The Waterfront Cafe in York

Not what we expected at all, when you read the menu and see a fish goujons sandwich with sourdough and gem lettuce thats what you expect. But you actually get is one slice of thin soggy bread with iceberg lettuce and you cant wvwn make a sandwich with it and the pricing of the whole menu is upper class but the food doesn’t match. Very disappointed to be honest not worth the drive up here for such a low standard of food.

Always great food and service. The new conservatory is fabulous with views over the river.

Excellent experience, first visit on Mother’s Day. Lovely food and good service, however not as attentive as I would have expected, it wasn’t over busy to say it was Mother’s Day, they obviously didn’t over stretch themselves with too many bookings, so no excuse for slow service

We stayed on the camping site for 2 nights in our Motorhome so we decided to try the waterfront for some lunch. We sat in the conservatory but all the restaurant is set out to a very high standard with a lovely light and airy feel and superb contemporary touches. As you would expect from such investment the prices are on the expensive side but the food was excellent and the service very good. We will be back!

Came here for my Mum's 80th birthday. 15 of us in all. We were well looked after, they made a lovely fuss of my Mum by providing a pudding with a candle in it and the food was amazing. All of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Will definitely be coming back.

I was so disappointed with the quality of the food served . The 3 main dishes all had to be sent back, 2 were replaced with equally poor plates of food. The fact we didn't get changed for them didn't really compensate for the disappointment of going there for a family meal. The chap we spoke with there did what he could, but there was no point in replacing bad food with equally bad food. Whilst we were there 2 other tables complained to each other about their food but didn't say anything . That I don't understand. As I've said it was very disappointing!!

Don't go this weekend unless you have a booking. Just been turned away for breakfast for 2 people as hadn't booked and the place was empty. Nothing on their website bookings only.

Amazing location and a very nice brunch. Staff friendly. Couldn't ask for much more. Only very very minor criticism would be staff could be more proactive on clearing empty cups from the table.

My husband and I recently stayed on the floating lodge at the York Marina and feel really privileged to have met and experienced the friendliness and kindness of the staff members at this beautifully located “cafe”. Do not be fooled by the word “cafe” as this is no ordinary “cafe”. In our opinion it is a stunning restaurant with beautiful views and tasty, beautifully presented food been served. We had both breakfast & lunch over various different days and every visit and every meal exceeded our expectations. A massive thank you to all staff and management for adding to our wonderful break away. We really appreciate the effort put in to make our visit, all about the customer experience, hats off to you all.

Situated on the outskirts of the village of Naburn, near York you will find The Waterfront. Located on the bank of the River Ouse, you will enjoy a gorgeous view of the River Ouse & the watercraft as they travel past. The new conservatory allows a panoramic view so most diners can enjoy the views, whilst dining. A very comprehensive menu awaits you, along with some very different meals to tempt your taste buds! To accompany your meal there is a wonderful drinks selection to cover all tastes & budgets. A true favourite of ours, that we visit quite frequently! Also look out for their varied Theme Meals that they host throughout the course of the year.

Really nice meat / fish( scampi and prawns/ and vegan platters by a riverside setting. All washed down with a Beavertown Neckoil.

Eat here very regularly and the food is always hot,tasty and plentiful. Good choice on menu and good selection for people on special diets. Staff very attentive and all very nice .You are never rushed.

Excellent Sunday lunch with my family for my mothers birthday , great setting , service and food served by Dani and the rest of the team

Beautiful location. The new extension integrates seamlessly, offering stunning views of the boats and the river. The food was outstanding, and the staff were amiable and extremely attentive. Highly recommended.

Sunday lunch was not great, real fatty meat, one of roast potatoes was still frozen in middle, found staff were quite rude

First visit since the new extension - it looks great. Even on a dreary January afternoon, the view over the marina makes for a pretty & uplifting setting. Our main courses were really tasty but puds fell flat. Great range of wines & cocktails & lovely, down to earth service.

We had a delicious afternoon tea with friends for a special birthday celebration. The food was amazing, the staff were great and the setting is beautiful. The whole experience was a real treat.

