Venus Cafe Broadsands in Torbay

Worst value cafe food I've ever eaten! The cafe itself is beautiful and in a stunning location overlooking the popular beach and Torquay seafront. But the food I've had all seems souless, designed to use the least amount of effort to make the most profit. It appears mainly staffed by very polite but very young staff, and it shows in service. Recently I was at the beach and fancied a light lunch. Apart from soup, the cheapest meal I found on the menue looked like a sausage and fries...for £8.99!! OMG! I thought they must have misprinted it, so I asked: "yes, just one sausage, but it's a good sausage brought from a butcher, and you get slightly more fries than the other meals". Have any of you ever come across a worse value dish? So I went for the gluten free sausage sandwich and chips: £11.98! This had 2 sausages in it, but they were over cooked and really hard and the bread appeared unbuttered and un toasted. The chips were tepid and had to be re-ordered. The previous time i went in I had the mackrell pate: I asked if i could have some gluten free bread, and i was given the smallest peice of bread imaginable with it: the pate wouldn't even fit on it so i had to ask for more. Considering it wasn't cheap, it would have been nice if it'd at least have a little salad or coleslaw with it. Nice pate tho. Other times I have gone in: I've had the Hawian coconut prawn balls before: £9.99, but not very filling on it's own, so £13.98 with fries. I'd expect something more for that price in a cafe. Normally it comes with slightly flavoured mayo, not too exciting, but once came with bolognaise sauce, which was totally weird. My first meal there (end of lockdown) I ordered the beefburger. I try and avoid gluten when I can, so I asked for mine without the bun: I got served a pretty rank plain patty and chips, but no coleslaw, or knife and fork! When I asked for them, I got served the worst coleslaw I've ever eaten: just grated veg, no mayo or seasoning. And the mayo bottle is often disgustingly greasy. At least they have finally got rid of the old ketchup dispenser that, if I worked at all, sprayed ketchup everywhere. This cafe has the potential to become the most incredible eating venue that could attract customers from some distance. It is a lovely cafe situated in a beautiful place, but the food I've had has often been so poor value that it is insulting. It is so sad because the previous lady who ran the cafe produced some of the best cafe food I've ever tasted, at very good prices. Including some of the best chips I've ever tasted! I assume she had to close due to lockdown. I'm pretty sure the present cafe would go out of business very quickly if it wasn't guaranteed customers due to it's lovely and often very busy location. I wish Gordon Ramsey could do his magic and help this place...

The staff and place are lovely. 2 out of 6 of us had frozen hash browns in the middle. We did have an apology and an offer of more cooked but we had finished what we wanted. An offer of a complimentary drink to those affected would have been nice instead? Sausage…. Horrible and dense with an odd flavour none of us liked it. Bacon dry and tough. Toast was not great. Beans were luke warm…. An odd colour sauce if they were Heinz as advertised. Will not be returning as expensive for such a disaster

Had coffee. Lovely atmosphere with great beach views.

Stopped for a refreshment break, plenty of comfortable outdoor seating to take in the beach, millpond sea and ‘quietness’. Quick, pleasant service, reasonably priced and nice coffee. Will return.

It's quite possible our timing of popping into this beachside cafe may have been a little fortunate, as there seemed to be staff review meetings going on, on the terrace, with two people who I assume were the owners (?). Well, suffice to say the staff couldn't have been friendlier or more efficient, which combined with the superb location overlooking the beach, made for a very enjoyable moment or two to have a cold Devon Rock lager and a bag of Two Farmers crisps. If the staff can maintain anywhere near the level of service we enjoyed, they're onto a real winner here! Mind you, we didn't try the food.

Below average food for exaggerated prices. Claim to be eco friendly, but everything is served in single use cardboard, rather than reusable, washable plates/glasses. Couldn’t fault the staff who were friendly.

Eaten here many times before and the food has always been amazing, however I visited here today and ordered the bruschetta and was disappointed with the portion size for the price. One small slice of sourdough bread and to add a small amount of feta would have cost an additional £3. Sadly won't be ordering this again.

