Eclec Cafe in South Lakeland

Once you get past the dumping ground at the rear entrance into the cafe the interior is very nice. The cafe was not too busy but we had to wait quite a while for our drinks to arrive and then a further wait for our food which was ok, but nothing special.

I went on Saturday for my usual cuppa, they have assam loose leaf tea , that I like. Had new heating installed so fairly snug in the large room at the rear. Some of the chairs could do with replacing, but so could my knees. The tables and chairs are 'quirky', no McDonalds hard plastic here. Pop in, great value and much to mooch around at.

The most wonderful venue for live music during the folk festival. We visited while the Old time music session was on. The rooms at the back were perfect for enough peopke to watch or join in, the atmosphere was friendly and the staff were kind and helpful. The cake was delicious! I hope they will be able to host more similar events soon

Love to call in this eating house on our way to the Lakes. Good wholesome food from the Aga ( we have one) Very friendly chef doing what she does best.

My goodness me, just returned from lunch here (needed to to repair a puncture in Wheelbase - also excellent customer service) and the Mill Yard was incredibly busy so we tried this café instead of our normal lunch venue. I simply can’t believe this place wasn’t busier and it certainly deserves to be. Now I will never go elsewhere when in Staveley- the staff were friendly knowledgeable and accommodating the lunch delicious (quiche straight from the oven). Full tummies but couldn’t resist temptation so brought home cakes and scones all of which are near perfection. Well done - I am in the business myself I recognise the effort put in and usually I’m terribly difficult to please - but you more than managed it! First rate and excellent value for money. See you again wonderfully soon!

Lovely little find . Very friendly owner . Relaxing breakfast , great food . Lots of space and clean tables . Obviously following Covid guide lines . Will return

Sat outside in the sunshine , what a wonderful find ! Had the frittata and a lovely cup of tea , staff wonderful , food fantastic . This place just has a great feel to it . The cakes looked sooooo tempting , but i managed to resist !

We found this place by accident and it was a great find! Cauliflower and almond soup with cheesy scone was delicious and the service was second to none - all the current hygiene rules regarding COVID were followed to the letter. Unfortunately a local man, seemingly known to the staff, came in as we were due to leave and he threw all caution to the wind - he threw his coat on the countertop, reached over to select his own tomatoes from behind the screen, stood in the carefully sectioned off space and DIDN’T wear a mask whilst he was chatting to the staff who looked increasingly uncomfortable. If this man was in any way involved in the running of this cafe, then he should take a long look at the COVID rules which are very clearly and sensibly displayed on the cafe wall. This in no way reflects on the attitude of the staff and the quality of the food and service, which was exemplary. I would definitely give this cafe 5 stars except for this unfortunate observation.

This was our second visit to Eclec cafe, the first since the lockdown had been lifted. We were hungry after our trip North and requiring breakfast. The cafe is also the Stavely Antique centre, so just walk through the antiques at the front of the shop which have been rearranged for social distancing purposes. They looked fascinating, but we were hungry! There was an enticing aroma of baking and a warm welcome from the owner and cook. The cook spent quite a while with me discussing food options as I'm vegetarian, gluten and dairy free. I settled on a mushroom, spinach and fresh herb omelette with freshly prepared salad with an oat milk latte. My husband ordered a full breakfast and tea. The dogs were welcomed by the owner and given fresh water and a biscuit. It turns out that the owner is a fell walker and has lived locally for many years. He was very helpful with his local knowledge of beauty spots for gentle strolls which we were looking for as one of our border collies is quite elderly. The food and drinks arrived steaming hot, looked appetizing and were very tasty! We finished our meal with Gluten and dairy free almond cakes and cheese scones with Jam. Our meals were excellent value for money too. Once back at our Campervan we chatted to a sprightly elderly lady in her 90's who was delighted to hear that Eclec cafe was open again. Lovely that it is also a friendly community cafe too!

We were looking for something quick on the road and came across this place (with some work going on outside!) Glad we went in - got two breakfast sandwiches and teas to go and they were delicious - made with nice local ingredients. Very friendly owner (and very nice cat).

