House of Meg in Carlisle

What can I say? Absolutely brilliant tea room with Andi, the cake wizard being our host along with his wonderful, friendly team. Always a warm welcome whether it's for a decent coffee, a variety of teas, cold drinks and an assortment of alcoholic beverages, this is the place to go. The food is delicious, plenty of it, with a good choice on the menu, we've never been disappointed in all the years we've been going. Today though it was the Festive afternoon tea for me and my friend for her birthday treat. Four sandwich choices, all delicious and with loads of filling, pigs in blankets, absolutely fantastic orange and white chocolate scones, we've eaten many others over the years but these were top notch! Butter, jam and clotted cream to go with them. The delightful Katie's sweet mince pies very moreish, rocky road Christmas puddings and homemade gingerbread men. Christmas cake oh yum! The cake wizard excelled himself, mind you his cakes are super. The whole afternoon tea beautifully presented and Christmas crackers too. The food is so good I brought two afternoon tea's home for my family to have for their tea, beautifullypresentedin a box! Obviously without the drinks. It takes us an hour to drive to The House of Meg but it is always worth the drive. If you want quality food, friendly service and a beautiful old building to sit in this is the place to be. Thank you Andi and the Megs team, enjoy your Christmas and your well deserved break.

Absolutely amazing afternoon tea delivered and set up perfectly for us whilst staying at the Bushnook farmhouse. The service was fabulous and the food was delicious. Highly recommend. 😊

Visited Hadrians Wall. Stumbled upon this gem. Staff/owner welcoming and bakes the best Lemon Drizzle cake I have ever had. Worth a visit, spotless, heart of the community and awesome tea and cake. Enjoy!

What a gorgeous little place! Came here based on reviews and it didn't disappoint! So cute inside and the full breakfast was absolutely delicious!

So we took the kids on a long walk and promised half way a stop at the cafe for a drink. We arrived too later and just las the owner was locking the door, much to my kid’s disappointment , which would of entailed moaning for 2 miles back to the car. The very kind owner offered to open the tearoom to let us purchase drinks and a snack. Which saved the day. Very kind and fantastic customer service. Highly recommend this wee gem.

A lovely place to stop off for some food and drinks whilst walking Hadrian’s wall. There is a lot of benches to sit on outdoors, it is dog friendly and you can even ring up in advance to put your order in before you get there. We had some jacket potatoes and some chocolate snacks. It can get quite busy in peak times

Amazing find! We stopped with young children and had great drinks and perfect cakes. The scone with jam and cream was delicious, the cakes were bakes to perfection and really tasty, others were eating lunch and that looked perfect too. Lovely, friendly and welcoming - worth a stop (and on my list of places to return to!)

Great welcome, very friendly. Delicious paninis and salad, homemade coleslaw and delicious coffee. We will definitely be coming back, we don't live too far away, can't believe we haven't been in before.

Got a toastie and a couple of coffees, served quickly and efficiently by friendly staff. Lovely cozy feel to the place . Nice for a quick bite while travelling.

As a semi regular at house of Meg, I can’t reiterate enough how friendly and amiable the staff are. Andi’s cooking skills are exceptional and the cakes are just fantastic. I recommend them every day to customers at the place I work at, and they always let us know it’s a great recommendation. Prices reflect the exceptional quality food and are very reasonable indeed. The lemon drizzle cake is the best I’ve ever had. Seriously, can’t say this enough - try the lemon drizzle cake!

What a treat this was! Got in just before they closed, so I recommend checking the hours to make sure you don't miss out. We had tea with tray bakes, which were wonderful.,

After a walk along Hadrian’s wall we saw a map of the local amenities and decided to visit the tea room which was clearly labelled. So glad we did. The menu catered for a wide range of tastes, both savoury and sweet. The cakes were absolutely gorgeous. The staff very friendly and the service was quick. There were several outside covered areas where we could sit with the dog. The prices were very reasonable, lunch with cake and tea for two for under £20. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this lovely establishment and hope to visit again.

Lovely service in very pleasant surroundings as well as a great range of food make this an excellent spot to regroup on the Hadrian's Wall Walk. Highly recommended.

