Cafe Altitude in South Lakeland

The food was absolutely splendid. And the climbing wall was absolute scenes. Highly recommend 😃🥸😎🤩🤪

This was our first visit here but won't be our last. We were the only ones in at first so got the window seat with amazing views. The staff were great and I had a bacon and fried egg bagel and my husband had a bacon on granary sandwich. They were delicious and very generous portions of bacon. We will definitely look forward to visiting again next time we are holidaying in Ambleside. Highly recommend.

Delicious, freshly-made food. Good coffee. Nice ambiance. Great tables for laying out your map to plan the route you should have planned earlier...

Nice little cafe tucked away on the 2nd floor above the climbing wall. Ok for a rainy day but in warmer weather there’s no outdoor space so I imagine it will get very warm. Fair prices. Nice food that is well presented.

What a great cafe, really nice freshly prepared food and drinks served with a smile. Fab location with view out across town and hills but also internally at 3 story climbing wall - plenty to enjoy.

I visited this lovely coffee house by myself as I was passing some time while waiting for my husband. I had a lovely coffee and chat with a lovely lady. Today I returned with my husband and we had lovely coffee with delicious homemade ginger cake. Well worth a visit.

I went here for cake and got a huge yummy slice of chocolate fudge cake.the staff were lovely and the cafe was cool and different as it over looked the climbing wall.

Quirky location next to a climbing wall. Part of the cafe overlooks it whilst a few seats look out over the rooftops to the hills... Nothing fancy in the way of teas or coffees but nice enough drinks and quirky location...

Popped in for a very late lunch over Christmas period and was really impressed with just how good the food was especially with how late we were running. Really friendly staff member more than happy to help out. A really clean and spacious cafe with excellent views over the hills. Dog friendly too!!!

Just visited this cafe, friendly staff and the food was all freshly prepared, hot and was absolutely gorgeous. Good food is always worth waiting for 👍👍

Called in for lunch while waiting to check in and lovely suprise, very friendly and value for money, went again the next day half way through our walk, very dog friendly with fresh water straight away, soup yummy and sandwich plate was full with the trimmings, well worth a visit.

The generously large full english breakfast was splendid after a long rainy day on the hills. The cafe is walker and dog friendly. All in all excellent food and coffee made by fantastic welcoming staff. One of the best Café's in Ambleside.

Had breakfast Saturday morning and it was wonderful! All really nicely cooked and presented with care!

Very dog friendly, water bowl supplied immediately when we sat down. Huge fresh, still warm scones, yummy.

Of all the establishments in Ambleside this is the only one that I can think of with such a wonderful panorama of the nearby fells. The view comes with warm friendly service and great food so well worth the effort.

We had the spicy tomato soup with a roll and can honestly say that this offers the best value for money in Ambleside. Great views over the rooftops and the cleanest cafe I've ever seen!

Popped in for breakfast. Good full English and got the window with the view over Ambleside. Pleasant staff. Good find, will visit again.

We payed a visit while staying in Ambleside, The Fruit Scone which was warm with lashings of Jam & Butter was a real treat especially sitting looking over the top of the town and viewing the Fells, There was plenty of Tea on offer and the Cafe was clean with great staff serving us.

We popped in for a quick tea. Pot of tea for two and a Pepsi £4. Goods spot to sit and watch the climbing. The lunches looked OK for about £7, milkshakes were £4 so my child was talked out of it.

What a nice find! Friendly, quick service. My warm fruit scone, (with butter and jam) was delicious, as was the Breakfast Tea. A well-priced menu. A spectacular view across Ambleside. Highly recommended.

We just pop in to kill time while we were waiting to climb downstairs.

We had breakfast at Cafe Altitude. Their food were just simply tasty. Highly recommend the pancakes, which were crispy outside but soft inside! Lovely cafe, nice staffs and excellent services!

This is a lovely, clean café serving great lunches and refreshments for climbers and their audience.

Called in on Friday after my dog was thrown out of Costa - dogs not allowed. Here the dog was made a fuss off and even provided with fresh cold water. The Spicy Tomato Soup was to die for and my wife said the hot chocolate was one of the best. Will certainly call in again, must try a Panini on our next visit. Thanks Costa with your help, we have found a little gem. Don't be put off by the 40 steps, this just provides the great views over the roof tops of Ambleside to the hills.

