class - will be going there for lunch next time as the menu looked super and not overly expensive.Highly recommended !

We walked into Colyton from Seaton Tramway and found this little gem! Big enough to fit a family but still has that cosy tea room feeling! One of the oldest buildings in Colyton too, as we learnt from the menus. My husband and I had a delicious afternoon tea and there was a children's sandwich option with juice and crisps for our toddler. The staff were lovely and the owner took the time to speak to our roaming toddler as we passed the kitchen on the way to the toilets. She also has a pet dog in the garden who was very child friendly! We will definitely be coming here again when we visit the Tramway! A fantastic little find!

Left this tea room full of compliments. The place itself is immaculate and so charming, beautifully decorated throughout. The service was faultless, particularly the kindness shown by the team to the older, regular visitors. The scones were quite simply the best we have ever had, both savoury and sweet! And best of all, we were happily greeted mid walk with our two dogs and made to feel very welcome. Highly recommend a visit if stopping by and/or having a day out on the Seaton Tramway. Tip: worth phoning or emailing ahead to book a table if visiting during a busy period.

Sept 14th 2019.Merchant’s Tea Rooms, Colyton, DevonAfter a delightful trip on the ‘Seaton Tramway’, we took a 10 minute stroll into the pretty village of Colyton.The ‘Merchant’s Tea Rooms’ are located in the village centre, and what a ‘Gem of a find.’ A good ,old- fashioned, tea room serving delicious homemade food. Although mid day, my wife chose a cream tea consisting of two homemade fruit scones with homemade raspberry jam. I had the homemade wild mushroom, brie and leek quiche, with locally grown mixed salad. It was so good I could I could have eaten it again. Instead I went for the coconut and raspberry slice, served warm with custard. Both teas’ came in a pot with extra hot water and a milk jug. My wife had camomile which was served with loose tea, enough for several cups. The china was ‘flowery vintage’. The service was friendly and good.The cost was very reasonable; just over £20. Very good value and well worth it.

Visited with relative who is a regular. Good wholesome food. Good soup. Small in size which leads to attentive service.

A lovely café selling a range of GENUINE homemade items, cakes, scones, quiches, soups etc. A nice choice of tea options and coffees also.Very nice coffee (piping hot) served by two very efficient and pleasant staff on and in a lovely nice variety of china plates, cups, pots. It’s the sort of place I wish was available in every town in the country. Costa, Starbucks, Nero, Prêt etc can provide a form of refreshment but this type of place gives them a hammering. No, the Merchant Tea Room couldn’t cope with the sheer volume of customers the ‘chains’ get through but for a pleasant experience and tasty produce it wins hands down against them all.

We had a lovely lunch when we arrived in Colyton for our holiday. We were just on the cusp of breakfasts finishing and lunches starting and the staff very obligingly made omelettes for two of our party. Everything is clean and the staff are helpful, very nice food and the bonus of being able to take the dog in.

Beautiful lunch menu with home made soups and quiches. Great service and lovely food. We had goats cheese/roasted pepper quiche, curried parsnip soup, and spicy pepper and tomato soup, all with home made bread rolls and a gorgeous salad.

We popped in for a mid-morning break. Very quaint olde worlde interior. Tea & coffee served in bone china cups and saucers. Hubby had a cheese omelette, which they stop serving at 11am. It was 11.15 but they were happy to still serve. He also had coffee served in a cafetière. I had cheese scones served warm with cream cheese and red onion chutney. I had tea served in a china teapot. We were both very happy with our choices. Would definitely go back.

Old style tea room served traditionally with the strainer and tea pot and a choice of home made cakes .Larger meals available at lunchtimes . Convenient to the car park and surrounded by old buildings plus a church with an ancient celtic cross ..take a trip back in time .

One of a few shops open on our visit via the tramway. So glad we popped in....but mind the step ! Nicely set out in a brightly decorated room. There is a garden but sadly we had awful weather so couldn’t go outside. Lovely cosy room inside with a wonderful display of cakes. Quite extensive menu and plenty of breakfast choice .We had toasted tea cakes and a large pot of tea....enough for four cups each with the extra hot water you are given ! Friendly staff, china cups and plates, really lovely.

Popped in here whilst discovering Colyton via the tram from Seaton.

This has got to be the most delightful tea rooms in the South-West if not the UK. Scones to die for... the ginger scones must be sampled.

Although only small inside there is a garden for sunnier and dry days. For anyone needing a gluten free lunch or snack it’s worth a visit. Friendly knowledgable staff.