Popped in today for a quick bite to eat and a coffee. Husband had the mushroom soup and I had the rarebit. Both were absolutely delicious! We will be back very soon! Highly recommended! 😊

We had lunch here during the folk weekend. It was fairly busy, but service was good, friendly and efficient. We had the cauliflower and almond soup with a cheese scone and it was delicious. The scone was one of the tastiest I have had.

A rather fun place - a cross between a curiosity shop and a cafe. The staff are most welcoming and considerate. we had just walked from Bowness and were in real need of sustenance. Coffee was good and the meals tasty and substantial. I had the Aga cooked Camembert with honey topping and my wife enjoyed the quiche and salad. Thank you all.

lovely little cafe in Staveley with a French vibe. Fantastic lentil Dahl, cheese scones, soup and cakes. Just around the corner from Staveley Mill Yard, so make a detour and try the Dahl!

Following recommendations we went for coffee and cakes with my husband. There is a kind of antiques shop as you enter and then you can see the cafe at the back. It was 15:30 when we arrived and there were not many cakes left. The cakes we tried we ok and the coffee was nice. However, there were a lot of boxes & stuff by the back door which it makes the place look very untidy. It didn’t make us feel that the place was clean so not sure I would be back.

Called here yesterday en route to Windermere. The café is at the back, after passing through the front shop, and goes back a long way. More of a tardis than a tearoom! Great coffee, great tea, great cake. Say no more!

Called into Staveley to see if we could find a café. This is a very unusual place as it is at the back of an antique shop. The propietor was very accommodating.

La comida es realmente encantadora aquí. Hemos probado muchas cosas en el menú e incluso más pasteles del mostrador, ¡pero el Dahl es realmente brillante!Servido con pan Naan, Chutney de Mango y Crema Agria es la perfección en un plato. ¡Lo único decepcionante es que si llegas después de que todo se haya ido!

Tucked away behind an antique shop is this delightful cafe serving all homemade food. Well worth a visit if you're in the Lake District.

Came in after a soggy walk. Hard to choose from the tasty sounding lunch menu. We all enjoyed our meals - the cheese scones, soup and dhal were especially delicious.

Good coffee, best soup for a long time. Vegetable broth with proper ham and not liquidised. It has a spacious interior with large tables. So glad we tried this cafe.

Really rather lovely space. Sat in courtyard with Alfie and enjoyed a large strong flat white and Alfie half a bag of crisps. Food looked lovely and will try the daal next time.

This is by far the best cafe in Staveley, both in terms of service and brilliant home-cooked food. Yes, the shop area is a little tired - but the clue is in the name ‘Cafe Eclec’. Try the Dahl - simply delicious and the cakes are divine.

It doesn't seem a year ago since we last visited Café Eclec as part of the Folk Festival but this year we managed to do it twice for lunch on consecutive days!

Just visited , once again.Good food , good prices and very welcoming staff. Well done John, great transformation and thanks for having REAL tea.

Good food cooked by Aga and good coffee. Varying menu. Friendly staff. On the main street. Well worth looking for.

Eclec is like a tardis, it looks just a small place from outside but goes back for ever when you get inside. Comfy, friendly service and lovely home cooked food. Not cheap but well worth it.

After a lot of great Recommendations decided to try here. £7.+ for a small goats cheese tart that came with a spoon full of coleslaw and tiny bit of lettuce Tom and cucumber. Went on to beetham nurseries for a cake and the same goats cheese tart was £2.50. #feeling ripped off#

There were 21 of us. We preordered in advance. When we arrived the staff were ready for us. Big pots of tea soon arrived and not long after the meals were delivered to our tables. We all were served very quickly, so the group were able to enjoy the fabulous food at the same time. The service was cheerful, the menu was varied and interesting. Several of us enjoyed the Dahl with warm naan bread, yoghurt and chutney. The setting was as eclectic as the name implies. This is Staveley 's hidden gem!

