Lowther Castle Cafe in Eden

Customer service …… Non existent. Food … Average (bread rolls very nice) Staff stand behind counter and quite clearly talk about customers.

Friendly staff and great building. The fruit scones used to be the best for miles, but in recent weeks have halved in size and are completely lacking in flavour :-( We heard other complaints to counter staff on the same subject so they clearly know. Customer feedback is a gift.

Lots of delicious cakes. Hot food was a bit more limited for the time of day we went perhaps. Scones beautiful

Very dry lemon drizzle Unedible chocolate brownie..... so thick and gunky Hot chocolate was revolting!!!

Lovely hearty chicken and bacon salad and good awareness of gluten free. As someone with coeliac disease it was great to see two gluten free cakes (brownie and a raspberry slice). They were under a protective case and had separate tongs which were clearly labelled in a separate pot nearby. While the kitchen is small and they server couldn’t guarantee zero cross contamination due to using flour in the kitchen, they were happy to wash down the chopping board and utensils before preparing our food. The server on the checkout personally passed the message on to the kitchen and when she served the food she confirmed that the dressing was definitely gluten free but she’d put it in a pot on the side for us as a matter of preference. They did their best and they made it feel like we were no trouble at all. I’m a coeliac with non-obvious symptoms so very important to be able to have a level of trust in the process.

Visited the café for lunch after spending the morning exploring the castle grounds. We chose the mushrooms on toasted sourdough with spinach and a poached egg and the Lowther Rarebit with bacon and roasted cherry tomatoes. Both meals were absolutely delicious. Service was friendly and fast. The selection of cakes looked great and I was impressed that there was separate cake tongs kept in a separate jug marked for use with gluten free cakes only. (As the mother of someone who is coeliac and who becomes very ill if food is contaminated with gluten, this awareness and attention to detail was great to see). Although there have been a few reviews about poor service, I'd encourage people to visit as our experience was great and we need to support hospitality businesses in these difficult times.

We came here whilst on a visit to Lowther Castle, however you don't need to pay the entry fee to visit the cafe. There is a varied choice on the menu and it was surprisingly reasonably priced considering its a part of a tourist venue. The cafe is modern, light & airy. The food was ok but I was disapointed that my poached egg had a solid yolk rather than a runny one. Also, the kids picnic box was advertised as having a yoghurt in but there was a biscuit instead.

Not worth £40 entrie fee.There is nothing to do in the castle, you could probably walk round it in 10 minutes. I’ve actually seen better ‘free’ museums. I visited here 4 years ago with my grandparents and son and not much has been updated since then. This time round we visited in October half term and I would have expected maybe some sort of children’s activity going on but nothing. Weather was terrible so didn’t want to spend a lot of time outdoors on the adventure play area or gardens . It’s really not worth the money compared to the likes of raby castle or the bowes museum, Only the adventure play ground is decent. If you do not have children with you then this is not the place to go as really nothing to do. Very disappointing.

My wife and I went mid afternoon for coffe and cake - the cafe was almost full, but there was a table spare at the far end - we stood and waited to be served - the staff were very busy. When the male waiter came and I asked if we could sit at the spare table, we were told "No, its a table for 4 so the people behind will have to have it". The 'THREE' people behind had just arrived - we'd waited 5 minutes. I pointed out that they'd just arrived but was reminded that it was a table for 4. We left and won't be rushing back. I hope the ONE extra persin proved financially worthwhile.

The cafe was closed but a limited service was available as 'take away'. Quality was really very good and the team managed to deliver efficiently even though they only had a skeleton crew.

We had a wonderful lunch here, feeling quite hungry after strolling through the castle and vast gardens. The place was half empty and service was very nice.

Came here for lunch with the family after a lovely morning spent at the castle and gardens,we had a long wait for a table ( can’t be helped ) even after getting a table service was very slow.Staff seemed very busy and stressed causing a atmosphere to busy to care about each individual table and sadly service was seriously lacking. Food was average and instead of steak pie we got served a Cornish pasty?? The cafe it’s self is lovely decorated and very clean.Would maybe return out of peak season.

We enjoyed an excellent breakfast here last weekend (5 x Lowther breakfast and 1 x eggs benedict). There was a minor mix-up when one of the breakfasts was left off the list but the staff were honest and rectified the issue quickly and the breakfasts were all enjoyed. We returned the following day for a bacon sandwich from the takeaway window too.

A Good Cafe for a light lunch. Cafe had good Hygiene/covid safe measures.Online menu a bit confusing, Menu on the day was different. Dissapointed there were no flatbreads.Lovely Eggs Benedict, eggs perfect. Cakes dissapointing mostly chocolate traybakes. No sponges.A very dry shortbread biscuit, terrible, no taste of butter.Courtyard tables great with canopy.

