Cafe Alf Resco Dartmouth

This is an unusual and often very busy café situated on the left bank of the estuary. It is open 7 days a week between 7am and 2pm and is renowned for its breakfasts. The food has to be ordered at the counter but is very good indeed, and the relaxed atmosphere is further demonstrated by the fact that friendly and efficient staff will bring your order to your table not using table numbers but by shouting your name across the café. Although I have never used the available accommodation, the rooms look very interesting indeed, especially the self-contained flat. Great little café.

It 's the day after the Royal Wedding and some people (myself included) are going to be in need of a big, juicy fry-up. If you are lucky enough to be waving your flag over the long weekend in Devon, you need to make a detour to the beautiful Dartmouth and the fun and via Cafe Alf Resco. Dartmouth is a stunning, eccentric town in South Devon located on the River Dart. It boasts narrow cobbled streets, a fabulous colourful market bursting with local produce, some fine eateries, and even a castle ruin! Brightly coloured boats are moored and people relax on the river front, fishing for crab and munching on gourmet ice-cream. Right in the heart of the town is Cafe Alf Resco (what a name), famous with the locals for its relaxed, rustic and brilliantly put together open kitchen and dining area and delicious brunch. The cafe is open from 7am until 2pm 365 days a year, and thanks to this, they have got the art of brunch down to a tee. The coffee is roasted locally and is strong, rich and earthy and the banana milkshakes (which are definitely fine for adults to drink, especially ones with hangovers) are sweet, creamy and sticky. The smiley staff gave us plates overloaded with good buttery toast whilst we all decided whether to go for 'Alf 's Breakfast or Big Alf 's Breakfast '. With some swapping of ingredients here and choosing new things there, my Brother ended up ordering a plate with three pieces of bacon! You can really play with this to suit your tastes, plus it 's suitable for vegetarians and the health conscious among us with a good choice of muesli, fruits and vege alternatives. Me and my sister wolfed down an incredible cinnamon toast, a hunk of crusty wholegrain bread smothered in grilled butter, cinnamon and sugar and followed it off with a 'Big Alf '. We watched the staff come into life behind the ornate wooden counter as the orders flowed in and they switched from waiters to chefs! Everything is cooked behind the counter on some impressive and attractive machinery including an original French Parlour Stove c.1880 and tasted top notch and very fresh. The eggs were rich and runny, the bacon, salty and crisp, and the sausage, although a bit cheap looking, tasted deliciously herby. The waiting staff were a bit confused with who ordered what, but they carried on smiling, bringing us free rounds of toast until we were all over-comfortably fed.

An amazing punctuation to an extraordinary experience We docked at Dartmouth what fun! Fabulous eatery awesome foodterrific laid-back atmosphere uber fun.get in!

Early morning coffee, fresh orange juice locals talk of tide, crabs and dinghies loose toast, marmite, Heinz and HP Sunday mornings Alf Rescos for me

This is the best breakfast spot in Devon. While the atmosphere might not be the coziest, the overall experience more than makes up for it. We arrived at 11am to find the place bustling with activity and barely any standing room left. This might deter some people who opt to leave or choose lesser venues, but we found that after just a few minutes of waiting, a table opened up as diners made space for us. You order and pay at the counter, and then your food is brought to you. Don't miss out on the cinnamon toast; it's a must-try and a delightful start before diving into the full English breakfast. All the ingredients are top-notch—the sausage is a flavorful Lincolnshire, the eggs and tomatoes cooked to perfection, and the selection of freshly sliced white and granary bread is simply wonderful. The place is filled with character, making it the ideal way to kick off your day before exploring lovely Dartmouth.