Some things are simply perfect as they are, and the Sandleigh Tea Room in Croyde is one of them. This utterly charming tea room on Moor Lane has been delighting you with its homemade baking, proper Devon cream teas and genuinely lovely atmosphere for years, and long may it continue.
The moment you arrive, you will understand the appeal. The garden is beautiful, the setting is peaceful, and the whole place has the quality of a genuinely happy discovery. Sit outside on a warm day and everything feels right with the world. The sound of Croyde village drifting over, a pot of tea warming your hands, a scone piled high with clotted cream and jam: it is as simple and as wonderful as that.
The baking here is homemade and delicious. Cakes, tarts, scones and sweet treats are made with the care and skill that commercial production simply cannot replicate, and you can taste the difference with every bite. The cream tea is particularly special, and doing it the Devon way (jam first, cream second, since you ask) is an experience in itself.
Your dog is very welcome, making Sandleigh the ideal finishing point for a walk around the lanes and coastal paths near Croyde. The tea room is relaxed, friendly and staffed by people who clearly enjoy what they do.
Sandleigh has been part of the Croyde landscape for years and its longevity speaks to a quality and consistency that faddish new openings rarely manage. The homemade cakes are reason enough to visit, but the full menu is equally reliable and the setting, right at the edge of the village with the countryside close by, gives the whole experience a particular charm.
From Woolacombe, Croyde is a short and scenic drive, and combining a visit to Sandleigh with a walk on the beach or a surf session makes for a very satisfying North Devon day out.