We popped by one rainy afternoon after I was trying to spend my money on technical clothing I don't need! anyway, we saw the sign for the café immediately outside the outdoor peaks shop and decided to see what it was like. Anyway, it was worth the effort, a very good cup of tea (in a pot) at a reasonable price. The cakes looked good but I didn't try them, for once I was actually full! There was a good view of the climbing centre. The place was also very clean.

Worth the climb up for comfy sofas, lovely staff, great food and drink all offset with stunning mountain views. Go visit!!!

This was a lovely little cafe, it's a shame it's quite hidden away. Lovely fresh food and friendly staff.

Had amazing breakfast here today beautifully cooked and served would highly recommend to all . Cafe a hidden gem spotlessly clean and dog friendly. Would highly recommend

It was a relief to find this place on a very wet July afternoon. The food was great and very reasonable for Ambleside. The staff were friendly and helpful. The views over Ambleside and the inner climbing wall were great!

Went here for Breakfast last Saturday, it was excellent. Very good quality and well cooked plus very good price £6.95. Coffee and cake were also excellent. Very nice cafe, worth a visit.

Un salto en el café y la tarta, ya que tenía unas vistas de las montañas. Tras subir varios tramos de escaleras era evidente que la vista era de una mesa de ventana que estaba ocupada. El café, pasteles y el servicio era genial, pero la vista es una exageración!

A hidden gem. Food was excellent especially the lemon and blueberry cake. All homemade. Service with a smile....happy staff always makes a difference.

Fuimos a almorzar y realmente disfrutamos de la cafetería. Una buena opción en el menú, y entretenimiento viendo la escalada de actividades a la pared! Una gran variedad de paninis, sándwiches y sopas, pero tenía el bocadillo de palitos de pescado, que era delicioso. Pasteles parecía, así que muy tentador volver viniendo en muy pronto!

We had been walking most of the day up Wansfell and I was desperate for something to eat and when we came back into Ambleside this was the first place we stumbled, (I kid you not), upon. We had to climb what seemed like an awful lot of stairs but it proved to be worth it. The lady in charge was very helpful and we where soon tucking into the most delicious Welsh Rarebit we have ever tasted. We where soon refreshed and able to go on our way. We will definitely visit again when next in Ambleside.

We took a break in Ambleside after a walk at Rydall Water. Having parked up and being very thirsty we came across this cafe walking in to town. Very friendly staff, lovely fresh food and you can either watch people climbing on the indoor wall or look over roof tops at the hills at the back. We left having thoroughly relaxed and having had an enjoyable lunch of home made coleslaw, salad and perfectly cooked jacket potatoes with cheese. The tea was ample but we were still asked if we wanted the teapot refilling. Great service and food. Only reason not 5 is you gave to go up a lot of stairs so not good for disabled people or those with pushchairs; unless I missed the lift.

Our eldest boy loves climbing and this cafe right next to the wall is a great touch. Lovely home made cakes and comfy ambience. Though as a decidedly very family friendly environment the toilets could do with a baby changing shelf as we had to do our youngest on the toilet floor. Sure we will return here again as our eldest loved it but being watched impinged on his concentration we found. Free wifi and some outdoor activity reading material help pass the time too.

Visited the cafe whilst our daughter had a climbing lesson. Great little cafe, Haylee the owner is very friendly, even went out of her way to bake me a gluten and dairy free cake. First time I've ever licked the bowl in a cafe! Gluten free bread and soya milk available. We stayed all morning and would definitely recommend!

Just wanted to say what a lovely experience we had at the cafe. Food was lovely and served fresh and the children loved watching people climb the wall so much that they had to have a go themselves so more fresh coffee was ordered while we watched the children experience the climbing wall for themselves....oh and we couldn't resist ordering a slice of cake while we waited. Thank you to two love ladies.

When we decide to pop into Ambleside after a day on the fells we always decide to visit Cafe Altitude. There are great views up over Fairfield, and there's always the climbing wall to watch the children. Great coffee and food. Drop-in when it's a wee bit wet outside - good idea :-)

Lovely dog friendly cafe with excellent food and cakes. Friendly relaxed staff and views of the hills from Windows on one side and viewing window onto the indoor climbing wall. Highly recommended.

