Mad Hatters Tea Room - South Derbyshire

Please note that this cafe is no longer called Mad Hatters and is now the Waterside Cafe. The staff are friendlier and the food is lovely, they open at consistent times (handy as the toilets are only open when the cafe is). There was a lot of fuss when Mad Hatters lease was not renewed and the catering taken on by Derby City Council but it has in my opinion improved.

It's a basic cafe with good food at good prices. We had a coffee stop as the derwent Valley way passes close by. Amazing scones!

We quite often pop in for a coffee when we're having a long walk. The staff are very helpful and nice. The cafe does breakfasts and jacket potatoes etc. It's nearly always busy in there. The cakes on the counter always look appealing.

I've visited this café on a number of occasions recently as my daughter lives close by. It offers a reasonably priced basic café menu of freshly prepared food and a tempting selection of homemade cakes. The staff are friendly and the place is always clean. The café overlooks the park's lake (they sell bags of food for the ducks! and there is a children's play area opposite. Several cycle routes pass through the park so the café is a good pit stop and there are public conveniences next door.

I had a bad experience at this cafe in the past and decided not to return. However, a friend convinced me to give it another try towards the end of last year, saying it had improved. I was pleasantly surprised by the higher standards and friendlier staff. During my previous visit, I had given a negative review with specific reasons for my disappointment. But this time, the cakes were delicious, the tables and floors were clean, and the staff were attentive and friendly. I hope they maintain this level of service as I have now recommended it to others. Congratulations on the turnaround, the cafe has greatly improved and is now a much more pleasant place to visit.