I visited tea room on Saturday and had a cream tea which was very generous, fresh and delicious. The owner and staff were really helpful and welcoming. Lovely bright, contemporary decor which made the whole visit a delightful experience. Would definitely visit again next time I’m in the area.

We had a delicious cream tea at Merchants yesterday. The quality of the ingredients, the friendly service and the value for money were all exemplary. Highly recommended.

After taking the tram from Seaton, myself and my elderly parents decided to look for a tea room. We only found this place after I asked another tourist if she knew of anywhere we could get a drink. We were greeted by a very friendly lady. Unfortunately the garden area was full so we had a table inside. We had 2 dogs with us but they were welcomed in. Shortly after we arrived, the place totally filled up. We only had drinks and a couple of biscuits, but it was all very nice. One thing I would suggest is some signage on the road up into the village, as we would not have found this lovely place if we hadn’t asked.

We had a delightful afternoon tea in this lovely quaint tearoom in Colyton. The sandwiches, tartlets cakes and scones were delicious. The staff were welcoming and attentive. Should you ever be in the area do not give this lovely tearoom a miss

Lovely old school tea room , spelt rolls were really nice and scones were 9 out of 10!!! Visited after a tram ride from Seaton and was the highlight of the trip :-)

We (a party of 6 with a baby) we’re going to eat at a pub in Colyton but it was closed by the time we got there so we looked for somewhere else to eat and weren’t disappointed when we found The Merchant Tea Rooms. We were welcomed by a lovely lady when we walked in who immediately offered to get a high chair for the baby and moved chairs around for us. Three of us had soup and three quiche (although 2 ordered omelettes but the order was read incorrectly - they were very apologetic and offered to do the omelettes but they decided to keep the quiche) and we all enjoyed the food.

My family moved to Colyton in August 18 and this was our first visit since the new owner Rebecca took over. I popped in a few days prior to our planned visit as my boys are gluten and dairy intolerant, Rebecca could not have been more helpful and made specific purchases ahead of our visit. On the day the food, service and ambiance was lovely, we were made to feel very welcome (also by other customers), we will be back!

This is a very nice tea rooms in the centre of Colyton where they also serve lunch. I had Fish Pie with vegetables and my wife the Quiche with salad, all freshly cooked and very good. It was quite busy for a cold November day and interestingly most of the customers, like ourselves, were local. The waitress was very efficient and friendly which again makes this a place to visit again.

Great to have this cafe open at weekends and offering late lunches. The pubs in Colyton had stopped serving food at 230pm but at The Merchant Tea Rooms we were able to get some lovely soups, sandwiches and omelettes. Would rate it good but nothing in between TripAdvisor very good and average!

We were originally heading for a cream tea in a well know establishment in Newton Poppleford when a member of our group checked reviews in tripadvisor and descided to look for an alternative.

Merchants is like going back in time, nice crockery, lovely cakes and a welcoming atmoshere. There is a quiet tucked away garden at the back, lovely to sit in on a good day.

There was a lovely relaxed atmosphere in this tea room, where we could sit and take a refreshing break and watch village life tick away outside the window. The décor was olde-worlde, the service was friendly and this was obviously a favourite for locals as well as visitors. Although described as a tea room, much more was on offer in the way of food and drink. We must remember that for our next visit.

This is a fabulous Tea shop and the home- made cakes are truly delicious. The service was excellent and the owner is very helpful with her great knowledge of the local area. Colyton is a very special and charming town, most people don’t know it exists, a true find. We must really-visit very soon :-)(

We walked the mile or so from the tram station to this town with an interesting history of rebellion. As we had to wait longer for the tram we arrived at 1.55. Both pubs stopped serving at 2.00 p.m. well it is a small picturesque town. Fortunately the very nice ladies in this quaint tea rooms were happy to see us despite everyone else having almost finished eating. A pot of reviving breakfast tea appeared followed rapidly by a great three cheese ploughmans for me, mature cheddar, blue stilton and camembert with a roll, great salad & chutney. Di was very happy with her butternut squash soup with roll. They were out of granary rolls and apologised but their seeded white rolls were very good. A nice find on a warm summer day. A short stroll took us to the Market Place and the beautiful, unusually large ancient church of Saint Andrews.

Excellent quality victoria sandwich, tea and scones in an interesting medieval building Old style China and cutlery in a homely tea room setting

Visited whilst after arriving on the tram from Seaton. We called for a coffee mid morning. Hot food available, snacks or cakes - a good variety, plus plenty of drinks to choose from. Service was swift. Pretty china and table clothes, lots of little pots etc., on display. You can take your time and watch the world go by whilst you eat and drink.