It does take much to make make me happy when I go out to eat. Get the basics right and you are onto a winner. Simple really, but so many places get it wrong, not Altitude Cafe. What more do you need after a morning climbing. Hot coffee and cake. Happy, happy, happy.

We discovered this place when hiding from the weather with some indoor climbing. The cafe was cosy, friendly with very nice home made cake and good coffee. We came back for lunch a couple of days later and that was good too.

We had lunch here on a rainy day and it was beautiful! Homemade, wholesome food, beautifully presented. Staff were friendly and efficient. The cakes looked especially lovely although after soup and fresh bread I couldn't manage a cake! The climbing wall looked fun, this is a separate business though. Keep up the fantastic work!

A rare sunny day yesterday meant we had a lovely walk from Ings to Ambleside and were looking forward to a cuppa and a cake. Hayes café closed at 4 so we made our way into town and came across Café Altitude. We had a warm reception and lovely coffee and cake (can really recommend the tea bread with cheese). We could also watch brave souls going up and down the climbing wall. Shall definitely return next time we're in Ambleside.

We visited the cafe when it was very busy and as there were five of us had a bit of a wait for food. However it was well worth the wait, the food was excellent and freshly cooked and we had the pleasure of watching climbers on the climbing wall as we waited and there was quite a selection of walking/climbing magazines and books available to pass the time. Another plus - the food is cooked openly so you can see exactly what is happening to it! The cakes and scones are all homecooked - couldnt try them all of course but the cake I did try was delicious.The staff were excellent and friendly and very knowledgeable about local walks and events.

We visited the cafe which is dog friendly, we ordered a cooked breakfast and a veggie breakfast both were freshly made, it was great to watch people on the climbing wall, excellent customer service.

I have visited this cafe three times.This however was the first time with family and to have a meal.It was busy when we arrived and when we placed our order we were told it would be 20 min wait for food.It took over an hour for the food to arrive after constantly asking how long would we have to wait and constantly being to,d it wouldn't be long .When the food arrived the waiter apologised to me for the wait we had endured .I told him if we had been told the correct length of time we would have canceled our order and he agreed !The food was mediocre at best.Wont be eating here again.

Up 3 flights of stairs with no baby changing rooms. We waited over an hour and a half for food, which was poor when it was delivered. The eggs where fried to extinction, the nachos where completely undercooked. It says the cafe is under new management, I feel it will be under new management again if it continues like this.

Hayley and Helen have now taken on the cafe, a new menu and it's fantantic everything is freshly made and rearly tasty. If you want a friendly atmosphere and fresh homemade quality it's well worth a visit.

Great place to pop into for a delicious bite to eat for lunch or a coffee with a yummy homemade cake! The staff are always really friendly and good to chat too! Well worth a visit!

It was a very busy time, school holidays, yet the service was extremly good and the offerings were very tasty. Enjoyed immensely

Although we used this restaurant to watch our children, it is open to the general public - if you can get a table!A lovely cafe offering breakfasts all day, lunch and an array of cakes!We stayed whilst our children wer climbing and loved the fact we could watch them.The cafe is full of maps, walking books - a must for anyone wanting to plan a walk with a great cup of tea and a cake!!

After a trip on the windermere steamers we ended up in Ambleside , a drizzly day and dog in tow we wondered where to get lunch. We came across the cafe altitude tucked away inside an outdoor wear shop and the climbing wall. Not sure what caught our eye first, the sign saying dogs welcome or all day breakfast. A few flights of stairs to get there but made very welcome, freshly cooked breakfast well worth the wait , great cup of tea, although not tried homemade cakes looked fantastic. Dog was offered water and given a doggy treat for behaving!

Called here for coffee and a cake on a rather miserable day so the views were rather limited! Very well made coffees and millionaire shortbread was very nice too The cafe overlooks the climbing wall through glass partition so would be quite interesting place when people are climbing

Great place to stop in at for a coffee while watching some skilful people attempt to scale the vertical wall. nice coffee and efficient service

We were visiting Ambleside for the day and just fancied a quick snack, I had seen this cafe online previously the cafe is very clean and tidy you can see the food being prepared and the view from the window is amazing. Service is very good and really friendly staff I will definitely return when in the Lakes again.