I had an enlightening time at the house of meg tearooms. The staff were all absolutely lovely especially Abbie Jean Barwick, she was exceeding kind and made me feel so welcome and at home. The food was delicious i would 100% recommend x

Arrived at 3.20 pm to be met by the owners(?) taking the rubbish out to the bins as they close at 3. However, I was offered a takeaway if that suited and indeed it did as I would have opted to sit outside and watch the world go by regardless. Gorgeous, moist, tangy lemon and blueberry cake as well as my coffee and change out of £5. Nice, friendly service and they made me feel that my custom was valued as opposed to being a nuisance and interfering with their closing routine. If you're walking Hadrian's Wall, its worth the very short detour to this cafe. They also function as a shop with a range of essential items. Having read other reviews I will make a point of checking when I am next over that their opening hours are still 10-3 (except Wednesday) and making a trip there for lunch.

We visited House of Meg tearoom when walking nearby with our 1 yr old daughter, the food was amazing the home made soup was absolutely delicious. The staff were very friendly and we really enjoyed the experience which can be quite challenging with a young...

Absolutely first class, amazing time had by all 😊 we booked the tea rooms after regular hours for our family birthday meet up and had the loveliest time, excellent hosting from Andi and mam, fantastic ambuiance nothing was too much bother for Andi.. (as always)...

Although the food looked great on our attempt to visit this is NOT a dog friendly cafe if the weather is bad. They have 1 table under cover in the garden but dogs are not allowed inside. We made a detour to visit on a...

Daughter was doing the coast to coast bike ride and we arranged to meet here for a break. The first thing I noticed was how clean the tea rooms are and the greeting was so welcoming. Our coffees and cake were brought to us outside...

Lovely place. I always like to go when I’m in the area. Food very good. And staff lovely too. Would recommend it.

Whilst walking Hadrian's Wall for charity, the heavens opened as we reached Gisland. House of Meg were about to close for the day but they let our group of walkers come in out of the rain to catch our breath and didn't mind us bringing...

Really enjoyed our lunch at Megs. Great choice with excellent friendly service. Well worth a stop off if you are in the area.

Amazing staff, food fantastic and the facilities are clean and well cared for. Toilets are fantastic.. Well done guys

We had a lovely afternoon tea here this week. Savouries, sandwiches, scones and cakes and unlimited tea and coffee. Delicious and we were well looked after. Exceptional value for money. Highly recommended 👌

Took the opportunity to visit twice while walking the wall. Great service with excellent coffee tea and snacks available Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and a favourite with villagers and. Ideal for a break destination for walkers and cyclists. Good value and great choice...

Stopped off while walking part of Hadrians wall for a test. Sat outside as it was a nice day. Nice service & amazing scones , lovely coffee too. We will definitely be back.

Excellent light lunches, with a good choice. Outside seating available. COVID precautions taken into account, and we felt very fast. Car parking nearby.

We were a group of 10 cyclists heading from The Scottish Borders back to Newcastle on Sunday 6th June. We’d earmarked Gilsland for a late lunch stop approximately 70 miles into the days ride. We got in touch with them a few days beforehand to...

We visited with some friends after a walk and the guy who served us was just so helpful, he was clearly busy and working very hard but still did everything he could to make us feel welcome and well catered for. The bacon butty and...

A lovely little cafe in the heart of Gilsland. We had some delightful sausage and bacon baps and a hot drink to warm up. Would recommend a slight detour from the HWP for hikers to recharge batteries. A great haven from the wet weather. They...

Lots of outdoor tables as well as indoor space. Simple menu but able to provide a gluten free filled roll for us. My toasted panini with brie, bacon and cranberry was excellent. Lovely, friendly service.

Friendly, welcoming, clean, with excellent coffee. A lovely pitstop on our hike. Tables inside and out and dogs welcome too.

Good little tearoom/shop in Gisland - good stop off if you are walking on Hadrian’s Wall path. Serves hot snacks and sandwiches etc. We had coffee and home-made blueberry and apple scones - perfect rest break. Plenty of seating outside in garden and front of shop. Friendly , helpful staff too.

