The Real Food Cafe and Restaurant in Orkney Islands

My wife and I visited for a light lunch. The cafe was very busy but staff rearranged tables to accommodate us. We ordered carrot and sweet potato soup: really, really tasty.

Dropped in for coffee whilst on a day trip to Orkney. Great service - really friendly staff and delicious coffee. The place was spotlessly clean and had really good Covid practices in place. Best coffee of our trip.

Having read previous reviews thought this would be a great place for coffee & cake. It was ok but nothing special. Service poor.

We visited this cafe twice in one day! Been here a good few times and it never disappoints. The quiche and salad was declared to be excellent and I always love their Bere Bannock. The bannock came with 5 local cheeses and home made chutney - delicious! We returned later for tea and cake which was equally good and excellent value.

Had snack type eats here a couple of times. pleasant staff and good food. Son had the cheese board and has never had one so good!!!! Would have fed the 4 of us!

Really enjoyed some time in here, eating cakes and drinking strong tea. It's a lovely spot to get out of the rain!

It is a bit difficult to get a seat - not that many tables, and especially with COVID restrictions, but it is well worth the effort! There is an excellent range of menu items to choose from, and it was pretty difficult to decide, but I went for the soup with bere bannock - excellent choice! All washed down with a super pot of tea.

We stopped off here after our visit to St Magnus’ Cathedral for a quick coffee/wine. We arrived about 20 minutes from closing and were given a very warm welcome. We shared a pate to tide us over until dinner which was delicious. Highly recommended!

Let's talk about food, atmosphere and staff, like TripAdvisor suggest. Well, we didn't even get in. We joined the queue inside the Judith Glue store, to get some lunch. When we got to the front of the queue a woman came out of the restaurant and said " All the tables have gone".1. Just the same as Archive Coffee yesterday then.. where we waited 20 mins and spent £302. Obviously- that's why there's a queueI replied that this was fine, we would wait. The reply, astoundingly, was "It will be some time, they are all here for lunch"! She then went to tidy the displays. We had been told to go away! So we did and went to the community centre next door where the welcome was warm and genuine. So it would be nice to have been able to review that food but the experience of the place was very negative. (TripAdvisor insist on rating service, food and value so I've had to but really just wanted to post about our experience. )And just in case the owner wished to come back at me- this is about how I felt when I came to your business trying to spend my money. This is how I was made to feel. (Mike- over 200 reviews, over 50% 5 star) --------------Update: The owner has come back at me and called me a liar. After 16years of TripAdvisor membership and over 760 contributions I am not that petty. There WAS a queue- which we had joined. You were not there to see it Judith. You spoke to us in a short and rude manner. I also gave The Storehouse 5 stars and had the best meal of our holiday there- would you like to call me a liar over that review? Stop being petty and just try to learn from it.

Great to taste lovely local produce. Good choice of food and drinks. Everything from a Coffee and cake to a more substantial lunch. It has a drinks license if you fancy sampling some of the local beers. A nice touch is there is a section of tables where you can take your dog inside.

Excellent lunch, simply served and really tasty. Service was good and the ambience is warm and friendly

It was cold and damp so we headed here for some coffee to warm up. The coffees were nice and although the cakes looked good, we had probably overindulged earlier in the day so stuck with the plain coffees.

Lovely crafty and local shop with a great cafe at the back. 5 of us accommodated with ease and we enjoyed a range of coffees and cakes.The rocky road was especially good. A great place to stop and refuel

We visited the cafe twice when in Orkney on holiday .The coffee is delicious and the baking is of a very high standard The staff are so p!easant and helpful .We had to wait for a table as the cafe was busy but we were kept informed as to when a table would be available A big thank you to all your staff

Probably a wee bit quiet due to current situation thankfully we got a table every time we went in but lovely local products to select would eat here everyday

We had a lovely lunch here again , the food is freshly made to order. I had a west ray white crab sandwich and my husband had local rollmops salad, both very yummy. neither of us left anything. The staff were very friendly and chatty.

This used to be my “go to” place but the cafe staff ( not all ) are officious and unfriendly. I noted hand hygiene was poor ( touching face mask and hair with gloved hands then handling food ) . Food was always slightly overpriced but today’s visit has tipped the balance and I will be going elsewhere in future. Staff training / mentoring urgently required rather than defensive replies to feedback.

Ate here twice because the jacket potatoes with crab mayo were so awesome! Fantastic food - but get in early / or late / fills up fast.

