Kittchen in South Lakeland

Went in with my husband as he wanted to see the cats (we had been a few years ago before COVID). My husband got a beer and I asked what soft drinks/hot drinks they had and she said none. Literally none. She said non alcoholic beer was all they had. I said I don't like beer unfortunately and she said I was in the wrong place. I said I'm sure when we came last we both had hot drinks and she said oh yeah we stopped as it wasn't profitable. I said fair enough I'll sit with my husband then. So my husband got his pint and then we found out we weren't even able to go into the cat area. It was closed off on weekdays. It just seems super odd. It is barely a cat place now really is it? Just a tiny little room with no atmosphere where god forbid you're driving - no drink for you. I don't really drink, but I go to a lot of bars and I've never been in a single one where I couldn't order a coke at the very least. Most actually have a decent handful of soft drinks available. But I guess that's not profitable enough?

Beer and cats. Cats and Beer. What's not to like!

I didn't eat, but what's not to like about this place...great selection of craft beers (draught and cans)...and cats!

Great place to visit for an excellent selection of craft beers. Good atmosphere and with great hosts.

Popped in here on aTuesday. We had a great few hours. The owner was very helpful and accommodating. The beer was the best we have had all weekend. We should have came earlier. And at a good price. We got talking to a few of the regulars. Lovely people. I would highly recommend popping in for a quality pint or two….see you soon

We stayed in Hawkshead for a two week holiday, there’s nothing like the KiTTchEN bar, great variety of beers on tap and on the shelves and fridge, the knowledge of everything they sell is amazing, we had a great time in the KITTchEN enjoying numerous drinks and having chats with like minded customers as well as Luke,Emma and Jade who are good fun and made us so welcome, highlight of our holiday, thanks again guys, look forward to seeing you again soon.

We have just enjoyed a two week holiday to Hawkshead in the lake District. The kiTTchEN bar is unique, quirky and the owners Luke and Emma make you feel very welcome. They spend time to get to know your pallet, ensuring you enjoy a beer or two. Their knowledge of the area and ghost 👻 stories are interesting 🤔. The bar sells snacks but no hot meals or drinks at the moment. Their love for their cats seven in all , have access to the large bar lounge area . While we where their one of the cats passed away , she was 18 years old , very sad for Emma, Luke and Jade who works there part time , she's an amazing illustrator and full of life . Our stay was enhanced by their hospitality and friendly service. HUGE THANK YOU TO YOU ALL

Stumbled upon this wonderful little gem at the weekend. Very friendly staff and a great selection of drinks

Went here for a cold drink and to see the cats was amazing owners really nice and welcoming. There all so cute

Went in had a beer or two ,very very nice beer and conversation,Luke is friendly landlord and can highly recommend calling in here!

Cracking little place. We come to Hawkshead yearly and this is my little go to place. Excellent beer & owners are so nice. Highly recommend when you visit Hawkshead

After stopping in Hawkshead many times my husband and I decided to call into KITTchEN for a drink as we had never been before we had always used the other pubs. I had always wondered why there was never anybody sitting inside whilst all the other pubs and cafes were really really busy. As the weather wasn't the best we asked to sit inside rather than outside where the majority of people always seem sit, We were shown through to the seating,area, there were no other customers and as soon as the door opened the smell that met us was absolutely horrendous, I have never smelt anything like it in my life it stunk to high heaven! Unbeknown to us there were 7 resident house cats who lived in the bar area . The smell of cat urine was disgusting it was so strong, we felt physically sick and we couldn't wait to get out! I have nothing against cats at all but I think if you are having 7 cats resident in a bar you need to be seriously on top of hygiene side of things. If we had realised what type of bar it was we would have stuck with one of the traditional pubs and avoided KITTchEN at all costs!!!

Great advertising for this bar. Next visit I hope to go in, probably be the Christmas fair.

