Reviews of The Downs Café. (Coffee Shop) in Bristol (Bristol).

The Downs Café

345 Reviews

186 Comments

Coffee shop

Cafe

Stoke Rd, Durdham Downs, Bristol BS9 1FG, United Kingdom

Description

Information of The Downs Café, Coffee shop in Bristol (Bristol)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

This business has received very good reviews from their customers, so probably it’s a place you should try if you are looking for this kind of services.

Map

Open hours of The Downs Café

Popular times

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Reviews of The Downs Café

T. L. C. C.

The Downs Cafe is a great place to spend a sunny morning or afternoon. They offer a nice selection of coffee (most for less than £3) and snacks (pastries etc), and also sell sandwiches if you're after something a bit more substantial. Indoor and outdoor seating are both available

C. J.

Well despite only having sausage roll and chips I was amazed at the quality of the food. It’s rare these days that places manage good simple food at a reasonable price, here they have nailed it. Sausage roll, chips and a coffee £10. Delicious chips, crispy and tasty. Minor negative is they had lots of salt on, yummy, but I was sharing with my 3 year old so be a good idea to ask before adding. We will be back.

R. G.

A nice place to visit at the edge of the park. Very popular and busy, understandably. We visited on a Saturday morning and there was a bit of a wait for food which they warned us about, but we personally didn't mind. Great bacon butties (though no sauce offered? Maybe it was inside) and decent coffee.

T.

One of my favourite places to meet people - a handy meeting point for group get togethers and walk on the downs! Great cakes and drinks with disabled access (a ramp). Dogs also welcome. Not much space inside. Cake prices are quite hefty, never stops me from buying one though 😋

C. J.

Lovely place to sit and relax on the Clifton Downs while enjoying a coffee and a bite to eat. Plenty of choice for veggies, and the meze board in particular was well thought out and beautifully presented. Special mention also for the amazing eggs in my bap, now that's what I call a proper yellow yolk! Staff were excellent during a really busy service.

s.

This a lovely little cafe. They have some seating inside but have much more outdoor tables. A little expensive but this is a prime spot, with table delivery service. I found it to be a enjoyable experience.

P. P.

Bit disappointing experience. I've visited The Downs Cafe with my partner on Saturday morning and I felt like I wasn't welcomed there. I could see stuff is very busy but at the same time no one was really smiled or happy to take our orders. Coffee which we grabbed was just average. The cafe is pretty small inside and most seats you can grab outside. Nothing special really (except the location).

A. M.

Excellent coffee and tea menu with a selection of tray bakes, snack and small plate meals in a lovely refurbed building with outside seating too. Perfect end to a stroll on the Downd

M. R.

Great location and tasty food and drink. Service leaves a lot to be desired, but not so off putting that I wouldn't go back!

z. w.

Very friendly staff, excellent coffee served in a cup/saucer. plenty sittings outside in the shade or under the sunshine!

M. V.

Nice place with nice cakes. Only downside is not having a baby change table, with a lot of families with babies that visit.

V. S.

Lovely coffee and imaginative menu. Seating inside and out. Beautiful location in the heart of the downs

G. H.

Great service and a nice selection of cakes to choose from. We used an inside table but there are plenty on the outside too. Great coffee shop close the water tower.

L. A.

Friendly staff, good food 😀

T. M.

Good coffee, nice food and a fantastic location - excellent pit stop for a walk around the downs.

P. H.

Really friendly staff, great for dogs and delicious home made cakes 😋

G. F.

Nice location and coffee. Their vegan food is pretty poor.

M. R.

Love this place. Perfect pit stop on a Downs dog walk. Surprisingly good brunch menu and lovely coffee. Always strike up a conversation with someone. Special shout out to Stanley.