Called in for a snack before going on a walk with our dogs. It was quite late on (2:30pm) and was still busy. They had run out of a few things but were very flexible and were able to put together 3 very delicious panini. The guy in charge was very friendly and helpful. We sat outside with the dogs and the food was brought out to us. This cafe is a little gem well worth a visit if you’re in the area. I look forward to my next visit.

We set off for a walk up to Crammel Linn Waterfall from Gilsland Village, but discovered it was currently closed due to vandalism ! We still enjoyed a lovely walk, beautiful views as you climb out of Gilsland towards Gilsland Spa.To our good fortune we came across House of Meg, & enjoyed a delicious homemade Cheese Scone (better than mine !) & a lovely Honeycombe Crispie Tray Bake washed down with a most enjoyable Latte !Friendly & helpful staff & lovely clean Toilet facilites. Social distancing recognised by customers & staff - we have found a little gem & will certainly call in again when we are in the area - Excellent !

A wonderful fathers day afternoon tea and the best scones I've ever had. Can't wait to come again! :)

We visited after a long walk to a Mile Castle with my 2 year old and my 4 month old.When we got there, one of the waitresses cuddled my fussy baby whilst I could eat my food. There were toys to occupy my toddler. All the staff were friendly and supportive. The fire was warm. The food was very simple, but well priced and executed perfectly. Would absolutely reccomend.

Enjoyed a bowl of tasty homemade soup sitting by a welcoming log stove, just the job after a challenging walk aroung the area on a cold day

As I said on my last review of the House of Meg, GO!! I took my brother today as he is on holiday here in Northumberland with us. We meandered up the Military Road along the stunning Hadrian's Wall and went to Gilsland. We went to House of Meg for lunch. Once again, Andi excelled himself with his delicious food. Today I chose a Coronation Chicken baguette and my brother had a chicken, brie and cranberry baguette. Both were filled to overflowing with good quality, handmade filling. Not your sandwich filler pot from the supermarket. Served with a good portion of salad and crisps. A decent pot of tea and my favourite Rijo 42 coffee. Andi recognised me from my previous visit and told me my friend had been in a couple of days before. Smashing food, gorgeous old building and a fabulous host, you're missing out if you drive past. See you soon my friend

This was a lovely little hidden gem. After a walk through the fields and getting quite hungry this was the best thing we found. Quick service with friendly staff and wonderful food. With benches outside that we could enjoy the sun on and the dog can sit in the shade.Will return if we ever end up back on the side of the country.

What a wonderful surprise. We walked in just expecting a normal snack but ended up delighted by the tasty experience.

Had a fantastic lunch here . Beautiful little place - very homely .Hubby had a breakfast which was gorgeous in every way and I had a jacket potato with tuna savoury and cheese couldn’t fault it - cooked to perfection with fluffy potato slightly crispy jacket and a tasty filling . Will definitely be back

We popped in for afternoon tea to take a short break while walking Hadrians Wall Path. We each had a lovely Latte and shared a slice of lemon and elderflower, which was baked perfectly and absolutely delicious. The hosts were very helpful. Definitely somewhere to stop for a break.

Popped in for a snack and drink after Hadrian’s wall visit. Cosy, welcoming, great food. Would highly recommend.

A bright spot on our trip to Hadrian’s Wall. Best ever scone and clotted cream (homemade) and friendly service. Would definitely recommend.

Stopped there on a Monday for probably one of the best breakfasts weve ever had and then deliberately made a detour on our way home on the Friday to make a return visit for another one! Lovely food friendly people...nuff said!!!

Good slab of cake with plenty of tea to drink. I was especially impressed with the elderflower sponge cake. We sat outside as it was such a pleasant day. Friendly staff who gave directions and a lift to strangers. Small shop inside selling essential supplies. Clean toilets. Very popular with walkers hiking Hadrian's Wall.

Stopped here twice, once to pick up some sandwiches then for tea and cake after a day's cycling. Friendly, good food and service. Tip: the scones must be good- they were all gone by the time we returned.

Lovely little place near to Hadrian's wall. Stopped in for take away baguettes and vegan friendly cake, worth a stop!