I recently visited with high hopes but left feeling rather disappointed due to a specific issue that overshadowed the entire experience. We arrived as soon as the doors opened at 11:30 am, and I couldn't help but notice a glaring issue in the restroom. To my surprise, there was an unflushed mess in the toilet upstairs. This oversight not only reflects poorly on the hygiene standards of the cafe but also makes you question the overall cleanliness of the establishment. It's a basic expectation for any establishment to maintain a clean and sanitary restroom for its customers. This issue alone left a lasting negative impression on my visit. In addition to this, the staff were quite abrupt when asked for recommendations, which made me feel unwelcome. The overall experience was disappointing, and I will not be coming back. The restroom issue and the brusque service were simply too much to overlook, and I hope these concerns are addressed to provide a more pleasant experience for future patrons. Given that we arrived as soon as the cafe opened, it's concerning to think that it may have been the owners who left the mess unattended.

As cat lovers we couldn’t wait to come here. The smell of cat urine hit you straight away. The cats seemed to be content in sleeping except for one who didn’t like people he didn’t know. One female member of staff I think the owner very abrupt and rude. Bad language signs up and outside quite offensive and unnecessary. The cats fur didn’t feel as soft as I would have expected even though they were rescue cats. Not a pleasant environment to sit and enjoy a drink. Needless to say we only stayed 10 mins. Not as well cared for as the ones you see in cat cafe. We won’t be returning.

Ginger cat was very nice Drinks were very nice Most staff were very nice 👍

Wir waren auf der Ghost Tour, die von Luke geleitet wurde. Es hat leider in Strömen geregnet. Unsere Gruppe bestand auch nur aus vier Personen. Aber ich war wirklich positiv überrascht!! Luke hat sich so dermaßen ins Zeug gelegt, dass einem schwindelig wurde. Die paar Geschichten, die er über Hawkshead und Umgebung zu erzählen hatte, waren wirklich sehr gut präsentiert. Ich würde jedem empfehlen diese Tour zu machen! Jedes Pfund von den acht waren es wert!!! Vielen Dank Luke für diesen tollen und gruseligen Ausflug!!

Quirky little place with very friendly staff. Only had a drink so can’t comment on the food. Seemed to have some odd seating arrangements, they had closed the indoor seating area at about 6pm on a Saturday evening so we could only sit outside and it was a little chilly (end of September). Aside from that no complaints.

Excellent selection of beers and great company 😻

Stopped here for a beer on August Bank Holiday. Nice range of craft beers and some outside seating. We were told that kids under 16 were not allowed in the cat cafe part as 'some just don't behave' Shame as this rule keeps changing (it used to be 10). We also noticed a sign by the till saying 'No t*ats'. Perhaps the owner can explain this to my 10 year old who asked what it meant ??!!. In summary....Nice beer...poor attitude. Not family friendly. Will not return.

Real ale heaven really friendly people too we had a game of scrabble cards and some very tasty brews thankyou, a must for the real local beer enthusiasts

Super tasty IPA. I'd love to come back. Keep it up

Great plCe if you love cats and great ale.

Fantastic selection of beers, gins and cats from near and afar. Great service and good selection of snacks.

We laughed, we cried, we gasped, we sighed and we cowered with fear from the tales of dismembered limbs and stories of revenge and screaming skulls. The Director was a brilliant, skillful story teller, and the hour and a half tour was just about right. Would highly recommend!

Lovely quirky bar, really good draft stout and lager we sat outside enjoying the sunshine each day we visited, staff were really friendly and couldn't do enough for you

Lovely quirky place with cats (yes, really - they had their own room) and great beer. Also did wine so we all sat in the sun out on the street having a drink. The bartender was really pleasant and cheerful and made us (tourists on a coach party) feel really welcome. The bar snacks menu looked good but we were short of time so didn't try any. Wish we'd come here first instead of wasting our time at the less friendly pub over the road (Queens Head).

Does not serve food despite name Kittchen. Only serves drinks. No children inside policy because of cats. We went elsewhere.

Cats and beer, I don't need anything else in life!

Wandered in looking to spend money today with my husband but we were greeted by two very different staff. The gentleman who was sat in front of the counter was super helpful while the lady with facial piercings seemed utterly unimpressed with us a patrons and couldn't be arsed with answering our questions or making us feel welcome. We opted to take our beers and go.

