Love at First Bite at Dusty Miller's in South Lakeland

Good strong coffee, excellent home made cakes, service with a smile! We were made to feel welcome, and took another cake home with us.

Lovely home made soup and bread for lunch(home made) lovely staff. That good I'm going for breakfast on the way home.The rain spoilt our holidays

What a a lovely friendly welcome, both members of staff were brilliant. The men had sweet potato, lentil & veg soup with crusty bread, my sister & I waited for mains. Ours was the tastiest caramelised red onion quiche served with coleslaw & salad. It was so good I didn’t want it to end. Our husbands had old fashioned corned beef hash served with beetroot, onions & more crusty bread. They both said it was delicious. We finished with raspberry & lemon cheesecake, both said it was cracking, I had biscoff flap jack ( a little bit dry) & sister had apricot crumble type cake which was a little stodgy. It was a very busy place but at no point did we feel rushed. We will return but in a smaller car as the lanes were narrow for SUV.

I visited this cafe last year and gave it an excellent review. I made a special visit there this year and was disappointed. I had a soup and sandwich deal. Mint pea soup was luke warm and had to be sent back for reheating. I ordered a ham sandwich which although the ham was nice there was very little of it. Butter was non existent and the limp lettuce looked like something the rabbits had rejected. I complained when paying the bill and was given a 20% discount. I would have preferred a decent meal considering I had driven a fair distance to revisit the establishment which this time was not up to expectations. It seems the business has changed hands recently. Eyes have been taken off the ball.

Not visited in many years and was pleasantly surprised! Modern and clean inside but still lots of the old mill features. Really lovely! Went for the Cumberland sausage sandwich with black garlic ketchup. Absolutely delicious and loved the roasted tomatoes and vegetable crisps. Everything is freshly prepared, so a little wait but this isn’t a problem. Friendly service and delicious cakes too. Will be back!

My partner and I found this place by accident. The setting is very pretty next to the water mull and a lovely way to spend a Sunday lunch. The menu was very well thought out and the food was superb. Not to mention the herbal tea selection which is the best I have every seen for a cafe.

Food is simple and beautifully cooked. Cakes are absolutely to die for (may i recommend the carrot cake. Iiterally the best carrot cake i have ever eaten (and i've eaten a lot), with jewels of ginger and the most moist sponge with the creamiest buttercream 😋 ). Coffee is delectable and aromatic and my absolute FAVE is the Earl Grey tea which is infused with vanilla. My number one favourite cafe which i recommend wholeheartedly! Make a trip, you will not be dissappointed.

So so good don't hesitate you won't be sorry its well wotlrth finding it and the loverly staff fantastic Would totally recommend.

Delicious coffee, possibly the best I've ever drunk - aromatic, flavoursome and subtle. The stuffed porcini mushrooms were pretty darn good as well!

Came on Saturday afternoon for a bite to eat with my wife,and i must say i was not disappointed.We both had a soup ,my wife the Tomato and Basil and myself the Lentil and rosemary and served with a roll and butter both were freshly made and tasted superb. We then shared a ginger and rhubarb greek yoghurt and a fruit Greek yoghurt which were so delicious.Finished with a great pot of tea ,i cant recommend this place enough.Will soon be back.

Visited for my daughters birthday, on a hot June day. Greeted by a very friendly lady who gave us the option of a table indoors or outdoors, and we choose to sit outside. The menu was full of really interesting choices. As a vegetarian, I was happy to see some good options, and I chose a Coronation Chickpea sandwich, which was delicious. The other members of my party had Cumberland sausage sandwiches, and a prawn sandwich. All were served with hot cherry tomatoes and vegetable crisps, and were declared delicious. We didn't have cake as we were all fully satisfied by our sandwiches, but the available options looked fresh and delicious. All the staff were really friendly, and I will definitely be going back again.

