Courtyard Cafe Dalby Forest

The Courtyard, Dalby Forest Dr, Pickering YO18 7LT, United Kingdom
$$$ Cafe
(50 Reviews)
Price Range £1–10

Courtyard Cafe Dalby Forest is a relaxed spot tucked into the heart of Dalby Forest’s visitor area, offering a cozy pause for anyone exploring the woodland trails. As a cafe rather than a full restaurant, it’s best suited for casual breakfasts, brunches, or light lunches, especially for those who appreciate a straightforward, hearty meal after a walk or bike ride in the forest.

The atmosphere here is informal and welcoming, with friendly staff who clearly take pride in their food and customer service. You’ll find practical seating options both inside and out in the courtyard, making it a nice stop whether it’s a crisp morning or a mild afternoon. The presence of nearby clean toilets across the courtyard adds to the convenience, which is a small but appreciated detail for families and dog walkers.

Foodwise, the cafe leans into classic brunch and light lunch offerings — think Full English Breakfast, Eggs Benedict, and a variety of sandwiches including a popular steak and onion ciabatta. The breakfast pancakes and topped varieties are notable for visitors seeking something a bit more indulgent. Baked treats, like freshly made scones, flapjacks, and tiffin, are part of the cafe’s appeal for those who enjoy a sweet bite alongside their coffee.

Coffee here is consistently well regarded, served from the local Waves brand, which adds a local touch to the drink selection. Alongside standard options like Latte and Americano, there are also family-friendly choices such as babycinos, and flavoured iced teas for warmer days.

This cafe works well as a stopover on a family outing, a friendly meet-up location for walkers, or a refuel point for cyclists. Midday tends to be busy, reflecting its popularity, so a slightly earlier or later visit might offer a quieter experience. The straightforward, honest menu and good portion sizes make it appealing to those who want filling food without fuss.

While generally reliable, the cafe can run short on certain items during peak times, which has led to some customer frustration. Despite occasional shortages, the overall quality of food and service maintains a positive impression.

In sum, Courtyard Cafe Dalby Forest fits comfortably into the local forest experience — a practical, friendly, and no-nonsense place to enjoy a well-made coffee and a satisfying bite amid the scenic woodland setting.

Highlights
Serves great coffee
Serves great dessert
Has great tea selection
Popular for
Popular for breakfast
Popular for lunch
Good for solo dining
What they serve
Serves coffee
Quick bite
Serves small plates
Best for
Serves breakfast
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dessert
Has seating
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Tuesday

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Wednesday

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Thursday

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Friday

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Saturday

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sunday

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

50 Reviews
Jo-Anne Wright

08 Jan 2026

Popped in today whilst we were walking out dogs. Never been before but will certainly be back. I had the steak and onion ciabatta and it was gorgeous! My husband had soup which was also delicious . Of course we had to have a coffee, as they sell Waves, and it was to perfection.

Pauline Lingwood

11 Dec 2025

Lovely setting, always clean, toilets just across the courtyard. The staff are very welcoming and helpful. The scones, baked in the cafe, were particularly good .

Jacob Davison

25 Nov 2025

This is a cafe I would definitely recommend if you’re going to Dalby Forest. It’s in my opinion the best cafe in Dalby Forest. It’s always busy and I can see why. The staff are all excellent, hardworking and friendly. Customer service is excellent. The food and drinks are amazing. Lots of choice of food and drink, very filling, high quality of ingredients and a good portion. Definitely recommend the eggs benedict, the red velvet cake if there is any and the hot chocolate. It’s my favourite food and drinks place in the whole of Dalby Forest.

Andy Johnson

01 Nov 2025

A brilliant plane to discover on a walk in the forest. The staff say they make some of the amazing looking baked treats, at the time there were amazing looking flapjacks and malteaser tiffin. However, our brunch was amazing. Very generous and very tasty.

Joel Driver

29 Oct 2025

We arrived at the Courtyard at around 13:50. We ordered our food and we was told their was no more wraps left. Then they brought the food to our table and was told there was no more coleslaw. In my opinion, they should offer a price reduction due to there not being any coleslaw. It was quite expensive so a price reduction would have been needed as the coleslaw was not there. The rest of the food was nice and very tasty.

Nick Brown

14 Oct 2025

Lovely location (need to pay for parking since on a Forestry England site) the cafe has lots of seating inside and out with a great menu. The service was very friendly and prompt (10mins for food, we had breakfast). All very tasty and good portions. Well worth a visit.

Michelle Bruce

26 Sep 2025

Perfect stop after a bike ride or walk round the trails. Stopped here after our cycle ride not far from closing time. There was an excellent choice of drinks and treats, and the service was pleasant and friendly. Highly recommend.

Join the Courtyard Cafe Dalby Forest Newsletter

Get the latest updates on seasonal pastries, special events, and local highlights directly in your inbox.