Cafe Thyme in North Ayrshire

Where do we start with our experience of Café Thyme on the Isle of Arran? i am compelled to share our distressing experience. While Café Thyme proudly asserts its status as "Dog Friendly," our attempt to enjoy a quiet coffee with our two dogs on our last day on Arran were futile. As we approached, our two dogs (small cockapoos) were involved in unprovoked attack by the owners cat, who was much bigger than our smallest dog (at 6kg). The cats's behavior was not only alarming but appeared possessed, which made protecting our two dogs incredibly difficult as every time we tried to pull our dogs (who were both on leads) away it would pounce at them and at us repeatedly. This distressing episode left both of us and our dogs incredibly upset and could have led to very serious injury. We then had to file a police report which added an unexpected layer of gravity to what was meant to be a quiet few days away on Arran. Regrettably, our bigger dog bore the brunt of the incident, sustaining minor injuries from the cat's claws which we discovered later. Adding to the disappointment was the disheartening lack of support and empathy displayed by the owners of Café Thyme during this traumatic episode. Their evident neglect for the welfare and safety of visitors and their pets casts a shadow over the establishment's purported commitment to being "Dog Friendly", quite frankly we wouldn't return even without the dogs as we genuinely wouldn't feel safe. On 10th February we parked the car, went towards the cafe for lunch with both dogs on a lead (after a 3 mile walk they were both tired) and we were greeted by a friendly man with a cat on his lap who smiled and said hello. We walked towards the outside tables as trip advisor suggested it was dog friendly only outside. However, the cat became very aggressive and with no provocation or warning, ran at our dog and attacked. It was chaos, the man couldn't get the cat away and every time he grabbed it, it would slip though his hands and pounce again. We tried pulling our dog (still on the lead) away but it wouldn't stop attacking and no one seemed to be able to help. Eventually he was able to grab the cat and I ran with our dog towards our car, putting her in for safety. My husband stated the cat had tried to attack our other dog, which he lifted into his arms and it continued to attack him as well. We were both shaken up and very distressed. The owner of the cafe/cat then asked if our dog was okay (we found 4 puncture holes in her back later) and appeared to be un-phased by what happened, merely inquiring if we still wanted to order food! Of course we were angry and acted so. I stated that i would be writing a review about this to warn other dog owners and was told that it would be met with a reply that we were "warned about the cat" (which we were not, and this implies that the cat has attacked previously if a warning is needed! which given how there is a children's play park on site, i find this incredibly worrying for small children's safety), and that our dogs "provoked" the cat (they were both on a lead and did not provoke the cat which was clearly aggressive). It is my sincere hope that fellow travelers, particularly those with four-legged companions, steer clear of Cafe Thyme. Arran is a magical place and there are much more deserving places to spend your time and money here. Our experience serves as a poignant reminder that the pledge of being "Dog Friendly" should not be taken lightly, as the consequences of negligence extend beyond the premises and leave lasting impressions. On a professional note, I have already alerted friends who run tour companies about our experience, urging them to exercise caution when recommending Café Thyme to their clients and thankfully they have acted on this information.

Nice place and nice welcoming people. Would I go back ? Probably not. We had drinks and cakes and it was lovely but I don’t think I would have been thrilled paying £16 for one of the Turkish pizzas. Quite expensive for what it was as a meal. The cakes were lovely but quite expensive. Very clean and tidy.

Great place for a light - or not so light - lunch while visiting this special part of the Island of Arran. Beautiful views, friendly and attentive service and interesting innovative food. Beside The Old Byre Showroom which provides some retail therapy.

Great service, fabulous food and lovely view. We had our small dog Bertie with us, which meant we had to sit outside, but were made to feel very welcome and B was treated to two biscuits which kept him happy! I had the Pidet with all the toppings - artichoke, jalepenos, mozzarella, tomatoes, leek and more - it was delicious and perfectly cooked. Tim had goats cheese and melon - left our plates cleaned up. Large portion size so although we visited at lunchtime we were fuelled to explore the Kings Caves easily in the afternoon. Thank you

Have eaten at Cafe Thyme during various visits to Arran this year. Always enjoyed. Two visits in one week (Sep). Great service; freshly prepared food; quality produce. Always enjoyed. This week, staff willingly accommodated us by offering to serve soup / sandwiches when we arrived after their kitchen had just closed. Very much appreciated. Excellent salmon sandwich , homemade chips. Delicious lemon drizzle cake, we happily make a considerable drive just for that! Highly recommend. Great opening hours. Reliable place.