Lovely food, amazing coffee and very attentive staff. Lots of vegan options. And took great care of my dairy free 4year old. Soups were delicious and cakes that tempting we had to bring 5 home 🤤

A party of three of us visit this wonderful place again after a long lock down, we are so glad it has just reopened for business again under the capable hands of Rachel and staff. A great reception and a warm welcome , home cooking at its best, cakes were so yummy we could not resist and excellent coffee and tea. Judging by the visitors everyone was enjoying the reopening, plenty of room for parking, eat inside or out. Welcome back Rachel we have so missed you !

I hope that when all this 'CV-19' stuff is over, this charming, wonderful place has survived the storm! As soon as we travel up to see our daughter, this is top of my list of places to seek out and enjoy the soups, the classy snacks, and lovely people here. Hang on in there, 'guys'! 😘

We used to have a caravan at Bigland Hall and spent many happy years walking and cycling around this area. It is a while since we visited this cafe and was shocked to find that under new ownership this cafe doesnt welcome dogs. Unless you want to eat outside which it wasn't warm enough to do that. I have done this review so people dont make the same mistake has us by driving there. Maybe add a note to your signs. Save people the drive.

Loved visiting here with my friend . Homely quirky decor . Food was spectacular cakes were gorgeous esp apple and cinnamon carrot cake wow . Service was so friendly and helpful . Will visit again soon . Lots of different ages caters for children too with half portions just fab

Love at First Bite (ex-Dusty Miller's): it's a bit like the scene in 'When Harry Met Sally' (circa 1980? w\Meg Ryan) where, after observing the expressive gasping and 'heavy breathing' at the table, a woman says "I'll have what she's just had!"... It'll be like that when you have the simplest of meals or snacks here! It's a lovely place, tastefully decorated, and with paintings and such scattered about in a relaxing way. Perfect. Why go to a 'corporate eatery' when you can come here and wallow in its cozy atmosphere and dine on real, simple, beautiful, food? Set in a beautiful 'valley', with a babbling stream in the carpark, and a crumbling castle a short walk away. If it was possible to give 6* out of 5...I would! I have!

We were in Gleaston performing at the village hall. We had been recommended this cafe from our host and we were not disappointed. The menu was both exciting and comforting. As a mixed touring party we have different dietary needs however there was such a wide selection of tasty looking dishes that we took a while to choose. After some days of making do in chain restaurants this was a real treat, with excellent, patient and friendly service on a busy afternoon. Portobello mushrooms with garlic and feta and red lentil soup were magnificent lunch options. I can't recommend this place highly enough.

Come here reasonably regularly, soups always good and the sandwiches are lovely. Bacon sarnies pretty good and the coffee's great - as for the cakes ... need I say more. Locally sourced produce and happy friendly staff

A fantastic family friendly cafe in beautiful surroundings with delicious food. Definitely be visiting again soon!

The owner has everything just right, from the location all the way down to the little milk bottles that come with the tea! The food is delicious with a lot of thought went into menu choice, not your 'run of the mill' boring cafe. (Pardon the pun) It is also so delightful to see staff enjoying their work and going out of their way to make everyone feel so welcome. 10/10 we will be back!

Decidí llevar a mi hijo y a mi madre a desayunar aquí, pero quedé muy decepcionado. Abre a las 10 de la mañana y esperábamos una buena opción fresca, pero tenían una opción muy limitada, no un huevo revuelto a la vista, ¡no importa un inglés completo! ! Ofrecieron tostadas con mermelada casera, pero desafortunadamente el personal dijo que su madre lo hizo pero que todavía estaba esperando que dejara un nuevo lote. La elección del yogur con nueces a las 5 fue demasiado cara también. Con solo algunas otras opciones, mi madre y yo elegimos aguacate sobre tostadas con chile fresco y esto es lo que obtuvimos, pero con dos pequeñas rebanadas de tostadas duras, la cobertura y ningún otro adorno, nada y no es barato. Todos dijeron que era fresco, pero necesitan ofrecer más y, aunque solo había otra mesa, el servicio fue lento y en ningún momento nadie nos preguntó si estábamos contentos con nuestras comidas. Así que nos fuimos todavía hambrientos y tristes para decir que no nos apresuraremos a regresar, lo cual es una pena con un negocio incipiente como este en un entorno encantador.

