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.

For years I've wanted a genuine Irish themed anything! I…read morelove Ireland and when this cafe opened, I was thrilled. Me and my family went in and met the owner Lynn, after regular visits with delicious homemade food and friendly faces, we ended up making friends with the family! Lynn's food is the best, she works so hard to make this cafe run as smooth as it does. In the centre of town, I can't help but pop in, even just for one of her milkshakes! By far my favorite cafe in town. I would very highly recommend visiting

From the owner: Penylins Wee Irish Café, in Carlisle, brings the genuine taste of Wheaten & Soda Breads, Soda…read moreFarls, and the classic Ulster Fry to Carlisle. Don't forget to try the Guinness and the range of Irish whiskies! Enjoy generous portions of homemade soda breads, which turn our traditional full breakfasts into the classic Ulster Fry! There is a very tasty selection of traditional Irish breads, wheatens and scones!

Wonderful little shop. The Best of Cumbria lunch special was amazing and the staff is friendly…read moreand helpful.

My husband and I were passing through and were in search of a great coffee and we found it at the…read moreespresso hub! We are coffee snobs and this cafe has coffee dialed in.

Open two weeks, not a single review on Yelp and truly outstanding service, espresso and food, you…read morebet I'm giving Espresso Hub 5 stars. Walked by a couple of Caffe Nero spots on the way here--they're the Starbucks of England if you don't know, and I've been to a couple. Meh. Do we really need another chain in our lives? But wait... wow, this place has it going. Seriously jet lagged, just off the plane a few hours from the States and I'm on the hunt for a jolt. Truly outstanding service, friendly, engaging baristas I ended up chatting with for awhile about their new business, where to find a proper pint later, etc. Ordered what I thought was just a small slice of quiche and out it comes perfectly heated, utterly mouth watering, and accompanied by a small salad, cole slaw and crisps (see, do I really know my UK lingo or what?). Da bomb. The espresso, more a double, good head of crema, notes of toffee, citrus and gravel. Just kidding about the gravel, never figured out what that tastes like and always wondered why wine tasting snobs like to use it. Could espresso have those notes? I digress. Great customer service and friendly, human contact is the absolute kicker when the food and espresso is this good. Know where I'm headed in the morning before moving on to my next destination. Good luck, Espresso Hub, if I'm ever in the city again I'm looking you up.

Our train from Carlisle to Edinburgh was canceled and so we had some extra time while waiting for…read morethe next train. I spotted this Costa Coffee across the street while speaking with the staff at the train station and decided to stop by for some coffee and a bite to eat. They had coffee, pastries, and a handful of grab and go items of sandwiches, drinks and more. I got a hot white mocha and we also got two toasties. My mocha was just ok and did leave something to be desired. The toasties however were spectacular! Toasties are buttered on the outside, so it develops a crisp, golden exterior and pressed together so that bread and filling are perfectly married. I don't know if it was the warm, gooey cheese, the perfectly toasted bread or what, but yuuumm! This started a string of Costa visits throughout the rest of our stay in the UK. This location by far had the best toasties though :) Great spot to kill some time in between trains! Lots of nice, comfy seats available inside. You can also sit by the windows and take in the view of the Carlisle Citadel across the street while enjoying your cup of joe.

I stopped by this Costa Coffee on my way to visit my brother in Newcastle. I actually missed my…read moretrain by a few minutes, so I ended up coming here to relax for an hour. I ordered the delicious Toffee Spiced Latte, and also some chocolatey treat (I can't really remember what it was, I just remember it tasting fantastic!!). The staff that work in here were very friendly and polite, and went through all of the different options that I could add to my drink. If you're looking for somewhere to sit down and relax, this place is your best bet! They even have lots of comfy outdoor seating.

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

A good selection of sandwiches, including door-stop types, which are well filled. Also a large…read morerange of soft drinks & juices, teas and coffees. Takeaway available if you can't stay. Soup and other cafe staples also available. Good large and well maintained toilet, cheery service & happy to make a babycino. Lots of local information and community event notices displayed in the bright and comfy interior along with a bookcase which you can take books from or add publications to for others to enjoy later.

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.

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.

They don't clean the outdoor tables even though they are not busy inside…read more sandwiches are overpriced Would never recommend

Just had a great experience. Came in for a late lunch, owner was very helpful finding the right…read morecombination for my very particular son. Found a winner. Bread is fantastic, and the food was very good at a very good price. Perfect quick bite!!!