My partner and I had a great time here! Very friendly owner who's knowledge of beers is fantastic and engaging! He picked out the perfect ale for my partner and I thoroughly enjoyed the catpissed ipa, it was amazing! Thank-you so much for your service.

One of my favourite places to hang out in the lakes, great beer, great cats and amazing staff! Always the first place I head to when visiting the area

Great selection of local beers on tap and in cans,incredibly welcoming people. Amazing place in the centre if the village.

I absolutely loved it, to the point where we spent the last 3 days of our holiday in here! The first day we obviously had to spend with the lovely kitty cats who were very friendly and sleepy and cute 🥰 But the rest of the time we spent with the owners, getting to know the locals who came and having a lovely chat and drinks with everyone! It was definitely the best way to end a fab holiday and we will 100% be going back! NOTE: They do great Nachos and bar snacks but not full meals or hot drinks. They are a beershop and bar for crying out loud!!

We loved the opportunity to drink among the 7 cute cars where Jasmine took a shine to my coat and had a nap on it last Saturday. We also enjoyed a pint of the IPA Fell and Apple Pulp Craft Cider. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Loved this place! It was such a fab afternoon with the Cats and delicious beer. You can tell how happy the cats are and so well looked after. We met almost all the cats and had special loves from Mimi & Kiki! Done so well and giving lovely cats a wonderful life! 10/10

Just because they are rescue cats does not mean they have to be kept indoors for the rest of their lives like we were told by owners. Cats need to be independent and not constantly surrounded by strangers invading their space. The place stank of captivity and depression. Very sad looking cats. Can’t believe rescue centres provide cars to this business. Heartbreaking.

Lovely little pub with a great selection of drinks and cats! We loved sitting with the cats and they all loved a pet. The staff were so friendly and loved to tell us more about the cats and we thought it was amazing what they do. Definitely recommend!

Cats and beer. What’s not to love? Came on a Sunday afternoon. Great atmosphere nice team behind the bar too. All cats are rescues. Nice views of hawkshead around the place too.

Delicious hotdogs and a wonderful range of beer on the bar. Beautifully decorated interior with large windows to people watch alongside the majestic cats. Clean bathrooms and the coolest staff

Visited here to get a break from some heavy rain. From the outside looks great and offers a large selection of bottled craft ales and some draft beers. Unfortunately or fortunately we arrived just as they were setting up for a private event and we’re told once we had paid for our drinks we could only sit in the small (2 stools) bar area which was ok as we were only staying for one drink. The staff were nice enough, although a bit preoccupied with the private event so not that chatty, and the beer was good. The only issue was that when the doors to the main cafe/drinking area opened there was an awful smell of what one can only describe as a large cat litter! The smell was so off putting we could only last 10 mins. We are not cat haters but definitely not an ambience/smell I would consider great for food/drink.

Bit meh! Employee smoking in the front doorway and had to ask if we could go in for her to move! Drove over an hour to go there especially but times on their website are a mess and very confusing (it looks like they're closed on a Saturday not Friday. The formatting needs addressing). They're closed on a FRIDAY! As we walked away the 2 employees (owners I believe) muttered that we thought they'd been opened and were going elsewhere. Very weird experience. Don't think I'd try again

Lovely bar and cade. Not cheap, but dog free and lots of kitties. Nice craft beers to enjoy, along with cats. If they let you.

This review is for Tallow Tales tours which start at KITTchen at 6pm on most Wed and Sun evenings. Such a great alternative tour of Hawkshead by an amazing and enthusiastic talent, even in the rain! Definitely make time to do this on a trip to the Lake District. A great evening for the entire family, well, kids older than 10 I would recommend. Go to the KITTchen website for more details and booking info.

What’s not to love? Fantastic craft beer and the unassuming company of cats. Great music, great vibe, super friendly owners who took the time to speak with us and share the philosophy behind the bar. Will definitely return again. Thank you!

