Cakes Ale Cafe - Carta

A brilliant little cafe in an amazing bookstore. I've made the trip from Glasgow to Carlisle just to hang out here!

Grumpy staff. It seemed like a chore for them to seat us. Grumpy customers. No atmosphere. It felt dingy and depressing. We left before ordering.

Cake ale offers a unique cultural atmosphere with its adjacent bookshop and nightly events. The homemade menu items, charming layout, and beautiful gardens make it a must-visit spot. Ver carta

Relaxing Afternoon Tea after shopping and sightseeing, lovely fresh scone with raspberry jam and clotted cream washed down with gorgeous coffee... Staff very friendly and pleasant. Nice atmosphere with bookshop next door too. 5 star service

Total shambles. Anyone ordering coffee and scone didn't get scone till about 20 minutes later.. came to table 3 times to ask who ordered bacon roll, 3 times they were told no one had.... 3 times I asked for glass of water, got it about 50 minutes later..

This restaurant is a great place to relax with a slow coffee and cake after browsing through the fantastic second-hand bookshop next door. Just be aware that some of the seats can be difficult to get out of, and the cakes are absolutely delicious. It's a perfect spot to take your time and enjoy the atmosphere. Ver carta

Great cafe, lovely people and fab food. Whilst the name suggests it’s well cake and ale, it have a really nice menu for breakfast and lunch. We had lunch here. It’s both gluten free and dog friendly which is a plus. Really nice atmosphere and décor, down a little alley (Long Lane) and connected to a bookshop!! What more could you want on a damp afternoon in Carlisle?

This charming little café is a nice spot to grab a meal. This was our second visit and the food was tasty. Our only issue was the long wait for service. We waited 20 minutes for someone to take our order, even though two couples who arrived after us were served first. After that, it took 40 minutes for our drinks and an additional 20 minutes for our food (2 ciabattas) to arrive. One of the couples who arrived after us had already finished their meal and left by the time we were served. It was a busy Saturday and the staff seemed overwhelmed, but we were disappointed that we didn't receive an apology for the delay.

It is a fabulous place to grab a bite and a cuppa. Located at the rear of Bookends, there's also an entrance in the alleyway to the side. Various seating arrangements are available from tables and chairs for 2 to the sofa and coffee table for 6. When the weather allows, there are beautiful gardens with a book theme to the rear with various seating arrangements. Food is fabulous, made on site, with generous portions. I opted for the local ham and smoked cheese panini, cheese scone, and Earl Grey tea. The staff were very welcoming and particularly ran off their feet on my Sunday visit. This was probably due to the suggestions of staff at the Castle at their national lottery free entry weekend.... Ver carta