Great afternoon tea, for 8 people. Plenty of delicious food, great views of river ouse, restaurant above flood level.

I would give this place 10,000 stars if I could. The food and the service is absolutely out of this world. I visited the marina with one of my friends for breakfast on the 13/1. We were given a wonderful table overlooking the river. The hot drinks arrived fast, the meals were presented beautifully and tasted even better, however nothing can beat the AMAZING service we received at the waterfront. All the staff were friendly and efficient, but Massive thank you to Dani, she is an asset to your team at the waterfront. ❤️ she went above and beyond for us, nothing too big or small to make our visit here perfect and memorable, all with a contagious smile and lovely conversation! 🥰❤️ we will absolutely be visiting again ❤️

I would give this place 10,000 stars if I could. The food and the service is absolutely out of this world. I visited the marina with one of my friends for breakfast on the 13/1. We were given a wonderful table overlooking the river. The hot drinks arrived fast, the meals were presented beautifully and tasted even better, however nothing can beat the AMAZING service we received at the waterfront. All the staff were friendly and efficient, but Massive thank you to Dani, she is an asset to your team at the waterfront. ❤️ she went above and beyond for us, nothing too big or small to make our visit here perfect and memorable, all with a contagious smile and lovely conversation! 🥰❤️ we will absolutely be visiting again ❤️

Excellent venue and the new extension is a great improvement. The evening menu choices were however disappointing and do not reflect the quality and ambience of the facility. The staff are very friendly and attentive but for me the evening dinner menu could definitely do with a rethink and extending.

Fabulous waterfront cafe.. great service and staff.. shame the menu is limited pub grub which is average..probably a good lunch venue .. sadly won't be back for dinner..

I have attended this place many times over recent years, for a range of events from an afternoon tea baby shower, family Sunday lunch, couples dinner and business breakfast. On every occasion the food and service have been outstanding. The menu is always great, it’s difficult to make a decision when ordering. The staff are very attentive and clearly care about their customers and building a rapport. The location of the venue, especially the new extension, really is outstanding! I wouldn’t hesitate in booking this place whatever the occasion and whoever the party. There really is something special about The Waterfront Cafe.

Four of us visited for lunch on a bitterly cold but sunny January day. Lovely welcome and shown to a fantastic table in the newly-built conservatory overlooking the River Ouse. It was very warm thanks to underfloor heating, air source heat pump and the sun flooding in through all the glass even though it was below zero outside. We all chose the Fisherman’s Catch, an incredibly generous mixture of fish and seafood. Delicious with a bottle of Viognier and served impeccably by the lovely staff. We could only manage a small portion of ice cream to finish. We’ll definitely be back to this beautiful venue !

Having visited for the first time whilst the conservatory was being completed, we wanted to return once competed. Four of us visited in October for lunch and service from Libby was exemplary; chatty, friendly and helpful. We asked about the Christmas menu and what was gluten free as the yorkshires weren’t detailed as being gf. Libby asked the chef to come out to have a word and he confirmed the whole menu would be gf or gfa. I don’t recall all the meals but I had fish finger floats again followed by a slice / wedge of a elderflower and lemon cake with custard instead of cream or ice cream. Clear plates all round again. Based on this and our previous experience, we booked for six of us in December for lunch again. Service again was excellent although not as friendly as Libby. The gf Yorkshire pud was a bit disappointing compared to the size of the non gf version and the food on the plates could have been a bit more generous as the veg was a bit miserly ( hints of A Christmas Carol ! ), but that might be me being a bit ‘bah humbug’. We will return again though.