A. F.

A wonderful little gem on the downs been a few times and have always love a drink from here have also eaten a few times but would befenitly recommend going for a drink and to take away just seems more like the thing to do

R. E.

Was in Bristol one lunchtime and found somewhere to park in Ladies Mile. I went to The Downs Cafe and had a baby with fried egg, a sausage and a rasher of bacon, superbly cooked and presented. I followed it with a slice of Orange Polenta Cake. Started off with an Americano with cold milk one the side and finished off with a pot of tea. Attentive service and a terrific venue, bearing in mind that when I went to St John's School in the 1950s (which are now flats) the building was a Ladies Toilet!

O. V.

Really nice food and is often busy. A nice place to go after a walk on The Downs. Very good sausage rolls, and lovely iced coffee drinks. Would definitely recommend if you're around the Downs. Also, delicious chips. 👌

R. G.

Lovely old building in a great spot on the Downs, with a bit of shelter due to the grand old trees around the building. Cracking cakes and coffee - with very helpful staff thanks! We will keep coming back, thanks!

j. s.

very good food friendly staff and an excellent location. just had been refurbished. very nice .lots of walking parties leave from this cafe .very good food .

C.

Cool little cafe great spot especially when weather is nice

G. S.

Very quaint cafe on the Downs, food and drinks are good but just a bit pricey, I couldn't afford to take my family there to frequently.

D. C.

Great location for coffee, cake and tasty snacks. We experienced quick and friendly service. Great value too so would highly recommend for anyone on the Downs in need of a pick-me-up!

M. F.

Nice location with friendly staff and all the bits you'd expect from a nice little cafe in the center of a park: tea, coffee, cake, ice cream, all day breakfast items, outdoor seating, etc.

T. D.

Relatively few outside tables. Brilliant location. A few staff are non eady to understand students. Be prepared with your Spanish, Portuguese, Italian etc phrasebook and you'll be fine!

A. T.

Nice little tea rooms. Great prices considering the location. Not much parking around, but good for a drink if you are nearby.

D. M.

Very friendly staff, great coffee and a nice selection of cakes. Can get very busy and it's not very big inside and can be a bit cramped but overall well worth a visit.

C. C.

This is a reasonable cafe. However the pleasant staff and the location make it more pleasant

R. M.

Had a sausage roll and a cookie it delicious had to wait 15 mins for a cappuccino. Good job I didn't have a bacon & egg bap I would of been there a fortnight

K. E.

Good place to have a drink and a bite to eat. Nice shade under the trees outside. Bacon roll recommended.

V. M.

Friendly staff, good coffee and snacks. Plenty of outdoor seating. Good place for a coffee stop.

B. S.

The hot dish of the day was spot on!

t. m.

Great place good service good grub! Was busy today but that's a sign of a good place!!! Thanks

R. D.

Lovely dog (outside) friendly cafe great food just right after a nice fresh winter walk.

A. M.

The cafe on the Downs is in a very good position a lot of people go running in walking the dog and walked so it's in a real good place and as far as I could understand that it was a very nice place and the service was quite good

I. F.

Great coffee, nice snacks & cakes. Good value. Recommended.

M. M.

Great place on the Downs for a coffee and snack after a brisk walk in the winter sun.

D. B.

A lively quaint experience fantastic food and the staff gave outstanding service

A. L.

reat café next to the Water Tower on the Downs and currently open from 0900 to 1600 hours daily Mon to Sun i.e. 7 days a week (as of January 2021) Staff are friendly and great and the prices reasonable Due the current covid restrictions there is a queuing system in place and one in and one out (payments by card is the best option!!) One way in and out for customers and you get served at a "hatch"/table as a barrier The drinks are bought out promptly by staff from a different entrance (best to get a number if you remember) All orders are "takeaway" and there are bins for rubbish near by Keep up the good work - the queue is also fast moving Covid secure

C. R.

Great place for having a coffee and a delish cake when walking on the Downs. The staff are so friendly and helpful.

L. G.

Brilliant Service and great selection which is reasonably priced Licenced and gluten free Lovely views over the downs Couldn't want anything else Thank you

T. P.

Helpful and polite staff. Quick service and excellent food.