We just had to go, what’s not to like, cats and beer. Had a sneaky pint and sat with the cats. Nice friendly people, but remember, do not pick up the cats.

Update (Sept 2022): Kittchen is still our favourite pub in the Lakes! Food is usually served from 12-6pm everyday except Tuesdays & Fridays, but can vary. Original post: My husband and I stumbled upon this pub and we can't stop going back. The selection of beers is great (they also have non-alco options!) and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. The human staff are lovely, as are the many pub cats waiting for a cuddle. My highlight, though, is the nachos; as an American expat, I take nachos VERY seriously and Kittchen's are the best I've ever had, with meaty, veggie, and vegan options available.

Tiny but excellent craft beer. The beer for Withnail and I event night was a highlight! Lots of hipsters in the clientele. We only had a beer - didn't try any food. Tables outside can catch the evening sun too.

Not what I expected when I went into a bar for a beer, but it was awesome! Ended up making some furry friends at the same time and it was actually very therapeutic!

Centrally located craft beer bar with external seating which also has an indoor room which has cat roaming around. Over 18s only inside. The owners are knowledgeable about craft beer and offer online shopping. 6 different draught beers when I visited including Catpissed IPA brewed locally for them and also Lakes Brew Co DDH. Nachos, crisps and cake available as snacks. Hot and cold soft drinks available too.

No entry costs, just buy a drink. 8 cute cats - met 6 of them. Very friendly. Two only liked head strokes and not tummy strokes (so I got bit twice) - they came over to me, I was not going over to them. They...

Stopped in for a drink and a bite to eat on a whim as I felt a little peckish. Had a lovely stout and Nachos. The food was so good. Nice staff as well, always a bonus.

Spent most of today getting bus to Hawkshead from Grasmere, looking forward to having beer and coffee in the presence of some kitties. On arrival, the KITTchen notice said that the lounge was closed (no reason given) + and we could see that's where the...

If you like beer, you must visit this gem. Great beer, friendly service and superb location. Do not miss.

What can I say - a must visit. Lovely cats, the best staff and a business run with a heart of gold. The drinks are all weird and wonderful, the mini cat library hilarious, and the environment warm, cosy, and loving - I’ve been three...

Really friendly staff, an amazing selection of beers and such a unique design idea. Plenty of space inside and outside. They support lots of local and independent brewery's so is a great company in that respect. Definitely worth a visit if in the area and you want something different than a typical beer or drink.

This is the puuurrfect place for any cat lover and anyone who loves amazing locally sourced food and drink. Couldn't be happier! The place is great with events most weeks and the owners are so very down to earth and super kind! I had a wonderful birthday treat there and finished with a birthday brownie! 🎉💜

Lovely cafe with a fantastic selection of beers and delicious food. We enjoyed sharing nachos and hot dogs. 5 out of 5!

Cute cats but no baby talk, just consume the beer 🍻

Great pints, staff and cats. Such an unexpected gem in Hawkshead

What a fantastic place. A cat cafe with an incredible beer selection and great food. I never got to sit in the cat part of the bar as I had my dog with me (understandable) but it looked brilliant. Excellent set up with loads of...

Very limited menu. Think Nachos with different toppings and some drinks available. A restaurant with cats that have been rescued hence the name. £35 for two with beers and nachos. Presentation reasonable and food hot. Not sure I would return for a repeat experience. But then this type of place is not for everyone. If the menu was improved and developed I might consider it. Clean and friendly staff.

What a wonderful find. As a cat lover I was delighted to enjoy the cat company while I had a drink. The staff were very pleasant and the choice of drinks was amazing. Nice to have the opportunity for something different. What a great place...

