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Hours
Sun
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Mon
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Tue
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Wed
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Thu
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Fri
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sat
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travelers' Choice 2023
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Quick Bites, American, Cafe, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
Shay Café & Lounge is open daily at 7:00a.m. and offers locally roasted Espresso, Coffee, Tea, Breakfast and Lunch items. Breakfast and Lunch served all day until 2pm. Shay Café & Lounge proudly serves Island-Roasted Organic Coffees (espresso, cappuccino, latte, iced or frozen coffee, etc.), Smoothies, Organic Teas, Pastries, Eggs, Omelettes, Breakfast Sandwiches, Crepes, Pancakes, French Toast, Smoked Salmon Bagels, Eggs Benedict, Oatmeal, Wraps, Paninis, Salads, Nachos, Quesadillas, Small Pizzas & Much More.
CUISINES
American, Cafe
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch, Drinks
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.5
1,057 reviews
Excellent
768
Very good
194
Average
64
Poor
18
Terrible
13
Kristen T
96 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
By far the best breakfast spot we have been to yet. Loved the coffee! I had a really great breakfast sandwich with crispy bacon and the bagel was so fresh! Disappointed they served the sauce on the side for the bagel in a plastic container. For such a small island littered with garbage you’d think restaurants would use less single use plastics. Just put the sauce on the bagel or put it in a reusable container. Same thing with straws. That being said, I would go back and order the same thing. It was absolutely delicious.
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TrickyTraveller
Picton16 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
We frequently visit Turks and Caicos and often go to Shay Cafe for breakfast as it is the best place for breakfast with excellent food and coffee. There is only one problem: the owner is extremely friendly but does not know when to say hello and go. We have gotten to to point of picking a table furtherest away in the hopes that we will be ignored. I watched a table of four the other day to whom he started chatting upon their arrival and was still chatting to them throughout their breakfast and after they had finished. It is very nice to be greeted. It is even nicer to be left alone to eat.
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StreetCar117
34 contributions
Feb 2020 • family
Nice placed for breakfast. We stopped in on a Thursday morning for breakfast and had a very nice meal. The omelettes we ordered were just as described and vert good. It was easy to place your order at the counter and our food was delivered to our table outside on the patio very promptly. The owner/host was very attentive and check in with us as to our meal and any other needs we might have.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spantheglobe
13 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
This became a regular morning stop for my husband and I after buying a place on the island. I brought my sister's down to visit and bragged about Shay Cafe and we stopped for lunch. What an embarrassment for me. The servers were beyond rude. Note that the owner is typically there during breakfast. A salad with sandwich literally consisted of a small amount of lettuce on a salad plate. I am not kidding! No dressing, no nothing! I said this is called lettuce and not a salad and the server literally defended it and made a big deal about getting some dressing. My salad, a house salad, was described as coming with cucumber and tomato on the tiny salad. No cucumbers. I might add that these salads were around 9 or 10 dollars. The sandwiches were no better. Forget it for lunch. It remains a good place for breakfast if you want to sit outside and read the paper. Much better options.
Written February 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel Queen
89 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
This is an adorable cafe run by an American Expat and his wife. The owner is super friendly and can be seen chatting up the guests in between running food. The menu is decently sized and we enjoyed everything we tried. I especially liked the chocolate chip pancakes. The prices are reasonable (at least compared to most places on the island) and we liked this place so much we went twice during our 5 day stay. Get the early before they run out of croissants for the breakfast sandwich!
Written June 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stacy S
Waxhaw16 contributions
Jul 2021 • friends
Once we found the Shay Cafe, we went there every day for the rest of our trip! Great food, reasonably priced, fast service, and friendly owner Herb makes you feel welcomed. We tried breakfast, lunch wraps, paninis, smoothies and coffee. Everything was fresh and delicious. Try the Chicken Caesar wrap. I would eat it just for the homemade dressing!
Written July 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer F
New York City33 contributions
Dec 2020 • none
We picked Shay’s Cafe for breakfast today because it has great reviews and it is a nice leisure walk from our resort. I have to say, I thought it was very mediocre.
We got the breakfast sandwich on toast, it looked really thin and skinny, it tasted just fine. The pancakes were also fine but the coffee tasted burnt and was very bitter.
The owner seemed really nice and helped set up Charlie ans tables for those who came by. He also told many people but the kitchen was backed up and there may be a wait for the food.
Again, I felt that it is definitely a place to swing by to grab breakfast but I wouldn’t make a destination out of it.