Lovely snack/lunch and a wee shop in the showroom and shoe shop! Amazing salad and salmon sandwich gorgeous soup. Very busy but relaxed and welcoming vibe. Been coming here since before cafe thyme was cafe thyme and it was just the old byre! Amazing transformation 👏👏👌

Coffee and cake were delightful. The young members of staff were so pleasant and knowledgeable. The menu looked great I wish we had stayed for lunch. Worth a visit if on the West side of Arran.

Stopped off for a quick lunch while touring the west coast of the island. Amazing and so pleased to have found this cafe. Soup & sandwich combo was fantastic - homemade and very fresh ingredients. Great service too. Highly recommended.

We rarely review cafes but Thyme deserves a special mention. Our lunch experience was exceptional. Friendly service, innovative tasty, food in a lively environment. Highly recommended.

Stopped in for tea and cake whilst passing. Well worth it. Warm welcome, gluten free options and even a local beer to sample whilst looking out at the sea. Didn’t have the kids with us but it had a great play area and glorious views of the coast.

A fantastic spot for a good brew with great service. Amazing play area for children, even the 17 year old had fun! Stunning scenery, would highly recommend.

First visited 9 years ago with the old owners and loved it, revisited in 2021 with the new owners and while it has changed it has only got better. The staff were all friendly and welcoming and the service was a good speed too. The food, while quite expensive, is well and truly a case of "you get what you pay for", large portions of incredibly fresh food. The cost is completely justified in the quality and quantity served. - we even took what we couldn't finish back to where we were staying and it was just as good that evening for a supper. The play area for children outside is also worth mentioning, there is a donation box (recommended £2-2.50) and after visiting over the years it is very clear they put the money donated into maintaining and improving the play area, my son loved it at 2 years old and still loves it at 11.

Prob best chips on the island. Super fresh locally produced salad and the Turkish pede?, haggis n cheese is well worth a go. A very clean n airy place to enjoy a fab lunch as we go at least 5-6 times/year 👍👍

What a wonderful warm welcome I received in this wonderful place!! I arrived tired and wet with a huge backpack on as I'm currently walking the entire UK coast path solo for the RNLI. I was welcomed in with a smile gifted not only a hot meal and drinks but a pair of dry socks from the Wonderful clothing shop and Shoe Bothy on the same premises. The food was sooo delicious, coffee hot and socks fab. Thanks I fully recommend this this lovely cafe and visitor centre tucked away in Machrie on the Isle of Arran ❤️

Excellent salad and sandwiches. The chips we had as an extra weren’t really needed but we’re delicious. Lovely staff and very fairly priced. Would thoroughly recommend.

Great food, great location, strongly recommended! We ate a Greek salad and a goats cheese salad. Fresh, tasty food, while sitting with a view towards Kintyre.

We stopped for a coffee and cake break and very much enjoyed it. We sat outside. The staff were lovely.

Real effort made in this cafe and staff clearly take pride in their work, which is evident in the freshly prepared, high quality simple food on offer. Have been many times and this May when visiting the island we ate there seven times. They are consistent and reliable, which is key for returning customers. Their lemon cake recipe is simply excellent. Good portion sizes. The pides (flatbread) come with a huge ‘couldn’t be more fresh’ salad and fairly priced at around £14-£16. Hand cut chips are homemade and so delicious. The location is idyllic. Another positive is that they open every day. Would highly recommend. There’s plenty of places to eat on the island but only a handful that are truly worth going to and this is amongst the best places to eat.

The food and service are exceptionally good. Lovely staff also. Don’t be put off by the longish road to the cafe - probably the best one in all of Arran.

This all Bio and locally owned establishment really takes care to present quality food . All food is fresh and the oven baked bread and pida are super yummy

This is a great place to stop for lunch on the remote side of the Isle of Arran. Large selection of organic teas, flatbread style sandwiches, soups. The locally sourced strawberries were great.

We chanced upon this cafe whilst cycling along the west coast road near Machrie. It is well set back from the road but it is well worth visiting. The cafe staff were welcoming and the interior is modern and clean. There are large windows with...

Great find. Had delicious homemade soup with home baked flat bread. Good menu. Great selection of teas and coffee. If you have children there is an interesting play area. Highly recommend.

As well as having an innovative food menu, Cafe Thyme also has a separate menu of speciality teas and coffees. We were only in for the latter and enjoyed our choices. Service was very good, as is the lovely location, which is part of the...

We visited here twice during our week on Arran. Between us we had a couple of salads, a sandwich and chips and a Pide (Turkish pizza). All excellent and good portions. The homemade flatbreads are excellent, and are used for the Pides. The chips are...