Amazing place , relax with great food , massive range of beers and ciders and of course , amazing fur babies xx owners & team incredible . Top cats 😻

A bit disappointing. I had high hopes for this place the first time I saw it. I went inside and the bloke informed me that the cat lounge would be open until 8pm - ideal for us as my partner is a massive cat fan. However, the following day we went for a drink at 6:30 and saw that the lounge was closed, as well as the kitchen. We asked about this and were told it is open until ‘we get tired’… It’s a good thing these people aren’t paramedics…

No cats and no food. We enquired about this place after seeing the nice menu and the cat lounge. This is a really fun concept and something I was really looking forward to. We were told the lounge would be open until 8pm. After coming back at 630pm we were told the lounge was closed. I asked what times they open the following day and was given the answer: “12pm until we get tired”. We then attempted to order some nachos after seeing them being served to a number of other customers only to be told they are no longer serving food. At 7pm. On a Saturday evening. I am incredibly disappointed by the staff and their lacklustre attitude and service. Why offer food and cats if you can’t be bothered to keep up with this?

We stopped in here for lunch, mainly to see the cats, but it is definitely worth a trip for the delicious food and range of beers alone. Very friendly service, very clean and the cats are clearly well looked after. I had a Bavarian hot...

Recently visited for the second time now with a year between visits and it’s been just as delightful as the first time. Although the only food available on the day was nachos, these were top notch and some of the best I’ve had. There are 7 cats I believe and they’re all incredibly cute and like to wander about to keep us humans entertained. Love that you don’t pay for entry so you don’t feel like you’ve already spent loads when you get in. Read some reviews about the staff being rude but this just isn’t the case, they’re all very friendly and engaging and are happy to recommend something. Coffee could be a little hotter.

Honestly don't know where to start... truly had an amazing time! Spent hours in there and almost missed my train, the cats are very cuddly and clearly enjoy their lives there. I've been to other cat cafes but none have come close to this experience....

What a hidden gem!!!! Myself and my husband are so ao happy we stumbled across this fabulous place!! The staff were sooooo helpful and kind and soooo welcoming ! A girl that does not drink beer/ale/cider the girl that served us (i didnt get her name ) helped me pick the perfect ale for me 😄 cats are so lush… dont forget to clap for the little black cat when he goes on the wheel! We cant wait to come back! And the food looks insane!!!!

We had a lovely rainy afternoon here. The staff were very friendly and clearly love the cats! The cats got so excited when the staff came into the room and jumped on their shoulders! We had nachos which were amazing. Great range of beers for...

Had a really good time at Kittchen, great beers, outstanding nachos and really cute cats. I'd definitely recommend and not just to cat lover, the range of beers is really impressive, with a large selection of local and regional beers. I lived in Manchester for...

The WORSE customer service I have ever had to deal with. I have worked in customer service for years in both restaurants and bars to hotels and much more and it didn’t take long to know that even if someone doesn’t buy something you still...

Such a chilled atmosphere with some equally chilled rescue cats and a huge selection of beers. Unique place run by very friendly people. No dogs allowed (obviously) and no children either which might surprise some but actually makes good sense for the best welfare of the resident rescue cats. There's a small menu of nice food as an added bonus. We loved it and will be back next time we're in Hawkshead.

My girlfriend and I had a very brief drink here recently and to be honest it left us baffled as to why this place in a prime location in the village, even exists.. plus point is its central location and outdoor seating.. down sides are...

We ate here before going on the Halloween walk around Hawkshead. Tasty food and interesting choices for beer and rum lovers. The Halloween tour led by the quirky Director was perfect for a dark Halloween evening, theatrical spooky creepy and completely enthralling entertainment for grown...

Asked for hotdog for youngster. Not allowed in as grandson is too young so had to wait outside in rain for hotdog as they don’t do to takeaway! Paid £40 for yuk!!!! Really not impressed!!!

Great place to chill, awesome choice of ales and porters. Popular! Friendly welcome each time we visited.

Visited during the week for a bite to eat and a quick drink - staff were very friendly and welcoming and the food was amazing, portion sizes very generous! Wish we had walked so we could sample more of the many beers on offer! As...

We had an absolutely fantastic visit here. The owners and staff were all super friendly and great fun. They welcomed us, recommended beers, fed us, had great chat and the quiz was brilliant. Shame we lost by 1/2 point, but that's the way it goes....

