Our Story

Proudly serving our customers since 2004

Established in 2004, Breaktimes Café was built on a simple belief: great food, exceptional service and a welcoming atmosphere should never be defined by location.

Situated on the Penamser Industrial Estate in Porthmadog, we set out to challenge the traditional perception of an industrial estate café. From the very beginning, our ambition was to create something different — somewhere customers could enjoy quality food, comfortable surroundings and genuinely friendly service.

Where It All Began

The name Breaktimes was chosen almost immediately, reflecting the original purpose of our café: a place where local workers could escape the demands of their working day, take a well-earned break, relax and refuel before heading back to work.

What we couldn't have imagined at the time was just how far our reputation would eventually reach.

We began our journey primarily as a breakfast café, with one clear ambition: to be the very best at what we do. That determination has remained at the heart of our business ever since.

A Family Business Built on Passion

In 2011, our son Connor joined the family business at just 16 years old, having recently left school.

Despite his young age, we entrusted him with the responsibility of running our busy kitchen — a decision we have never once regretted.

Over the years, Connor has played an instrumental role in the continued development and success of Breaktimes. Alongside his dedicated kitchen team, he has maintained our commitment to quality, consistency and generous, freshly prepared food.

As a family-run business, we take enormous pride in what we have achieved together. Every improvement, every challenge and every milestone has helped shape Breaktimes into the café it is today.

Growing Beyond Our Expectations

Year after year, our customer base continued to grow.

What began as a café primarily serving local workers gradually developed into something much bigger. Today, we welcome not only our loyal local customers but also visitors from across North Wales, throughout the UK and even further afield.

We believe the reason for this continued support is simple: our customers have always come first.

We never take their loyalty for granted. Whether someone is visiting us for the first time or has been coming to Breaktimes for years, our aim remains the same — to provide great food, excellent service and an experience that makes them want to return.

Our customers have been at the centre of our success, and that is something we will never forget.

A New Chapter – Our Expansion

As our reputation grew, so did the demand for tables, and it soon became clear that our original premises were no longer large enough.

Before 2019, Breaktimes operated entirely from Unit 17a, a modest 750 sq. ft. premises with seating for approximately 30 customers.

Although we had made the very best use of the space available, increasing demand meant we were regularly operating at capacity. We knew that if we wanted to continue developing the business and improving the customer experience, something had to change.

When the opportunity arose to expand into the neighbouring Unit 17, we recognised the potential to transform Breaktimes.

After careful consideration, we made the decision to undertake our biggest project to date.

Planning began in the latter part of 2018, followed by approximately six months of extensive building and refurbishment work. The project involved bringing two separate industrial units together to create one spacious, modern and welcoming café.

The transformation was remarkable.

Our original 750 sq. ft., 30-seat café became a 2,000 sq. ft. establishment with seating for over 80 customers.

It was a significant investment, but one that allowed us to create the environment and facilities we had always envisioned for Breaktimes.

The result is the café you see today — a place designed around the comfort of our customers, the efficiency of our team and our continued commitment to providing an exceptional dining experience.

Never Standing Still

Although Breaktimes has changed considerably since opening in 2004, our values have remained exactly the same.

We believe that quality should never be compromised, standards should never be allowed to slip, and every customer deserves the same care and attention, regardless of how busy we are.

We are incredibly proud of our premises, our facilities, the quality of our food and, above all, the people who make Breaktimes what it is.

Our dedicated team works hard every day to maintain the standards and reputation we have spent years building.

For us, success isn't simply about how many customers walk through our doors. It's about how many leave happy, recommend us to others and choose to return.

A Destination Worth Visiting

Perhaps one of the things we are most proud of is that Breaktimes is a true destination café.

Being situated on an industrial estate, away from the traditional high street, means we cannot rely on passing footfall.

Our customers make a conscious decision to visit us. They drive, walk and travel out of their way to enjoy what we have to offer.

To us, that speaks volumes.

It is a reflection of the reputation we have worked so hard to establish and the loyalty of the customers who continue to support us.

We have never believed that simply claiming to be the best is enough. Being among the best is something you have to work towards, earn and demonstrate every single day.

More than two decades after opening our doors, that remains our ambition.

We are proud of where we started, proud of how far we have come and excited about what the future holds.

And to everyone who has supported Breaktimes along the way — whether you've been visiting us since 2004 or have only recently discovered us — thank you.

We wouldn't be where we are today without you.

The Breaktimes Family