1st Class Food

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#2 of 5 Quick Bites in Holy IslandQuick Bites, Cafe, $$ - $$$

What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

1st Class Food

Review

At a glance

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Website

+44 1289 389271Improve this listing

About

Travellers' Choice

2024

Open from 9.00am every morning for your morning paper, tea, freshly ground coffee and breakfast. From 11.30am we start our lunch time menu, which includes fresh crab and lobster that comes straight from the harbour into our kitchen where it is prepared. Our menu has many different types of sandwiches and toasties, homemade soups, as well as our world famous scones, traybakes and cakes. Everything on our menu is made to order using, where possible, all locally sourced ingredients.

Features

CUISINES

Cafe, British, Healthy

Meal types

Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Drinks

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Cash Only

Digital Payments

Free Wifi

Highchairs Available

Outdoor Seating

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Takeout

Visa

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

Green Lane, TD15 2SX England

Is this a British restaurant?

Yes

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Closed now

• Opens at 9:00 AM

Sunday

Closed

Monday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Tuesday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Wednesday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Thursday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Friday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Saturday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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4.4

(629)

Excellent

415

Good

134

Average

Poor

Terrible

phil52_10

Maidstone864 contributions

Excellent lunch

Sept 2024 • family

Stopped here for lunch about 11:45 it was extremely busy and we got the last table indoors although there were still a couple available outdoors. There was plenty on the menu to suit everyone and the prices were not excessive. Portions were large, well and freshly prepared and presented. Even inside you can still people watch and enjoy your meal. This place is definitely worth a visit.

Written 29 September 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rebecca Naylor

Thank you for your review. It means such a lot to us to know that even after a very busy summer our standards have not faltered and the level of both the food and service were pleasing. We look forward to seeing you next time you're on the island.

Written 6 October 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

lee a

Sheffield716 contributions

Breakfast

Aug 2023 • couples

Went for breakfast as we was stopping 3 nights in holy island guest house. Busy place with seating inside and out, order your food and wait for it to arrive at your table. I had the full English of 1 large bamburgh sausage, 2 bacon, egg, mushrooms, 2 hash browns, tomato, 2 slices of toast all for £7.95. Delicious and served by friendly locals on this beautiful island.

Written 14 September 2023

Rebecca Naylor

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are delighted to read you enjoyed your Holy Island Breakfast. It's one of our best sellers, made with as many local products as possible We hope to see you nex time you visit this beautiful island.

Written 16 September 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Steve C

6 contributions

Excellent, friendly service and wonderful food

Aug 2024 • couples

We went for a tea and a coffee when we first arrived on the island this morning and were impressed by the incredibly friendly and efficient staff. We returned at lunchtime to try the food, based on the excellent impression they had made in the morning and we were not disappointed. I can thoroughly recommend the fresh crab sandwich (Which is pictured below). It was beautiful! Crammed full of crab, in a Stottie, served with a well dressed salad, served at room temperature and not chilled, which enhanced the flavour (chilled salad is a bug bear of mine). Truly excellent, friendly and efficient staff serving lovely, tasty food. A credit to a beautiful island. 👍

Written 1 August 2024

Rebecca Naylor

Thank you so much for your lovely comments. We are glad you enjoyed your visit to us, we too think our team are amazing. The fresh Holy Island crab is one of our special dishes and whilst not always available due to fishing, you can be guaranteed it's fresh and it's from Holy Island! Please do pop in next time you're on the island to say hello.

Written 6 October 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Stephen S

1 contribution

Went on a recommendation for lunch, left very unimpressed

Oct 2024 • couples

My partner and I decided to head here specifically based on a recommendation. We ordered a pot of tea, a coke, a baked potato with cheese and a banger and spicy chutney toasted sandwich with a side of chips (all came to ~£30). First of all there were no toasted sandwiches available, which was fine as we were not long before last orders, I accepted the bangers and spicy chutney as a plain sandwich. When the drinks arrived the cup and glass were not clean. The food arrived and it was all tasty food. However, halfway through my sandwich I was concerned that the bread was quite dry, I looked at it and there was small patches of mould on it. The chips tasted great, but I did notice that there were a couple of small flies seemingly cooked onto them. The jacket potato was good. We did not particularly find the staff friendly or approachable and they were trying to close, we were also tired and just wanted to leave.