R. C.

Great coffee and pastries, the only cafe on the downs so can get busy.

E. J.

Lovely atmosphere, coffee and pastries however the opening hours are incorrect on both here and Tripadvisor. They’re not open from 8am!

W. H.

My favourite outdoor venue. Drink good coffee, eat good food, watch the world go by.

B. M. c.

Enjoyable pot of tea , good value and friendly service

A. E.

Please please put cakes etc under cover. They get breathed on by kids and clothing brushes against them. Not very hygienic and off putting! Brilliant cafe, I go there every week after walking the service is excellent as are the snacks. It gets very busy at times because it is so popular!

J. M.

Nice cafe on the downs, fast service brought to your table

E. B.

Nice place but is difficult to sit outside, because always is full. I propose more places.

M. N.

Really good place for a coffee and a bacon sandwich. Sitting outside watching the world go by on a summer morning is difficult to beat

L. M.

Great little cafe. A bit tight with a pushchair but very friendly staff and a good choice of drinks and snacks.

T. K.

Lovely little cafe, quick service and outside seating options looking over the downs

C. P.

very nice food and inside and outside seating.

H. T.

Not a bad experience, well priced & nice barista but music & waitress could do with improvement

T. R.

Great coffee, nice staff, can get a little busy

D. J.

Morning coffee outdoors, under blue sky in Autunm atmosphere. Perfect

D. M. B.

Right place for breakfast and s walk

R. L.

Lovely big breakfast. Great coffee friendly staff .

P. T.

Location good Had bacon and scrambled egg very tasty Nice coffee

L. K.

Good coffee, food, and very friendly staff who are always happy to go above and beyond! Pleasure to visit. Have all Covid precautions in place!

J. B.

Friendly staff, with good food well presented

s. c.

After a walk around the downs , lovely to come across Cafe retreat , plenty of outside seating. Reasonably priced breakfast .

V. T.

Great cafe to sit out at during lockdown...nice cakes. Good coffee

a. m.

Called in after a run with a friend. We had lovely coffee. We didn’t have any food, but it did look very nice and so did the cake selection!

J. s.

Very friendly and helpful staff and good coffee x

J. D.

Best blt i had recently any where. Lovely little spot to stop as well. Very friendly staff

N. T.

Good place for lunch... excellent location especially on a nice day....

S.

Nice place to stop for coffee and cake, tables outside and in.

J. M.

Nice place to go when the weather is nice but very small inside.

H. T.

Really enjoy the takeaway food and drinks here. Well done. So pleased you are keeping going during this lockdown.

s. r.

sure this was the little cafe i stopped for coffee at near to the water tower friendly staff lovely menu lovely seating area outside and seemed to be family friendly

T. R.

Enjoyed a great cup of latte plus an excellent pain aux raisins.

C. D.

My favourite café at the moment! The staff is great and helpful, food is good always with a vegan option. Good prices for drinks, children menu and cake. They also do brunches and all day breakfast. The toilet has got baby changing facilities and generally clean. The best a sunny table outside looking at the Downs.

F. Q.

Love their brownies. Think so far they're the best ones in Bristol during lockdown.

J. C.

Although crowded on this lovely Sunday, the staff coped well and did an excellent job.

N. H.

Great location on the iconic Downs with tables outside to enjoy the fresh air. There are also tables inside for a cosy coffee on a chilly day after a healthy walk. Friendly staff serve simple food that is good quality and reasonably priced. It's quite bijou and can get rather busy but it is worth the wait if you have to queue.

D. P.

Lovely place, nice staff, great position.

F. S.

Wonderful ice tea and flapjacks! Many delicious snacks, nice atmosphere! Family and dog friendly

M. B.

Very nice views and food drinks

S. M.

Great cappuccino,chai latte and fruit flapjack and lovely views

K. H.

A walk on the downs or take the kids for a kick about and then watch them from an outdoor table with a cappuccino and a cake. What could be nicer on a Saturday morning. Friendly, helpful staff, great coffee and homemade cakes.