Lovely location and great views.

Expensive to what they offer staff abrupt and quite non friendly ,I'm local would not go back

Right on the beautiful Broadsands beach this cafe is great for a lunch time snack after a morning playing on the beach. Pity they don't do just a straightforward sandwich range.

Only had an ice cream and a soft drink, seating area was nice outside looking out on to the beach and numerous boats anchored in the bay.

Limited menu but good , average price for sea front . Good carpark and access for wheelchair users. Note that beach access is difficult.

Excellent cafe with beautiful views across the bay, well worth a visit.

Lovely spot for a meal, snack or drink by the beach. I had pea and mint arancini with lime mayo which was delicious and an iced oat milk latte. There were a few vegan options, everything clearly labelled. My friend had chicken tacos which they said were lovely. Plenty of seating options outside and inside. Staff were very friendly and good service.

We went for lunch on Friday 19th July and it was absolutely lovely. It was very busy, but the service was fast and the food came out really quickly. We had the Chicken and King Prawn Tacos and a Wrap and it was all delicious, especially the King Prawn Tacos (Big good quality Prawns). The Ice Creams and Milkshakes for pudding were also really nice. Oh and I got a Brownie to take away......Delicious too, I have had a lot of Brownies and it was really good! The place is really nicely decorated and the view is gorgeous. I have to mention the Head Chef and FOH Manager (Fergie and Joe). They were great checking on us and having a chat even though it was busy. They cleared our plates and were so friendly and are clearly very passionate and genuinely care. They are both an absolute asset to your company, it made our experience even more special. We will definitely be back. Thank you!!

We went for lunch on Friday 19th July and it was absolutely lovely. It was very busy, but the service was fast and the food came out really quickly. We had the Chicken and King Prawn Tacos and a Wrap and it was all delicious, especially the King Prawn Tacos (Big good quality Prawns). The Ice Creams and Milkshakes for pudding were also really nice. Oh and I got a Brownie to take away......Delicious too, I have had a lot of Brownies and it was really good! The place is really nicely decorated and the view is gorgeous. I have to mention the Head Chef and FOH Manager (Fergie and Joe). They were great checking on us and having a chat even though it was busy. They cleared our plates and were so friendly and are clearly very passionate and genuinely care. They are both an absolute asset to your company, it made our experience even more special. We will definitely be back. Thank you!!

What a good selection for gluten free and vegan foods. We visited today and had such a good time. We met the manager/ owner who was do kind and genuine that we couldn't wait to make sure we gave an honest and unsolicited review. Our food was v goid and no dolly extra charges for oat milk etc. Plus a separate vegan gluten free menu. We heartily recommend.

Fabulous place on Broadsands promenade. Food tasty and service quick and friendly. Great atmosphere. Smart with plenty of seating. Definite recommend.

Very poor food tea in cardboard cups do not waste your money

I agree with those that found it disappointing. Burgers were £9 and chips were extra. The waitress couldn't guarantee the sauce on the prawns which said 'Spiced'. One of the party is allergic to chilli etc and we were told that the sauce came in a jar Any chef worth his salt should be able to knock up a basic prawn sauce!! We left and went somewhere to else where the burgers came with chips as standard and the staff were more amenable. I don't know if meals still come on cardboard plates etc but that in itself is rather poor standard. But they tell you it's to save the planet, or some such rubbish.

Amazing views of the coastline. Lovely Bay and lovely restaurant with a great choice of deli house food. Makes a refreshing change from standard pub grub.

Dog and environmentally friendly cafe, with tables inside and out. Food good too.

Overpriced food, very average quality. I guess you are paying for the view. Ordered a prawn wrap and cheesy chips, wrap was served to me 10 minutes before chips arrived. Pretty sure wrap wasn't made fresh on site either. I could have got the same quality from supermarket for much less. My partner's bacon bap was very poor, overcooked meat, cheap roll. We had better from breakfast vans around the country for half the price. The only positives are clean toilets and nice view. Wouldn't come back.

