Yes, it is about the walk. shuffle, jog or run. It is also about the volunteering, or even spectating where Saturday morning brings us out, come rain or shine. To pit out self against the quickest runners, to try and equal or improve our own time, to shuffle next to and encourage others, or just turn up for pleasure whatever the time we take to complete our 5kms. We may be getting back to fitness or just want to be with like minded parkrun friends. We may just enjoy the volunteering roles that could be marshalling, timekeeping, tokens, tailwalker or parkwalker. Whatever role, we have some wonderful cafes at the end and or nearby many of the events. The Run Director for the day may mention their 'favourite' in the briefing where they meet up afterwards and it could even be where they formulate the day's results.
In no particular order and some are from memory ........so my be clouded by post run euphoria, I have compiled just a small resume of past & present cafes we have enjoyed! I must start with our current parkrun and that is Worthing in West Sussex. A flat promenade run with an out & back starting on the prom, finishing just off the prom besides 'Splashpoint' and only stones throw from our post run cafes. Cafes? Yes, there are two ; Coast at Worthing Promenade is our normal stop-off, summer and winter with adequate outdoor, on the beach, seating for warmer days and adequate indoor seating for cooler days. It does also have a 'sneaky' upstairs seating with the best view in town over the beach if downstairs are full. Due to in excess of 300-500 parkrunners and us finishing low down, it is sometimes not possible to get a seat immediately and there can be a 15 minute wait. However, they do cope pretty well with plenty of staff and the coffee, cakes and brekkies are fine. A loyalty card is available for a 'free' coffee on the 10th one, which is worth doing if you are a frequent visitor as coffee is never cheap! Just of late it seems not to cope, long waits for coffee and long waits for food. We have 'given up' for now and switched to other nearby but yet to find the perfect place as we have been greeted with 'CASH ONLY' and surly looks........come on Worthing, you can do better than that! Hotham Park Cafe is the preferred Bognor Regis parkrun cafe and excellent it is too. After this twisty-turn course which incidentally, passes by the cafe about 3 times during your run, it is an excellent way to chill out. Despite the parkrun crowd that all seem to take refreshments there at once, the ample numbers of staff cope very well with just about 10 minutes delay when we went. 
With the exception of just a couple of dog-walkers the place was taken over by the sweaty chatty crowd. Good for parkrun and good for their business. Prices were pretty reasonable with average size breakfast at just under £8.00. and coffee around the £3.00 mark. It is a modern, light and airy building with plenty of seating inside and out, Acoustics were our only issue and found we had to strain to be able to hear and speak.............but that could be just ageing us! Southsea parkrun has a choice of several cafes but the closest cafe, which is right next to the Saturday gathering is called the Briny Restaurant. Whether this is their preferred place I am not sure but it is right on the promenade, great lookout. Although everything looked fine and we were seated by 'the crew' quite quickly. The manager .......or the one that looked the oldest at about 20, informed us that our chosen avocado breakfast appeared to be 'set in stone on the menu' and the fried egg could not be replaced by scramble egg.......... at the weekend!! Firstly, why only the weekend and early Saturday morning? Secondly, as we pointed out, it is available with other options, scramble egg on toast etc. etc. So the chef does know how to make scramble egg. Never mind, we had a cheaper breakfast bap instead. The only reason we can think is....'the customer is (not) always right' being their motto or perhaps every breakfast option comes in a sealed bag that is just put together by the chef and served up!! Hangtime Cafe at Exmouth parkrun was chosen by us as it was on the way back to where our car was parked and it had a lot of parkrunners sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. Ocean, was the volunteering teams preferred cafe as it was just by the finish and would be more suitable for inclement weather days. However, although 'Hangtime' seemed small it was just fine for us and coped well with the runners.The name comes from the water-sports activities centred around it and it felt like a 'surfers' meeting point for hiring and buying their gear. While we sat and people-watched...........as you do, they dragged out an electric battery driven SUP paddle board complete with a rotary underwater propeller! The things you miss by not going to parkrun. Hove Park Cafe at the Brighton & Hove parkrun is one of our favourites being 1 small loop and 2 big loops, in a nice park, free adjacent parking for 3 hours, (at time of last visit) and a tarmac path for all weathers. 
It is also one of our favourite post parkrun cafes. It is right by the start and finish and has adequate outdoor seating for those suitable days and a fairly limited indoor seating for those few unsuitable days! To cope with the several hundred runners does mean a queue but the additional staff for Saturday morning and the 'well-oiled' plan they must work to, ensures your coffee & cake ( ham & cheese croissant is our indulgence) arrives before you have looked up your Strava stats! The picture shows the original cafe we are used to but moves & plans are afoot to demolish replace with a new cafe. Designs proposed are from a modern box design to a Japanese Pagoda! So sorry if when you visit as may not look like our, admitted tired but characterful, cafe. Wendover Woods Cafe at the Wendover Woods parkrun, is an ideal finishing stop for this tough, one-lapper, Forestry England course. This was our second parkrun home and we helped to set this one up with Stu as the event director, ED. We had a lovely wooden hut when we first started and Amie not only ran the cafe but was our most frequent lady to run the parkrun, opening up pre-run then quick change and off on the run she would go!. But things move on and a swanky new (chargeable) carpark and a swanky new cafe to boot. Now run by a managed franchise it is still a nice place with a great woodland view. Covid curtailed its growth but I am sure it will now cater for all your post parkrun needs. Wimpole Estate parkrun has the Old Rectory cafe in the main building and is owned by the National Trust so your spending money goes to a good place! The run is a favourite of ours if you are near Cambridge. It is made up of a single loop around the gardens & trails within the grounds of the Wimpole Estate. There are cows and a cow-marshal on part of the course but when we were there they direct those with dogs off on a small diversion to avoid them...........what a thoughtful idea! It was a coolish day and post parkrun cafe was a welcome sight. On our visit, parking is free for NT members & free to parkrunners up till the crowds appear! Rutland Water parkrun has the splendid Waterside Cafe very close to the start and finish and is where the main carpark for the parkrun is situated.If you like running alongside a reservoir and getting superb views of the wildlife from both the run and cafe afterwards, then this one is for you. 