Wow. Stopped for a possible car problem and ended up leaving with a full stomach and two happy people. One had carrot and coriander soup and the other had chicken noodle soup. And all we said was wow! I also liked the loose leaf tea....

We go every year .When visiting The staff the food the views are amazing This time 6 adults 2 children Had lentil soup and some had chicken noodle soup.So tasty This place is a must

Something for everyone. Everything is made with care and priced appropriately. There’s also a great play area for kids. Fresh food and generous portions. Five stars all round.

Exceptional food, lovely staff & beautiful view. We couldn’t fault this place. Tried to go before but we didn’t make it on our last trip, so it was a must do this time round & it certainly didn’t disappoint. Please give this place a go....

We have been in Scotland for 10 days travelling around and eating out every day! This by far was the best so far! The food was incredible, the service was perfect, the location was amazing the portions were huge. We highly recommend this restaurant and...

3 of us had flat bread pides cooked in the wood burning oven. All with generous toppings of cheese, fresh veg and chunks of meat. Really good. One had haddock and chips with homemade tartar sauce. Impressive to be offered a choice of Battered or...

Extensive & very big & tasty pidde/pizza menu all served with beautiful, fresh salad. Large selection of teas, coffee, cookies & cakes. Definitely worth a visit. Do have a pidde 👍

Good home sourced food served with care and concern. Excellent choice with sitting inside or out, with great distant sea views.The Old Byre complex is slightly ad hoc, with large kids play area, quality shoe shop and knitwear, but easy parking (once you are there)....

Fresh local food, relaxed atmosphere. Very family friendly, there is a huge outdoor play area with a large variety of play structures and toys.

Popped in just after 3pm looking for lunch, cafe had just closed for foor orders but chef kindly made me a Greek salad. Very friendly staff. Will be sure to visit again during lunch hours next time we are visiting Arran.

There are few places to get a decent meal on the West side of the island and this must be the best. We visited The Old Byre but stopped here, initially, just for a drink but were impressed with the menu that we just had...

Thyme is perfect for its location. It is on the west side of the Isle of Arran about 5 minutes north of the car park for the Machrie stone circles. The restaurant itself is down a long drive where you past another large stone. Thyme...

An excellent experience at this cafe, the food was really tasty and there was amazing service with generous portions. I would 10/10 recommend this cafe if you're on holiday or are near the area regardless!

The play park is superb for young children while parents can enjoy a snack watching from inside or out. The service for food is quick and staff are very helpful . My only criticism would be the coffee . I’ve definitely tasted better . Beautiful...

We have been here multiple times - the staff are always lovely, food is delicious and all very fresh. An added bonus is the cafe is in such a beautiful location! We will definitely keep coming back!

We decided to drop into the cafe last minute for lunch, it was very busy but we managed to take the last two seats. They appeared to use a buzzer system for larger walk-ins so that you can explore the shop and park until a...

I had their specialty (pride) and that was quite nice. It comes with a side salad that I quite enjoyed. Service was kind. Very nice location, great play park for children. You can keep an eye on them from inside the café. Although I have...

A lovely place to eat on a sunny or (as today) a fairly miserable day. Friendly, efficient staff and great, reasonably priced food. Speciality Turkish pizzas never disappoint. And great scones, freshly baked this morning. This was our 5th, maybe 6th visit in the last...

My family has visited the Old Byre many times before but only had coffee and cake. Last week we had lunch and it was quite possibly the best food I've ever had on the island.

Stopped here for lunch after reading the reviews and were expecting good things and it certainly did not disappoint. The place is very clean and the staff were very nice and helpful. We both had pides which were very good. Lovely view of the sea...

After searching for a cosy café which I could lounge in, enjoy good coffee and read my book, and coming up short across a lot of the island, I discovered this place. Lovely ambience, cosy seating, beautiful views, amazingly friendly and on-the-ball staff, good coffee,...

Our last visit to Arran was in May, 2017 when we rented Sandmartin cottage for 3 weeks (sadly we couldn't come back this year as you no longer allow dogs 😢) Back then I came in almost every morning for a delicious latte and a...

Great food, great service in a beautiful location! First visit to Thyme but definitely not our last. Kids loved the play area too.

We all enjoyed our pides (Turkish bread pizzas) and chips in this lovely location. The play area was a hit too!

Goede service Eten meer dan genoeg. Hartelijk ontvangst Verse thee We hadden een azijnflesje omgegooid. Geen probleem zonder morren werd...

I love cafe Thyme. It’s in a beautiful location and offers food that is quite different to anywhere else on the Island. I’m a particular fan of their Pides a Turkish variation of Pizzas. So having made a special journey there today (it’s in a...