Lovely view across the bay, very clean toilets and extremely dog friendly.

Great place to eat and drink for the whole family Amazing views over the beach

Expensive for breakfast. It's was tasty.

Great location, menu and friendly staff. Lovely spaces to sit and enjoy the food and views.

I went with friends to the cafe for a 50th birthday lunch. It started raining so we came indoors and they allowed the dog inside (I saw a few others as well). I paid for myself and friend who's birthday it was, quite expensive, for a chicken wrap with virtually no chicken in it, a bacon sandwich, 2 small portions of chips, a pepsi and water was £30. We were waiting for our food and a young assistant came over with a box of cheesy chips which she dropped all over me, in my bag and over my jacket in the bag, very greasy, she apologised. A man came over who must have been in charge and said everything ok? I said no look at my top covered in grease, he said well have a free slice of cake on the house. When I got home my friends said I hope you didn't pay, you should have had it free, I had already paid and you wait for it to be brought to the table. Despite trying various stain removers which cost more money my top is still covered in grease and I had bought the top to take on holiday and can no longer get another one. Although there are lovely views and dogs are allowed, I wouldn't go here again, the food wasn't worth the money and my top is ruined!

Breakfast was disappointing, not much choice, dry and tasteless. They use cheap sausages and can only offer fried eggs (no poached or scrambled) Felt that it was overpriced for what it is. Food served on throw away plates, won’t go back.

Lovely friendly place Plenty of room to sit down Very dog friendly

Delicious food! Friendly staff! Great location!

Bacon cheese burgers £12.99 ‘served with coleslaw’ no coleslaw to be seen, extremely mediocre and likely frozen, didn’t taste overly nice for the price, tasted almost like a rustlers burger. I’d expect at least a freshly made burger for the price , or for that price a frozen burger and chips. Bun was one of those horrible powdery ones. £6.99 for cheesy chips, hardly any cheese. One portion the cheese was melted, the other wasn’t? Obviously couldn’t be arsed half way through. £3.99 for a thick shake, no straws and told they never have straws? Just served with a spoon and you’re expected to eat it with a spoon? It’s not a drink then is it? All food despite its restaurant price is served in throw away containers, despite eating in. Again, if you’re going to charge the prices you do then you can afford to use a plate and do some washing up. No cutlery (and there wasn’t any at their stand either), yet they give you a table number that has a statement of their proud claims that they pride themselves on all things sustainability by having wooden cutlery. Only thing I enjoyed was the setting and view, which let’s face it wasn’t really provided by them. Think it’s a massive rip off, good luck with summer trade but I wouldn’t come back here in the summer or in the quieter times as a local.

It's okay. Customer service could do with some work. Food was quick, and it's a nice location. Be good to get a recycling bin that's not just for cups, as I had my food given to me in a cardboard box. 6.5/10

Just had a takeaway coffee - was good.

Scandalous prices..£6.50 for half pint and a can of Pepsi. Can not comment on food.

Food was average and overpriced 2 stars for the view

Amazing location, sat outside which is very well built to cater for the views and the glass makes it a great sun trap to block out any wind from the sea! Super dog friendly with a member of staff coming over to give our dogs treats. Really helpful staff and food very tasty! Highly recommend

What a gem. Who knew a pastie could taste so good, amazing cheesy chips. Super friendly attentive service. Superb view. What’s not to love will definitely be back!

Poor service. Many options unavailable, no substitutions allowed on breakfast, no option to adjust a dish if a person can't/doesn't eat a certain item, but no change to price. Very poor experience.

The food was delicious and the service of the staff was excellent and so friendly a lovely gem of a place

Good cafe with excellent food and staff

Dog friendly, helpful staff, delicious bacon bap and lovely coffee topped off with evident recycling and great views.

Great place to visit good food really nice staff highly recommended 👌

Surprisingly excellent tofu veggie burger on a light floured soft bun. Really very tasty. The pasty was excellent too.