A party of 13 to celebrate a birthday with Afternoon Tea, the setting was fantastic views of the river in the new extention, the food was fantastic enjoyed by everyone of us, I cannot thank the wonderful staff for looking after all of us and our needs Amie has an amazing team thank you. Lynne

Lovely venue and surroundings. Food a little dry

As a regular customer at this restaurant I thought it would be nice to treat my sister to the Festive lunch. Well this was a big disappointment as it was ages before we were asked if we would like to order drinks and then when the main course was served it was truly bland and boring! We both ordered the turkey which had a bubble and squeak cake, a very strange looking stuffing which were both tasteless, one sprout and a sprig of cress on the top of the huge Yorkshire pudding. The Christmas pud and custard was obviously shop bought and was presented with no finesse all ie a berry on the top? We both ordered coffee and one was a cinnamon latte that should have had a ginger bread man on the side? When we asked for this the waitress said “ I’ll go find one” and came back with the smallest gingerbread man I have seen and he was missing one leg!!! The service was poor as not enough staff working and even though the new conservatory is beautiful the price is ridiculous with a bill of £80 for the two of us We certainly will not be rushing to return in the future 😢

I have been coming here for the last 3 years with my elderly mum who is 90. I brought her for lunch for a nice festive treat. I was very disappointed to find, no decorative tables, no crackers and no tree in the inside bit. 2 years back it was lovely. Crackers, red felt coasters little Xmas Decs on the table. It just made it for her. This year nothing, you would not even have known it was Xmas? The new conservatory had a tree, maybe it's cut backs cos of the price of the extension. The ambience also was not good. The staff behind the bar kept throwing bottles into a large bin and my mother was very jumpy everytime this happened. The food was ok, the fishcake starter was a disappointment, a thin frozen deep fried thing. The turkey dinner was better, plenty of turkey, no roast potatoes only a bubble and squeak potato. The stuffing was very strange, could have done with more veg! The cheesecake was also not great a bought in frozen dessert. This was a great place for Xmas lunch two years ago, but has become very pricey and lacks in decor now and ambience now.....

Visited the Waterfront Cafe for the first time today for Sunday lunch with my husband and son and weren’t disappointed. We were sat in the conservatory area which was lovely and cosy and had great views of the river and boats passing by. Service was very attentive and the food was lovely ! Would definitely come here again !

Fabulous meal, fabulous setting, had the Christmas menu. The waitress who looked after us (I never got her name) was absolutely lovely, she was very attentive and was lovely with my dad who is hard of hearing and not very well, she needs to be commended. Only one negative, it was a beautiful sunny winters day and the sun got in my eyes, I needed to wear sunglasses which fortunately my son had in the car some blinds are needed on the windows apart from that an excellent meal and a lovely ambience.

We were a party of 6 paying over £200 for a party night. The quality and quantity of food was far short of what was expected and certainly fell very short of value for money. When settling a drinks account of £91 we found that drinks for another table had been added to ours. But what is worse, when writing to raise our disappointment we were not even given the courtesy of a reply.

This restaurant has always been in my top five for food & service! Sadly not the last time I went. Slow slow service, waited forever for a drink, food cold, plates cold!! How does a hot meal come out Luke warm on a cold plate? Christmas pudding, lukewarm. Really disappointing. The new restaurant is great, beautifully done! Shame about the rest!!

Just returned from another lovely lunch and relaxing afternoon …… festive menu was very tasty and good selection. Staff friendly and attentive as always - special thanks to Dani. The Waterfront definitely a favourite and the new Conservatory has been done so well - highly recommended.

We were a party of 6 paying over £200 for a party night. The quality and quantity of food was far short of what was expected and certainly fell very short of value for money. When settling a drinks account of £91 we found that drinks for another table had been added to ours. But what is worse, when writing to raise our disappointment we were not even given the courtesy of a reply.

We visited for breakfast/morning coffee and sat in the new Conservatory, which had been completed since my last visit. It’s light and bright but lovely and warm on a chilly morning. I had the bacon roll, and was very surprised and pleased at the amount of bacon (5 rashers!) I got for the very reasonable price of £6. It was very tasty and very filling. My friend had the lemon and blueberry cake, which she enjoyed, and we both had coffee. My bill for the bacon roll and 2 coffees came to just over £12, which I thought was very well priced. Highly recommended for breakfast/coffee.

Food was delicious and staff are so welcoming and friendly. They always accommodate my husbands requests. Looking forward to our next visit.