Great cafe. Good food. Lovely decor. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff too. Best way to visit is by bike- you’ve got to earn those calories!!

We found this place by pure chance on a bike ride last year. This year, when we came back on holiday, we specifically sought it out for brunch and a cosy place to read the papers and I’m glad we did. Still the same nice atmosphere, joyful staff and good food as before. Well done. Keep it up!

Popped in a week ago off the cuff, as I hadn’t heard of this place before (my wife had).

We were cycling the back roads to Barrow in Furness and came upon this delightful and classy little cafe in the middle of nowhere (I was told we were in Gleaston). The cafe was full for lunch and clearly well known to folks in the area. It has a menu with some difference (always welcome), good coffee and amazing cakes that are hard to choose between!

After my visit to Gleaston Mill, this was a perfect accompaniment. Afternoon tea with proper tea and cakes to die for. Well done on the signposting from the main road.

Ah, yes, LaFB, and its 'green' soup with crusty bread, the smashed avocado on sourdough, and even the humble sausage sandwich, were 'collared' as the usual suspects guilty of gastronomic excellence! What a place! Wonderful! And lovely staff too... where does the owner hide them? Lock them away in the cellar? If you want a calm, relaxing, unbearably tasty nibble far from the madding crowd, go no further.

Wow my wife and I just had a memorable afternoon tea, coffee and cake at this gorgeous location near the village of Scales in Lancashire. The coffee shop is attached to the old water mill and has a welcoming fresh decor and amazing owner who clearly has a passion for delivering an exceptional customer experience. This was the best cappuccino I’ve had on our European trip so far and Lime and polenta cake was incredible. Trust me this place is worth the drive!

Cannot rate this beautiful wee place highly enough! Sadly only discovered it in last day of our holiday but boy it did not disappoint. It’s tucked away in a far-flung corner of the Lake District but beats every other place we’ve eaten this week hands down!! Incredible, fresh, home-baked cakes and traybakes, outstanding coffee and the warmest welcome we’ve had in a long time. The woman who owns it (and makes the food) was so friendly and relaxed. She even shared a treasured recipe with me. So generous!! This treasure is so good it’s worth a trip to Gleaston for this alone. Don’t miss out on what is sure to be one of the most memorable things you eat/ drink this year. Highlight was the saucy Apple cinnamon cake with cream cheese frosting, closely followed the the lime polenta cake. Quite simply outstanding!!

We passed this lovely spot on our first day of cycling the Bay cycle route. Set in a lovely building the food is homemade, with a good selection on offer. The staff were very friendly and we left refreshed for the next leg of our tour. Definitely worth a visit.

Had the soup and prawn sandwich. Grandson had ham sandwich and huge shortbread. Pleasant surroundings and lovely food. Thanks Rachael.

Had gorgeous breakfast/brunch this morning at love at first bite. Food fresh and delicious and staff could not be more accommodating for my 3 yr old. Would 100% recommend:

Called for lunch after a long time since last visit. Glad we did. Lovely welcome, friendly and efficient staff. As for the food and drink - superb. We had Carrot, Cumin & Coriander soup - one together with a prawn mayo Sandwich on brown, the other cheddar & chutney sandwich again on brown. The tea to wash it down was excellent. Sit in or out (weather permitting). Would highly recommend finding this place and whilst there visit the Mill itself next door & the adjoining Pig’s Whisper Country Store!

Went for a drive round Scales and found this little cafe. Soup and Coffee was delicious. Staff were very welcoming.

Popped in here today, and had a really friendly welcome, great service, great tea, and amazing cake. Highly recommended.

I had a great sausage sandwich here after visiting the Gleason mill next door. The cafe has a view of the water wheel and the staff are very helpful. However the cakes look amazing and I will be back to sample one or more of them. Good work guys.