We revisited Venus Cafe at Broadsands, is always good but today was exceptional. The manager and all the staff were great, good customer interaction and thanked us for being considerate. We had great hot chocolate to warm us up, at the end of the day Now the extension and increased outside seating is done, it is much better. Limited desserts today but managed to have the last slices of Victoria sponge and chocolate cake with ice cream! Incredible.......great hospitality. Highly recommended.

The best cafe on broad sands, food quite good and pricing ok. View excellent and service better than elsewhere on the beach. Had the Chile which seemed made fresh and quick. Recommended. Less dogs would be nice… they don’t belong in restaurants.

Been here a few times now well worth a visit, great views

Great staff fabulous view delicious food

Incredible setting and lovely staff but unfortunately the oat milk they use in the Latte coffee tasted pretty bad. Shame 😳

Fantastic hidden cafe for a beach loved by dogs and dog fans. Incredible food, and lovely environment!

Beautiful little cafe with very inclusive options, catering for gluten free and vegans at high standards.

Excellent bacon bap, Christmas cake to follow delicious!!

Our go to cafe when visiting Paignton. Food is really good, especially their breakfasts. Great views of the beach, with options of in door and outdoor seating so ideal all year round. Also great to see the cafe embracing sustainability with biodegradable cups and plates.

Brilliant place thanks Nick and Fergie for making us so welcome with our dog Evie. 200% customer service will tell all our friends and family. Can't wait to visit again soon

This watering-hole provides vista views out into Torbay. The cafe queue was slow and long when we stopped in for some drinks, because the young man behind the counter just stood there watching his female colleague work her butt-off trying to help customers. Our drinks were nice but very expensive. If you’re walking that way I suggest you take a flask!

Visited 31st October. Paid over £23 for a small bacon bap with bacon so overcooked it crumbled. A sausage sandwich on gluten free bread that was very very small and like cardboard. These days there are plenty of good varieties of gluten free bread. We had two push button coffees with strup. Coffee was no better than that found at a cheap chain. Will not be back. Was much better under previous owners. Don't waste your money.

Love going to the Venus cafes around Devon. Broadsands does the best tofu and beetroot burger around Paignton.

Amazing, great food, polite and accommodating staff. Wheelchair friendly, dog friendly, autism friendly, family friendly.

Lovely spot. Lots of outside seating amd very dog friendly. We had two normal and one light breakfasts. All arrive very quickly. No offer of any sauces and as it was a bit chilly thought we wouldn't waste time going back in. Was a nice enough breakfast. Eggs done well. Sausage was ok but not my favourite. Price was a bit much for what it was, but you are paying for the view. Nice enough and would come again

love everything about this place great food great location and always friendly helpful staff

Nice cafe with lovely views. Staff were friendly. Varied menu for breakfast and lunch options such as breakfast burrito, sausage buns and burgers. Only complaint was that the food (or at least some of it) seemed to be pre-made to an extent. So you could have a sausage bun or a bacon bun all day but the egg bun was only on the breakfast menu so if you wanted that after breakfast is stopped serving you couldn’t.

Visited while we were on holiday with our 1 year old Whippet. Lots of seating inside, and out and a balcony, all with views of the sea, which are amazing. Very welcoming and staff were friendly and polite, making you and your pet feel welcome. Extensive menu, and everything is locally sourced and packaging is recyclable and sustainable, a true green experience Food is delivered to tables fresh and hot and tasted delicious. We samples cheesy chips, and Bacon and Cheese Burger and Fillet of Fish Burger. Both were exceptional and tasted fresh and delicious, and quite filling. All areas are kept very clean and tidy, and trays cleared away in good time.

Awesome view really good food will go back next year pity we found it at the end of our holiday

Stopped for coffee, and very nice it was

Unfortunately the coffee is terrible . One of those push a button from a service station style machine. Can’t understand how a cafe with such a prime location doesn’t do proper barista coffee ? But charges the same as places that do . The staff were friendly and great location.

