Cross Lanes Organic Farm in County Durham

Lovely friendly efficient staff. Enjoyed the nut Road Sunday lunch. £3.50 for a small can of Coke Zero extortionate. Kids play area underwhelming and would benefit from some investment. Fab coffee. 4 stars overall.

We don’t believe much of the food served in the cafe is actually organic which is disappointing. We both ordered sandwiches one white& one brown. The white sandwich came as a bap & the brown was a white roll with seeds & neither was fresh that day. I bought a wholewheat loaf in the farm shop which was nice fresh & brown! Sorry don’t think the food served in the cafe is the same as what’s sold in the farm shop which is misleading!

Popped in here with my mum, rather spontaneously, on the way to Appleby. We had passed here countless times but never stopped. We had a lovely coffee and I enjoyed a delicious bacon sandwich. Will definitely return!

We've given up stopping at Mainsgill, it's just too busy and overwhelming. Cross Lanes is SO much nicer, quieter and more friendly, with great food and great service. Definitely our stopping off place on the A66 now. We had a lovely lunch from a really nice choice of dishes. My lentil daal with chips and salad was delicious

Toilets smell bad , coffee not good staff not friendly , sitting here in the cafe I can smell the gents toilet it’s really putting me off my dry organic scone, I think this is the last time we come here use to be so nice

Stopped here for some lunch and a break on a long drive at the end of our holiday. The food was all fresh, home cooked, and delicious. The building was light and spacious and our dog could sit by our table without getting in anyone’s way. There is a lovely farm shop which is handy for last-minute holiday presents. We would not hesitate to stop here again if we are passing.

Not sure what’s happened, but since I was last here 2/3 years ago the food and coffee quality has dramatically declined! I had the steak and eggs and the egg yolks were hard not of a dippy consistency. I had a flat white and it taste more like a wishy washy latte. The food used to be so good here not sure what’s happened. Will not be returning.

We stopped here having seen it on our way over to the Lakes and thought we would stop for breakfast on our way back - what a mistake. The staff are very friendly but that’s as far as my positive review goes. We ordered 2 big breakfasts, a tea and a Coke Zero which came to £37 (£15+ per breakfast and £3.50 for a can of Coke Zero!!) we were expecting good things. Everything smelt (including the inside) and tasted the same - of old deep fat fryer oil, the toast was warm bread and was served cold 10mins before the breakfast arrived. The best bit of the breakfast by far was the baked beans which had been zapped in the microwave.

Returned again following my last review 12 months ago. Nothing has changed, same sluggish indifferent service and still the worst tasting rancid coffee on the A66 if not anywhere. Rock hard scone and dry sandwich - great. What a shame. Lovely location. Guess owners don't care and just prey on passing custom. Farewell Crosslanes we wont be visiting again. Mainsgill Farmshop a few miles on has a better offering. Nice staff and a decent coffee.

We love coming to Cross Lanes for Sunday lunch regularly. The food is absolutely amazing & it’s such a lovely chilled out place to relax. Please just fix the wifi! I have to say, Beth really is amazing…. she leads this local business so so well. I am a business owner myself & know how to spot exceptional service. Beth welcomes everyone, with a genuine smile & nothing is ever any trouble for her. You can see the clear leadership qualities shining through & how she mentors & guides her other team members. Welldone Cross Lanes, you continue to impress us with your good food & customer service!

Great place to stop off on our journey home near Loch Lomond from Cambridge. The food was delicious and just what we needed on such a long trip. All food is freshly prepared and nicely presented. A nice calm atmosphere prevailed too and service was excellent. Very handy for the A66 but so much better than standard fare normally found in such establishments along a main road. Our samosas from the specials board were delicious. Nice little, but well stocked, farm shop too selling an array of organic produce.

Good sandwiches good chips. excellent lunch Good to buy some local produce after lunch Have visited before . Think it’s time for renovation in some areas eg Toilets

A great welcome and very helpful Food was excellent and they had no problem with us sharing a full English breakfast and special orders for coffee

Lovely Cafe with excellent coffee and menu, lovely staff, good car park. Great food Lovely breakfast with coffee. Well worth the stop either going from or to Scotch corner. Lunches and Sunday roast Dog friendly Come and see for yourself

Another lovely meal at Cross Lanes. The steak burger is absolutely delicious, but every element is great - the fries, salad and coleslaw. Had 2 scoops of Thunder & Lightning ice cream to finish. The service is always friendly and efficient. I thoroughly recommend!

