Force Walkers Cafe & Terrace, Ambleside in South Lakeland

This place is amazing!! Amazing atmosphere, amazing views and amazing staff! The menu is small but the choice is fantastic! The food never disappoints and would recommend everybody to visit when in Ambleside. If you struggle to walk there is a car park next to the cafe so no one need miss out. Our order got misplaced but the staff soon realised and offered complimentary coffee so was no bother at all we could enjoy our coffee whilst we waited for our lunch. Thank you for a great lunch and we shall see you again.

Wow! What a view. And the food is tremendous. Not to mention a wide range of delicious drinks. Top that with ultra dog friendly (allowed indoors and outdoors) and great service. Service was also super. Hard to fault (except for the tiny water glasses 🤣) Great place and highly recommend!!!

Was really looking forward to visiting here for our annual Lake District visit after following on Facebook and seeing all the lovely food & views. Unfortunately just as we got there the kitchen stopped doing food due to being at full capacity so we decided on just some drinks & cake - order taken all good - sat there for 45 minutes- no drink came or cake - then 1 cake came out (there were 8 of us) cake sat there whilst waiting for the rest - another 10 mins past no cake or drinks - enquired 3 times where our drink & cakes were nothing came out - we kept being told we were next but still nothing came - at this point we decided to leave. It was such shame.

Force ……..we popped in for drinks one afternoon and then for a spot of brunch before we left the Lake District for home. Both times the service was excellent, so genuine and friendly. We both opted for avocado on sourdough, topped with poached egg and a smattering of seeds, it was excellent, really generous portion and super tasty, set us up perfectly for the long drive home. The views from the outside terrace are superb, we were so lucky with the weather for our week away at the end of October. Great service, fabulous food and excellent view. The Force is a place to be reckoned with. Highly recommend a visit.

Waited over an hour for our drinks and cakes (kitchen was too busy for cooked food). When we asked how much longer they would be, we got a fairly snarky response from the chap we asked. All appeared to be pretty chaotic and very much lacking customer service. Shame as it’s a lovely location and the cakes that remained behind the counter looked good. Ended up leaving without anything.

This is a perfect stop after walking from Ambleside to Stock Ghyll Waterfalls. The food was very good (we had Carrot Cake and a Salted Caramel Brownie) and the view from the Terrace was absolutely stunning. Plenty of tables to choose from and we noticed that as other visitors arrived and had been seated they all got up to look at the view!

A short steep walk, but worth it. This place has great views, it is spacious with a balcony area. The food was good, and staff very pleasant. We will make a point of visiting again.

I don’t normally write reviews but in the instance felt it was important to do so. We stopped for lunch, it was outstanding, so delicious. The staff were amazing, especially the young lady who served us, she was so professional, kind and attentive with very pretty nails ( I hope she reads this review). We are delighted that the cafe supports local suppliers, we must support British business. We couldn’t manage cakes but the staff packaged some delights for us to take away for later.. we will be back and we will tell our friends👏

My boyfriend and I visited here after visiting the waterfall and we had an amazing meal with a really pretty view! The service was really efficient and the staff members were very friendly. I got the eggs Benedict which was presented so nicely and tasted incredible! My boyfriend got the chicken rice bowl and he said that was very nice too! We sat outside and had a good view and the inside of the cafe is very modern and clean. Even though we didn’t get one, the cakes looked amazing! I would say it is a bit on the expensive side, £40 for 2 small-ish lunches with 2 soft drinks, it is a bit steep for lunch but the view and quality of the meals made it worth it for us.

We have only been for breakfast so far. We had full breakfast and scrambled with bacon. Produce was excellent, service was fabulous. Cappuccino a little milky for my taste, but was still a very good coffee. Views to die for, an any weather venue.

This cafe has the most amazing views. It is a challenging walk but worth it once you’re at the top. The staff were lovely but the service was quite slow even though it wasn’t that busy. The drinks were nice and my husband loved his lamb hot pot. I had the jerk chicken bowl and it was really tasty but it definitely needed more chicken. It was £18 but only had a tiny chicken leg and thigh so just a few mouthfuls of meat but really good portions of the sides - this meant I really quickly ran out of chicken to eat with them. I would return but I think I would try going for breakfast next time as the pictures of the breakfast options look amazing.

Food was lovely! That's where it ends! Staff ignorant tried for 15 minutes on and off to get attention, food eventually arrived after 35 minutes ( it was not busy). Markets itself as a walkers cafe but all the food was restaurant prices, not sure if we would go again as a family of 4 popping in on a walk, cost me as much as an evening meal out, disappointed with pricing - but then the view is great!

Fantastic Cafe with Amazing Views, Excellent Staff and Mouth Watering Food! Just pay these guys a visit in your in the area you won’t be disappointed!

Excellent spot and a refreshing place to rest post hike. I ordered a mocha and sat on the terrace. The staff were very friendly and made me feel very much at home - could have stayed for hours!