We've been visiting the Old Byre for years and we've always loved it. It used to be a tiny cafe with a rustic barn selling clothes, gifts and sheepskin rugs. Now it's a stylish place to shop and eat. The recent developments have really improved...

Gorgeous location, excellent food. Great service and friendly staff. Play area is fantastic for kids. Expensive food, we felt it was slightly over priced but it was a one off whilst visiting Arran.

Visited today with the family and had a wonderful meal with great service. Opened for food early for us without fuss . Would go back in a heartbeat any time we return to Arran. Worked so well with us with regard to allergies.

Very welcoming, great coffee stop. Lovely staff, attentive. We had perfect weather, it was a gorgeous place to sit a while in the sun. Will go back

Visited today 16th December! Staff so friendly and helpful! We were early for lunch but it was absolutely no problem to give us lunch! Food was absolutely delicious! Hot chocolates to die for! We thank you for managing to stay open particularly during these difficult...

Had a delicious family lunch. Portions were huge, food was delicious and staff were amazing. Kids playback was a bonus. Definitely worth a visit.

They had no tables available but said it should be too long and they gave us a buzzer to carry about that would alert us when a table was ready, while we looked at the shops. The wait was actually nearly an hour but forunately...

Don't pass up the chance to visit this fantastic cafe. The food is absolutely delicious, with great salads, Turkish pides and the best handcooked chips we have ever had. Really good coffee and lots of varieties of tea and cakes too. The staff are lovely...

Pleasant staff, really wonderful food (Chicken noodle soup & homemade chips). Just what we needed on a wet afternoon. A little right on seating depending on where you are seated, but nothing major to worry about.

We visited here for lunch - it’s out of the way but the views are stunning. Once we got here the service was excellent. Very friendly waiters who came over and took our orders. The food is incredible. The pide (Turkish pizza) is one of...

Food is excellent, portions are rather large. Coffee is great and the service was fast despite it being a busy place. Got a little buzzer to tell me when lunch a ready.

Hadn’t been for a while so was really keen to visit again. Very happy to say standards remain extremely high, the food is superb, staff are very friendly and helpful. The Pides are a firm family favourite. Lovely to be able to eat outside with...

Stopped for lunch on a very wet and windy day and the cafe was busy with other holiday-makers all doing the same. The service was efficient and despite the numbers of people turning up for lunch it was good to see that proper cleaning of...

We recently had lunch at this little gem of a restaurant. We shared one of the PIDES (flatbread) and the fish and chips. Both were excellent. The tartar sauce was homemade and the best I’ve ever had. We would definitely return the next time we...

Popped in for lunch,it was really busy,but after a little wait we got a table,the service was fast and efficient and the food was lovely the price was very reasonable and I would recommend it if your in this area.

Quite stark - could do with curtains or wall-hangings to deaden the harsh sounds - and even a wash of a warm colour on the walls would help. Service wash efficient, but lacked a friendly approach, or a welcoming smile. Not a very cosy, friendly...

We went a couple of times while on holiday in Arran. Lunch spots are not plentiful on the island at present but this is a gem. Good range of sandwiches salads and flatbreads. A particular mention of their Cullen Skink made without cream which will...

Welcoming cafe on the west side of Arran, set a little off the main road ( sign on the road seems to be correct to indicate if open). Nice views. Easy parking. Couple of shops to browse. Visited twice, tea and lunch.,good homemade cake, tea...

We visited this café twice during our weeks stay on Arran and really enjoyed both meals. The Pides (Turkish pizza) were lovely - I had the haggis and cheese on the first occasion and spiced beef on the second. My wife had a Greek salad...

Highly recommended. Absolutely gorgeous Turkish style pizza with wonderful choice of toppings and cooked to perfection. The restaurant was busy but our food came quickly, the 2 staff front of house were excellent, friendly and efficient.

If you visit the Isle of Arran, a visit to this café is an absolute MUST. Extensive menu both for food and drink and the food was amazing, highly recommend the Turkish Pides, like a pizza only better! Service was exemplary, very friendly and efficient....

Thanks for a lovely lunch. Turkish bread was great and so many choices of fillings. All very tempting ! Soup of the day was full of interesting spices. We were very impressed with the freshness of the food and the delicious flavours. Also the atmosphere...

Super friendly staff, came right over and told us about the food they had on offer we went for the Turkish style bread which was amazing. Highly recommend a visit

We enjoyed our lunch at this cafe which has a good range of food including Turkish pide which is a flat bread served with various toppings. There are also soups and salad etc. plus a nice display of cakes to choose from. You can't book...