On our way to the lake from Ambelside we stopped at the climbing centre for coffee and to watch the action on the wall.great place with glass fronted cafe to watch the climbers

We visit Ambleside quite regularly but only visited this cafe for the first time recently. It is up 3 flights of stairs (not sure if there's a lift) but this makes for a great view over the rooftops and onto the hills beyond. Some of the tables also over look the indoor climbing wall. It was lunchtime but they have a breakfast menu which is available all day as well as sandwiches salads and soup. My husband had American pancakes with bacon & maple syrup (also available with fruit). He said they were excellent - very light pancakes with good quality bacon and just enough syrup. I had an avacado spinach and mozzarella ciabbata which again was excellent. We will be going again and would recommend it to everyone.

Tremendous range of food, including some fabulous vegetarian dishes, and all really lovely. Great service from friendly staff - nothing is too much trouble. And the cakes on offer...well.....!

Just finished a long days climbing and spent the night out on the fells, so breakfast was on the radar. Headed out to Ambleside to search out the great British full English breakfast. Not many cafes open at 09:00 on a Sunday, thankfully they were. So full English coffee and eggs Benedict ordered. Coffee arrived and fooling in its foot steps (breakfast) . Super sausage and local bacon with great roasted tomatoes topped with herbs. Eggs and black pudding with chunky toast. The eggs Benedict were swiftly consumed by my hungry son with a well earned smile. So all in all a fantastic place with great staff, and a quick bit of climbing chat on the side. Ps, the plate says everything, more please sir.

The view from the cafe is stunning. From the back window it is the fells and from the glass wall of the cafe you can watch the climbers going through their paces on the climbing wall. On both counts very enjoyable. The staff are quick to serve you,nothing seems to be any problem to them,our

We came to café altitude for our dinner, I had the crispy Cajun chicken ciabatta toastie and my boyfriend had the green goddness ciabatta toastie! The food was so yummy, the bread was lovely a fluffy and toasted to the right temperature! The service was also fantastic, the waiter, I think his name was Gary, had great communication skills, he very knowledgeable about areas around the Lake District and the French Alps, he made us feel at ease while we enjoyed our food! The café was very clean and you could tell that Gary was very passionate about his business! Overall we will be coming again to enjoy the food and the views of ambelside and the climbing wall. It is also a bonus to find a café that is friendly with dogs!This café is a hidden gem of ambelside! :)

Went here for a quick bite to eat with my fiancé and one year old nephew. Cafe is up 3 flights of stairs but is a lovely little place with comfy seats and a good view over the climbing wall. Tasty all day breakfast although portions could have been slightly bigger. Staff we're very friendly - would definitely return.

Went here twice in the day it was so good.First was for a coffee and some great home made flapjack pre climbing, the second was for lunch part way through climbing.The coffee is gorgeous. The food is very fresh and made to order. The service was brilliant.Highly recommend even if you're not climbing.

This cafe is on the top floor of the climbing wall although a separate business. The guy's at the climbing wall make it such fun for the kids, sadly the cafe staff lacked the same enthusiasm. Why work in a cafe if you don't like it? There are ad's in almost every window in town asking for staff, so if selling coffee and cakes is not your thing……try the Italian restaurant around the corner…they need staff!

Tasty sausage sandwiches and lovely home made soup were our lunch choices in this great cafe in the Ambleside climbing wall venue. I would highly recommend to anyone in the area. This is a dog friendly cafe so our Labrador could join us and was made very welcome by the staff.

took the kids to the climbing wall so had some food as we were waiting for them grate tasting home made food and the dog could sit inside with us a great place and very friendly staff will be back next time we are in ambleside

Absolutely fabulous. Thank you for making my son's 7th birthday amazing. 11 hungry children made their way upstairs for a make your own pizza lunch and were amazed with the quality and quantity of toppings. Staff were wonderful and the whole event happened without a hitch. Thankyou so much for making a little boy very happy.