There were few places open for lunch when we visited Kirkwall and we were looking forward to eating in Judith Glue having understood they were dog friendly. Unfortunately this has changed recently and we couldn't bring the dogs in the cafe despite it being virtually empty. We opted for takeaway which was sold at the same price as the sit in. Very mediocre sandwiches and at £36 for 4 sandwiches and 2 cakes it was very poor value for money. We had a look around the shop and they have some lovely items however prices are eye wateringly expensive. Perhaps foreign visitors were happy to pay the prices (£40 for a mug ..... seriously!!) I think its unlikely staycationers will be tempted. Hopefully more of the lovely cafes and restaurants in Kirkwall will reopen to give visitors a better choice of lunch eateries.

Well managed social distancing- allowing 1 hour for lunch and 30 minutes for coffee and cake - We had the quiche of the day which was tasty but the salad was disappointing. The espresso drizzle cake lacked coffee flavour. Prompt matter of fact service - lacking in warmth or welcome.

Judith/Annie Glue knitwear I just CANNOT recommend due to the incredibly vague/non-existent standard sizing. Emails regarding sizing were met with either a (very) negative response or no response at all, and there is nowhere on their website (that I have found) that gives any measurements or hint of sizing other than their generalised 'S/M/L.' Having just received 3 x ('medium') jumpers from Annie Glue (more suitable for kids aged 10-14) they are completely mis-sized and unsuitable, and will likely end up on Ebay/my local Oxfam or similar. Another expensive mistake here and a complete waste of money. Earlier Judith Glue jumpers requested as 'L' completely swamped me (and any questions met with contempt). There is just no hint of any standardisation in their knitted garments and I will, sadly, most certainly not be ordering again.

Staff were polite and friendly, and the cafe was very clean, but I’m sorry to say the food was a rip-off.The seafood platter was two rollmops; two thin strips of smoked salmon which tasted of absolutely nothing; a tablespoon-sized portion of mackerel pâté which was just some very dry, chopped up smoked mackerel; some very oily mayonnaise; a couple of very sad rocket leaves, one thin slice of cucumber, and half - half! Not even a whole! - cherry tomato; and five mini oatcakes the size of a 50p coin. This for two people for £15. The food was poor quality and bland, the portions stingy, and just not worth the money.

Average food, poor service. Overpriced and mostly bland, soup was flavourless and staff unhelpful. There are better choices in Kirkwall.

Whilst walking along the main street toward the cathedral we came across this lovely little gem. The cafe is inside a fabulous shop that sells lots of different local products - from knitwear, lots of gift ideas to local food and drinks. We spent ages choosing a selection of gifts to take home with us - there was just so much choice!We then made our way to the cafe at the back. The staff explained that seating had been reduced due to COVID19 but they found us a table. All the tables were spaced out and had hand sanitiser on them, so it felt very safe. There was a lovely menu with a range of food which all looked delicious, but we were only in for coffee and cakes. You could tell that all the cakes were home made and not just shop bought - the selection was behind a counter and we found it quite hard to choose from all the tempting treats! My daughter had a chocolate covered oat biscuit, my husband had a really unusual espresso cake, and I had the most delicious cherry and apricot flapjack. The coffees and tea were also lovely and the service was excellent. I'd definitely recommend this lovely little place.

Visited here but didn't know you had to book a table because of COVID the friendly staff quickly arranged for us to use a table that had been booked for 2:00pm and it had only just turned 1:00pm. The food was delicious (but my wife said the salad needed a dressing) the scones were huge and tasted brilliant, tea and coffee were very tasty (unlike other places) and the staff were friendly to everyone who came into the place, exactly what you look for when you are a stranger to the area. will certainly be back for more and would certainly recommend this place.

Good social distancing measures enforced with some great food in a nice sourounding. Highly recommended.

Its on the main street at the back of the shop , small cafe with friendly and prompt service , great local produce on a large menu , and good value. We will be back ( actually we alteady were )

Cafe is at rear of shop - menu uses lots of local produce. Staff were friendly. Had soup & bannock which was tasty & reasonably priced.Only irk, some seats are in shop area & maybe wouldn't be nice having shoppers behind you when eating or enjoying cuppa & cake with friends

This cafe and fun shop is in the heart of town, across from Cathedral. The shop itself is worth checking out for local gifts. The cafe is excellent, with a variety of menu options, fair prices, and excellent food!

A souvenir shop with attached cafe. The shop itself is good for Orkney souvenirs at a reasonable price. The cafe at the rear serves most usual cafe items including good espresso coffee. Warm an friendly especially on a cold winter's day. Recommended.

My wife needed a cup of coffee so whilst she sat down I wandered round the shop looking at home made goods on display. I thought they may have been a little expensive. I sat with my wife on one of three tables . On the other table furthest from us were three people and two dogs.I made comment to the waitress but she assured me that it wasn't illegal for the dogs to be in this part of the cafe. In fairness I have to say that the dogs were very well behaved.Still I would prefer to eat in a cafe without the close presence of animals.