We stayed in the adjacent Normanton Park Hotel for the night, room only, foregoing breakfast, and just had to wander down the hotel's garden to join the set-up team. Cafe for breakfast, shower at the hotel and 11am checkout, what could be better? PS; the hotel would have served breakfast after the run but there is no post parkrun banter so we chose the Waterside!
The Perch on the seafront path at Lancing parkrun used to be a firm favourite when we frequented the run during our frequent trips to our, now sold, static holiday home! It is right next to the start & finish and has a wonderful outdoor seated area facing the sea and a large indoor section when it is less inviting to sit outside. The cafe is part of a small group of 'Perch's' along the coast and from when the somewhat, at the time, controversial modern building failed to attract a buyer or went bust immediately, it was left for years in a very sorry state being a blot on the otherwise, lovely seascape. Now it is a trendy cafe that is shared at one end by a gym. To assist with 'long queues' an integral kiosk serves drinks and snacks........very handy after a busy parkrun and although we hven't had breakfast we have had baps from the kiosk and sat on the seafront!
Horsham parkrun held seasonally in Southwater Country parkrun is the winter venue for parkrun and very nice it was too! Start and finish are by the superb lakeside cafe grounds and an indoor and outdoor seated areas are available to tea/coffee, snack or breakfast/brunch whilst overlooking the lake. Despite the 300 + on the day we visited the queue was soon whittled down and our taste buds satisfied. We chose indoors as it was February and a chill and shivers after the run made our mind up to use the ample seating. I cannot vouch for every dish as we both just had toasted teacakes with marmalade but our friends had bacon baps and they were good. Coffee and tea were served in paper cups but were fine and reasonably priced. Nice cafe! It would be remiss of me not to mention the Horsham summer venue that is in the park just north of Northgate carpark. After-run, we have now been there twice, and is adjacent to the finish, Theatre Cafe. Very nice venue, rapid service, good coffee and quite a good breakfast menu, served outdoors on a fine day or ample seating inside.
Durlston Castle near Swanage has the Seventh Wave cafe and was our watering stop after parkrun. This was during taking a few days holiday and a very tough course to boot! Set high up on the Coast Path with spectacular views, 
especially today with wall-to-wall sunshine and a gentle breeze. The castle appears to be a victorian folly but the modern cafe within is owned by the local council and has a large outdoor & indoor seating. Queues form but it is pretty swiftly dealt with to supply our drinks and food. Breakfast special prices for just showing your barcode is another reason not to forget it! It was so-good we went back for a superb quiche lunch later in the week!
Littlehampton Prom has a bevvy of after-run cafes but the one that the volunteer team choose and definitely the cafe of choice for us is The Beach cafe. 
Located along the prom and right on the beach, its a walk east as you walk from the river end, it is well worth a few minutes chill-down stroll. If you do the parkrun and have the energy to look around you, you will pass Beach cafe twice on your run, and it is just before the turn-around bollard. With a very obliging Beach team, they push the boat out to accommodate the early rush by moving tables and chairs to try and fit everyone in. The coffee and brekky arrive pretty quickly and the views from inside, outside are stunning. There are also plenty of seats on the beach when the weather suits. This haunt gets a lot of stars given by us and our friends for this cafe!
The Laughing Dog: Worthing, our most-run parkrun event had an excellent cafe call Coast. Over the last few months we have been looking for an alternative as 20-30 minute wait for coffee is too much! They seem to have had a big change with staff and still have insufficient 'Baristas' . So.........we have stumble on a cafe that is just a stones throw away in the parade of shops around the corner. 
We have seen it before but not taken a lot of notice but as of Saturday last a big group of after parkrun Striders descended upon the Laughing Dog. They coped with snacks and full English, vegetarian and quirky teas, but most of all.....coffee appeared in 5 minutes, all served to the right table and all had lovely leaves and hearts shaped toppings. Well done staff coping with a noisy, wet ( horrendous weather parkrun) pepes and even a small baby! On returning to the cafe recently the weather was much more favourable and every table was taken, even the few outdoor pavement tables as it was very warm. By the time we had queued tables became available and despite a 10-15 minute wait ( with apologies from the staff) everything was fine with good strong coffee and poached egg on sourdough for me. Probably will return to see how they cope over the next few weeks.......They are coping OK