Wonderful cafe in a beautiful room with marvellous paintings. The food was delicious . Staff very courteous . I would return!

We’ve been going to Lowther for years on a regular basis and most of the stafff are friendly and chatty.Unfortunately, there was 1 female staff yesterday, Saturday 12th, in the cafe who wasn’t very friendly. One dark haired female who seemed to be in charge never even greeted people with ‘hello’ . All you could hear was ‘have you tracked and traced!’.She was so rude! Not even a smile or hello. Think she’s in the wrong job!!

Third time eating in the cafe after it reopened. Poor service from a particular member of staff each time we visited, bad attitude and completely unnecessary.

We visited here just before lockdown and had a fantastic afternoon tea. The setting is just amazing .

La cafetería en Lowther Castle está situada en el patio, por lo que no tiene que pagar la tarifa de admisión si solo desea visitar la cafetería (y la tienda de regalos y los baños). Habíamos pasado la mañana en un frío día de diciembre deambulando por los jardines y los bosques, así que estábamos listos para comer y beber algo caliente. Era muy tranquilo, aunque los fines de semana y durante las vacaciones escolares es mucho más concurrido (¡y ruidoso!). Hay un buen menú de comida fría y caliente con una variedad de deliciosos pasteles y bollos a precios promedio para el Distrito de los Lagos.La sopa era deliciosa, al igual que uno de los paninis, pero desafortunadamente el café fue bastante decepcionante, no tan caliente y amargo.El personal es amable y eficiente, y en un frío día de invierno, era un lugar ideal para sentarse en un ambiente cálido.Vale la pena visitar

We called in for a coffee during our visit to the castle on a busy Saturday in August. It is situated near the entrance to the museum but not inside so you can visit the cafe without paying the castle entrance fee. It is a pleasant setting. There are tables inside and outside in the courtyard so lots of choice of places to sit. It was very busy with a long queue when we visited. We only wanted a drink but were behind people getting meals and it was not clear whether we could ‘push in’ front of them! We eventually got served and found a table. The food looked nice and the cakes were tempting!

The fact that this is the cafe associated with with an attraction should not detract from the fact that it is is noteworthy in its own right. The cafe in itself would would not be out of place on any High Street in the countrt. There are no gimmicks and and whilst sympathetic to its surroundings, it is not defined by them.We stayed here for lunch and then after a tour of the castle grounds, afternoon tea. We found that there was an excellent range of hot drinks available, and cold drinks which included alcoholic options. When we ordered teas and coffees we had the odd situation of of one person with ordinary milk, another with lactofree coconut milk and another with oat milk. They were also helpful cues about out the the allergen and dietary information of each menu option. Some products are also contained locally produced honey, so local that it is made on the estate. There was ample seating and outdoor seating for approximately another 40 people. When we had lunch there was a good range of options, with the traditional cold options, sandwiches, salads. There were also at least 6 hot options including a roast.I would recommend this place as a nice accompaniment to an afternoon stroll in the castle grounds; you might walk the grounds in the morning and then stop for lunch or the other way round.

AFter having a look round the gardens we decided to have a coffee and cake. There were gluten free options available for my husband but after asking about dairy free the waitress came back and apologisied that they didn't have any left. I'm afraid this has happened to us before which does make us hesitate to go over their specially as we leave within a 1/2 hour of the property. There is always a good selection of other cakes available though.

I booked this as a surprise for my wifes birthday. We spent several hours exploring the beautiful gardens, and playing with my granddaughter in the imaginatively created playground that has loads for all ages. We were welcomed to the sculpture gallery by excellent and friendly staff who spent so much time with us explaining the different teas available and allowing us to select one each to try. The selected teas then arrived each with an individual egg timer to show when the associated tea would be perfectly brewed - a very nice touch. The food arrived, beautifully presented and so fresh. A fabulous selection of sandwiches, scones and cakes. I would whole heartedly recommend to anyone for a special occasion. Make sure you go fealing hungry, although they do offer a doggy bag if you cannot finish it all on the day.

Excellent setting, fantastic facilities, lovely food......some staff - no points out of 10! There is one member of staff in particular who has a dreadful attitude to customers and other staff. So much so we won’t be back. Yes it’s busy, yes it’s Bank holiday Monday but customer service is just that .....service.

