The Top 10 Best Sigma Sports Cafe Ride...

Cafe Aquarium - Banyoles, Spain

The medieval town of Girona is a popular haunt for both keen amateur cyclists looking for a sunny escape as well as some of the world's top professional athletes.

With quiet roads and a plethora of climbs to get your teeth into Girona and the surrounding areas are a cycling paradise. We visited Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney at her training base in the town and joined her for a ride to one of her favourite mid-ride brew locations, Cafe Aquarium. 

Nestled on the shores of the Lake of Banyoles, approximately 20km north of Girona, Cafe Aquarium is a popular destination for many who visit the area on foot, car and bike. Offering a delicious range of cold and hot food, as well a plethora of tasty beverages, this is the perfect cafe for those looking for a peaceful, lakeside snack.

Check out Cafe Aquarium on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Kasia and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

Bidlea Dairy - Holmes Chapel, United Kingdom

It's not every day you get to visit a dairy on a bike ride, or for that matter go for a spin with a dame. This combination is exactly what Matt Stephens experienced on the Dame Laura Kenny Cafe Ride, as Laura took Matt for a ride on some of her favourite Cheshire lanes, before stopping at Bidlea Dairy, in Holmes Chapel.

Bidlea is no ordinary dairy, boasting its own merch and a cafe, as well as an incredibly popular milkshake vending machine. From tasty cheese toasties to chocolate milkshakes, there are plenty of reasons to have Bidlea Dairy high up on your mid-ride cafe stop list.

Check out Bidlea Dairy on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Dame Laura Kenny and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

M. Calvo - Poggio, Italy

Milan Sanremo is one of the most iconic bike races in the world, with champions such as Tadej Pogacar, Sean Kelly and Eddy Merckx all having claimed victory on the Via Roma.

One rider who has finished within touching distance of the top step at the Monument numerous times is Michael Matthews. On a spring day in 2025 we were fortunate enough to join him for a Cafe Ride episode and get a chance to explore the final 30km of the race parcours with the fast finishing Aussie.

For many the make and break moment at Milan Sanremo is the climb of the Poggio but not so many would be aware of the cafe at the top of the peak. M. Calvo. M. Calvo is a traditional Italian bar, serving small plates, great coffee and provides a charm that takes you back to early 70s Italy. We loved it and think it is a winner for those riding the Milan Sanremo course or heading through on a scenic drive.

Check out M. Calvo on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Michael and Matt visited the Poggio on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

Hors Categorie - Ordino, Andorra

A cafe at altitude, Hors Categorie can be found in the beautiful Andorran village of Ordino. The perfect cafe stop for those looking for sustenance prior to climbing the Coll d'Ordino or those on the hunt for a post climb reward before tackling the undulating road back to Encamp.

Owned by former pro Robert Gesink, Hors Categorie offered up some of the best cakes we have ever devoured on a Sigma Sports Cafe Ride, it definitely got a strong thumbs up from Cafe Ride guest, Sepp Kuss and Matt Stephens. An Andorran gem and a warm welcome guaranteed, Hors Categorie is a bucket list destination.

Check out Hors Categorie on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Sepp and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

Cafe De Palm - Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Sigma Sports Cafe Ride series always enjoys a city escapade and our trip across the channel to visit renowned broadcaster and journalist, Orla Chennaoui, at her home in Amsterdam, only further cemented that view. The weather may have been on the cold side but the warm hospitality Cafe De Palm provided more than made up for it.

Located in the centre of city, on Palmgracht, the cafe is a quiet and cosy stop off for those looking to have a city tour breather or settle down with a coffee and a good book.

Check out Cafe De Palm on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Orla and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

The Green Bollington, Macclesfield, United Kingdom

As quaint British cafes go, The Green Bollington is a fantastic choice for those looking for a hearty meal or a quick caffeine hit after a long morning riding in the Peaks. The cafe can be found in the town of Bollington, which lies just west of the Peak District National Park.

This was our Cafe Ride guest Adam Blythe's choice, after taking Matt for a ride on some of his favourite home roads, and after some tough climbs and an eventful mechanical, a comfortable seat and a good brew proved just the ticket!

Check out The Green Bollington on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Adam and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

Le Pot au Lait, Liege, Belgium

Quite possibly the most unique cafe on the list, Le Pot au Lait can be found in the Belgian Ardennes town of Liege. What makes the cafe significant for cyclists is its location at the start and finish town of one of the toughest Monuments on the calendar, Liege Bastogne Liege. This race has gained legendary status and we think Le Pot au Lait is equally immense, with imaginative decor and a varied menu.

We stopped off at the cafe on the Elynor Backstedt Cafe Ride episode, with Matt and Elynor exploring climbs such as Le Redoute before heading to the cafe for a well earned meal.

Check out Le Pot au Lait on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Elynor and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

Baia Bella, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France

A cafe on the shores of the French Riviera? Yes, please! Blessed with wall to wall sunshine and blue skies, we got the sunloungers out at Baia Bella for the Geraint Thomas Cafe Ride. A beachside retreat, Baia Bella can be found in the town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a short ride down the coast from Nice and Monaco.

Providing visitors with a huge array of seafood, pizzas and refreshing cocktails, it is no wonder Matt and Geraint were in no rush to get back on their bikes after stopping at this idyllic beachfront establishment.

Check out Baia Bella on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Geraint and Matt visited the cafe on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

The Rambler Inn, Edale, United Kingdom

We are heading off the beaten track for the next cafe, which is in fact a pub! Going back to the early days of the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride series we are turning back time and reminiscing about our visit to The Rambler Inn as part of the Nick Craig episode.

A well poured pint, open fire and hearty food were on the cards for Nick and Matt as they relaxed after a grippy day on the mountain bikes on some of Nick's favourite trails in the Peak District and more specifically the Hope Valley.

Check out The Rambler Inn on Google Maps

Watch what happened when Nick and Matt visited the pub on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride

Phoenix Park Tea Rooms, Dublin, Ireland

Not just serving up giant icecreams, Phoenix Park Tea Rooms was also the setting for David O'Doherty and Matt Stephens' cake and gift exchange stop on one of the funniest Sigma Sports Cafe Ride episodes we have ever shot.

A Dublin resident, David showed Matt some of his favourite city sights before taking him on an adventure around Phoenix Park, a place that is close to David's heart, with fond memories of spotting dear and exploring the many paths the park offers during the COVID pandemic.

Check out Phoenix Park Tea Rooms on Google Maps

Watch what happened when David and Matt visited the pub on the Sigma Sports Cafe Ride