Just called in today with 5 other cyclists; I had the homemade Pumpkin Soup, very tasty and filling. A couple had the Dahl special which looked really good too and they confirmed this. Also so saw some stocking fillers from the shop so will have to return soon. Nice buzz in the place with the owners cooking to order and the aromatic smells filling the air. Well done guys.

After walking out of the queue at Wilf's (terrible staff attitude - see my review for them), we had lunch here instead. Good choice. Lovely service and the food was delicious - veggie dhal and baked Camembert. Would come back for those.

Went to Café Eclec for lunch on Saturday as we were visiting the Lakes Folk Festival. We have been here quite a few times before and it has always been very good. In the past I have always wanted to try their homemade Dhal but each time I asked it had sold out. This time I was lucky and I now know why it sells out so quickly. It was Superb!

Really enjoyed the food and service and the value for money was great. Staff very pleasant and friendly we really enjoyed it

Ir a través de la ecléctica tienda de antigüedades y se llega a la zona de negocios de la cafetería, completo con quemador eclec aga y horno. La cafetería está decorada de tal manera que podría ser una continuación de la tienda de antigüedades (cuántos cafés has estado en donde se considere hacer una oferta para una mesa y sillas, yo creo que es aquí que se podría negociar una compra).

Friendly. Home cooked scones on their Aga. Generous portions. It's inside an antique shop. Would definitely go again.

Lovely home cooked food...but service is a bit slow if there's a group of you. Make sure you have the right change too.

De camino a Cumbria Reto parado para un rápido aperitivo y de una cafetería muy sorprendente poco tenía probablemente la mejor bocadillo tostado nunca, es un fantástico lugar para parar!

Esta es una pequeña joya. Tienda de Té agradable que venden bocadillos caseros sabrosa y almuerzos. Probar la especialidad de Dahl, o los pasteles de almendra. Todo cocinado en la aga. Navegar entre las curiosidades y antigüedades. Tomar un café en el sofá junto a la chimenea.

Don't be fooled by the bric a brac shop - head towards the open fire and the kitchen and do have something to eat too.Have visited 4-5 times over last year or two - the veggie dhal curry (£7) is highly recommended for everyone as are the scones and cakes.Avoid the obvious/boring choices in the mill yard, and support this quirky original. The food and atmosphere is ten times better here.

Booked in advance for a large group for a light lunch. Friendly, helpful, good food, catering for well for all of us.

My what an unusual cafe! Served drinks, meals, cakes etcBut was also 'an Aladins cave' of antiques of all kinds and unusual items.

We stopped here for tea and cake. A good choice of freshly baked cakes including gluten free. An interesting cafe to sit in and admire all the interesting bits and pieces for sale.

We decided to have breakfast at Eclec based on the recommendation of the owner of the place we rented. it was a great recommendation. The café is hidden inside an antique store. It is a very cute little café and the owner is great. We spent quite a bit of time there just soaking in the atmosphere and enjoying great food. The owner was great. She used an antique stove to cook her food and the whole look and feel of the place was very homey.

We stopped for a quick coffee while exploring the village. The sign outside definitely indicated a cafe, but venturing inside, it looked more like a furniture storage facility. The cafe is tucked away behind a very eclectic shop selling all kinds of everything.The cafe is homely; baked potatoes and scones cooked on the AGA. Food is freshly prepared in full view - always a good sign. The coffee was rather harsh and bitter, but drinkable.

This delightful cafe-cum-antique shop is set on the main street, in the pretty village of Staveley, halfway between Windermere and Kendal. The cafe section serves delicious, wholesome fayre, whilst, to the front, there is a delightful antique and home decoration business, selling quality goods, including beds, lighting, glassware and and array of quality Arts & Crafts metalware. The prices are by no means cheap, but you do get what you pay for.

A delicious bowl of happiness to be had here in this friendly village cafe. The homemade dhal was absolutely lovely, served with naan bread, yoghurt and chutney. The baking all looked splendid too.