Looking for somewhere for lunch and came across the reviews on trip advisor so decided to try here. The food was lovely, tasty homemade soup and wonderful sandwiches. I couldn’t believe how soft and fresh the bread was as it was bank holiday Monday. If your going using sat nav once it says you have arrived at your destination you need to keep driving a little way along the road to get to it, there is a decent size car park opposite. Also someone had mentioned the coffee in a previous post and they were right it was a lovely blend, I had mine with oat milk.

We had gone to look for the watermill and found this café next door. The two ladies working was very friendly. When we entered they informed us that they had finished serving meals at 3pm, but we could order cakes and drinks.

Went today and was impressed, great location and the food was very nice, friendly staff and quick service.

Lovely friendly tea rooms. Nice cosy & quiet place. Wonderful home cooked cakes & biscuits. Great tasting cup of tea (made with tea leaves!) Great to havean alternative to milk as not all cafes do in our area. Great to support local businesses. Highly recmmended. There is a great/safe childrens play area down down.the road too.

Delightful experience all round.The staff obviously happy to be there serving delicious lunches with a smile. From the moment we walked in we were welcomed with beaming smiles which lasted until we left Our food was delicious. We chose the portobello mushrooms topped with garlic, feta and pine nuts with mixed leaves and a dish of warm balsamic vine tomatoes which were freshly prepared and can honestly say that they were the tastiest stuffed mushrooms we have eaten.The cakes and desserts were very tempting so much so we chose two to go a divine chocolate cake and the orange and almond madeira.A hidden gem well worth seeking out,you will not be disappointed

It was our first visit to Dusty Millers today and we will most definitely be back. Soup was delicious, crushed avocados on toast was so tasty. We brought cakes home and my daughter is refusing to share her chocolate cake! I had the ginger, carrot and walnut and it’s one of the nicest cakes I’ve tasted. Well done to Rachel and staff on creating such a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. We’re looking forward to visiting again soon.

Really lovely place, set in an old building next to a water wheel, the food is fantastic with healthy options and some great cakes too. A friendly welcome and great in all respects.

Even though it's a bit hard to find and out of the way, it's a must stop. The ambience is perfect and was a lovely surprise to walk into this cute cafe. The food was even better. Coffee is a great local Manchester roast, food is homemade and it's the tastiest lunch I've had in ages. Well worth the stop and surprising to find such a gem in Gleaston!

Went many times under the old patrons and it was great under the new ones it is even better. Highly recomended

Highly recommend. Lovely homemade soups, sandwiches and cakes. Fab coffee and great selection of unusual tea. Well worth a visit.

A hidden jewel and not to be passed by . We called in with three of our grand children and I must say we were impressed with our warm welcome and the lovely smell of home baking. Lovely bowls of soup all round with fresh bread which tasted delicious, followed by a variety of wonderful cakes. The coffee was great and the children enjoyed their soft drinks. We all agreed to make this a regular visit in the future. Thanks again Racheal for your warm reception .

A little off the beaten track for well worth a visit, my husband said the flat white coffee was excellent and my Apple & Cinnamon cake was excellent, Will definitely be returning

What a lovely little place!!! If I were local I’d be here all the time. We passed on a bike and there it was. I’m not one to pass up a chance of a cuppa and a slice of cake, so we stopped. We were greeted by the cheery owner who clearly loves what she does. I had the most delicious toasted sourdough with avocado & chillies and it was LUSH! Husband scoffed a wedge of chocolate cake in what seemed like under a minute. We then enjoyed our coffee/tea, chatted to the owner about local bike rides, this that and the other. We had no idea this was here. What a lucky find. It’s open Wed-Sun and like I said if this were my local stomping ground I’d make sure every bike ride includes a pit stop here. ☕️

We had the absolute pleasure of visiting the newly revamped cafe and have already planned to return next week! On our arrival we were torn between sitting inside (which is gorgeous and where you have a fabulous view of the water wheel from the mill) or outside on the pretty patio....outside won due to 2 Sparrowhawks putting on an incredible display for us! The menu is quirky and inventive, with locally sourced produce and something to suit all tastes. Our food was made to order, DELICIOUS, and beautifully presented. So much attention to detail and care was put in to everything that was delivered to our table. Amazing selection of teas and coffees and also delicious beers and ciders! The staff are quite simply wonderful! We are definitely becoming regulars at this little gem.