Visited twice during our weekend stay,1st time for coffee and cake and 2nd for lunch. Food was amazing,our best lunch all weekend,so fresh and large portions,service slightly hectic,but a family business,and was lovely to see the owners kids helping out as well.Will definitely return on...

Cafe Thyme never disappoints. Another fabulous lunch. We all had Pides and they were excellent. The staff are attentive, funny, helpful and very polite. . Can wholeheartedly recommend. We will return 😍 PS: the lemon drizzle cake is to die for. 🤣

Back on the lovely island of arran for our annual trip and couldn’t wait to visit cafe Thyme after last years successful visits and it did not disappoint. The place is spotless, staff helpful and friendly even on a very hot, very busy day and...

When you arrive be prepared to wait a fairly long time for a table as the tables outside are a free for all and they don’t take bookings. The staff don’t approach you on arrival and there seems to be no system in place; staff...

Lovely place to stop when driving around Arran. Stopped for a drink but we enjoyed so much ended up staying much longer than we planned. Great play area for kids. Staff were so friendly excellent service. Great cakes. Thanks and will definitely recommend it to...

Really enjoyed our lunch here - the Pides were so tasty. Service was excellent - friendly and efficient. Super kids play area. Would highly recommend.

We had two fabulous meals here during our recent holiday Both were excellent and the ambience and food were excellent Wonderful children’s play area, if you have kids and tables both outside and in. It was raining on our second visit and we had to...

Visited with a baby and a dog and the staff were so friendly and accommodating. We had the Turkish pides which were delicious! Great service and lovely location

Turkish pizza that is Pides. A different shape but just as tasty. Great toppings. Salad and great cakes for dessert. Staff could not be better highly recommend

Lovely setting and great lunch food - loved the Turkish pizza - staff friendly and helpful . Only downside was the person who was cutting their grass choose the very busy lunchtime service to do his grass strimming which kind of disturbed the ambience

There was loads on the menu which we fancied, especially the home cooked chips. What a lovely cafe. We ate outside today as it was very busy, it was a little breezy, but great to see my girl playing in the fabulous kids area which...

We had a short stop at this lovely cafe, when out cycling on the stunning Isle of Arran. Lovely food and great coffee. Recommended.

Excellent food and very pleasant helpful staff . Bit of retail therapy in the shoe shop too. What more could you ask for? Never been disappointed with anything at the Old Byre. Best wishes .

This was a great eating place! Staff very polite and helpful . Food was delicious we would recommended the Pides with Parma ham , cheese and asparagus!!

We stopped here hoping to get some food, as it came highly recommended but unfortunately they weren't serving hot food until 12pm and finishing at 3pm. Quite disappointing especially when practically everywhere else on the island was closed for business! So we just had to...

What a find!! Very much off the beaten track near Dougrie and Machrie with a boutique clothes shop and now a shoe shop this cafe is just so good and the owner is such a great host, they deserve all the success they get, great...

Had an amazing lunch here yesterday! Had soup & pides and they were so tasty, great vegetarian/vegan options also 😊

You must stop off and eat at Cafe Thyme. If you do, you should try the Turkish pides - there's a fantastic selection and they are made on the premises. There's also an outstanding selection of teas. Meantime the kids can play outside in the...

Had a lovely lunch here. The pides are spectacular, and everyone enjoyed their lunch, including the kids. The variety of food is great, the special teas give an extra dimension. Despite how busy they were with the covid restrictions in place, we didn't have to wait long at all and the service and staff were excellent. The salads to accompany the foods were so fresh, and particularly special.

Nice friendly atmosphere.. good food and views..service was fast..gluten free and vegan options available :)

Visited twice this week for food and retail therapy. The food, staff, ambience and quality are all fantastic. Ate excellent lunches and bought brilliant clothes and shoes. Hope to be back in May 2021.

We visited for a light lunch and enjoyed an excellent Cullen Skink with flatbread. Huge pieces of fish was just the ticket on a wet dsy

Just had the most fabulous lunch at Cafe Thyme. The location is stunning. The staff are very friendly and attentive. The food was delicious. Can recommend the Cullen Skink which comes with delicious warm, homemade flatbread and the Machrie lamb pides. The cafe was spotlessly clean with excellent COVID safety measures. Can’t recommend highly enough.

At least our fourth visit (or maybe fifth) and as ever the food is amazing - why can you not get a pide elsewhere?! They are so tasty and with a lovely salad to go with it. The hot smoked salmon salad went down a treat - has anyone tried a hot smoked salmon pide...definitely think that’s one for the next menu review! Oh and the gluten free carrot cake was very tasty!

Friendly server provided a flat white and a smile on a horrid day. Kids play park and shopping opportunities on site.