Strolling through Staveley looking for something to eat, dropped into Eclec Cafe. Pleasant, unusual setting, clue in the name. We order sandwiches which were freshly made to order and served with a beautiful tasty side salad. This was followed with a delicious homemade lemon cake, Heavenly, would recommend to friends and will go there again.

I have been going here since it opened and its like going into a friends cosy warm home along with vintage Aga. Once you have found your way through the often cluttered and untidy antique/bric a brac its another world.I'm fussy about my coffee and rarely does it arrive just right, but here I need never worry, its always good. The Dahl is delicious too.

This cafe is entered via Staveley Antiques, a fascinating collection of mainly Victoriana, screens coal buckets, lamps, paintings and a great emphasis on bedsteads. The cafe is open to the kitchen making for a family atmosphere. You see your meal going in or on the Aga. There is a great variety of sandwiches but we had their signature dish. A bowl of dahl fulll of vegetables and topped with yoghurt and mango chutney. Mild curry taste and very satisfying. If you wait for a while after this you may find room for one of their home-made cakes, big decorated sponges and smaller almond cakes and biscuits. Open form 9am to 5pm. Breakfasts up to 11am

Wonderfully strong coffee. Thoroughly enjoyed my scone and butter. Was torn between that and super looking gingerbread. Will go again next time we're in Staveley.

First impressions are confusing as you find yourself surrounded by antique furniture and my friend and I were uncertain if the table at the front was to sit at or simply for sale. Slight confusion aside, we enjoyed a very pleasant mid-afternoon light lunch here at the end of a walk in the hills. We both had sandwiches prepared fresh to order and found the quality of the produce and the experience overall really good. The staff were friendly and the prices were reasonable. We didn't purchase an antique but there is always next time. Recommended!

we eat there quite regularly. The dhal soup is absolutely outstanding (a must!). Cakes are all home made and of the highest quality. The service is friendly yet professional. One of the best cafes in the Lake District and a highly recommended stopover: well worth a detour.

Having frequenting Wilfs at Staveley for some years we have been trying Eclec cafe. Set in an old antique shop, with items still for sale all around, the place is quirky, and all the better for that.We tried the dal. Although lacking the usual lentil base, in my view, it was very tasty. Topped with mango sauce and with lots of Naan bread. Just what you want at lunchtime when you're looking for a bit more than a sandwich.

What a a amazing place. Enjoyed great coffee amazing service and delicious food. The setting is unique hidden within an antique shop and Rebecca is the best host. Great prices. Don't miss out. Would give 50 stars if we could. Best place for lunch in Staveley

Went for a very pleasant lunch with my wife.I had a very enjoyable Panini - my wife had a lovely soup all whilst sitting in a lovely antique shop.Very friendly staff too

Nice friendly reception, despite being late. Good range of snacks and pastries and sone things cooked to order, (eggs). Nice that the tea comes with extra water and served in a pot. Good scones! Sandwiches and cakes also a good standard. This is an interesting place and th cafe extends and integrates with the antique shop.Nice staff, young and friendly

first visit to this quaint and very relaxing cafe.tasty homemade snacks, newspapers to read and a lovely no-rush laid back atmosphere. will go again soon.

Homemade dhal with chutney and naan hit the spot on a cold and wet saturday afternoon. good coffee. Interesting stuff to look at due to the location at the back of an antiques shop. Definitely worth a visit

This quaint little cafe is situated at the back of an antique shop in the Main Street. It is well worth searching out as our lunch was excellent.A good menu and specials board covers most tastes and all offer great value. My wife's baked Camembert with honey was served with a generous salad, two chutneys and eight pieces of toast - she declared it superb. Not being too hungry I had what can only be described as the perfect bacon sandwich, crisp,tasty bacon in delicious brown bread. With two cups of tea the bill was under £10. We never tried them but the cakes and scones also looked delicious.

A nice little café at the back of a sort of antique shop. The style is quite layed back, friendly and the food is cooked and served fully in view of the customers with an Aga stove as an attraction. We came a few times and had such things as toasted cheese (with salad), scrambled egg (this was a bit off though), soup with hot roll, Sweet potato Dhal with Naan, etc. sandwiches and various cakes. The price was quite reasonable and it was quite a different experience.