L. W.

Really good cakes and nice home made food, would recommend the Eggs Benedict, get there early on weekends though as it gets very busy. Also a good stop off for ice creams in summer.

W. T.

Delicious coffee and great location

G. D.

Nice cafe on the Downs with a seating area outside.

P. L.

Nice location, good food and service

F. R.

Lovely place for early morning coffee

C. T.

Great location; a bit of a captive market and they know it always busy but could be better/friendlier

C.

A lovely cafe to stop off at when you are out on the Downs. The outside seating area is the best place to sit.

B. B.

Lovely little gem

r. l.

Ok refuge to escape the cold; it's quite cramped and the staff seemed disgruntled whenever i go in though

C. M.

Great food nice staff

P. H.

Great place. Lovely coffee and cake.

A. W.

Nice little spot for lunch whilst up on The Downs.

J. G.

Came to the Downs to meet a friend and walk his dogs with him. We ended our catch-up session here with cappuccinos and pastries. Good food and great location with outside seating. Staff were excellent, so polite and quick with the food.

K. B.

So pleased they have survived the lockdowns. Great coffee & luscious cakes.

L. W.

Great coffee break venue when you are walking on the Downs. Cake is tasty too!

B. A.

Always enjoy a break here after my run. Fab location.

K. G.

Excellent coffee and food polite and friendly staff unfortunately no cover if weather inclement

R. C.

Hot chocolate was amazing! Someone's is doing well out of lockdown. Good for you.

M. F.

Nice cafe, lovely in the summer sun.

D. K.

Great coffee & cake next to the water tower at Clifton Downs....

L. H.

This is the only cafe on the downs. Its good for a quick snack such as cake, flap jacks or brownies. Their coffee is fine. They offer soya milk for those who avoid dairy but very little vegan or dairy free food options. I've never had a breakfast there, so cant comment on this. Overall, I'm glad its there, especially on a cold Autumnal morning when a coffee can warm us up.😀

C. M.

Very handy for a hot drink and pastry / cake when out for a walk on the Downs. Definitely a good retreat from the winter wind but lots of outdoor seating for dog walkers too.

C. G.

A pleasant venue, pleasant staff, that provided the drinks required and I loved the carrot cake, and will return

A. M.

Lovely and peaceful. And nice for sitting out when the sun shines, like today

M. Y.

Great poached eggs on a toasted muffin, helped by sitting out on the sunshine. Quick service and good coffee, too.

s. s.

Excellent coffee and the pork sausage rolls are to die for mmmm.

M. J.

Always lovely to sit outside at this iconic location.

G. C.

friendly busy cafe but staff excellent.

S. L.

Nice food and drinks. Perfect location while exercising on the Downs.

S. G.

Like popping in here after my walk.

J. B.

Great coffee and amazing snacks!

D. D.

Excellent coffee and good selection of cakes

M. T.

Always a pleasure to eat there. Poached eggs like never before.

S. C.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay with you. Excellent gluten free cake.

N.

Great spot to stop for a drink and cake during a stroll around the Downs

t. h.

Nice food very busy though

R. C.

Cutsie cafe with decent drinks and outdoor seating. Great asset to Stoke Bishop residents and visitors

F. I.

menu not visible on board. ordering takes so long now. salt and pepper has to be asked for _ this is stupid

M. H.

Nice location - good place to stop and refuel on the Downs

A. M.

The good bit: reasonable prices. Parking at the rear (limited). Bad bits: strange smeary ring of (?) marg & dried herbs round the circumference of the plate. Maybe a tradition in the Downs? Red velvet cake was not nice at all - inauthentic & dry. Wouldn't be keen to return, sadly. Stars for good poached egg & fork detail in chocolate powder (on cake plate). Nice touch.

J. K.

Lovely cafe, friendly staff.

O. D.

A cafe in a prime spot - better in good weather

D. M.

Delicious food and coffee with fantastic service!

