The Boathouse Café — Restaurant in Exeter

we came here eighteen months ago and it was wonderful, a young couple running it, lovely food and friendly. last week was so different! it must have changed hands? the slim older lady running it was really unfriendly, so unwelcoming and we thought it may be us, because we didn't have a mask on (requirements to wear a mask had been lifted the day before) and the cafe is about 20 ft deep so it was hardly point in putting a mask on and taking it back off again. but alas, each person that came in got the same frosty response. the breakfast roll and coffee were nice enough but the atmosphere was dreadful and sombre and people seemed scared to even speak to each other, the staff were miserable and whispering and muttering between themselves honestly the lady running this place really has to 'up her game' in terms of hospitality and for goodness sake if you don't like people you're in the wrong business surely when people are spending good money (it's pricey for what it is) they should have a warm welcome and big smile!!...

Friendly young staff but only one seemed to be interested in interacting with customers and also did all the cooking... When we came into this half-empty cafe, none of the three people working acknowledged our presence. No one showed us the specials, no one asked if we wanted to eat there, etc. The young lady who was cooking all the food kept using her phone in between meals prep, touching food and phone interchangeably... As someone who had a lot of food hygiene training, I felt very unrelaxed! The gallettes sadly tasted nothing like the gallettes in France, but we are used to that in Britain... I also don't see the point in having plastic plants, really off-putting. There is potential in this cafe and it's nice to see something different. We may have caught them on a bad day but hoping some of this feedback can be used for training and...

Popped in for a quick bite to eat around lunchtime. Seated at a table right next to the toilet which was really unpleasant- around 10 people in the space of the 30 mins we were there got up and used the toilet and when you are eating….. it’s quite off putting to smell and see the toilet. The door opens in the direction of the table so any smells unfortunately are quite obvious.

We asked to move tables as one became free whilst we were there - only to be told that they had a reservation for that table in 30 mins time (we would’ve been gone by then). I understand they want to squeeze as many tables into a tiny space but I really think they should ditch the table by the toilet or ideally move the toilet completely. Food OK although I asked for a banana crepe and got strawberries instead....