This lovely little tea room, at the back of the Antiques shop, is local to us so I wish it all the very best. It feels cottagey and homely but is actually light, bright and spacious with some local art on display and local products available to buy.It has a relatively small menu, which means it's all lovely and fresh and they offer specials which I hope will change regularly.We're not typically sandwich or cake eaters but the specials seem to offer something a bit different - there was a smoked mackerel pate and a lentil dhal on offer when we visited both of which were good, plus a range of Panini's which kept the plainer eaters in our group happy :)I have a feeing their autumn/winter soups will be good and we'll look forward to going back.

We were on our way home from a weekend in the Lakes, it was raining, it was Sunday, everywhere was shut and we had two hungry children under 3yrs, we needed a miracle. So we took a detour from Kendal to try and find somewhere for lunch and came across this fantastic hidden gem in Staveley. Hidden at the back of Staveley Antiques this little cafe offers the most amazing fresh cooked food, a fantastic array of tea (including de-caff for my wife) and cakes (try the Almondies!), and children's food that was devoured in minutes.The owners of the cafe and antique shop were friendly and very welcoming, even offering our toddler a cushion from the antique shop to sit on as he needed a little boost. I would easily recommend this place to everyone!

Popped in here on our way back to our holiday cottage on a rainy day in need of cake (to go with our tea at home). The cafe is situated at the back of an antiques shop which I would have loved to browse around (and will next time). The cafe itself is surprisingly large yet has a cosy, inviting feel. I was served by two very friendly ladies and faced with a wonderful array of homemade cakes in glass domed cake stands - very difficult to chose. However, I came away with some very generous slices of coffee and hazlenut cake, orange and cardamom cake and a chocolate brownie. Well, all of the cakes were beautifully light and totally delicious. The orange and cardamom was a great flavour combination, not overpowering. The brownie was as a brownie should be - chocolatey and squidgy in the middle. The coffee cake? Well, the best coffee cake I've ever had! Very light and moreish - and not over sweet like some coffee cakes can be. A great little find - highly recommended!

Visited this little cafe today as our usual spot Wilfs was very busy with a cycling event. So glad we came across another gem. DELICIOUS homemade soup and lovely surroudings. Cakes looked divine. Very reasonably priced menu. We will be back!

I think this cafe could easily be passed by as although there were some signs outside it looks like a rather dark antiques shop. Don't be put off-the cafe at the back is bright and airy with ceiling windows. There was a good choice of fillings for paninis and toasted sandwiches, and a lovely lentil dhal. Everything is freshly made so service is slow but there was a good choice of magazines to browse and the tables and chairs are amongst more antiques. Staff were all very friendly and the cakes looked lovely. Well worth a visit if you're passing through.

We visited this lovely cafe whilst detouring on the Dalesway & are so glad we did. At first we weren't sure where it was as there's a bed/antique shop which you walk through to get to the cafe. The service was friendly. The tea & coffee was fine but the cakes.......heavenly! I had a slice of chocolate & sour cherry which was totally delicious. Really sorry we can't go back but would strongly reccomend.

Desperate for a coffee on a typically wet Lake District day whilst waiting for the Brewery Bar to open and passed this place then went back and got a warm welcome and a really good quality coffee. Much better than the big chains and the homemade cakes looked really really nice but sadly for me diabetes means look but dont touch!Nice place and would recommend if you are in the area, looks like the locals use it a lot and there can be no better recommendation than that.

We visited this lovely cafe on three occasions during our stay in Kentmere. So glad we spotted this place, hidden away at the rear of the antique shop. Tea, coffee, cakes and lunches were all excellent and reasonably priced. The two ladies that run the cafe are really friendly and welcoming and you feel you want to return to sample more of their delicious AGA cooked food! We will certainly call on them again. It is a great stopping off place for journeys to Windermere and beyond. I strongly recommend that you give it a try. You wont be disappointed!