Welcoming place on a cold day. Food was nothing fancy, but the baked tatties were soft and fluffy and the crab was declared delicious.

Delicious crab baked potato and seafood sampler, nice people but a little pricey for the portion sizes compared to the mainland but would recommend for the local produce

Visited Judith Glue this morning with my wife for coffee and a scone. Outrageous prices. £3.50 for an Americano. "More expensive than a cafe in Monaco. "Staff manners left a lot to be desired, came across as abrupt and even got our " elementary" order of 2 coffees and a piece of bread wrong. Not a great cafe experience. We have been in Kirkwall for a few days holiday and all other cafes have been friendly, welcoming and reasonably priced considering they are on.an island. Unfortunately not this one.

We had a lovely spot of lunch here and enjoyed the local Orkney cheese board. I was slightly disappointed by the hot chocolate - for £3.80 for a fully loaded I would have expected it to be a bit more loaded and a bit bigger - it certainly was last time I visited the island. The team seemed very rushed off their feet given how quiet it was and the member of staff apologised for the cost of the bill - a worrying sign if the staff think it’s too expensive (I didn’t I should add so was a bit shocked by the comment).

Quirky souvenir shop/ cafe. Prices for all goods seemed very high. Lunch of soups was very good but I did not like the coffee, which is a major disappointment for me. Staff throughout couldn't crack a smile unfortunately.

I visited here for morning coffee. I initially was not having anything to eat but the scones looked so tempting. The fruit scone was beautiful and light. The coffee was lovely too.

Arriving in Orkney from the ferry, this cafe/shop raised our expectations for Orkney even further. Cake and coffee excellent. Shop great fun.

Popped in for a cup of coffee and a snack. Coffe was good and the scones were even better. Had gluten free snacks for the wife too. I'd go again.

Enjoyed coffee and cake and then spent an interesting time looking around the shop. Some unusual things and also usual souvenirs.

Food was good (soups and sandwiches), We had lunch in a relaxed atmosphere. After that we shopped souveniers, partially the usual stuff but there were also locally handmade knitware and lethergoods on stock, so our visit added up to a nice day in Krkwall.

We ordered a cup of tea, a baked potato and a sandwich and it came to £20. It was good food but nothing special. Way overpriced for what it was. Staff quite blunt which came across as a bit rude and menu very messy, hard to read. I don’t think we’ll be back.

We came here for a coffee after visiting the cathedral across the road we were here with our cruise ship.The place is lovely and quirky lots of soveniers to buy too.Coffee was excellent and the service by staff too.The tables and chairs are mismatched which was great,a must for anyone calling in at Kirkwall.

Shop, eat and drink is written on a sign on the wall. It is very true. The coffe was lovely, the home made cakes were delicious and the gifts to buy were quality.

Tucked away at the back of a gift shop so easy to miss. We stopped by for an early dinner and the place was quiet. (think its more of a daytime place). Service was maybe a touch bit on the gruff side, but the food whilst nothing fancy (fairly standard cafe fare) was non the less done to a decent standard and not over priced. My salad was surprisingly good.

Having viewed the Judith Glue Cafe website in advance of our visit we gained an impression of what to expect that did not quite match up with reality. Whilst we had anticipated an atmospheric cafe/restaurant, situated as it is at the back of the Judith Glue shop, we found a store cafe. The menu is fairly limited and seems aimed at simple snacks/lunch time dining. Having said this our meals were well prepared and quite tasty, just not quite what the website led us to expect. If you are in Kirkwall and are looking for a well prepared, simple meal using local ingredients, this is a reasonable place to find it, just don't make our mistake of expecting too much.

On a day trip to Orkney we needed somewhere quick for lunch. Judith Glues provided that and tasty food to boot at reasonable prices. Would definitely recommend the soup.

Evening meal was good, but rather expensive, as were the drinks. A few days later we popped in for coffee and cake, and were lucky to beat the rush, as it soon filled up. I rather regretted we hadn’t tried the places 100 yards to the left, where prices are a little lower.

Right opposite St Magnus Cathedral and almost next to the museum so an ideal stop off point when sightseeing in Kirkwall.

Il negozio di souvenir offre articoli tipici molto carini annesso vi e' un bar pasticceria dove ci si puo' fermare per degustare piatti tipici locali discreti . Grande pecca del locale e' il personale poco accogliente

This is a unique restaurant towards the rear of the shop with little tables partly in the shop. The seafood platter was excellent and at a reasonable price. Local beers also available. Worth a visit.