El té de la tarde en la Galería de Esculturas es un verdadero placer por muchas razones. Los alrededores. . Mirando hacia el castillo en ruinas. La galería con su hermosa decoración en blanco y negro y vajilla. . . La deliciosa comida. . . Hicieron un gran esfuerzo con uno de nuestro grupo que es vegano y realmente disfrutó su té y consiguió una caja de extras para llevar a casa. . . Pero lo que realmente lo hizo fue el servicio. . Laura nos sirvió y fue muy amable y conversadora. . Ella remató la experiencia. . Gracias

Este fue el primer día de apertura de la galería de esculturas y, desafortunadamente, éramos la única pareja allí.El costo del té de la tarde es de 50 por pareja, pero eso incluye la entrada al castillo y los jardines, que generalmente es de 11 cada uno, lo que lo hace muy bueno.La ubicación en la galería de esculturas es encantadora, con maravillosas vistas del jardín exterior.La decoración es realmente elegante, con un motivo blanco y negro.La selección de tés, proporcionada por Farrers of Kendal, fue maravillosa. Nuestro camarero vino con una caja de los disponibles en tubos, para que pudiéramos elegir el aroma después de haber escuchado las descripciones.Me intrigó el té de flores de jazmín con la única flor abriéndose en una olla de vidrio mientras se elaboraba. Mi esposa tenía un delicioso té de bayas que no estaba en el menú, tenían varias opciones además de las del menú.El servicio fue muy agradable, nos hicieron sentir realmente especial.La selección de sándwiches de dedo estaba muy bien presentada y muy fresca.Los pasteles y los bollos eran deliciosos, y se obtiene una verdadera crema coagulada. Tiene que ser una crema coagulada.Debe ir, pero tenga en cuenta que debe reservar el té de la tarde con 24 horas de anticipación.No puedo recomendarlo lo suficiente.

Se había dirigido al Hotel Haweswater para almorzar, pero en un día se estaba trabajando en la cocina, así que tomé un café allí y luego decidimos ir al Castillo de Lowther para almorzar. Estaba un poco preocupado de que hayan dejado de servir pero no, el almuerzo se sirve hasta las 3 pm. Eran las 2. 20 hs. Menú escrito en una pizarra grande, haciendo que cada miembro del grupo se desplace para mirar e informar. Quedaban dos tipos de quiche. El servidor no estaba seguro de cuáles eran los vegetarianos, ya que uno de ellos podría tener chorizo. Dos de nosotros tuvimos un quiche con aceitunas. Las aceitunas estaban tan secas que no eran comestibles. La masa se secó. Los quiches estaban sentados bajo una lámpara de calor. Nosotros más o menos los dejamos a todos. Las patatas fritas eran excelentes y el té en una taza apreciada. Todo el diseño de la cafetería no es genial. Somos locales y visitamos la excelente tienda a menudo, pero podemos pensar en mejores lugares para almorzar cerca.

Tuvimos la suerte de alcanzar el final del domingo en el almuerzo. La calidad de la comida era muy buena ya un precio mejor que en un pub local que podría mencionar. Puede estacionarse y comer aquí sin tener que comprar boletos para ingresar a los terrenos. Esto hace que sea una muy buena opción si estás en la zona.

Mediodía a mediodía, un día y lugar para pasear por el parque, y tantos perros como niños en las mesas. Una cola de longitud media para obtener comida, que serpentea alrededor de la mesa cargada con pasteles y bollos (no debajo de las tapas). No había menús en las mesas, así que la gente encantadora en la siguiente mesa para mí tenía que ir al servidor y memorizar el menú e informar. Un montón de sándwiches y tartas y opciones calientes alrededor de cosas como quiche y salchichas: no carne o pescado directamente. También un curry de verduras, que elegí y que quedé encantado de encontrar era muy casero y absolutamente delicioso. El personal de servicio manejó bien la cola.

A su llegada, pudimos ver que estaba muy ocupado, sin embargo, pudimos entender que era medio término. Sin embargo, la señora que estaba a nuestro lado decidió que no iría al baño a cambiar el pañal de su bebé, lo haría en el sofá, al lado de mi madre, en un café lleno con gente comiendo. Esto no solo nos puso de nuestro almuerzo, sino que también nos preocupaba lo limpia que estaba nuestra mesa no tan limpia.

Here for lunch, great chunky chips but quiche served stone cold from fridge which was disappointing, room temperature or even better warm would have been much tastier.