Written December 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danielle N
Seattle68 contributions
Mar 2021 • none
We had a really lovely lunch at the Shay Cafe! This really hit the spot. I got the roasted vegetable panini and my daughter got the smoked salmon wrap and we both loved our meals. We are hoping to return there 1 more time before we leave!
Written March 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KristinNM
Pittsburgh642 contributions
Jun 2021 • none
We had our one and only breakfast out while on island at Shay Cafe -- named after the owner's daughter. You order inside, receive a number, and go fine a seat. Your food will be brought to your table. The omelet was just the right size, and custom ordered with bacon, cheese, and spinach. I also sampled a pancake and it had the crispy edges that I enjoy. We met the Canadian owner who stopped by the table to chat. We sat outside, and had an overall lovely experience.
Written July 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian W
Brussels246 contributions
Apr 2022 • couples
After seeing the reviews I was looking forward to checking the place out. First impressions were good, it was busy and the owner was super friendly.
However the food let it down, the Mrs went for eggs Benedict which was very undercooked, she ended up not eating it. Her crepes were too thick, almost like pancakes in the UK. I had a chicken panini which was average.
The server noticed the plate of eggs Benedict left over and I said it was too sloppy. She nodded and said "OK" and walked off, that was the last we heard.
I wouldn't go back.
Written April 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hoang N
18 contributions
Jun 2021 • couples
We wanted something different from our hotel breakfast and Shay's was exactly what we needed.
The croissant breakfast sandwich, iced cappuccino, and banana milkshake were all really good and filling.
Service was quick and staff were all professional. It was one of those cute, endearing places where you see the owners running around to help and making sure everyone is happy
Written June 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anish S
Chicago773 contributions
Mar 2021 • none
We came across Shay Cafe while walking around town during our vacation. It happened to be lunch time so we decided to step in. The place had a very West Coast cafe vibe, with chalkboard menus, juice options, smoothies, teas and coffee, and fresh salad and sandwich options. They serve mimosas “all day, every day”...so why not. In addition we ordered an apple, cranberry, kale and greens salad and a veggie panini. The salad was typical but still refreshing. The panini was tasty. The ciabatta bread was super soft, light and fluffy. The panini was stuffed with grilled veggies (mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant) mozzarella cheese and a balsamic reduction. It was delicious. The staff was polite. We seemed to have arrived just before they were closing, so they carried on with their closing process while we finished our lunch. this was around 1 PM so for anyone interested, plan to get there for brunch or lunch time so you don't miss out.
Written March 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
luke
Newton13 contributions
Jan 2022 • family
Very well run and ready restaurant. The owner is always present on busy morning keeping things moving and making sure everyone is happy. It is a great feeling knowing you are taken care of. This place is always hopping in the morning because the food is so great. I would highly suggest their pancakes, absolutely delicious. This cafe is mostly tourists with no serious island feel. All in all, great place for families.
Written January 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leslie W
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • family
We were recommended this place as it was offered as part of our hotels breakfast voucher. The staff was very nice and professional. The food was ok not top notch but a quick and filling breakfast. The owner well that’s another story. He was extremely rude to all of the black and brown guests. He would say hello and would engage with all of non melanated guests while they waited for their food but did not engage with any Melanated guests on both of our visits. We went on our second day on the island as part of the voucher and didn’t like the treatment but unfortunately this was our only option for Sunday morning as our flight left early and they opened at 7am. Again he was rude and didn’t bother to speak to us one time. He did however speak to a table next to us with 2 white men and a white Woman who were having a disgusting conversation about how they pay the workers very little and they get a lot of work out of them because they have to work and have only 1 or 2 sick days in a 30 day period and it was great for their bottom line. It was so sad to listen to the way they spoke about the people of an island they have come too and are trying to take over. TCI is a beautiful island with beautiful people who make it what it is. I love TCI but I will not give my money to this restaurant again and I hope that other who look like me or not(a melanated person) will speak up and call out this owner and the nasty customers if they experience this same behavior or see it. The food was ok the location I’d easy to get too but the atmosphere is sad and deflating. Don’t go to a black country/island if you don’t like black people Period!
Written August 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim W
Denton15 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
We had breakfast outside on the plaza three times while visiting. The Owner was making rounds each time visiting with guests. He is very personable and funny. The food was excellent each time. We tried many of the dishes. I preferred the breakfast sandwich on the egg mcmuffin. Avoid ordering it on the croissant. They are huge croissants and the sandwich falls apart. The side sauce for it is amazing. You will not be disappointed with the food. it is a little pricey but worth it. Enjoy!
Written March 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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