Lovely to eat breakfast overlooking Broadsands beach. Fascinating to find out about the recyclable cups and plates used at this location.

If you are gluten free avoid this place. Very few gf options. Offers local fish on board on wall and two poster boards outside, they used to be gf but didn't have any fish., This was an early lunch. Fish pie but too much for lunch so remaining options just one gf salad out of 4 but had no salads that day so sausage sandwich with some thin sliced tomato on slightly toasted or microwave gf bread from freezer. Expected nice local sausage, two reddish skinned things similar to seen in local chippy. Eating in but served in cardboard box a bit bigger than gf bread. Ok, thin bread with sausage in, try lifting that out in one piece. Go into order point asked for knife and fork not supplied and got some from kitchen. My wife's non gf pasty in paper bag, stuck to one side probably from microwave. Got her knife and fork too. It's like eat in takeaway. Burger in bread available and chips. Passed this place many times and thought a nice seafood lunch there would be good. No chance. It's part of a chain and said it's only what the boss wants to sell and sends to them.

Reasonable prices. Very high quality produce which is well sourced, cooked and presented amazingly. Excellent service. Great location. Venus doesn’t do cheap value food and it shows in everything they do. Loads of places in Paignton are friendlier on the pocket but no one should argue at paying for quality and top service. You get what you pay for! Prices are not hidden, advertised outside and at the counter.

Reasonable price food, attentative staff. Beer ridiculous £6.99 a pint

Whilst I appreciate that a seafront location commands a price premium, £7 for a beer, £8 for a wine and £4 for a small tub of ice cream is taking the proverbial. In fact it may explain why the cafe at the other end of the beach had a long queue and Venus Cafe was virtually devoid of customers. Yes, costs have gone up, blah, blah, but charging these prices is just plain greedy.

First time I called in here was for ice cream. The tiniest tub of ice cream imaginable for quite a price. 2nd time was for lunch. The burger was ok but in no way lived up to the hype when I enquired about it at my previous visit. Fries extra. You'd do better at another establishment in the next cove along. My companion ordered a shake. Thought there'd been some mistake when it arrived in a small childs-cup. All in all, the food was fine but poor value for money. Nice location though.

This recently refurbished cafe/ restaurant has a beautiful outlook and uses non plastic wherever possible but is charging extortionate prices of ice-cream for tiny pots of Ben and Jerry or magnums. I can’t believe they can justify the mark up. I wouldn’t have paid that price but sent the kids up to buy. As a local i won’t get fooled again. Shame on you !

A great way to finish a lovely day on the beach. Very good beach cafe - service friendly, food very good and overlooking the beach on their refurbed deck protected from the wind with the glass balustrades.

Wonderful, pleasant and helpful, polite and willing staff serving a wonderful Mocha and a filter coffee in fully recyclable cups. Seats outside were comfortable and we'll spaced. Great atmosphere in a location that is very family friendly. Dogs friendly (although not on the beach) and a gratis dog treat came with a smile from the staff. Totally recommend the site for a great stop.

Food is good , staff are friendly amazing views, right next to the beach

We went as a family and took our 2 fairly fussy teenage children. The food and cleanliness amazing and the staff very friendly.

Stunning! I had the prawn tacos and they were outstanding; fresh, tasty and great value especially given the stunning setting! The other food coming out looked lovely too. The gentleman serving us was personable and checked on us. Would highly recommend!

Dog friendly, plenty of parking, eat it, outside area with glass surround barrier against the wind and waves, higher area with glass barriers, umbrellas, seating, well worth a visit, wheelchair friendly, toilets nearby and it's beside the seaside.

Really friendly staff. Whole place is very well done, the upper terrace is a great place to sit. Not cheap, but I would say OK value (been charged a lot more to less elsewhere in Torbay...). My only slight gripe is the menu is slightly limited. They didn't have the the brekfast burrito when I was there, so had the pasty, which was OK. All in all, a great addition to Broadsands.