Llamé para almorzar ayer mientras visitábamos el castillo con nuestra nieta. Los alrededores son agradables y limpios, con muchos pasteles en exhibición. Sin embargo, no hay menús en las mesas, lo que significa pasar el ratón por encima del mostrador y las cajas para elegir los alimentos. . Fue un poco caótico. . Y no hay muchas opciones para ser honesto si no quieres chips. . No hay mucho de un menú para niños. La nieta eligió los 5 artículos para 5 bolsas de picnic: un buen sándwich de queso, mini salchichas, papas fritas, barra de chocolate y una gelatina que tenía un sabor peculiar, que armamos nosotros mismos. Luego fui al mostrador a pedir unas tostadas. . Las jóvenes que servían no tenían esperanza, ni idea, de pie allí. . pedido muy lento. Las tostadas no valían la pena, porque el pan era horrible. Té y café bien. Bollo de fruta bien también. Era caro para lo que teníamos. . Usualmente tomamos nuestro propio almuerzo para llevar, lo haremos la próxima vez.

Noisy, large, impersonal, expensive café - dreadful service. Self-Service system appalling; queue all muddled up. 'Blanked out' by staff when I asked for two coffees as server went to serve people who'd arrived after me. Walked out. Recommend you go to the Bird of Prey Centre instead - lovely food and proper service. Either take a picnic if you want to visit the castle or eat elsewhere. Lowther Castle café is a perfect example of the mega tourist rip-off trend that is sadly now ubiquitous across the Lake District and detracts massively from its charm. Tourists/visitors should vote with their feet and avoid such places. Individual staff not to blame, of course; managers/owners are entirely responsible for the lack of training and support given to their staff.

We had a lovely Mothers Day lunch at Lowther Castle, the food was excellent and the staff were helpful and friendly. After lunch we had a great walk around the grounds, and admired the views, if you have children there is a wonderful play area. Afterwards we finished off with a cake and coffee. A really lovely day.

We arrived at the Lowther Castle Cafe while it was still open, but after some of the pre-made items (eg salads) were almost gone. Several of our party of five were happy with soup and a scone, but two were celiac, so ordered a curry dish with gluten-free bread, after consulting with the counter staff who said it would be a special order and she would speak directly to the cook.

Just lovely place to be. Had a lot of work done last year and it's a real improvement. I had quiche and chips all freshly cooked and a fab coffee. Just what we needed after a good walk.

Tasty bowls of soup, sandwiches and wondrous chips. Lovely cakes too. Quick service too and a nice light and airy room.

we were some of the volunteers that were doing the big bulb plant today and even though the castle had provided coffee and cakes outside for us we decided to go in for a coffee. I had a lovely carrot cake so moist and a latte my husband had a gluten free white choc and raspberry cake with his coffee. I think he had choice of 4 cakes which is quite good for a cafe. cafe has been updated since our last visit and it is still very nice. all the cakes looked good and the hot food looked appetising. Not bad prices my coff was £2.80 and was a good mug full I think the cakes were just over £3. plenty of staff as it was half term and all friendly and helpful.

Took a few minutes out from my trip the castle to have a Hot Chocolate in the cafe, was a little cramped and full with everyone visiting the attraction having the same idea. Only comment was it was a little on the expensive side in my view.

We happened across Lowther Castle by chance and had a lovely few hours wandering around the gardens and reading all the very interesting history of the castle. The cafe has obviously been recently opened and was very well done out. The food was lovely.

Bit pricey but that's what all these type of Cafe's are like these days but the Castle itself and surroundings where great and a really enjoyable day out

We went here on a cold rainy day thinking it might be a place to enjoy when it was not good for hiking. Not. The roof was removed from the castle and it was abandoned more than 50 years ago. A small part of it is now covered, though drafty and cold. In this area there is a good history of the family and what happened to them and the castle. There are nice gardens for a warm day and a "lost castle" which we did not visit, but was indicated it was for children.

I don't usually review on TA however after reading recent review referring to the Cafe at LC being like a motorway cafe I had to advise of our experience on Friday 15th Sept. Having been members of the National Trust, Historic Houses for years and visited numerous other cultural attractions around the UK I can honestly say the Cafe at LC was one of the cleanest, well equipped with high chairs, comfortable & nicely decorated that we have ever visited. The window wall allowed for views into the courtyard & the island with cakes etc let customers have a good peruse of the delights on offer before choosing. Everything is clearly home made - the dark choc tiffin and raspberry and hazelnut flap jack (£2.50 each) for generous and freshly made slices were so delicious we wished we'd taken some home. I opted for carrot, cumin and coconut soup which was beautiful with a cheese scone - simply the best cheese scone I'd ever had for an extremely reasonable £6.50. I shared this with a toddler (who loved it!) & was still full. My husband had homemade cottage pie & chips - again delicious and very reasonably priced £8. My decaf cappuccino was lovely - it was served in a mug instead of a cup and saucer as previous reviewer said, however complaining about this is surely a first world issue?! Without exception the Staff were friendly, attentive & helpful - despite witnessing a male customer speak to a lady he was ordering from in an extremely patronising & rude way. The drinks selection hot and cold was extensive & did I mention the yummy hard to choose from cake/treat selection?! Obviously I can only advise of our families experience however the food and drinks were very reasonably priced considering the quality & in comparison to the National Trust etc. If you don't want to spend money on lunch - bring a picnic!!! I've noticed the complaints don't appear to have been raised with the Staff? We can't wait to visit the Cafe again and will ensure we do on our next trip to the lakes - well done to front of house & the kitchen staff & next time I hope to try the mushroom and tarragon soup and we will be taking cake home