F. I.

love the setting. always go for breakfast after run

J. q.

Wow, what a transformation ! New owner, great friendly staff lovely food and coffee and a great new look with the refurbishment - love it !

P. D.

Maybe it's great, or woeful, don't know as we just had tea.

D. T.

Great community resource. Good food, but pricey.

J. T.

Great spot to sit in the sun with a coffee

B. C.

Ok. Bit off the wall, but I liked the vibe

K. O.

Here every sat for football great place great staff great food

M. s.

Best little gem in Bristol and the cappocino is the best along with there bacon sandwhiches :-)

A. C.

A small cafe offering good choice of food and drink at reasonable prices. Downside is nowhere to sit undercover if you have dogs which limits use in poor weather (unless you are happy to sit in biting wind & /or rain). Toilet available for cafe users is in need of update (seat unstable, taps swivel & hand dryer is ineffective).

s. o.

Love it. Polite staff which is rare in Bristol

D. B.

Wholesome and nutritious simple meals - 5*!

M. R.

Really should be open daylight hours. That should be a condition of licence in such an iconic and unchallenged position. But still closes at 5pm even when it's light till 10.30. Also should be serving local organic home made food .. this is Bristol! and they have a captive audience. Food is at best average, and they don't have tea cosies on their pots so tea is ALWAYS cold in the fresh Downs breeze.

T. F.

When on the downs worth a visit and easy to find...

v. q.

Excellent service and very tasty cakes.

O. D.

Popular cafe situated in the middle of Bristol's Durdham Downs - in fact the only cafe !!

P. M.

My hot chocolate today was delicious

S. R.

Brilliant experience all round.

L. B.

Great dog friendly cafe

T. B.

Nice location overlooking the downs

C. K.

Great location and always busy.

R. H.

Great food, great lication

B. B.

Nice little café - the only one on the Downs. Food quality and service quite good. Prices OK. Toilet tacky and poorly maintained. Btw, nothing to do with Retreat but this single toilet, which is for café customers only, is the only one in the entire area of the downs. Ridiculous that Bristol City Council even closed the two sets of public loos serving this extensive area with no alternatives available for the many people who visit this popular open parkland.

M. S.

Location is king! Bit cramped for sitting in but handy.

A. C.

Can get cold in winter but tea & coffee & snacks available

K. P.

Miles of free good views spacious

B. V.

Very lovely staff and brilliant food.

K. R.

Nice location but slow service.

J. W.

Great food great coffee happy staff

g. h.

Great cafe. 👍

A. S.

Nice cakes and coffee

J. G.

Gorgeous surroundings, gorgeous coffee.

J. B.

Quite enjoyed this place

J. P.

Safe, good quality and friendly

e.

Good food, great value, nice location

T.

Nice Freindly And comfortable

H. H.

Good location on the Downs

F. S.

Nice for light refreshments.

R. D.

Great bacon sandwiches

A. M.

Great coffee, Food expensive

C. H.

Great Downs stop

D. M.

ok for a cup of tea 🍵

J. D.

Excellent service and staff.❤

J. A.

Great food and coffee ☕

P. G.

Coffee and cakes delicious.

P. D.

Ok

S. H.

Friendly and welcoming

W. B.

Stupendous coffee in a scenic setting-

C. G.

Brilliant and friendlyxxx

R. C.

Very busy.

j. h.

Very nice cup of coffee

R. J.

Great service

K. S.

Best in bristol

L. L.

Much improved in the last couple of years. Lovely location.

田.

(Translated) It was raining during the walk, but I enjoyed talking slowly with my friends over a cup of warm coffee under the canopy. (Original) 散歩の途中によりました 雨がふっていましたが canopyの下でお友達と一緒にあたたかいコーヒーを飲みながらゆっくりお話を楽しみました

E. P.

Z.

(Translated) Yeet (Original) Yeet

N. N.

A. D.

S. C.

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