I paid another visit to the cafe to treat a friend for lunch and we had a great experience as always. We arrived before lunch service began and were shown to a lovely table in the new extension. We were able to order drinks straight away and placed our lunch order as soon as we were ready. I had the Marina burger which was huge, and my friend had goats cheese quiche- which was too good to let me try any!! The staff were as welcoming and attentive as always, and the views never get old. Love this place

We were 4 ladies of mixed ages (30’s & 60’s) getting together for a long awaited reunion lunch and we were not disappointed. We had a lot of fun in a beautiful setting and the food and service was faultless. Our waitress (Dani ?) really looked after us and helped make it a very special occasion. I will definitely be returning (taking my husband this time).

We had a lovely Sunday lunch here, great food and fab service! Thank you especially to Danni who was brilliant. Our first visit and definitely not our last!

We had a wonderful time yesterday at the Waterfront Cafe. 3 ladies out to lunch we were very well looked after by the lovely staff who couldn’t do enough for us. Thank you 😊

Nice food, good location, not cheap (£100 for sandwiches x 3 and a bottle of wine!) and charged us for tartare sauce! but the setting is great, lovely views of the river etc. They did take our unfinished bottle of wine from the table?

What a fantastic place for a breakfast,bruhch,lunch, the new conservatory overlooking the river is cosy and warm.All food freshly cooked. Staff friendly and professional. All areas clean .plenty parking. Highly recommend.

The new conservatory is beautiful, then it slowly goes downhill from there. We arrived without booking, the were a few tables for 2 at the front of the conservatory overlooking the river, but the lady on reception said they were booked. We sat, had drinks and lunch, and when we left still no one was sitting at those tables, so we could have sat over looking the river and boats! Then there’s the price, with a 12.5% service charge, (which wasn’t great service) it would have been nearly £40 for 2 very bland open sandwiches, cappuccino and a tea, no chips, they £4/£5.50 were extra. The quality of the food is not worth the price. It’s fine for a coffee and cake, and a meet up with friends but for lunch there are much better value and tastier venues in York. Either up the quality or make the price more realistic for what you get!

Really nice new relaxing light space since I last visited. Great place to stop when out on the bike and enjoy the views.

Love this place! Their new extension is stunning and such a lovely place to eat and look out onto the river. The food was lovely and I’ll definitely be going back again soon.

Beware they will take money from your account! We booked a table for Sunday lunch but due to unforseen illness we had to cancel on the morning of our visit. I cancelled this using the link in the email they sent and it was only...

Lovely place,decorated nice,staff are lovely&friendly. great views overlooking the naburn lock. option to dine outside now undercover in there new extension overlooking the river&the boats etc.

Went for Sunday Lunch. Food was amazing but the drinks were a bit pricey... We loved sitting in the new conservatory, but it maybe needs some outer doors as it was chilly as customers and staff went outside to the terrace. Had a problem with the online booking system, so had to book over the phone.

A lovely evening, my husband & I both enjoyed our meals, the new restaurant extension was so cosy & chic, a big thank you to the lovely young staff who served us, they were very friendly & professional, such a treat.

The new conservatory is well designed light and airy but the food is as dull and uninteresting as ever, same menu, no improvement in 2 years! Such a lovely setting deserves a quality menu, top class food and service. Such a shame. Many friends have...

We visited today while meeting relatives that lived nearby. A vibrant place to come and have some brunch. All of the staff were very helpful. Our food came out in a timely manner. The only slight negative was that one of the "extra" items didn't come out until almost at the very end. The staff were very apologetic. Will definitely return when we visit the area again.

Saturday lunch we had a lovely table looking on to the river . Great menu to choose from we went for the fish platter ,it came well presented with a good selection of fish ,absolutely delicious . The service was very good and quick ....

We have just returned from the Waterfront having spent the afternoon enjoying an amazing afternoon tea to celebrate a friend's special Birthday. The food was excellent as was the service and the new extension with a fantastic view of the river. I'd like to thank Nicola for looking after us and catering to all our various dietary requirements, the afternoon tea was the best we've had.