I've been visiting Lowther regularly for over 4 years now, and it is sad to see the decline in the standards offered in the "restaurant".

Good variety of food on offer. Indoor and outdoor seating. All tastes catered for.Soup and scones always hit the spot.

Called in the cafe for a coffee and cake after visiting the magical castle ruins and garden while staying in the area found the cafe to be expensive but the food and service were good

Many surprising features make this an afternoon of discovery. We enjoyed reading about the history on the way to the "main event". The castle itself is probably more impressive without the roof in place. Wandering through the gardens was a delight with the unrestored features intriguing and each so different. The kids play area did not interest us but seemed bery popular.Food and drink perhaps a little pricey but we did enjoy a toasted sandwich and a cuppa.Great place to roam and explore but do wear walking shoes or boots!

The café has plenty of seating both inside and out. There is plenty of room at each table. The food is well presented. There is plenty of choice and many healthy options. The food is tasty. Service is good.

A great place for coffee and cake before we take our grandchildren into the Castle and gardens, always a good choice of cake and scones, my grandchildren recommend the ham sandwiches and the bowls of chips always their favourites. Staff are always helpful and have time for everyone. The highlight of our days out at Lowther always start at the café.

This place is glorious. The food is spectacular but defiantly caters for adults not kids and the prices are extortion for anything more than chips. Go for coffee and a scone but take a picnic. It cost me more to feed a family of 4 here than it did to get into the castle and the kids only had an owl of chips and I had a panini.

The cafe is clean and tidy, contemporary and invitng. Food was good quality and not particularly overpriced.

Nice surroundings, very pretentious service, some one needs to explain friendly service to the employees.Your honestly made to feel like they are doing you a favour serving you. I work in this industry and its sad to see in such a nice location, especially with the prices charged.And forget the ice cream hut, only three flavours, no tubs for younger kids, no one scoop sales also, just two scoops for £3, no variety and no portion control.It's obviously all simply for the profit which is a shame for a so called family friendly place.

A nice coffee in the outdoor area of the cafe was a very pleasant experience.Didn't eat here but the food and cake we saw others enjoying looked very good.

You don't need to pay to see the castle if you just want to use the cafe, which is good because it's a really great place to eat. It's a cafe but serves some good hot food and great tea and cake. Highly recommend. The court yard is wonderful and the stables a very novel place to eat. Toilets are also very novel and a must visit in themselves !! Great food stunning setting fantastic staff and every aspect spotlessly clean.

I was surprised that this beautiful place had such a disappointing cafe. All of the panini's (which don't even have nice bread) are pre-made and I wanted a bacon and brie without cranberry and they couldn't do it as "everything is pre made". Bread was dry. Kid's boxes are ok at £5 for 5 items.

Very nice ambiance, almost French! Need more shade on days. Could have more cuisine's to take advantage of such a great location.

A small mug of weak hot chocolate £2.80 plus20p for cream and marshmallows meaning less hot chocolate!! Breakfast tea in a small mug £2.30. Soured the day after an enjoyable and pleasant visit to the castle ruins and grounds.

Can park and visit cafe for free. Courtyard with outside table and ornamental trees with inside seating as well. Lots of cake and tray bakes, good selection of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, toasters, soup and quiche. High chairs if you have young children. Very pleasant.

You can frequent the cafe without entering the castle. There is outside seating and friendly service. The food was very tasty from a fairly extensive menu, but not cheap.