Travelling on road Stopped here for a break, a walk about and for a coffee. Was amazed about the buisness, the cafe was beautiful, the food was delicious and everything was 100% organic, always feel wonderfully satisfyed when food is organic. The instore market, deli and butchers is quite loverly too, everything nicely displayed and prices are fair. And where the building is located is lovely too. Surrounded by fresh air, trees and green grass, gives a welcoming country farm feel to it. 100% impressed and satisfyed.

I have been here several times over the past few years but have never reviewed. I came here the last weekend of July with my husband. I had the sausage and bacon sandwich that is served until 3pm and my husband had the steak burger. The food was quick to arrive and tasted delicious. My husband enjoyed the burger which was a large portion and the bacon on my sandwich was some of the thickest I've ever had. However, be aware that the breakfast sandwiches do not come with butter. The waitress was polite and friendly (only her second day) and even though I see comments that the food can be rather expensive I do think it is worth the cost. You can definitely taste the quality. Will definitely be returning on our next trip up North.

This is a very nice farmshop/cafe in a beautiful location. I have visited twice to give it a fair go. Very nice and friendly staff. Spotlessly clean and well organised. Very good food. (Apart from service time - read on...) A lovely ambience and relaxing vibe. A breath of fresh air compared to service stations and just what you want on a long journey. But.. If only the service (timing) and quality matched up... A number of reviews have mentioned " worth the wait" and wait you will if you order food - Not so good if you are on a journey and don't have a long time to wait. I would imagine being on the A66 most customers would be on a journey, service is on the slow side from my experience and lost us time on our journey to Scotland. But the killer for me being a coffee lover was the coffee. So sorry, the worst coffee I have ever tasted. I can only describe it as rancid (on both occasions) I could not drink it and you could see other people sensing the same thing. I'm not sure why but it tastes off. This is a great business... please could you look at your service timings and the quality of the coffee you serve to customers. I will be passing by in September and look forward to reviewing a good cup of coffee.?

Coffee was average, scones were nice though the experience not one I’d rush back to due to the lack of warmth/friendliness from staff who, whilst efficient, unfortunately all appeared a bit miserable and robotic.

we stopped off for lunch on a journey to the lakes after passing numerous times and never going in! we ordered lunch, 3 sandwiches on there own as a ‘takeout’ that came to nearly £15 and they were so dry. The bread had been obviously microwaved quickly to defrost as it was warm and crisp on the edges - my toddler couldn’t even eat his and I don’t blame him! I wouldn’t return or recommend, staff are pleasant enough could smile more but I’d say stick to the other two farm shops on the same road, better value for money and quality

We came across this little gem of a cafe on the a66 on our way back home south. The cafe is a lovely little place with an organic farm shop on site to . We stopped for lunch I had the special lamb kofte and it was absolutely amazing 👏 everything was homemade which I thinks goes for all things on the menu . My partner had the chicken burger from the specials board again was a great portion size and value for money . I would highly recommend this cafe if you are travelling on the a66.

Great lunch on our journey home. Completely disagree with the comments about prices. We had meals and drinks for a family of four for just under £40. Fish cakes (daily special) were lovely.

We were looking forward to breakfast at Cross Lanes as it was a good way on our journey to Scotland and it’s a great place to call in with our dog. However, we found the menu for breakfast was very limited. I chose sausage sandwich and hubby had sausage and bacon but both found the sausage very dry and generally disappointing. Maybe time to look elsewhere.

Great place for families and dogs we stopped on the way to Scotland and shall certainly do so again.

Excellent Decaff coffee. Food a little expensive in the shop but a good range, we call regularly and the service is always friendly. However the women’s toilets are very disappointing. We called in January and the disabled toilet was out of order - it was still out of order in March and the area just looks a bit uncared for.

Good food, very well stocked shop. The butcher was very friendly. Prices in the shop were high, but the food is high quality. A little messy outside, but would prefer this to most alternative stops. It's off the A66 not far from Scotch Corner. Come...