Myself and my daughter were walking Hadrian’s Wall and stopped in here for lunch. The waiter was very helpful and chatty and made no fuss over our muddy boots and large heavy packs. His jacket potatoes and cappuccinos were just what the doctor ordered and we got some delicious home-made brownies to take away to see us into the evening. We sat in much needed comfy sofas and, although we didn’t need any, there’s a shelf full of basics (tom soup, beans, rice, soap powder, shampoo etc) for self-sufficient walkers/campers if they’re caught short of anything, all very reasonably priced. Just the ticket for our much needed midday rest.

It was nice to receive such a warm welcome here on a drizzly day "on the trail" even though I only wanted a cup of tea and a short sit down!

We were passing by and this cosy little tea room caught my eye so we stopped for a bite to eat, very friendly and a welcoming log burner helped! Nice food and good tea.

Excellent snacks and light meals, warm & friendly atmosphere,However if you are 'walking the wall' for the good of your waistline beware the homemade confectionery, the coffee and chocolate fudge cakes in particular are well worthy of 5 skull and crossbones from Weight Watchers.

Visited after my mum had had an operation on our

Absolutely beautiful old building, the fireplace in the cosy room is fabulous! My first time here but it won't be my last! The food is great, we chose the Marie Rose prawn baguette, delicious!! The baguette was very tasty, crisp and filled to overflowing with prawns. Served with crisps, salad and coleslaw, perfect and very good value for money. We looked at the food others were eating and it all looked good and generous portions. We had no room left to sample any of the homemade cakes, so another visit is on the cards. House of Meg is spotless and very welcoming as is Andy the owner, who is a smashing chap. My friend had been in having a coffee a couple of weeks before, he remembered her and thanked her for returning. All in all, a delightful find and well worth visiting.

A great place to stay for hikers and bikers. The pub / hotel is less than a mile from Hadrian's Wall and completely geared up for active outside types who need a place to stay. The food and selection of beers and wines is wonderful as is the reception from the staff.

We found ourselves here having been refused entry to the cafe at the Roman Army Museum (another review!).

Arrived early in the village so stopped off to have a coffee. Drinks were very welcome and the service was second to none! Such a lovely end to our walk! The cakes looked great as well although we didn’t have one.

Apart from the usual criticism that a Frenchman could level at the damp, soft pappy apology that in the UK passes as the French staff of life, the friendly, rapid, and generous filling of said bread roll more than made up for it. The location is charming and now that the PO and shop has closed, this is it. I wasted so much time looking for the PO/shop that I had to eat lunch en route. A shame, since the ambience and appearance of the cakes did tempt me to linger for a coffee. Next time perhaps?

Stopped off today while walking Hadrian’s Wall. Friendly, welcoming, fab coffee, scones (best so far) and yummy mars bar cake. Great day.

Whilst my friend and I were out promoting my slimming world group for neighbouring town of Haltwhistle we stumbled upon this little gem that is house of Meg. The Jacket potato was huge and very well presented with a side salad and crisps, just exactly what we were after. The menu consisted of a light lunch/snack choice there even sold a few groceries too! I did also eye up a bottle of cider in the fridge,sadly I had to drive. There was also an outside seating area which is just wonderful for the summer months. The 2 chaps serving were very well mannered and polite a couple of local ladies were in there too enjoying a coffee and scone and were very chatty friendly and helpful. I will certainly return the next time I’m in Gilsland, highly recommended.

Called in for breakfast en route to Gretna Green. Fabulous breakfast and friendly staff. Will definitely call again and highly recommend a visit

We stopped for breakfast at House of Meg this morning - what a wise decision. The breakfast is HUGE and great value - 2 sausages, 2 lovely thick rashers of bacon, a fried egg, tasty mushrooms, baked tomatoes, a big pot of baked beans, 2 rounds of toast and a pot of tea. Even better for me, they know all about the trials of coeliac gluten free so gave me Heck gluten free chicken sausages (not bad) and toasted my GF bun separately to avoid cross contamination #myglutenfreeheroes. We will be back.

We just happened to be driving past on a sunny bank holiday Monday. Amazing cream tea with hone made scone. We sat in the garden with the dogs and enjoyed the sunshine. I would highly recommend a visit.