Don't miss this great restaurant for lunch or even just coffee and baked goods. It's close to St. Magnus Cathedral and should be visited if at all possible.

Excellent fresh crab. Gluten free options (oatcakes) no problem. Very friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Quality produce but a bit overpriced . Takes dogs in the outer seats. Nice shop and pretty busy . Can feel a bit rushed as shoppers watch to see a table finish. Staff not overly helpful.

The food is only moderate compared with other nearby cafes, also expensive and surly, unhelpful staff. When mentioned to JG we were told staff were difficult to get but the other cafes seem to manage?

Easy to find, located right opposite Saint Magnus Cathedral, this was a nice cafe. Great selection of cakes and good coffee too - perfect for elevenses. It's attached to a shop selling all sorts of things aimed at passing tourists, including a tempting selection of gins.

I’ve been to this cafe previously and was always impressed by the variety of cake on offer. We were therefore disappointed that there was very little choice early in the day. The cakes we did choose were good, but not quite to the standard I’d had before.

Got take out before heading for the airport. Nice sandwiches hand-prepared while we waited. Friendly folks. Just about right!

A very interesting shop and cafe. Quality items/souvenirs for sale. Friendly staff in the shop and cafe giving good service

Did a tour of cafes This came in the middle Its a bit expensive and offers more different food as opposed to general tasty child friendly food

Lovely coffee and cake. Café located at the back of the lovely chop with beautiful local items for sale.

di fronte alla cattedrale di Kirkwall c’ è questo negostio con annesso bar pasticceria molto bella con tavoli carini è buonissime birre dell’isola. Anche gli articoli souvenir sono di buona qualità. Insomma se andate a Kikwall passate . Noi abbiamo comprato cose carine . Le ragazze alla cassa ..... scozzesi ( niente sorrisi ) e se vuoi la busta non teladanno manco a morire .

Easy place to eat, order and pay at the counter, and leave when you have eaten. Try the ‘today’s dishes’ they seem to be the best choices. The today’s dishes changes in the evening from lunch to dinner.

lovely food, nicely decorated atmospheric cafe, brilliant coffee and cheese scones are beyond amazing. Fast service, prices very reasonable.

We went to this restaurant in hope of a quality lunch! It was dreadful! Quiche of the day - no idea what it was mean to to be and it was reheated in the microwave. My husband's soup along with the 'hot' chocolate and the latte all lukewarm at best! The bread - dry! The cake was fine. As to hygiene - where does one start? A waitress dipping a cup into the sink with goodness knows what kind of water in it and then drying it on her apron before making someone's coffee in it just left me speechless! This was the most expensive lunch we had all week. Why didn't we cut out losses and just leave? No idea! I did write a note on my napkin and handed it to one of the staff. Please get your act into gear and make something special out of this prime location!

A fine and rare stopping off point for a lunchtime snack out of the wind or rain. Prices may be for tourists but it’s great to know that the tasty, good quality food is locally sourced and the shop celebrates local arts and crafts.

Lots of nice and interesting merchandise in the shop so worth a look. If nothing else the location opposite St Magnus Cathedral will most likely bring you in doors.

The cafe is very small at the back of the filled to the brim shop but the food was lovely, and local. I would go back there.

Sometimes it is difficult to get a seat here as it is always busy. Nice coffee and cake. You can also buy shortbread, fudge and other gifts to take home.

Fresh Orkney crab with a plate heaped with salads and seafood board showed off Orkney has the quality ingredients that need little fuss. Delicious.

The food was so good we went back a second time and were not disappointed. I had the sea food tasting dish, excellent.

Absolute best quiche and scrumptious salads I have had for a long time. Would go back to Kirkwall for it all again. Vegetarian paradise 💛

£3.50 for a medium very average black Americano - didn’t eat there after that. Rather cramped and noisy but guess that’s it in tourist season. Tourist trap shop too

We had three visits to this shop as one of our party wanted a Fairisle sweater. On the last visit we had lunch here having the sweet potato and coconut soup with brannok (brown bread) for £4.50. Others in our group had jam buns and tea. Lots more other food to choose from.

We visited twice. First lunch was ‘okay’, though I felt the ‘food hygiene’ was a bit dodgy(and I’m the kind of person who will drop a bit of food on the floor and happily pick it up and transport it to my mouth rather than the bin).

Visited after a tour of Rousay and trying to find somewhere suitable in Kirkwall for food. This was it

Don’t be put off by the gift shop entrance. At the back is an excellent cafe restaurant with a lovely menu offering plenty of GF and veggie options. My Orkney crab salad was excellent and the crab was definitely fresh, delicious. My daughter-in-law has the quiche which was v good too. We were going to have a tasty looking desert after but we’re too full!