Met friends here for a late Sunday breakfast. Good service and everything was good quality and delicious. We had to buy some bacon and black pudding from the shop to take home with us! Will definitely return.

Good setting with enticing food selection and quality. Would make a good stop over if it weren't for being far too dog friendly - there are those in the world that frankly could do without dogs anywhere, let alone in a cafe/restaurant purely based on...

We used to come here years ago when we last lived in the area. Back then everything was fab - service, food and cleanliness. Unfortunately the place is no longer the same... The pizza oven wasn't fired up due to lack of staff trained to...

Stopped off on our way to Scotland for a lunch. A good menu, with a nice, quirky selection of 'specials'. Food was delicious, and service was friendly and helpful. Good experience also for our autistic daughter and her assistance dog!

Really great service and food. Really good. But very irritating that the “Free” WiFi costs you your personal information, including your date of birth, with no option to choose for this not to be used for “marketing” purposes. And to a company I’ve never heard...

Very nice stop on my way to Scotland. Enjoyed a fresh and homemade food. The service was very kind from a team of young adults.

We ordered 2 cups of tea, a bacon and egg sandwich and a sausage and egg sandwich. Despite there being a sign stating that ‘food was cooked fresh order’ it certainly wasn’t! Rock hard rubber eggs and the bacon & sausage were only just warm....

I make regular visits from 40 miles away to buy great local and not so local organic produce; I usually have a meal whilst there and always enjoy it immensely . I am very appreciative of the Pasture for Life scheme that the farm is...

We called in for breakfast recently and our party included a 2 year old. Food was good and the waiting staff were friendly and helpful. The inside Cafe was OK however the facilities and outside areas need some tlc. The toilets were adequate but could...

Bad experience with overpriced poor quality food, coffee was luke warm a sad uncared for salad with dry limp leaves and a service to match. When my wife complained we got the "whatever" look. Must have been a bad day!?

Staff are so lovely .. food is so fresh and amazing!!! Breakfast is recommended for sure, we have visited multiple times for breakfast and it never disappoint .. will come back for dinner next time cause im intriqued by the stone oven pizza! .. shop...

I am perplexed at some of the negative reviews for this place. We eat here regularly and the food is amazing, however we aren't "vegan" so our choice is unlimited. As for £6 being steep for a breakfast ?? Where's that one ? We pay...

We sat so long at a dirty table that had been cleared but not wiped. I asked for it to be wiped but it remained sticky and covered in crumbs when the waitress brought out the coffee and cake. During another significant wait for the...

Came for breakfast with my husband while staying in a local caravan site and seeing on their website that they cater for vegans. Unfortunately this isn't the case! Arrived at about 10.30 and was very unsure about the packing case "decor!" Made the interior feel...

Popped in here while visiting Cumbria, then Scotland. We had Tea, Coffee and a lunch time meal. The food is home made and freshly prepared while you wait, and the portions are plentiful. The staff where lovely, the whole experience was excellent. You will find...

I have previously reviewed Cross Lanes and gave it the highest praise. On this occasion we arrived at 10.30am and the place was deserted. I will start will the negatives: The car park always looks unfinished a bit like a building site, a little like...

What on earth are all the 'packing case' screens and gloomy alcoves about? It's like being in a scruffy COVID era cafe. I don't go out to sit in a place like this. There were containers chock full of weeds outside and an air of...

This is a great spot for breakfast with lovely food and service. We also spent far too much money in the farm shop because of it’s lovely choice of produce.

Often stop here travelling back to Scotland from Norfolk. Excellent food, including some basics -- cake, sandwiches -- and all very tasty. Good service, plentiful parking. The attached shop is well worth a visit. Good selection of goods.

We arrived here on foot from the south - the river Greta in fact, and visited two days later to stock up on our way home. The food was good, especially the Glamorgan sausages (for vegetarians), you can buy them in the shop as well....

Looking forward to a delicious breakfast - no vegan choice. Ok so what about a cake? No vegan cakes. Not even a flapjack? Nope. Very luke warm response when asked what we could have. Really just not interested. So, sorry won't be coming back.