Visited again with the family (and our new addition) for a bite to eat and breakfast nibble... ended up with a bacon butty to die for and a scone with all the accompaniments

Popped in on Saturday morning for a breakfast treat, had smashed avocado on sour dough toast with red pepper sprinkles and tabasco - lovely - red haired waitress also lovely 🙂

Called in for some lunch and it was really lovely service friendly and the soup carrot cumin and coriander was gorgeous we will return and we will recommend

Stumbled across Love At First Bite on my way to the groomers at Gleaston Castle.

Lovely staff very friendly , with a laid back but attentive approach. All home cooked food, from lovely soups , home made bread, cakes to salivate over and local produce only used, so a taste of the area served perfect.

On a day trip around Furness and looking for some lunch we stumbled on this fantastic little place at Gleason. Follow the brown tourist signs off the A5087, avoiding the on coming traffic and suddenly your are in Cornish lanes, high hedges and rolling farmland. The Watermill is lovely but the restaurant is exceptional. Simple menu, great selection of hot and cold drinks and a very friendly welcome. The food was delicious and from the constant flow of locals it appears to be consistent. Despite the fact that our order was delivered to the wrong table ( and they started to eat before realising the error) we were kept informed and offered a free refill. Only a 5 min delay before the meal arrived and we enjoyed every mouthful !! I even managed to persuade them to part with the tomato salad recipe! Well done team and we will surely return, but avoiding Barrow in Furness next time.

Have visited the Watermill for years. Under any ownership the place has been beautifully kept with friendly staff excellent cake and coffee and lovely decor.

What a warm welcome I received when I walked in to this delightful hidden gem. The food was amazing, great coffee and super super service.

Recently reopened with new manager. Stopped off here while out on a cycle ride for soup and cake. Large piece of cake Great for some energy when out cycling.

Called in for a quick coffee enroute to a meeting after following signs from the main road. Lovely place will definitely revisit and the Coffee was excellent.

We went in after visiting the mill and had a warm welcome from the staff.

This is a little gem of a place. As soon as you walk in you get a gorgeous warm welcome and are made to feel right at home. The decor is fresh, original and uplifting and the food is hearty and delicious (the spiced apple cake was divine). There is an unusual (but heavenly) selection of teas and coffees, and it's licenced! It's tricky to find but Gleaston Mill is on several bike routes so well worth a stop.

Quirky, but very tasty brunch, sandwiches and cakes menu, all seemingly home-made! Our ham 'n' piccalilli on white and the toasted sourdough with smashed avocado, lime n chilli was drop-dead gorgeous! A babbling stream, plus the water mill museum... what more could you desire? Un-Barrow weather...for a start! Haa! Oh, and the gins... don't forget the gins!

This place is a great little cafe with a good choice of light bite eats that are not only filling but also delicious! The first time I went I was u sure what to order so I chose a few things and was more than impressed by everything! They have a great coffee machine and beer and wine on the menu as well, which was a nice touch to the menu. Since the first time I’ve been again two more, and each time thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff were more than accommodating and friendly and the place was very nice a clean.

Just popped in for a coffee and was blown away. Amazing coffee (self confessed coffee snob) original cakes and food. And it’s licensed!! Lovely decor, great friendly staff!! Bike friendly. V impressed!!

Beautiful interior, fantastic atmosphere, and food was delicious. Set with a beautiful surrounding landscape. Highly recommend a visit on your travels

lovely little place and lovely food, top bacon buttie and brew! top service , deffo go back!! xxxxxx

Beautifully decorated, the food was amazing and the service was excellent. I'd definitely recommend! The shortbread was out of this world!

I have visited the cafe a few times since it has opened and each time is as good as the last. The food is always fresh, the cakes are amazing and the service is just a bonus :) !

I ordered soup when the menu came to work and was just thinking it was a long way to go for soup.