Was greeted with a beautiful smile and kindness of Susan who made us great ease. My wife is scared of dogs but somehow Susan was able to help my wife and we had a great time. The most amazing views, lovely service, great food. Will keep coming back for years to come.

Great start but went down hill .welcoming staff , great view but cakes were disappointing and cheese scones were sweet with cheese on top a strange combination. Food came in flurry’s and had to ask for 3 main parts of order which arrived 20 mins after we had finished our coffee . I believe we had been forgotten as it was not busy. Could have been perfect like the view but unfortunately it wasn’t.

Super friendly, attentive service. Excellent food with very high quality ingredients. As good as the food and service are, they're elevated by the views out the window. On the pricer side, but worth the money.

We called in here for lunch as a family of four with two dogs. We had an absolutely delicious lunch, amazing service and fabulous views. We can’t wait to come back!

Visited over the weekend. Very busy place so felt really lucky that table of 6 was available for me and my friends. We also had children with us and I found the waiting staff extremely accommodating. Food was absolutely outstanding! We had a pleasure of meeting the Head Chef Dexton who came out of the kitchen to check with us and to have a little chat. He told us about the dishes and we couldn’t believe how dedicated and knowledgeable he was when we asked about the cafe. He is a real treasure to that place. What an amazing experience! Felt like a vip 😎 We will definitely be back in no time !

Brilliant fresh food, great staff, presentation of the food superb . Fantastic location. Can’t fault them. Great place for walkers . Best hot chocolate ever ❤️

Incredible food and wonderful friendly service. Had the bao buns they were filling and delicious. The avocado toast was beautifully presented with perfectly balanced flavours. I’ll be recommending the force cafe to as many folks as I can as it’s well worth a visit.

I would like to comment on the quality of the food but we didn't manage to get that far. After we were seated a waitress took our order after 5 minutes then we just got forgotten about. 45 minutes went by without drinks or food being brought over which at this point our 18 month old was getting very restless. We then went to the counter to ask the same waitress who had taken our order why we haven't even had drinks yet and she couldn't even remember taking our order and had lost the ticket. We didn't get an apology off any of the staff and the woman who had taken our order couldn't of cared less. Will not be coming back again and would recommend everyone stays clear of this place.

Oh my goodness we love this place! Found it be accident on a damp, dismal day and we were instantly cheered up. Firstly the building is absolutely beautiful, we felt like we'd been transported to some gorgeous Scandi set. We had coffee and cake to start, the weather got worse so we stayed and had tea and brunch. The food is fabulous and the staff are great. What's not to like other than I'd like to own and live there!

We have visited the Cafe for breakfast today and it was the yummiest breakfast in the area. The service discrit and attentive, even a Chef came out to check on the breakfast. Do not hesitate visit and try yourself.

Visited twice in the last couple of weeks and on both occasions I was impressed. Firstly, this is an incredible space, well designed, with a stunning terrace and buzzing atmosphere. Food was excellent- the vegetarian curry option in particular was memorable. Staff are friendly and efficient, food options are modern and inventive, drinks are well chosen. A fantastic addition to Ambleside’s casual dining scene and up there with just about anywhere else in the Lakes.

Excellent service and fantastic customer service.Staff very approachable.Would recommended that you go off the main road and pay a visit to this lovely place and see lake windamere from this great location.

My partner & I popped in last week whilst the snow was still on the ground as part of an afternoon wander up Wansfell Pike. We had lunch and a hot drink each. The rarebits were divine, but you didn't get a great deal for your money, mine was in all honesty, a very tasty snack when something a bit more filling would have been preferable. I tend to gauge places on the price of the coffee & cake. A Latte at 3.75 was definitely the top end of what I'd be prepared to pay but a slice of cake at £4.95! No guys - NO! The cafe is good, but its a place for passing visitors not local people on local wages.

Lovely environmentally conscious cafe with a nice atmosphere, in a beautiful location. Friendly and attentive staff, wonderful food and a great choice of drinks.

Fantstic food, fantastic staff. Just a lovely atmosphere. Go quite regularly for breakfast..just the best!

The best service, friendly, efficient, nothing was too much trouble. We dropped in on New Year’s Eve, it was busy with a lovely homely feel. The food and service is amazing. It was too wet to sit outside so we will be back because we know the views will be amazing. Wishing the staff all the very best for 2024, thanks for having us

We walked up from the centre, despite ample parking up the top. Worth the walk up to build a little appetite as the portions were decent. The atmosphere was welcoming on entrance, greeted with a smile. Table service, with a good choice of brunch or...

Great place to go right after the hike to the wandsfell pike. They are very friendly, tried the vegetarian curry just for a change. Although different from back home, I think it’s a good attempt at it. But great atmosphere and views! Also there is...

A great find. Amazing location even in the rain, lovely staff, great coffee, breakfast and early lunch. We all loved it and felt welcome including the dog - will definitely be back. If I could give them six stars I would! It's not a difficult...