Since previous visits it is clear that profit has now taken over from both quality and service. Two sandwiches and a pot of tea for £15 seems rather steep especially when the offering is so uninspiring. A sausage and egg breakfast sandwich consisted of a...

We used to love this cafe but the last few times we have been it just hasn’t been good. Not sure what has happened but post Covid they just don’t seem to have got it back to what it was. Today we had ham, egg...

A rest stop on the way to Glasgow. I had a bacon and egg sandwich, my wife just bacon, both delicious. Loads of bacon but quite small buns. The staff were very good.

Called in just for a quick snack basically, ended up with excellent quality bacon and egg bun with a piping hot pot of tea - 10/10 Service friendly and polite. Restaurant and toilets spotless. Will have no hesitation in recommending and returning.

Nice location close to main road when heading North. Nice building well laid out. Food was good, staff very pleasant.

A great experience. Lovely coffee and cake and very friendly and helpful staff! Dog friendly too. Loved the sheep on the roof!

Stopped here on the way to Scotland to have breakfast. Very disappointed - both the traditional and the vegetarian. Both were swimming in fat and didn't taste very nice at all. We have been before and enjoyed it but not this time. The restaurant was...

I live locally to Cross Lanes and go here often for coffee, today I had thought I would try the food, it was the fabulous! THE best cake ever and the staff were amazing. Credit were credits due, they were happy, helpful and very efficient,...

Visited today and had a funghi pizza, which was sensational. The base was crisp and light, and the flavour of the toppings was superb. Also had a couple of their beautiful Railton coffees and a coconut and raspberry slice. I've eaten at Cross Lanes lots...

We went here to get some supplies for a stay in the area on Saturday and booked breakfast for the following morning. However, we spent over £100 and the staff were really vacant (except the butcher Derek who was wonderful). We had breakfast the following...

Worthy of support by locals and passing travellers of which, we were the latter. We called in for breakfast as we travelled towards Teesdale and were not disappointed. Excellent coffee, creamy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon on toast. Meat comes from the butchery on site...

Supporting local farmers and the environment by eating local grown and sourced food is important to us and we could see why this place is award winning. Great food at a reasonable price and friendly staff. Highly recommend

Fantastic food, excellent quality, great butcher and above all lovely staff. Pizzas are delicious and better than most Italian restaurants. There’s no fast tasteless food served here! Well worth a visit.

We live locally and visit Cross Lanes Organic Farm Shop and Cafe several times a month and do the majority of our shopping there. I can’t recommend it more highly. Fabulous fresh produce and exceptional staff. They are always so helpful and friendly. We particularly...

We stopped for lunch, unfortunately this wasn't a good experience. What the menu describes, isn't what arrives. On the menu the sandwiches say cross lanes granary rolls, what arrives is brown sliced bread near its sell by date from a supermarket. Nearly £7 for a...

Welcome respite on the way back from Scotland. We had coffee,tea and cakes. My coconut and raspberry tart was delicious. They obviously take the “Organic “ designation very seriously, they don’t provide hand gel on the way in but hand wash and running water.

Lovely stop just off the road. Fantastic breakfast and great children’s play area. Couldn’t fault it. Outstanding in every way

Outstanding food, experience, just off A66 free parking and great food. Playground an added bonus. Gorgeous views from outside eating area

We have been stopping here for years on our travels but this is the first time back in about two years and it is definitely not the outstanding place it once was. I appreciate things are challenging with Covid but the breakfast menu was so...

I first visited here in the first week of opening years ago and am delighted to say it has grown its offer but has stayed welcoming and delicious. My OH loves the breakfast rolls (served til 3pm) as they are very filling and I had...

My Family and I visited this organic farm on Father’s Day for a breakfast treat so disappointing. I have given them 2 stars for the quality of the food, everything else was poor, the surroundings were dirty, we were served cold coffee from an old...

We visited the Farm Shop last month as we were just passing by. As we were visiting the area we were keen to buy and support local producers. Quite frankly we were disappointed with the level of customer service. We were served by a lady...

Waited more than 30 minutes for 2 sandwiches and other people who came in after us were served. Will not be back terrible service

Called in for lunch yesterday 4/6/21 and it was brilliant. My husband has coeliac disease and our gluten free pulled pork pizza was just the job, tasty, delicious and brilliantly served. Well done Debs and team.

