Very nice place for coffee and food. The coffee is very…read moregood, plenty of cakes, other things that are bad for you and (of course) breakfasts. It's not just the full English either, there's a variety of other nice dishes too. Highly recommended and certainly better than most hotel buffet breakfasts. Would return.

As Coffee and Tea go John Watt & Son is the roast!…read more From childhood I thought the smell of roasting coffee being pumped into the street was a sign that coffee was not to be messed with. Since I have become a trifle addicted to a good blend my attitude has changed dramatically. I now know the plumes of rich roast that fragrance the streets of Carlisle are a smoke signal to coffee lovers. The service weather 9 o'clock in the morning, or 20 minutes before your train leaves is to be challenged by none. I have been several times since the start of the year and every time I've been seated and served a cafetiere, mains and starters with no fuss. The shop is steeped in local history about Carrs and the tins that were produced and uses this to create a very traditional environment with a twist. It seems without trying they have created a very cosmopolitan and trendy feel to good coffee. Not to be compared to any chains Watts' is a tradition that has weathered and will not be going anywhere near instant mass produced shops. The coffee is well treated and doesn't carry any of the flavours of the day befores grind.

I came here as it was one of the only cafés open early in the morning, so that's an advantage to it…read moreright there. Everything else was pretty average. The interior is dated but well kept and clean, the prices are also in line with the local area. There was an annoying beeping sound every so often, I don't know what from but if you get annoyed easily by that sort of thing then avoid. It didn't bother me. I ordered a coke and scrambled egg. The coke was overpriced for just a standard bottle, but the scrambled egg was quite cheap. It was ok but nothing exceptional. And that's this café all over really, ok, but nothing special. I would come here again if there were no where else open, but I'm still searching for a truly great café in Carlisle.

Wonderful tea house/cafe located on the perimeter of the Carlisle Cemetery…read more Highlights: * Lots of parking options & availability * Plentiful options on the menu, which includes all of the things you'd look for in a coffee/tea shop for a snack or meal * Delicious food quality * Friendly owner and staff who love what they do and provide top-quality service, ask for their menu suggestions / favorite snacks and try them! * Good location for a thoughtful walk through the graveyard and catching some fresh air before/after visiting the cafe * Competitive prices

So nearly excellent! Really nice place to sit and chill, great food but inattentive front of house…read morewill leave you without drinks/desserts etc.

I went here with two friends one Saturday afternoon and was really impressed. It is tucked away…read moredown an arcade just a couple of minutes stroll from the railway station so if you didn't know it was there you would probably never stumble across it. The menu was fantastic and reasonably priced - lots to choose from and it was really good to see that a lot of thought had gone in to offering something other than the typical sandwiches etc you usually find on a menu. Good for vegetarians too with lots to choose from from their point of view too. They serve alcohol as well as hot and cold soft drinks and they do waitress service. There are different art works by local artists displayed in the place so it was nice to look at them too while having our meal. I think you can buy them too. The bill came to £30 for three people. We had a main course each and soft drink plus tea/coffee so very reasonable considering what you got. We sat for a couple of hours chatting and eating and the atmosphere was great. We didn't feel rushed even though it was a Saturday afternoon. I will definitely be going back here.

Wow. This is definitely one of Carlisle's best kept secrets. Located on Nelson Street in Denton…read moreHolme and then up a very large amount of stairs you arrive at the wonder that is the Source. The cafe during the day is very serene and a wonderful place to meet friends for lunch or just to chillax with coffee. I would say that the feel of the place is very ethnic, the seating is all light wood and you can use one of the many boardgames available to entertain yourself with. My particular favourite is backgammon. There are lots of lovely big plants everywhere making for a lovely atmosphere and the view of Carlisle from the windows is truly brilliant. The food is all homemade and really healthy and the ingredients are sourced locally. Although I haven't made my way completely through the menu yet I would particularly recommend that you try the homemade pizza, burgers and the mezze. The food tends to have a meditteranean feel and the salad that accompanies most main courses is always fresh. For drinks they do a wide range of coffee, soft drinks and their speciality homemade lemonade which has mint leaves in it and again is to die for. On a night time the cafe turns into a bar and I have been to some really good acoustic nights. The customers and staff are really laid back and friendly and it is a wonderful night out. You can even access the internet from here as they have a computer. Although a little bit out of the way it is well worth a visit.

Coffee is really well done, ambiance is adorable-- and they filled our water bottles before we set…read moreout for Hadrian's wall. A friendly and upbeat place-- nice to avoid the chains and have quality coffee in a nice cup.

Arrrrggghhhh. I really want to give this place another star maybe 2 but they have been let down in…read moremy eyes by their food quality and the price attached too it. First of all the positives. The place looks amazing and has a fabulous underlying Alice in wonderland theme that could be easily missed if you weren't looking for it. The staff seemed lovely although for such a small place they were seriously overstaffed. The place was clean and very welcoming. The coffee and hot chocolates were lovely served in miss matched mugs which just added to the homeliness. Now the downside and to me it is 2 big ones. I have a chicken, chorizo and cheddar cheese panini which just lacked and moisture and quantity. The chicken was very dry, chorizo was as finely sliced as I have ever seen and so little cheese it barely made an impact on the sandwich. Served with a small side salad and slaw that didn't look particularly appealing. Combined with the high £6 odd price tag they have priced themselves out of the market with the quality they are offering. If they were to improve the quality of the food and slightly reduce the price I would defiantly be back. At this point I would think twice however.

Although very small the staff are always friendly. I wouldn't reccommend visiting if you have a…read morebuggy with you as it is difficult to find somewhere to sit as it is frequently busy. I often go for a breakfast and the prices are good. The food is nice and the premisies are clean.

This coffee shop is well located beside the Guildhall in the centre of town and serves baked…read morepotatoes, sandwiches, cakes and snacks as well as hot specials like lasagne and cumberland sausage and soup of the day. It is quite popular and during busy periods you may have to double up with someone on a table but service is quick and the food is served swiftly so this is not too big a deal. The decor is a bit tired and at this moment in time they seem to have been in the middle of redecorationg for some time now with the wallpaper having been removed from the top half of the walls.

The Arches coffee shop is a great place to eat fantastic meal and staff are very pleasant.read more