We visited this place twice on our trip. Once for drinks and the 2nd time for brunch. We lucked out on the weather and sat outside in the sun with gorgeous views. Highly recommend the dark chocolate and orange hot chocolate! Breakfasts were gorgeous and...

We had spent the day hill walking and returned to Ambleside earlier than anticipated so decided to walk up to see Stockghyll Force (which is also recommended). On the road back down to town we came across Force and decided to have tea. The welcome...

We arrived at the cafe with our dog, all three of us were soaked to the skin. The staff were very welcoming. As it was very mild, We sat outside in the large covered area. I had the toffee and apple cake. This was simply...

Suberb, freshly cooked food. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming. Well worth a visit and the walk up the hill!

This is a hidden gem just above stockghyll force and the view from the terrace is breath-taking. The Tempora cauliflower flatbread was equally breath-taking. The combination of the flavours complimented each other perfectly. The service was prompt. I highly recommend the walk to the waterfall...

Absolutely cracking visit, food was top quality and amazing establishment. Off the beaten track so less busy than the town centre. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Brilliant little cafe, we stumbled upon, on our way down from Wansfell. Great coffees & more in great setting, with a terrace overlooking Ambleside. Would love to return for food at some point! 😊😋

Stopped for lunch mid-walk as it's somewhere we've wanted to try since the cafe opened. The building itself has been beautifully and sympathetically restored. The cafe team are really lovely and sparky, good menu and the food was tasty....also a couple of proseccos for our...

Spectacular views and food! Very efficient and friendly service too! I’m gluten free and, rather than charging me more for less food as many cafes do, I got more!! Lovely 🥰

We shared the spicy calilflower flatbread and the chicken soft taco shells with a sides of chips and sweet potatos fries. Both were more on the sweet side but really flavourful, well cooked, and decent portions. We ended up giving some fries to the dogs....

What an amazing venue for Sunday breakfast. The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. They very willingly altered the veggie breakfast to accommodate our vegan diets and it tasted amazing! Would definitely recommend and visit again.

Great location so cafe should be good. It’s right on a popular walking route between Ambleside and Troutbeck and just next to popular waterfalls. The vegan ice cream was inedible and ended up in the bin and there was no friendly service. Only checked it...

Very impressed. Excellent value, great food, good service and a fantastic location. Could not fault it, probably the best toastie I have ever had! One suggestion would be to offer a cheaper single burger version of the house burger as well as the giant double...

We happened upon this little gem by accident, lucky us! Menu is tight but something for everyone and all freshly cooked so don't be in a rush (why would you be when on holiday? 😉) A warm welcome for you and dogs, space to hang...

Incredible service and hospitality! Well worth the short walk. Staff super friendly and the food was incredible. Why queue in Ambleside for a cafe when you can venture up to this cafe with incredible views!? The hand soap in the bathroom was a favourite amongst...

Worth the walk even on a rainy day. Fantastic food, service and beautiful views. We’ll be back.

The cafe is amazing. The soup was outstanding and felt like a much more high end meal than the price suggested. The staff were all brilliant - super polite and friendly; they were also really attentive and food came quickly. The cakes were delicious (would...

Great cafe. Good coffee and really tasty scone with jam / cream. Kids had ice cream and lemon meringue pie - looked good but they didn’t let me taste it. Inside of the cafe has been done really tastefully. It was chucking down with rain...

Love this place - great food, fantastic views and excellent staff. Keep up the good work. Love that it is dog friendly too - I’ll definitely be back.

Spotted this on the way up the lane to Wansfell so thought we'd give it a go. The place is fabulous - spacious, modern and delightful. Views to to Loughrigg and across Ambleside from the terrace are amazing. Had cakes and drinks - coffee was...

We really wanted to like this place but it’s struggling with basic problems. At the weekend we arrived … waited in a very short queue to then be pointed to a table in the far corner. The sliding door was open and it was cold...

After walking up to see the waterfalls we found this amazing cafe. Great views, food and service. Definitely recommend.

Great place to meet a colleague and get a quality cup of coffee. Friendly staff, super location, and I enjoyed the beautiful walk to get there.

What a beautiful spot. The views from the terrace are magnificent (even in the rain) - great food, friendly service and all in a super cool setting - the renovation of the building is a proper gift to the town

Third visit and hoping for improvement! A lot of the early teething problems have been addressed but some have not, my husband was annoyed that tables were not being cleared, our empty plates were left and left and left ! Come on, the staff went...

We visited on a beautiful sunny day & it was gorgeous. The views are amazing & its beautifully decorated. We were able to sit outside & they seem to have quite a lot of seating. We had the burger which was amazing. Other people have...

Lovely view, but some simple and essential elements missing Firstly - the good bits, the decor is lovely, clean and modern, with great views over Ambleside and down to Lake Windermere Now the bits that they need to focus on. The menu is ok, but...

Le me start by saying this is a new business and we will go back. It's been tastefully fitted out with amazing views. Well worth the walk up the hill out of Ambleside. However....some real basics that need addressing... loo paper in the toilets (which...