Visited Cafe Altitude as part of a children's birthday party. Kids had great fun climbing at the climbing wall before visiting Andy and his team upstairs for food. Staff were friendly and organised and offered several different food options. Venue great too for any accompanying parents who were able to relax on the sofas with a coffee.

Whilst my grandaughter and I were 'on the climbing wall' my wife spent the best part of 21/2 hrs in the cafe watching and reading and where the staff made her very welcome and comfortable. You can sit overlooking activities on the wall or with views over the Ambleside rooftops and surrounding fells. Either way it is interesting. We started off with coffee and home made cake and followed up after the climbing with freshly made sandwiches. All in all a good experience. Best of luck to the new management.

We stopped here for lunch today. We planned to sit outside but it was too hot...surprising for the North! The stairs were well worth it - great views of the hills or climbing wall, decorated with Himalayan flags. I ordered a salad and asked for smoked salmon on it as an extra - which the owner had no complaints of doing. He even did a boiled egg on it - cooked to my liking! It was excellent and reasonably priced as well! The table next to us had a sandwich,salad and crisps - which looked amazing and a massive portion :) I'd definitely recommend this place!

This is the place to come for a great coffee and good food after a day on the fells with friends or family or whoever! Even when the weather closes in and a day in Ambleside is required - just relax in the Cafe Altitude

This cafe lady makes THE WORLDS BEST Victoria Sponge. It was amazing!! You should totally go here after going on the Climbing Wall downstairs.. work up an appetite then fill back up on calories :)

It is a few more yards to walk to, but this cafe is just excellent. Don't be put off by the flights of stairs (it's on the top floor) because even before you reach the final landing, you can sense the atmosphere of this place. It has loads of sofas and there is great music playing in the background. It has full height windows onto the two storey high internal climbing wall, whilst at the other end are the most magnificent views of The Fairfield Horseshoe in one direction and Todd Crag and St Mary's Church in the other - and this can all be seen from the sofas whilst sipping the best mocha in Ambleside. The service is very welcoming, friendly, relaxed yet attentive and the walls are covered in climbing posters with racks containing outdoor magazines. The decor is fresh, bright and clean. Definitely worth seeking out.

It's well worth seeking out cafe altitude, excellent value for money and great freshly prepared food. When / if it stops raining the views are fantastic.

We went down to Ambleside because the weather was too poor to do any walking that day. It seemed everyone else felt the same way and we couldn't park in the usual car park, so went to the bottom of the town and parked in the one just below the cafe, which is located above the climbing wall. In need of a hot drink and a snack, we dived immediately indoors and climbed the (many) stairs to the cafe.What a find it was! It's clean, bright and serves a great range of beverages, snacks and meals at extremely reasonable prices. We had a pot of tea each and shared a ciabatta filled with hot, freshly cooked chicken and sun-dried tomatoes and the biggest piece of brownie I've ever seen - it was also the best brownie I've ever eaten and more than generous for the two of us. There's free wifi and dogs are welcomed - we cooed and then wept over a gorgeous Weimeraner (we were still grieving the sudden death of our much-loved dog two weeks before).A very well-recommended place in a town full of cafes.

We've walked past Cafe Altitude hundreds of time, but never stopped there until this morning. What a surprise! It's only small, but the decor is fresh, clean, and welcoming. The coffees (Lavazza) were perfect, and the tray bakes were just that little bit special (not your bog standard caramel shortbreads and rocky roads). The staff were friendly, and the service efficient.However, the real surprise was the location. Sit at one end of the cafe and you can watch people toiling up the climbing wall (they're on the other side of a window, so you can be as rude as you like :-). Sit at the other and you have a wonderful view over the rooftops of Ambleside to the fells beyond.Let's face it, you're in the Lake District, so why would you sit looking out at a street when you can be feasting your eyes on the Cumbrian fells?As we left, we thanked the staff, and told them we'd be back. My only reservation writing this review is that the cafe's only small, and if it gets too popular we might not get in next time!

Came here for a bit of lunch. Baby asleep in the buggy and staff member helped us up and down the two flights of stairs to get in while she was asleep. Very helpful staff. Good food, homemade rocky road cakes and Brownies are recommended. Homemade mushroom soup was excellent. Great views of the surrounding hills and you can also view the climbing wall.Would definitely come back.