Dropped in for lunch. Good range of sandwiches with salad. Very popular with walkers on the Hadrian's Wall route. Cyclists too.

Stopped off after walk from Birdoswald. Can sit inside or outside at front or in nice garden. Great food, great service!

Only got here for a quick cream tea, too early for lunch (in fact too early for cream tea but we couldn't resist) Sooo glad I managed to fit in a fruit scone (they also had freshly made cheese and cherry scone choices). Got to be in my top 5 best scones ever - good size, lots of fruit, lovely not too crumbly texture and fresh out of the oven.

Fresh made baguettes, had plenty of filling and tasted great. Small inside but cosy, homemade cakes looked good too!

We were staying in Gilsland last week for a couple of days during the heavy snow fall or storm anna as it was called. We were snowed in and spent and extra 3-4 days at our cottage. There are no shops in Gilsland at all and thankfully this cafe pretty much saved us! The cafe as well as serving food sold some supplies such as tins of pasta, rice, soup, toothpaste, matches, firelighters. They also gave us some of their own bread and little butter packets. We only literally packed food for two days the cafe was a god send. The staff were really polite and helpful. Gilsland is a beautiful area and despite the weather set back we would definitely return. Just typical we choose to visit when they had the worst weather in 18 years! Thanks house of meg.

It’s a while since we last visited but they seem to have expanded their menu. Lovely coffee perfect temperature. Fabulous cake and plenty of choice for our son as they also run a local store for the village. Helpful and friendly service.

Doing a bit of walking whilst having a break and came across House of Meg.

Altro luogo in cui siamo finiti davvero per caso durante le nostre ferie in scozia... diciamo che inizialmente ci siamo fermati per "necessità" di trovare una toilette... poi ne abbiamo approfittato per mangiare anche qualcosa..... inizialmente pensavamo fosse più un bar/sala del the... poi ci hanno detto che facevano anche da mangiare.. ci hanno fatto accomodare in una saletta arredata in modo molto carino e una volta visto nel menù Le parole " Jacked Potato" sono andata a colpo sicuro e ho fatto ordinare la stessa cosa anche al mio compagno...... La presentazione delle jacked patatoes era semplice, con patatine e insalatina.... ma carina..... mangiato il primo boccone sono tornata bambina in un attimo.. a quando me le faceva mia madre nel periodo in cui vivavamo in inghilterra.. buone e basta! ..... per un pranzo al volo non impegnativo in un'atmosfera famigliare ed accogliente ....

Popped in for lunch at this charming village cafe. Food and drink were great, generous portions and served by friendly staff.

Stopped off for a bite to eat and a drink whilst walking Hadrian’s Wall. The food and drink were very tasty and good value. Great little find!

A lovely little cafe in the middle of nowhere. Excellent simple food, jacket potatoes etc. Good for walkers and if you are just driving past for a snack.

Delightful little cafe with a realistic menu.

This cafe seems quite popular with walkers and hence I suspect most reviews are left by those enjoying the great outdoors. House of Meg is cosy inside and over a lovely outdoor space as well. The food is home made and portions are very very generous. Value for money is top. It also takes nice. At busy lunchtimes the service can be a bit stretched. Still said service is always sugared with a smile. What could be improved is the horrible plastic container jam served with the cream tea. Why serve a nice scone with lovely cream and add two of those disgusting cheapo jam plastic thingys.

Como la única cafetería que pudimos ver, después de un largo paseo, teníamos ganas de descanso y tener una bebida y un aperitivo, pero por desgracia nos dijeron que el café estaba cerrado, antes de la hora indicada de cierre.

Pequeño y encantador café en un gran lugar a pie la Muralla de Adriano. La brie tostado y arándano bocadillos eran deliciosos!

Gran parada de café y café en el pueblo poco práctico de Gilsland encantador. Bueno para en un café para llevar.