Went for brunch with my wife. Lovely location and venue. The owners have invested in this cafe and have created something special. The staff were friendly. Unfortunately the food was average. My vegetarian breakfast had overcooked fried food, hash brown, sausage etc. Also there was an automatic 12.5% service charge added to the bill which for breakfast seemed really cheeky. Their menu quotes" A discretionary 12.5% service charge will be added to parties of 6 or more" but they add to all bills. We have always left cash tips where the service is good but making the decision for the customer feels presumptuous.

Had a family birthday in the newly opened Conservatory looking over the river Ouse. We pre booked a table due to knowing at peek times they are full. The food, service was very good and the staff was great could not fault them.

Unique location in York (or just outside). Great staff and amazing new conservatory. Food was excellent too.

An afternoon tea celebration with family. Aime was great in the lead up getting booking right. The food was delicious. The service excellent, staff great, vegetarian and vegan options equally delicious.

Simply poor service that is not good enough. It’s absolutely fine having waiter/waitress service when you sit down however it’s absolutely pointless if you don’t have enough staff on or have staff that actually service you. Pointless employment. For goodness sake we have just stayed...

A great place for a family meal. Lovely food, service and atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Haven't eaten here for ages...but we shall be back. Its lovely here

Very nice food. Had fried egg sandwich and coffee - good quality. Lovely setting by the river.

Excellent food and service. The vegetarian breakfast was delicious and my grandson enjoyed his bacon roll.

My husband and myself were celebrating our wedding anniversary and were. disappointed to find our usual eating place was closed, so we called in here on the off chance of having Sunday lunch. It was extremely busy but we were found a table straight away....

Absolutely amazing afternoon tea. Highly recommended!

Top place to relax. Fabulous food. Crayfish starter was super fresh. Sea bass was generous, fresh and expertly cooked. Trio of lemon desserts was sublime. Honestly one of the best desserts I’ve had. Great coffee. None if this weak, tasteless junk you get everywhere. Fast and attentive service from the very smart Scarlett who has THE best DMs.

Several visits later I finally write a review! Have visited with girlfriends, husband, and family. All have been catered for equally well. Good menu choice, welcoming atmosphere, good ambience, stylish interiors and spotless toilets. Looking forward to seeing what the extended seating looks like.

Four of us had a most enjoyable meal. The food was really well cooked and tasted fantastic. The service was friendly, unobtrusive and prompt. Our food arrived promptly and across the different dishes we all chose there was not one that didn’t exceed expectations. Thoroughly...

Absolutely wonderful meal. Birthday meal with my sons, daughters in law and grandchildren. Service was really good and again I would reiterate wonderful meal, one of the best Sunday lunches I have ever had. Will be back for sure!

The best afternoon tea I have had very reasonably priced with excellent service in lovely surroundings.

Booked for lunch and sat inside overlooking the river. The renovations are continuing and we will return when completed as the views of the plasterer weren’t great ! Drinks ordered and served quickly and food ordered. Two gluten free meals of fish finger raft and...

Walked here from York so resisted temptation to have more than a sandwich... Will definitely be back to sample the amazing cakes...

Would have been five star but Riverside terrace closed for refurb. Sure it will be first class when finished.

Friendly staff, good food and excellent position on the waterfront. Renovations currently coming to an end, but experience was not affected.

We had a nice lunch here. It was a hot day so we sat outside (sadly there was no outside seating available on the waterfront side as they’re doing renovations so we sat looking at the carpark instead). Libby our waitress was really lovely and...

Nice casual spot for lunch just outside York. Tasty quiche, though small portion. Very prompt service. Large menu choice. Nice alternative to battling the crowds in York.

Very good with gluten free choice. My wife and I go regularly for lunch. Good choice of menu. Can get very busy need to book. Can also- for me - get quite noisy.

We love it here and the cakes are to die for!! Will be back soon. Thanks to the team who were friendly and made us very welcome.

Not worth the money staff not attentive

Beautiful little cafe, just been for breakfast with parents & other half along with the Pub and the staff are very friendly the food was great. Thank you.