Great way to finish a hard days walking or just nip up for a coffee after a climb on the climbing wall. Great place to mooch over a map with friends.

We visited on Saturday for the first time. We have been to the shop before, but not tried the cafe. it is on the top floor of Adventure Peaks , hence the name. Our first impressions were very good. We had a lovely warm welcome from the staff, despite the fact our lively dog jumped straight on the settee- disgraceful!! It was very clean with a variety of seating. The large viewing window looks on to the climbing wall. We had panini's and a really great mushroom soup. My only comment would be that the childrens 'half panini with crisps/ nachos, is a bit expensive for what you get- £3.95. When compared to the price of the full size stuff on the menu which was very reasonable, this seems a bit disproportionate. We spoke with a lovely lady who told us she was soon to take over the cafe in the next month. Overall, this is a greeat find and certainly one to add to the list. So great to be able to take a dog inside, particularly on a rainy day. Thanks xxxx

Great cafe, perfectly situated for the climbing wall. A great menu and really good food. Can be busy, but well worth the wait.

fantastic cafe with great views for those wanting to watch rather than participate in the climbing walls. We stopped for drinks and cake before sending the kids up the walls. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the cakes, spiced chocolate cake which was rich and delicious and chocolate brownies that you would be proud to say you made yourself! even more the size of the cake was more than adequate for two growing boys something which seldom happens. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the place is spotless.

Called in with friends around noon as one fellow had just recently stopped some strong antibiotics and needed soup-and-a roll. He finished the soup but could only bear a bite of one roll, I tried the other to learn his protest and it was dense with a disgusting taste - presumably bought-in frozen dough. You'd have to be starving to eat it.Cafe Altitude clearly does some things right, from the reviews here, fair extent of patrons and convenience for climbers using the wall (also watching from the cafe). But in my book, food starts with decent bread and if an establishment fails on this score then avoid.

A small cafe; servicing the customers of Ambleside climbing wall - I expected filter coffee and best and maybe a bit of cake. What I got were awesome freshly ground and brewed cappuccino with the full compliments of coffee on offer including hot chocolates. There were about 5 different sweet cake treats to choose from and the food menu was extensive and not at all simple. I was only there for coffee and cake so didn't get to sample the savouries however people around me were tucking in and all looked lovely and their plates were eaten clean!The service in the cafe was excellent with the staff delivering your drink to you at your table once it was ready, with a smile and although it is quite small the seating is excellent. I highly recommend

Found this cafe by accident but very glad we did. Waiter was polite and friendly, location v quirky, and food brilliant. My wife had a cracking baked potato, and I had quite simply the best bacon sandwich ever with a piping hot cup of Mocha.

Popped into the shop to look at the walking and climbing gear and decided to head up to the cafe for breakfast...what a decision! Outstanding quality and for a good price too! The sausages and bacon were clearly not cheap fillers from a cash and carry as they were really tasty and after asking the staff found they were locally sourced. A real find!

We popped in for a quick lunch and a cake when i was in Ambleside. I had the sausage and egg bap which was simple but delicious. Followed up with the lemon polenta cake. Not a huge place but plenty of good seats for either watching the climbers or looking out towards Fairfield Horseshoe. The food was great, nicer than a cafe and not too fancy so it was a relaxing hour.

very pleased to have climbed the three floors up to Cafe Altitude inside the Climbing wall and outdoor gear store on the outskirts of Ambleside's shopping area... lovely clean and modernI noticed a 5 star hygiene rating certificate on the wall ( I am fussy - perhaps a bit OCD with cleanliness where I eat... so good to see the open kitchen area in the middle of the cafe - really up-to-date and clean !) young chap with fab sense of humour served us, a climber himself ... sort of a climbing club cafe atmosphere... best cappuccino I have had in ages - properly made !Had the full English (11 am !!) set me up for the day, crisp toast and hot baked beans... made a difference from the one I had at another cafe the week before. Fun to watch a group of kids climbing the wall through the glass wall. Liked the views to Fairfield Horseshoe too, although a bigger window would've made it even better at that end of the cafe. My friend had a home made brownie cake, he bought a second to take home to his brother who is training as a pastry chef... as he said it was the best he had ever eaten. Good to find interesting cafe's to visit... as it rains so much here we need them !!! Positiveme x

A good little cafe in the middle of Ambleside with great views. The coffee was some of the best I've had in the area and I would recommend the Chocolate brownie which was incredible! Nice to have a view of climbing wall as well as the surrounding fells and old slate roofs too.