This place has certainly gone downhill. Not serving hot food today (school holidays and a sunny June day! )We asked about cold food and the lady pointed us to a corner in the store selling ready meals to take home! Are you a restaurant or...

An absolute favourite place of ours and we have popped by as often as able to support Deb and the team who have worked tirelessly throughout the last year to adapt the business and keep going. As everything is operating from the outside servers at...

We've been collecting takeaway Sunday lunches and other meals, along with popping in to the farm shop for a few things, all throughout the lockdown and brief respites in between. The food is exceptionally good - definitely my favourite roast beef Sunday lunch. The burgers...

If you’re going to reopen after not do it properly? Had to order outside at the kiosk in the pouring rain then wait for drinks...in paper cups! Had a seat inside, stuff all over, no atmosphere. The food was nice I have to say but...

A great selection of great local produce in the shop and great Covid safe measures in place. Food was very limited at the time of our visit but the coffee and sausage roll were great. We always call in when passing.

We have started relying on Cross Lanes for groceries and takeaways every now and then as treats during the pandemic. Everything is always of the highest quality. Had takeaway Sunday lunch again last week - absolutely delicious! Generous portions and cooked to perfection so the...

We love Cross Lanes and cannot fault how the staff have responded during the pandemic. They are always very friendly and well-organised. We have ordered takeaway Sunday lunch for four every fortnight for months now and the meals are consistently excellent. For organic food, especially...

Have to say the quality of the meat is outstanding, we have gone there last 2 years for our boxing day rib of beef, and the meat is great. Just order in plenty of time as its hung as it should be

We have been going here every week since lockdown for our groceries. Forget the big shops it’s the small local businesses that have gone out of their way to support people. Make sure you support your local business and order your Christmas food from here...

Menu looked great - too bad we left before sampling it. Was shown to a table and told “someone will be over to take your order shortly.” 15 minutes later and nothing. Totally ignored. So we just walked. I’m not sure if any of the...

Staff always very pleasant and helpful - feel safe outside with aged mother - perf3ct coffee and gluten free

Stopped for lunch and ordered the wood fired pizzas for lunch. Pizzas arr large plenty of topping and nor swimming in tomato paste. Would have been 5 stars apart from I asked for mine without pesto, when one was served I was told the chef...

Last weekend, Sunday Brunch, Sausage and bacon butties, the best coffee as always, it had been raining but we were lucky and it held off whilst we were there and we sat in the outdoor servery as always this summer. It was great, delicious high...

Excellent Outdoor Option for those not wanting the stress of restaurants and pubs. We were a party of 4 adults and 3 kids who thoroughly enjoyed the food. Portions were generous and salads delicious. We had pizza, haddock and kofta and all were devoured. Service...

We have been coming to Cross Lanes since lockdown for our weekly Grab and Go shopping order. Debs and Hannah are the loveliest people. We will now continue to get our groceries from Cross Lanes as we would have been lost without them and they have supported us during difficult times. The food here is amazing. How food should taste! Support your local business as they truly do deserve it. And congratulations on the Trip Advisor certificate of excellence well deserved The sustainability ethics of Cross Lanes has to be admired. Well done all.

I appreciate it is difficult times. Food and drinks good nice being able to sit outside however their idea of a toilet lets the establishment down. We have stopped there on several occasions and know that there are decent toilets within the building. The new toilet outside is one to avoid at all costs. So disappointing but no way will we stop there again while the outside toilet is in use.

Lovely farm shop here which is definitely worth stopping at to pick up some fresh food or gifts for relatives back home.