Called in for lunch on the way up to south west Scotland. 4 adults 2 very young children and a dog. Food was wonderful, all freshly made generous portions and very reasonably priced. Unfortunately the weather was such we were unable to sit outside so the dog had to be returned to the car. We called back in on the return journey and as the weather was warm and sunny we were able to use the garden and the dog could join us once again we weren't disappointed in the food. My husband and son in law both particularly enjoyed the all day English breakfast and I can vouch for the coronation chicken and the prawn sandwiches. Looking to travel over to Carlisle just for the excuse of calling in again to sample what ever delights are on offer.

I loved the House of Meg. We stopped off for lunch while walking the Hadrian's Wall National Trail. The menu was excellent and the staff really friendly and helpful. We had a lovely lunch sitting on a table outside. The cafe is also a restaurant and has a general store for the village - excellent for picking up any walking essentials en route and would be so handy if you were staying in the village.

This is a lovely little place. The coffee and cakes are really good. There is a little shop attached where you can buy basic supplies e.g. Milk, bread, butter, cheese. The staff are pleasant and helpful. Definitely recommend

Whatever time of day you are passing, you can be assured of a good breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea at this quirky café. Nothing fancy, but wholesome home-made soups, scones, cakes etc in a fresh, bright environment - just the ticket before tackling the next stage of the Hadrian's Wall Trail!t

Love House of Meg and our new bff Andi. Lovely food, yummy cakes and very friendly staff. Sat outside in the warm sunshine and enjoyed our visit very much.

Great food, cooked well and served with a smile and a lovely chat. Andrew is the ultimate host and very welcoming.

We stopped off here again, as we did last year, for coffee and scones when returning from a day out while staying at a local hotel. We love this little place. The scones and coffee were delicious.

Called here for afternoon tea in Sept found it so good that we again visited in Oct. Friendly service attracts a wide clientele of interesting character, bikers cyclists walkers and locals

Stopped during a circular walk taking in Hadrian's Wall. Nice and clean and the young lad serving was polite and efficient. Thought it was good value and our food was nicely prepared and presented.

We were recommended to visit this quirky tea room for a much needed tea and cake break on our Hadrians wall footpath walk. Good and friendly service and nice cakes.

We were doing the coast to coast walk and stopped off here for a break.tge cafe is really nicely decorated and the food is really good at a reasonable price.

Friendly, helpful service. We had cakes and tea. The tea was the good ole British variety, done right. And the cakes were moist and tasty. We sat outside at a small table, watching the few cars pass by. When asked, the host kindly gave us directions to our B&B for the night.

The village of Gillsland has 2 pubs/hotels and this little tea room which I visited by accident. I first visited alone as my hubby has just been posted to the nearby RAF Base. I had the best home made soup ever. Service is friendly and I felt welcome even though I was a solo diner. Hubby and I returned last week for coffee and cake ..it was all homemade and a really good cup of coffee,it was a lovely day so we sat in the garden at the side. Staff again were friendly and attentive but not intrusive. We will certainly back to sample the choice of baguettes and sandwiches the portions look huge and very appetising.If your walking hadrians wall or just out directory a drive give House of Meg a try ...

Friendly Helpful service and nice outdoor seating :-) Bought tubs of ice cream with little wooden spoons in the lid but we were offered real spoons from the cafe to eat them, which was a nice touch.

Stopped by while walking the Wall. Great coffee and pastries. Enjoyed conversation and staff. Recommended

We arrived in the village looking for food. House of meg seemed to be the only option. The all day breakfast was our chosen meal. Everything was very tasty except the sausages which were decidedly cheap. This was a let down. Price was a little higher than one might hope got but there was no competition.

Walked from Birdoswald Roman Fort along the path of Hadrian's Wall and found this lovely place where we had some great sandwiches and salad. You can eat in or outside. Lovely loos. Friendly staff. Scrummy food. Has supplies for walkers doing a long walk/camping. What is not to like?! Really good. A walker's delight.

Visited the House of Meg whilst we were walking part of Hadrian's wall! Perfect for a brew and a toasted tea cake! Also good to know this cafe sells foods and essential goods!

A friendly cafe in the village. Good food, good service and a friendly atmosphere. Great shelter from the rain

Lovely smooth latte, great ice cream, interesting mooching round inside. I want to know more about the poem penned by hand on the interior wall!