Re-visited this cafe recently to find it has changed hands. The furniture and view are the same - an average cafe but with great views over Ambleside to the fells beyond as well as viewing windows to the climbing wall. Much reduced menu - just a cafe now, opening daytime only - no Alpine specialities or evening opening.

Try some of the Alpine specialities - especially good with family and / or friends is an evening pierade - cook your own meat, fish or vegetables on a hot stone =- and bring your own wine - wonderful evening out!

Decided to try this cafe for late morning drink/snack. The views out to the fells from this top floor cafe are wonderful or you could watch the more athletic visitors tackling the climbing wall!!!Fantastic coffee served here, so nice we had two cups each and how can a simple bacon roll be SO yummy?!!!. Service is pleasant and friendly and the atmosphere in general was "laid back" and a nice change from the "conveyer belt" service/atmosphere found in many other cafes.We intend to try the evening meals here on our next visit to Ambleside as the menu looks very interesting.Dog owners note....your pet is extremely welcome in the cafe.

Really surprised at how lovely this place was. I wasn't expecting it to be so good we just popped in to get out of the rain. Excellent food, service & atmosphere.

Visiting the Lake District with your four legged friends and looking for somewhere to have a coffee and maybe a bite to eat? Look no further than Cafe Altitude. They geninuely welcome dogs and offer first-class friendly service to all. The coffee and food are freshly made and you can enjoy them in a relaxed atmosphere whilst watching the strenuous antics of others on the indoor climbing wall which the cafe overlooks. We visited with our Bearded Collie and hope to return in the future when we have added a second Beardie to our family.

Great find - instead of sitting at street level like most other eating places in Ambleside this one gives you views over the town or of the fun happening on a climbing wall. And instead of familiar British grub, this place allows you to be adventurous and try something Swiss-French. The melted, grilled cheese dish, Raclette, was superb. Together with salad, warm artesan bread, pickles, relishes, slices of deli meat, and hot potato wedges it was perfect meal in one. The owner/chef is a delightful host, great sense of humour, and passionate about his French food. I fail to see how anyone can be disappointed dining here!

Amazing REAL food in brilliantly designed venue with a cafe on top floor with panoramic views over the mountains around Ambleside. Sit in the cafe and look out at the world or sit by the gallery window overlooking the alpine climbing wall which takes up two storeys of the building. Sip your delicious coffee while watching your beloved six year old son shoot up the proper alpine climbing wall and lower himself down on a rope (abseiling or belaying - I can't remember the difference, but he had excellent tuition in his class of 'little monkeys' on Wed afternoons). I'm keen to give it a go myself next time, since the place is mostly for adult climbers but they were very encouraging of the children. He had a really lovely ice cream afterwards too. Real raclette in the evening and I was amazed to see a sign saying they had gluten-free homemade pastry in their quiche (at least on the day I was there they did). That means there is an enthusiastic foodie in charge here who cares about customers and loves good food. Every time I go to Ambleside I will call in at this cafe. It's a gem of a find.

If you manage to find this gem of a place go up the stairs. The food is excellent and the hosts are very friendly. Nothing is too much trouble. Freshly prepared food, very tasty and a fair price. Don't Let the climb of the stairs put you off. If you are in the Lake District you are probably on a walking / climbing holiday anyway!!!

Found this place by chance walking towards town from Hayes Garden Centre. Alpine speciality food, freshly prepared & Oh so tasty.We sampled the Croque Monsieur & the Cumberland sausage bun, both excellent.The one downside is the fact that it is on the top floor, 40 steps to negotiate but once up there so worth it. Overlooks the indoor climbing wall & it would be fun watching people climbing. Unfortunately we were there on a very sunny day so everyone was outside. I believe when it rains it is much busier.