What an absolutely wonderful place, visiting broadsands for the day and see this wonderful place on the front. I did feel a little self-conscious at first, still in my beach outfit and 2 small children in tow absolutely covered in sand but staff were so friendly and helpful I soon forgot about it. We had the fish n fries, wonderfully lightly battered sole fillets, homemade tartare sauce that is to die for and fantastic skin on fries.. we could not have asked for a better meal. Fantastic service and amazing food.

My companions and I enjoyed a lovely post swim glass of wine here this afternoon. Not only were we surprised by the quality of wine in a can - but delighted to hear from the proprietor about the environmentally friendly and sustainable approach that the business holds at its heart. We enjoyed the friendly staff, clean and calm environment & delicious pasties. Thank you. Highly recommended. Dr Ramsden & friends.

Good place to visit for coffee and cake. Dog friendly.

We were recommended this cafe by a couple of locals and it was definitely worth a visit. The Venus has the perfect location right by the beach. It has lots of indoor and outdoor seating and is dog friendly. There is a ramp up for those with limited mobility. The menu includes lots of lovely fresh fish as well as burgers, wraps and snacks. It has numerous vegan options too. The guy who works behind the counter was really friendly and came out for a chat and to see if we enjoyed our food, which we certainly did. We recommend the tacos

Expected much more.. lovely setting however the food is fast food. Hot drinks were barely drinkable. No atmosphere. Not a patch on the previous cafe and owners.

Greatest team ever. So friendly and helpful. Not cheap though!

Great place looking over the seafront. Service is very good, friendly and personal with dog treats for those with their four-legged friends. Food looked nice even though we did not eat this time. Lots of work going on to extend and upgrade the building ready for the summer June 23rd 2023 Extensions and upgrades to the building are now complete. Service is really good and friendly Recycling very evident which is nice to see. Coffee made properly and snacks freshly made Not to busy at this time so no wait to be served and table service available if required

Sardines, mackerel, and Torbay sole were advertised. At 12.45 they had 1 sole left! I had that and my husband went for the fish and chips. As it had been lovely weather for days one would have thought they might have ordered more in? My...

Stunning location, reasonably priced soft drinks. Overlooks the beach. Lovely upper terrace area. Nice staff.

Such a disappointment. Have Bern here on many occasions as we have a holiday home nearby but no more. The staff as so unfriendly, especially the man who never smiles. They have had a lot of work done which is lovely but we ate definitely...

What a lovely location. Good food.

Only stopped in for drinks. Beautiful view and good drinks. Server was very polite and friendly. Could easily waste hours here watching the beautiful sea.

Great place to visit for coffee and cake, good views and friendly staff.

Lovely setting and friendly staff, but expensive.

What a lovely experience. Friendly staff and the food was fantastic. Highly recommend a visit

So my expectations of most beach bars/cafes in the Uk are generally pretty low….. just purely based on experience. Therefore what a great surprise to get such good quality food and drinks at reasonablish prices. The queing system works really well and don’t be put...

Windy May Bank Holiday , but glorious blue sky and sun was warm. Popped in for lunch as local and following renovation looks stunning. Menu looks pretty good. Firstly not overly busy. Maybe half full on the deck. Needed a high chair. 3 available all...

Food was delicious (especially the king prawn tacos!). Lovely new outdoor seating area. Really helpful and friendly staff. And cannot beat that beautiful view over the beach.

Visited for lunch, husband and step daughter enjoyed their fish and chips, but the burger was awful, served in a box, which was odd as we ate in. Tasted microwaved. Asked for Mayo, guy went and got some, gave us bottle and then wanted it...

Our first visit after the change of ownership / revamp. Vast range of seating options - we sat on picnic benches with an amazing view of the beach / sea. Had coffee and cakes. Nice coffee. Were hesitant about buying pre-packed cakes but they were...

Idyllic and stylish spot by the beach. Warm welcome from staff. Excellent choice of food and drink. A welcome new arrival. A small question. All food and drink is served with paper, cardboard and wooden containers, and implements which are then disposed of in a...