Deb and the team have worked tirelessley to keep this place going through lockdown, the farm shop has delivered, and done Grab and Go, offered takeaway meals, grab and go coffees ,,, and now finally the outdoor servery is givng loyal customers and new customers a chance to experience a little bit of what we all love about Cross Lanes, the excellent food to eat on site served by the excellent friendly team with their smiley eyes, showing us all that they love to see people enjoying their wonderful produce and meals, and they are smiling behind the masks. Lovely hot bacon and egg butties on their homebaked brown granary buns, with hot lovely lattes, sat out in the sunshine, enjoyed a bit of chat, loved to see the staff busy, watched a massive queue form midday, just in time for their lovely lunches.~THANK you to all the team at Cross Lanes for a safe outdoor eating experience, HIGHLY RECOMMEND, TREAT yourself, get out to CROSS LANES. Next time we are going for PIZZA . See you soon everyone

Admittedly I am a regular at Cross Lanes during normal circumstances but their efforts to both survive and help the local community throughout this Covid19 situation have been admirable. The grab and go service was and still is so efficient and how many places have a hot water hand-wash facility in the middle of the car park.The range of products has diversified of late and is much better.On the take out facility, the meals are delicious and good value.Weather permitting the outside servery is really quite cool, being made from recycled materials and built to a very high standard.Loads of outside seating is available and the staff are amazingly friendly. Well worth a visit if you're passing or just fancy a trip out.We should look after the businesses who've strived to look after us during this dreadful pandemic.If Dominic Cummings' eyesight had been good enough to travel the extra 1.5 miles he would have been well impressed.

Cross Lanes have been amazing during the COVID19 pandemic. They have gone above and beyond to source produce and their Grab and Go service is brilliant. We order on a Sunday evening and collect the following week. Their produce is excellent and once this is over we will continue to support them as they have done for us during this difficult time. . Well done to all the staff you are fab!

Visited the cafe for lunch and it was fabulous. The staff were friendly and attentive, the Wood fired Italian Pizza was delicous, my friend had the home baked ham, egg and chips again equally delicous, everything cooked to order and excellent quality. The farm shop is full of delights, the organic wines, a great range of cheeses, the frozen vegetable curry is wonderful, fresh vegetables good butchery, eco friendly products - fantastic Farm shop.It is well worth a visit you wont be disappointed.

My husband and I regularly travel across the A66 on the way to Scotland. We have been disappointed recently with our regular stop-over cafe, so decided to try this after reading the reviews. Really lovely, eco friendly place. Staff very friendly and helpful and excellent fresh food. Not cheap, but worth it. Good specials menu and quality farm shop.

Called for a bit of tea/ snack after a day out walking ... fantastic coffees as always to warm us up. Then sampled their Roast Tomato and cheddar soup ... lush ... who would have guessed that would be so tasty and a perfect partner to the local yorkshire ham sandwich in homemade granary, also bacon and egg sandwich for the hubby, mountains of tasty bacon in a bap, fantastic. Had to try and squeeze in something sweet, sampled the walnut slice. very good and took home blueberry and lemon slice, fabulous :) Highly recommend.

Called in passing! Place lacked a bit of atmosphere, was full of mainly oldies and had the ambiance of a morgue! This feeling was cemented by the unenthusiastic attitude of our server who looked uninterested and pretty miserable. The tables were dirty, when they did get wiped the crumbs etc were simply wiped onto the chairs and floor. The food was good even though the chilli was a little, well - chilly. The accompanying salad was the star of the show. On the strength of the cleanliness or lack of it and the unenthusiastic staff we wouldn’t bother to go again.

Never disappointed, beautiful, so tasty. We had one in, with salad and oven baked flatbread. Then took a frozen one home for another time. Yummy, yummy

A regular stop for me now. A farm shop that actually uses its best quality ingredients in the kitchen. Well cooked , particularly recommend the pizza baked in the custom oven. Also the full English breakfast is hard to beat anywhere.

As always a very warm friendly welcome from the team at Cross Lanes, just what was needed on a cold winter day . Fantastic coffee and the biggest tastiest bacon and sausage sandwich in homemade granary bread ever. Thank you, we’ll see you again soon.

While on a family visit to Barnard Castle we called into Cross Lanes for lunch Everyone had a fabulous meal with really generous portions and the staff are really friendly

We visit here quite often as the food is excellent and the shop is fantastic! So we booked Christmas Eve brunch and it was absolutely lovely. The staff are so pleasant and it was so well organised. We also ordered our food for Christmas Day and collected it whilst we were there and I can honestly say it was the best Christmas lunch we have ever had. Quality of the meat and vegetables are superb. Highly recommend