Written 23 October 2024

Rebecca Naylor

Considering you visited on a recommendation I am surprised your found so many faults. I am amazed that you did not speak to a single member of staff about any of these concerns at the time. Please provide the date, time and the table number you say at. Should these not be provided we will be seeking action to get these defamatory comments removed. We also assume that something as serious as the matters you have raised, you would have taken a photograph, please send this to us.

Written 26 October 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

kernow14

15 contributions

Feeling rejected

Jan 2025 • family

Well the food might be first class but the "welcome" is definitely not ! We visit the island often at weekend through the year and, as it was Saturday, this cafe was open and allegedly pet friendly. However, we were stopped at the door. This is the third time we have been turned away because either " it is too full" (we looked through the window and it was not) or "we have stopped serving food" . Well on each visit the staff member bounced to the door so quickly to prevent us entering, he did not have time to find out what we wanted to order. Sad really, we used to go there and enjoy the ambience but after three refusals that's it. The Ship Inn , on the other hand, was very welcoming indeed. Choose carefully snackers.

Written 20 January 2025

Rebecca Naylor

Thank you for your review Firstly I apologize for the delay in responding to this post. I can assure you this matter has been dealt with as this level of service falls very short of what we expect I can only apologize for how you have been left to feel, this does not represent what we stand for at all

Written 24 March 2025

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Pamela F

3 contributions

Best place for food on the Island.

June 2024 • family

We returned to our favourite cafe on the island this week to enjoy a lovely lunch of homemade delights. All freshly made pastries and cakes that made our visit to the island so much more special. Returned before our journey home for a takeaway from the shop of fresh crab sandwiches that are made more special for knowing it has come fresh from the local fisherman. The sandwich was full of delicious crab , see the pic. Very popular and dependant on the local catch so we made sure we ordered early to avoid disappointment! Nice to see businesses supporting other local produce providers. A wonderful establishment with caring staff that are kean to ensure we enjoyed our visit. Gem of a place.

Written 13 June 2024

SallyO85

Liverpool386 contributions

Excellent food , great service.

July 2024 • couples

Choice of food items was good, and the food was prepared and served quickly. Our toasties were great , my bacon Brie and cranberry was perfect, and my husband let me try a little bit of his sausage and tomato chutney toastie, and the sausage was incredibly delicious. A nice generous portion of fries completed this hearty lunch. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this cafe for a great lunch on Holy Island.

Written 1 July 2024

LesleyScarborough

1390 contributions

A First-Class Cafe and Shop!

Mar 2024 • couples

The crab sandwich was everything I'd hoped for and my husband really enjoyed his soup and cheese scone. The staff worked their socks off on this busy, wet day. No wonder it's such a popular cafe! The old Post Office shop next door sells a good range of postcards, view cards and maps but you can also get takeaway food there, along with delicious-looking quiches, sausage rolls and sandwiches. Just the place to buy a picnic.

Written 19 March 2024

Rebecca Naylor

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your visit to us. Our crab sandwiches are made using crab landed at the island harbour by island fishermen, they are then transported the 0.5 miles to us where they are cooked and prepared in house by our team. We think our crab is a special product. We are pleased you enjoyed all of your food in the café and the service you received. Thank you for your recommendation for our amazing little shop too. Hopefully you had a wonderful visit to the Island and we hope to see you next time you visit.

Written 21 March 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Stewart D

6 contributions

Disappointed and Disgusted

Sept 2024 • couples

You might not realise from the website or from the outside signage but the Post Office and the adjacent Cafe are apparently separate businesses!? Hmm! My partner and I with our two furry friends in tow arrived relatively early in accordance with the tide timetable and thought we’d get a little coffee before things got too busy. In passing the establishment(s?) we though we’d take an outside table and sample some fayre before heading off to explore. With multiple tables available and only one other couple as customers, my partner went inside and placed an order at the establishments counter. In the interim, we had no one come to take outside. Unfortunately on sitting outside for twenty minutes we were surprisingly and abruptly told to take our “takeaway” purchases from the establishment and consume elsewhere. We and the other customers adjacent were astounded. We were subsequently advised that the businesses were separate and chastised to take our “rubbish” with us. In utter disgust with our treatment this point, I refused and advised that they should make it more clear for customers the nature of the dichotomy of the business. It initially spoiled our trip to the Holy Isle but thankfully the vistas and a trip to the Pilgrims Cage before heading back over the causeway restored our faith in good people, something utterly missing in this establishment(s). I apologise if this is unfair on the other adjacent business but I am unsure what the set up is and on further checking on the Internet, I am still sure. Safe to say however I won’t be back to either. I can only recommend you avoid and that the establishment(s) more fully understand the importance of their interdependence and more clearly define this to potential customers before they, like me, make the mistake of giving patronage.