The cafe is free to use without having to buy a ticket to enter the castle and gardens which is great, although i would definitely recommend a visit to them too. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, attentive and knowledgable about the castle and gardens. The view from the cafe is delightful. The cafe provides hot and cold beverages as well as snacks and cooked meals all freshly prepared to order and ice cream for those sunny days. There is comfortable indoor and outdoor seating available and dogs are welcome too. We made several visits to the cafe whilst visiting the Castle and gardens to refuel and have a rest. I can recommend the freshly prepared toasted sandwiches, as well as the bacon and cheese burger with home-made thick cut chips and home-made coleslaw, all the food was made fresh to order and arrived quickly with a smile. There is also a mouthwatering array of cakes and scones on offer to tempt you. All in all the service was amazing and the food was spectacular, i will definitely be visiting again sometime soon. A big thank you to all the staff that made our day special x

The Lowther Castle Café has had a makeover and does look really great with the new light fittings and paintings, etc. but unfortunately the customers are now paying the cost. We have visited here many times since it first opened and have always enjoyed the food, especially the cakes. However we visited yesterday and were quite impressed with the new look, but unfortunately not impressed with the uplift in prices. Most of the cakes now cost £3.40, or £2.50 for a scone. If you want a cup of tea that is all you get, they now only serve tea in a small mug, you don't even get a pot of tea any more and you have to add your milk from a jug at the counter. The coffee has now been downsized. You will pay £2.80 for only an average size mug, not a large one which you would expect for that price. It cost us £15.40 for two small coffees, one small mug of tea, a scone and two small brownies. There did not seem to be very much choice on the menu if you wanted a sandwich or something hot. Sorry Lowther Café we wont be visiting again for a long time, if at all.

Last time we visited was before the cafe had been 'done up' and we enjoyed some nice lunches. What on earth have you done to it?! ..It is now noisy, has unimaginative food, is like sitting in a school canteen and has staff who don't know that they should wash their hands after handling money before they handle food! ...what a let down. Won't be visiting here again

£5.60 for two cans of pop at the cafe, Rip off. £9 for an adult to enter the gardens. IF they were finished, maybe but their not. Their a long way from being finished and in reality there's not much to do, certainly not £9 worth.FAR TOO EXPENSIVE

Great day out, excellent food and service. The restaurant is well equipped for families and children plus they are dog friendly. Well done.

Very disappointed with the prices. £2.80 for tiny cups of hot drinks not even teapots to top up. Food was expensive and there were no clean tables as not enough staff to clear them. Kids meals were £5 for the meal only no drink etc included. Will be bringing a picnic next time especially as it was a 35 minute wait for food.

It was a really wet day and we thought that we'd have a quick lunch before walking around. Unfortunately the Cafe lets dogs in - whcih I know is great for people with dogs but not so great for us that don't have dogs; the several large dogs in the cafe had all been for their walks and the smell of wet sweaty dogs really wasn't pleasant. Also we ordered a childrens lunch box. I think it was £5 - for a small sandwich which wasn't overly fresh, a small banana, freddo frog chocolate, a very small package of raisons (5 raisons ?) and a carton of apple juice. I asked if they had forgotten the crisps at least - but no all the staff were adamant that we had everything. Felt very ripped off. Very pricey and wouldn't be hurrying back.

The atmosphere in this café is really nice, especially after a walk around the estate or garden. However, I've been to the café a few times, and each time I've noticed that any encounter with the staff seems almost erratic, and they seem stressed rather than cheerful, the layout of the coffee and the till cause overlapping between staff, and the role designation seems very inefficient. Also I feel it's overpriced for the quality of the food. The baking is never particularly good. Last time I was there I had a scone, it was very dry and I think it had frostnip from being in the freezer. It's a real shame, as I think it could become a really great little café.

Been here several times now and it never really disappoints but it is a cafe not a fine dining restaurant offering silver service. Maybe at times more staff are needed but we have never had any complaints about the service or the food. There's a good and varied selection of hot food, snacks, cakes etc and drinks. Portions are certainly generous and prices are average for the Lake District. Staff are efficient and friendly. It's popular and gets very busy so be prepared to queue. Sadly, every time we go, some people demand instant service even though they can see staff are working flat out. If you visiting the castle to walk around the grounds or taking children to the exciting adventure playground then the cafe is a good starting off or finishing point.

The tables are bit like a school canteen and very clinical. Loads of noisy kids which I am sure the cafe wants so our problem. The service was slow and really did not think the cakes too exciting. It is the appearance we found most offputting..totally unimaginative. We will not be back.

Helpful staff reserved a large table for us whilst we strolled in the gardens. Good menu, interesting options, good vegetarian choices, not many cheap options. Nice coffee and cakes. Dog friendly. My only quibble today was the huge variation in time it took for meals to arrive. Some of us had finished before others got their meals.

Have had many pleasant lunches here and the food is tasty and fresh. Had the Gardener's platter today,salmon, pate and cheese with salad and salmon crostini. My first choice was quiche but they had run out. It's a shame the cafe is such a big, echoing room, it has no ambience and the noise of the chairs constantly scraping on the floor is unpleasant.