The café has a rather nice menu with local delicacies and interesting offerings. The cakes are also excellent. However, it feels quite expensive for what you get. On one of the platters, the cheese, chutney and ham was miniscule portions. The oatcakes were plentiful though, and I guess it's because they cost nothing. Another platter came with one tiny pork pie, lots of oatcakes and salad. The drinks are also over priced compared to other cafe´s in town.

Bright and cheerful cafe at the back of a fun shop. The food was very good too, quiche with a great selection of salads, baked potato stuffed with bacon wrapped chicken. We returned our final day in Orkney before flying out for the rest of our vacation. I like the idea of fresh and locally sourced food, felt friendly and welcoming as well.

This is a pleasant spot at the back of the Judith Glue shop. No pretensions here. For a more upmarket experience we liked the new Storehouse restaurant down the street, also owned by Judith Glue.

Lovely lunch in a busy cafe. Good selection of food. Friendly staff. Small downside no Wifi. Close to Cathedral, palace, museum.

What a great find, we were delighted from start to finish. Wonderful locally sourced food cooked to perfection and definitely made even more enjoyable by watching the delightful chef cooking away and sharing friendly banter with staff and customers. Would love to return soon.

I'm sure I remember there being WiFi a few years back but the last few times I've been in there has been none. I've been told it's off/patchy/ and now that there just isn't any. It's a deal breaker for me if I want to check emails etc. I love the shop and the beautiful knitwear and food but I'll go across to the Reel for coffee from now on `as their WiFi is fab.

Tasty food. Sweet potato leek and am guessing pearl barley soup was amazing and cheese scone light and fluffy. My husband had the cheese and ham on large slab of toast and demolished it.

We actually kept coming back to this place and jokingly called it "The grumpy cafe" based on some interactions with the staff. But, the food is solid, and the coffee is excellent. The shop also has some great stuff.

Had great cappuccino here twice and was able to buy a bag of the local bere meal here for a friend. Wish I had sampled the bere bannock too!

It's a shop and cafe. Cafe being at the back. The staff were friendly. The menu was very good. I had crab salad for my lunch it was very nice. Great cafe.

El local está muy bien situado justo en frente de la catedral de Kirkwall. El

Excellent coffee and homemade cakes in a slightly quirky but pleasant and clean restaurant at the back of a shop just across the road from St Magnus' Cathedral. Definitely not the corporate sameness of the big chains, but the service, coffee and food was excellent.

On a wet and windy Sunday this café /restaurant proved a warm and relaxing haven for lunch. Friendly staff and a large enough menu. Homemade soup, rollmop herrings, cheese and Orkney's special bere bread and a Westray crab salad were satisfying and very good. The place serves food all day and is licensed.

We stopped in after a visit to St Magnus for refreshments. The store has some very nice items but the woman working did not smile or greet us in any way. We went back to the food counter and the 2 women behind the counter continued their conversation until I finally said 'excuse me'. I asked for drinks and 2 scones and only when one of them put her hand out for my money did she even look at me. Definitely got the impression we were interrupting.

Very tasty herring, excellent coffee one day. Huge and absolutely delicious cheese toasty and again excellent coffee another day. Cake looked very good too

Staff were polite and service was average to good with good quality foid even if on the expensive side! Prime position being opposite the Cathedral drew our custom.

This is a lovely shop to visit whilst in Kirkwall and has a nice little cafe to the rear. Has a lovely range of Orkney gifts and produce.

I’d read about the legendary Judith Glue and was pleased the shop was open on Easter bank holiday Monday.

Clean facility Friendly staff Good service Just need a slightly more child friendly menu. Choices are aimed at older people

I went in and I was wanting to leave after seeing the prices!! You guys rip people off, £2.95 for a half chocolate covered biscuit! . I only stayed as the people we were with insisted we stayed as they were buying. The taps in the men's toilets are falling off the sink. We'll not be eating in again.

Lovely cafe. Excellent service. Great hot chocolate drink! Such a lovely place for a drink stop or bite to eat. At the back of a wonderful gift shop which also sells local gin and beers! Such a friendly place.

Love this cafe, great staff, great food, they have really good vegetarian food so I recommend it for vegans or vegetarians to go if there hungry!

I really enjoyed having several meals at the Real Food Cafe. I loved the Westray crab salad, and i had beautiful fluffy scrambled eggs with a healthy serving of smoked salmon. The shop is a treat! Somehow it is filled with many lovely things without seeming at all crowded. Both in the shop and cafe the people are very friendly and helpful.