We love having breakfast here food always brilliant and the staff are lovely and friendly looking forward to seeing the conservatory area finished

Fantastic place, really good food and wonderful staff, made our birthday celebrations special today

Really good food and lovely ambience, not the cheapest. However, lovely quality and generous portions would recommend.

Food and service excellent but will be even better when the back area is finished with fab views of the marina

We had an amazing lunch on Saturday and the team at the Waterfront could not have been more accommodating. We had a pushchair with us and the lovely server (whose name I’ve since forgotten - apologies) really put us at ease with two babies. We...

Called in on the spur of the moment, on Monday morning. Really good breakfast menu. Very expertly cooked, very generous portions as well. Clean, restaurant, lovely views,friendly staff. A visit is recommended!!!

We had an amazing lunch on Saturday and the team at the Waterfront could not have been more accommodating. We had a pushchair with us and the lovely server (whose name I’ve since forgotten - apologies) really put us at ease with two babies. We shared the Fisherman’s catch and the Fish Finger raft, both were fresh and delicious. The Fisherman’s catch was a beautiful selection of seafood and the haddock goujons on both dishes were light and delicious. The place is clean and has a great view onto the river, but we’ll be returning for the friendly service and the delicious food. It can be daunting visiting a restaurant with two babies but the team made us feel welcome and at ease. Our server really is a credit to the place. The changing facilities were really clean. Looking at the menu already in preparation for the next visit!

Thought it would be a great idea to pop into the to have Easter Lunch having had a recommendation from a close friend. we went for starters and main, and i absolutely loved the duck taco and my husband liked the crayfish cocktail as well....

Good menu choice. Accommodating to individual needs/choices. Nice food, friendly staff. Will be fab when building works finished. Lovely & clean.

Called on Easter Bank Holiday Monday for lunch. We hadn’t booked and it was very busy, but Rachel managed to fit us in. We were well looked after by Amy, who took our order for drinks and then lunch. Great menu, the lunch came quickly, it was very nice, great portions and immaculately presented. It looks like an extension is underway, giving an even better view of the river. Well done to all.

We had a table of 9 booked for Easter lunch, we had pre-booked all our meals before we arrived as we were a larger party. We were seated at a lovely table and had our drinks order taken within 10 mins which was fine (albeit...

Love this place on a sunny day. 10/10 for their smoked haddock hash.

We celebrated a family birthday at The Waterfront last Saturday lunchtime and had a wonderful time. The food was delicious and everyone in the team made us feel very welcome. The service was friendly, attentive and everyone was so helpful. We couldn't have asked for more! Thank you.

Excellent location and good food.

Dropped in here for Mothering Sunday brunch, prior to heading South. Great menu, welcome, seating etc. Just a couple of comments, they started clearing our table before we were finished eating, nearly taking the plate from one of the kids who had half his breakfast...

Always a pleasant experience. Waterfront table for 4 which was fab but the chair in the back corner was wedged in so tightly 3 out of 4 in the party could not get into that seat. As it was situated on a thoroughfare it wasn't really an option to pull the table out further. All the food was delicious and the fish platter is fantastic and enough for 3 for lunch. Service let us down slightly as on 3 occasions I had to walk over to a waitress for service and the bill. All minor issues, would highly recommend a visit.

My daughter, friend, husband & myself visited the restaurant as a treat from my daughter, Sunday lunch. We have had meals here before, seated at the outdoor picnic tables near the waterfront, the staff & food were faultless, lovely experience every time. However this time,...

This was our first time here as we are visiting from Somerset. We were served by Dannie who couldn’t have been more helpful. The food was amazing and beautifully presented. The venue was spotlessly clean. We shall definitely go back again when we are next...

Popped in before work, really nice atmosphere, had to come at night so unfortunately didn't catch the river view but great staff, especially the waitress :) Will definitely come again when I'm nearby.

Nice ambiance, caring service by Danny, big surprize every time food came to the table - it just looked so awesome and tasted even better!