We went at half term, a lovely autumn day so there were lots of people about. Lunchtime in the cafe was unsurprisingly busy, thank goodness we got there early. I was third in the queue but stood for 15 mins as there was only one girl behind the counter - taking orders, doing the till, making coffees, ladling soup and toasting sarnies while another girl rearranged the cups. By the time I'd ordered there were 20 in the queue, many gave up.The food was average to good, I had soup - quite nice, it was on the counter so I carried it to our table along with a rather stale roll. The quiche of the day came next then the children's fish gujons with chips and sausage and chips - the chips had been salted which seemed odd for a children's meal, there was no veg or salad. I know the menu board said sausage/Fish and chips and this is what we got. The sausages and the fish were good quality. The quiche was bland. It's quite expensive and didn't feel good value.The service really needs to be looked at, others were eating in shifts, some gave up, the queue snaked through the tables so it wasn't a relaxing meal.The cafe is lovely and light, the decor pleasant and the toilets clean.If we returned in school holidays with children we would take a picnic.

This is a converted stable into a modern building, and to a certain extent, I felt the table layout was a bit like being in a college/school cafeteria. Having said that, it is a lovely location and they do serve a good variety of food/drinks, it is a clean building. Toilets are very good as well. Our food arrived at the same time so no complaints there. Burger and chips was nice. No skinny milk available if you like that sort of thing. Not cheap but given the location relatively value for money. We liked it. One of the main attractions at the castle is a children playground, so there was a disproportionate number of young children in the café for an historic castle shell and gardens.

The food was ok but very pricey. The kids had lunch boxes, which contained the usual sandwich, crisps, fruit etc.. £4 each. My partner had a panini and myself a burger which came roughly 25 minutes after everybody elses. The chips that came with the burger where the highlight. Not keen on the coleslaw either. Just normal coleslaw would of surficed the mustardy celeriac one is not needed. We wanted a quick lunch before entering the castle gardens but it cost us almost £30.. which doubled our trip costs. Definitely when we return to lowther castle we will bypass the cafe and bring picnics to enjoy in the garden. The staff here mind did work extremely hard and were nice and polite and kept it spotless. The food and effort can not be faulted. Just found it a tad on the expensive side..

Ordered soup and sandwich, pannini, child's sausage and chips, drinks. Food was fresh, tasty and well presented although the bacon in the planning was only warm. The cafe is very clean and set out nicelym, but the service is disorganised. Drinks and sandwich were self service. Pannini arrived as we sat down, child's sausage and chips arrived 30minutes later, asked if we could have the soup, young waitress said it was coming, no offer to get it for us. Never arrived so went to counter, told we should have got it when we paid at the counter! Lady eventually brought it and apologised offering us free cakes which was appreciated. The system isn't working. It was busy but when you pay you are given a label with your table name but there is no where to stand it so the staff bringing the meals are wandering about not knowing where to take them. We also felt sorry for the man on the till, obviously a new starter but would it not be better to learn the job when it's quiet, not during a very busy lunch time. They need a system where all the food is served at the same time. Also a menu on the table would be nice as well as the two blackboard which were high up and not easy to read. Disappointed as we would like to eat our lunch together, not in a relay.

Visited Lowther Castle café. I love this castle. Looking forward to it. Tried to ask for our dairy-free child. Got nowhere. Staff running about ( well it was lunch time so they busy), when I caught one they looked at me blankly. But I had the emergency peanut butter sarnie and an apple in my bag so the child was happy.I had the best meal out of the 3 of us able to eat food they prepared. The tuna sandwich was considered "bready and would have liked more tuna". The sausage panini was warm bread/cold sausage.I had the quiche. Yummmmmmm. No skimping on the goats cheese. Yum. I hated letting the others taste it to see if it was as good as I said. But shame the panini was brought to us 20 mins before my quiche appeared. We like to eat together and not in shifts. Food is fine but the service needs to get its act together. Also these 'table signs' of Beetroot/Parsley etc need to be standing up in something so the staff can see them. No point when laid flat on the table - waiting staff couldn't see them and were wandering around with customers calling them over.And a question from my 11 yr old - where was the clotted cream for his scone? You used to provide it and it was more yummier with it.

Although I have given this cafe a very good rating, I think a more accurate one would be good. It's certainly better than average but perhaps very good is over generous.There's certainly plenty of space and a good choice of hot and cold food. There's a plentiful supply of cakes and scones if you're just wanting a small snack.It's mainly self service with any hot food being brought to your table by the efficient and friendly staff. The paninis are a good buy! Some of the dishes did seem a little pricey even for the Lake District.It was nice to see children enjoying themselves but children running around when hot drinks are being carried is a dangerous combination and there were nearly several disasters when we visited! Most parents were being responsible but for one couple , their mobile phones seemed more important! The cafe is worth visiting particularly if you need to top up your energy levels after a good walk around the grounds. Easily accessible from the courtyard for anyone with disabilities.

