River Tea Rooms

Perfect setting on the river in St Ives and even better if you’re lucky enough to get the weather. We sat on an outside table today on a cold but sunny autumn day and it was really peaceful (with the exception of some noisy seagulls at times) in very picturesque surroundings.
There was quite a long wait and the service wasn’t great to be honest which is where it lost a couple of stars but this is a good place for a light snack or coffee and cake. I had a ham and red onion marmalade baguette which was yummy however they got my order wrong initially so I was left waiting a short while whilst the rest of the group were tucking into their lunch. The cakes were delicious after a difficult decision on what to get as they had a fantastic selection but the coffee was mediocre in my opinion or maybe just not strong enough like I’m accustomed to.
Overall I think it is the setting and the quality of the cakes on offer that make this a lovely little tea room. It was very busy and the staff looked rushed off their feet so maybe the poor service was a one off and I would certainly try this place again.

I suppose this would be a really quite generic tea room if it wasn’t on the edge of the Ouse and I caught it on a good enough day to sit outside — would be pretty unremarkable affair inside.
Enjoyed my Crayfish salad (substantial) and espresso and a neighbour’s Ploughman’s looked appetising as well. Cakes looked okay but not enough to tempt me, especially when there are probably better offerings elsewhere in town.
Toilet situation is a little weird, almost in another building entirely. Takes credit cards, at least for over £5. Not many outside seats if you are cycling.

The first time we went it was above average, but thinking back it was more to do with the lovely riverside view and that it was a lovely sunny day. Decided to go back again but the food proved to be the bad part. the chips were hard as rock, and after making a constructive complaint to the staff, the response from the chef was that they weren’t using their usual potatoes. To me that was a poor excuse. It should not have been served.

Lovely, tasty teacakes. Very nice tea and coffee. Good service. By the river. Really enjoyed it!

If St. Ives could stop feeding money into the River Tea Rooms it would spruce itself up and become what it really needs to be. It could be a beauty.
Sitting next to the River Ouse and with a lovely view of fields across to the Hemingfords, it can be a great spot to relax outside in the sun during the summer months if you’re lucky enough to get a table. During the colder times you have the same view of the river but the tables are all generally facing the browning Dolphin Hotel across the way, and that’s still if you’re lucky enough to get a table. Don’t be fooled, the popularity predominantly comes from being the only place that’s not a chain or pub disguised as a coffee hangout.
The atmosphere is pretty old lady stereotypical; wipeable tablecloths with garish flowery or cupcake prints, basic wooden chairs, and displays of china and cake stands. Service from behind the counter is friendly whereas those on the floor are much more flustered, dashing food from the ‘kitchen’ to the tables with no system other than to shout the orders and hope someone somewhere raises their hand. Even the usual garden centre system of wooden spoons with numbers on would take this up a star rating — I am not fond of hearing spontaneous shouts of «jacket potatoes» or «teacakes» during my morning cuppa. The crockery was pretty chipped and there was a strange pot of pepper packets on the table.
I only went for a cup of tea, which was fine, but the cake always look temptingly handmade — much more exciting and attractive than the Costa offerings on Marketing Street.
Up the cute and cozy with a dash of vintage and it could be more attractive to the younger generation. But maybe that’s what they’re trying to avoid? After all, it is St.Ives.

This is your prototypical old ladies tea room and the fact that most of the customers are old ladies just bears this out. Fancy teapots with roses and other flowers painted on them, mismatched tables and chairs, etc. Nothing very special, not particularly cute or cozy though the people working here are very nice and chatty. Nice view of the river.