Written 19 September 2024

Rebecca Naylor

Tha k you for such a lengthy review. I'm not sure what you mean when you state you placed an order inside, but waited a long time outside to be served? Either your husband placed an order in the cafe or you sat outside and weren't served. Which is it? If you bought a takeaway from the shop next door, it clearly states that this an not be consumed at the cafe tables. You wouldn't order a takeaway at Costa and then sit and drink it inside would you? I really don't understand why you feel the need to raise the point when it's clearly your fault. We're glad you enjoyed the rest of your day on the island.

Written 6 October 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

petez5

27 contributions

Tasty food and great service

Feb 2024 • family

Went here for lunch while visiting Holy Island for the day. Relatively simple menu but still plenty to choose from. Everything we ordered was really tasty, arrived quickly and even a slight mistake with our order was immediately rectified. Would not hesitate to recommend and will visit again next time we are on the island.

Written 22 February 2024

Rebecca Naylor

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review m we are delighted to read you enjoyed your visit to us last week and we look forward to welcoming you next time you're on the island. Thank you again

Written 25 February 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

902mavis

Swanage26 contributions

Rude and cold coffee

May 2022 • couples

Our first visit to Holy Island, which is a lovely place sadly left with memory of a very disappointing lunch. The coffee was almost thrown at us as by the girl who had made it, literally dumped it on the table and it was only just warm. They advertise it as local coffee, not a good advert. The lady who brought the food did practically the same. They need to think about the layout if the don’t want people standing waiting to be served, it may stop the staff shouting at customers so they can get in and out. I’m not sure if they were short staffed today, or the staff just don’t like their jobs, but it doesn’t cost anything to be friendly.

Written 9 May 2022

Rebecca M

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are disappointed that the service you received today was not acceptable. I can assure you this will be dealt with. Had you asked for your coffee to be remade this would not have been an issue, however, highlighting this after the event prevents us from correcting it. We have a new system in place for queuing and this should have been in place yesterday, it has worked well over the weekend, so unsure why on Monday (if this is when you visited) this was not being used. We set this up to make the flow of people in and out of the cafe much easier. We do have signage which hopefully people will also follow as this makes it much easier to manage too. Thank you again for your comments.

Written 9 May 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ema H

1 contribution

Bad service and poor manners

Mar 2024 • friends

I had came here for food after a school trip but I had brought my own food and was eating it as I could not afford the food and all my friends had ordered food so I thought it would be okay. I was repeatedly harassed by the workers for eating my own food after all my friends had ordered and the woman who worked there was very rude to me, almost taking my food off of me. I am very disappointed with the service from here and won’t be returning. Also when I was leaving I was referred to as “pink bag” and pointed at and then the door was shut behind us as soon as we walked out the door.

Written 12 March 2024

Rebecca Naylor

Thanks for your review. We are disappointed you felt the need to leave a negative review because we asked you not to eat your own food in our cafe. We did provide an area for students to eat their own packed lunch (which we don't normally allow) but you refused to join your peers in that space. We wonder if you would have taken your own picnic into McDonald's or other fast food outlets because your friends were eating in there. I'm sure you would have been asked not to eat your own food in their establishments too.

Written 21 March 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rachael M

7 contributions

Return visit to a 1st class venue

Mar 2022 • family

Returned back to the island for a short break and just had to try our favourite cafe again. And it did not disappoint. Such accomodating staff who could not have been more friendly. As usual the food was of the highest of quality especially the sweet treats. All prices and times of food service are clearly displayed and worth looking at before ordering as some of the catering staff live off the island and have to return before the road closes. Must try the banana cake, it's a new item and it's LUSH! That's why I love this place there is always something new to try but also keeps the favourites going. This time the friendly staff could see we had come prepared for walking and they shared thier best walks around the island. So informative about where to see wildlife or where to see historic sites. Didn't need a guide book, just go to 1st Class food!! Will certainly be calling again on our next visit for our journey through thier resonably priced menu and a gift from the gift shop. Thank you to a 1st class team.