This afternoon me and my friend were passing by kittcaen beer shop in Hawkshead and we’re abused by one of there attendant shouting slander while laying across one of there tables out side smoking a cigarette accusing us that we ruined there toilets. Early that day we had booked a table with Them but when we got there they we found out that they only had a nacho meal. So we apologised and said we were sorry and left the premise as we were looking for a full meal. The young woman who represent the company does not have any manners or any decency of customer service experience in her bun. If was to put it crudely she is a disrespectful human being and I am being polite about this. Because we are of different race she lashed out for doing her job. She is paid to take care of customer and keep clean the entire premises. I feel she is a let down to the company and should not hold a position at hawkshed kittcaen She has given the company a bad rap and should be removed from servicing clinents

Excellent Mac n Cheese, very tasty nachos, with a lovely pint of IPA from the tap. Not expensive. Rescue cats inside were calm and friendly. Our new favourite place in Hawkshead

Normally when people run an establishment like this it's friendly and rather fun. But this place felt ... well, on edge is the best way I can describe it. I've never seen such stressed owners in all my life. I think they may have had...

Lovely food, great selection of beer, great table service… unfortunately completely let down by the immediate aggressive, defensive manner of the female owner. Please look at the replies to negative comments on here, arsey social media posts slagging off customers, signs stuck up all round...

The most diverse choice of beers I have seen for a awhile! Excellent food, keep the choice simple but the quality top notch! We will be back, keep up the awesome service and relaxed atmosphere.

Never been to a place of solely craft beer or a place with cats. It was incredible.

Tony always disappointed he can't get what he terms craft ales in the Lakes - and now he can, loved this bar and eatery. We were staying somewhere else so couldn't indulge as we would have liked but planning to return solely to spend more...

Post- Covid, several Hawkshead bars and restaurants seemed to be struggling because of staff shortages when we visited recently. Fortunately the Kittchen wasn’t one of them and we took a seat in the sunshine and ordered a couple of beers, local pie and some nachos....

Been visiting this place since it opened. The staff are always super friendly and cheerful, even when it's pouring with rain. It seems to have morphed a bit since it opened and it's now definitely a bar, rather than a cafe. I'm not really into beer, but they do have lovely tea, an amazing hot chocolate, and of course lots of lovely cats, all rescues. The interior is fun and quirky. Great place!

Cute cats and beer, what more does a man need?

An Amazing beer establishment.. A must visit if you love tasty Nachos, Hotdogs followed by a refreshing pint of DDH IPA

Great selection of drinks, food and cats! The staff were so friendly and made us feel very welcome. Would definitely recommend.

Don’t usually write reviews but on the way to Windermere we stopped in Hawkshead for a walk around and a spot of lunch. A lot of places were busy and saw that it was completely empty at around 12:30. Realised it was a kitty café/bar...

Third time visiting Kittchen and another fantastic experience. Despite being short on staff so only out door seating available this did not affect our visit at all, as the cafe is in such a fantastic central location. The staff were all super friendly and helpful...

I think we were naive to visit this place with high expectations. We are animal lovers and it broke our hearts to see these cats that were clearly depressed (absolutely no zing about any of them as you'd expect to see in other cats their...

Great selection of ales & gins. Had a cuddle from Mimi and strokes with Disco Kev! Gorgeous rescue kitty's. Well worth the visit! The staff are friendly and so loving and caring of all their cats. Comfy seating and chilled music, we spent a number...

Great spot with very knowledgeable staff who will happily recommend drinks from the extensive list of craft beers. The cats inside are super chilled!!

Just had the most wonderful evening at Kittchen. Pizza night from a land rover based pizza oven (Lovepizza Landrover) which were delicious and certainly up there with the best we have tried. Lovely range of good guest beers and made to feel most welcome by...

Lovely staff.. lovely cats! If you are a cat lover this little quirky place is a must. Loads of drink choices, inside seating is shared by 7 adorable cats who keep you amused!

Excellent selection of beer and friendly, knowledgeable staff. I asked for recommendations on all of my drinks and wasn't disappointed