Written 15 March 2022

Rebecca M

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are delighted that you were pleased with the service you were offered and our range. Particularly pleased you liked the banana cake as (like you say) that is a new one for us. We look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.

Written 16 March 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lady Bird

Edinburgh21 contributions

Thumbs down to staff with attitude

Aug 2022 • family

We visited here after recommendation of lovely food. Sadly this was overshadowed by the poor attitude and handling by some younger staff of a request to replace a latte that was too cold. We placed a family order then I queued to visit loo. The drinks had arrived when I returned to our table. Unfortunately my lovely latte was barely lukewarm. I asked family how long ago it arrived and it had just arrived before I returned therefore not the reason for the temperature issue. I said excuse me to the young girl who’d taken our order as she passed by our table and asked if I could have my latte replaced as this was too cold and she said she’d see if that could be done. She returned with my same drink and asked if that was ‘hot enough now’ (I was disappointed a fresh one hadn’t been made but wasn’t going to make a big issue if it’d been ok) It was a bit too hot but I’d have let it cool but it wasn’t tasting right I said this.. it’s like the milk has been scorched. No further assistance was offered and the waitress left. I tried to drink a bit more but it tasted awful and I said to family I’m going to have to return this. I waited until our food was being delivered and I asked the young red haired girl if I could have a new latte explaining the issue and her reply was ‘how long was it sitting’ ?? (rather rude and we were all a taken aback with her manner and the insinuation it was my fault) She was informed by family it hadn’t been sitting long on our table and I asked politely to have it remade. We saw from outside my replacement latte being set on the cafe counter and heard bell ring for collection and it sat for a good bit before it was collected and brought to our table for which I thanked the waitress very much. Sadly something starting off as a minor problem escalated by poor handling and immature attitude. It was a coffee I was returning, just apologise that an issue had occurred and remake the drink end of .. these things happen especially if busy no harm done! The harm’s done when you’re accusatory towards your customer who has just paid a fair bit for a family lunch and give them sullen attitude. It doesn’t reflect well on the business or yourself or other team members who follow suit and think the customer is wrong in raising any issues.

Written 21 August 2022

Katherine B

1 contribution

Very rude and unpleasant staff

Oct 2021 • none

I often spend tome on holy island and have eaten here many times. The food is very nice and so I often take guests. Today I came with 7 other guests and had coffee mid morning and we returned around 1.50 for lunch. Two young members of staff were fine making coffee however the 2 older staff were so rude 2 of our group actually refused to order food and give their custom to the place. Firstly my coffee and cake did. It arrive and when I asked about it I wasn’t believed despite the person who served me being there. She eventually agreed she remembered me but only after the older member of staff had humiliated me in front of other customers by saying loudly she’d have to go through the till record and looked surprised to see I was not lying! Although I wasnt keen to return I wanted my guests to have nice food but everyone who was waiting to be served was being treated appallingly and told it would be ages for their food. The staff were openly discussing their annoyance that lunch was being offered until 2.30! Eventually we were in the queue and one member of staff came out and shouted at us for standing in the marked box telling us to wait outside. When the food was delivered it was only 15 mins and I believe they were trying to put people off waiting for their food after 2.30. If this is the first impression, i estimated that the 7 full tables spent at least £200 in that short time and that would have been money which was foregone by the business. I cannot see this business which I believe is under new management thriving at all. I certainly will not return with my friends again and won’t rely on the good food due to the embarrassment of being treated so unpleasantly. For older women, their manners leave a great deal to be desired.

Written 26 October 2021

Rebecca M

Thank you for taking the time to feedback to us. We are sorry to hear that your visit did not meet your expectations. As you have mentioned we are new owners and are reviewing all processes and procedures and therefore everything addressed within your feedback will be dealt with. We do hope that you will come back and see the developments made. Thanks

Written 31 October 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.