Was surprised to find it so busy on a very wet April lunchtime. We have visited here before and found it very good so perhaps we should not of been so surprised. Had a lovely cappuccino and shared a Roasted Vegetable and Mozzarella Pannini with salad and ( I should imagine ) homemade coleslaw. It was really scrummy and filling even as a shared lunch. We will be back.

had a lovely walk from Askham,whale, helton and askham fells with our walking group and calledin for our tea. I had a cup of tea and a slice of banana loaf just over £4. there was a good choice of cakes bit pricy but they are quite big. didnt check the menu as we were only there for tea. lovely March day sunny with a cold wind. Looked round the lovely gift shop and the stables with all the art work in.

Having visited Lowther Castel café on a few occasions and always enjoying the quality and variety of food, the friendly staff and of course, the beautiful surroundings we decided to bring three mums for mothers day lunch...excellent decision. We had a variety of choices form the menu between us but they were all superb, fresh, extremely tasty and very good value. The risotto I had was exceptional but my mum was equally appreciative of her 'posh' mushrooms on toast so I am hoping these will be on the menu for the next time we visit, can't be soon enough!

Went for lunch. We were the only ones there - was pouring with rain that day. The staff were lovely and friendly. Food was very tasty but quite pricey for a small portion.

We visited on the first of two Halloween special nights. The cafe ladies did a fantastic job considering how busy it was. The food arrived promptly. We had soup, wedges and cheese burgers from the special Halloween menu and look forward to returning to sample the Autumn dishes. There was a fantastic selection of cakes and scones. Cafe was decorated with webs and spiders which the kids loved. Had a great night and will return.

This is a pricey place with soup and roll at £4.50. Nevertheless, the place was pretty full and very noisy with children running about whilst their parents chatted. It is all very new, and part of the Lowther project to restore the gardens and exhibit the castle ruins. Very clean and food promptly served and well-displayed.

We were driving around wondering where to go for a cup of tea and decided to try Lowther Castle A good selection of home baking and good sized bits of cake and big scones etc Not your usual skimpy stuff well worth a visit and not far from the main road if you are in the vicinity give it a visit Also the revamped gardens are handy to walk off your afternoon tea

Visited Lowther Castle a while ago and thought the cafe looked interesting, so it was good to be able to visit the castle again and have lunch today. Nice spacious room with friendly staff and imaginative menu. The pulled pork & rocket burger with potato & sweet potato chips & coleslaw was very good. Chicken & chorizo pie filling rather soup-like but tasty nonetheless. Cafe is in a lovely courtyard setting. Gift shop also worth a visit. Highly recommended.

We enjoyed the coffee and scones here. We have visited a few times and enjoyed it however it can be a bit expensive for children's food.

Beautiful cafe serving a wonderful selection of cakes, sandwiches and lunches.Superb selection of gluten free items as well.Great staff... customer service as it should be done!

There is lots see in the 130 acres of castle and grounds so a good cafe is a must. The food was excellent and staff very helpful.

What an amazing experience to visit an ancient Castle and to sit either inside or outside the restaurant situated in the courtyard. The food and service was excellent. There are lots of interests for the whole family, wonderful grounds and an adventure play area for children. I would definitely visit the restaurant again, if only for the superb chips!

Had a light lunch after visiting the grounds. Airy open restaurant with outdoor seating. Plenty of sandwiches, Paninis, cakes etc but also a short menu of freshly cooked meals. Chose a summer rissotto that was perfectly cooked, nice and gooey with a selection of summer veg, asparagus, courgettes, peas with cheese melted in. The cakes chosen were a little dry and not particularly large. Prices were very good. Would certainly visit again if in the area.

I had very much looked forward to eating at the Lowther Castle cafe. After wandering around, not sure what to do, we asked someone about where to sit and how to order; help was not offered. I ordered crab cakes that ended up being fish cakes. They looked appealing on the plate, but had very little taste. My lunch companions also agreed that their food was not what they expected. The deserts looked good, but we did not partake. It was clean, and the views are lovely; I hope the food improves!

The cafe is lovely and the menu offering was excellent. The food was really good and fresh. If you don't want a meal then just take a look at the wide variety of cakes on offer....It was wonderful

Went in to warm up after a chilly walk in the gardens. The choice of cakes is vast, including 4 different gluten free cakes. I had a scone which was huge and tasty. The main meals sounded wholesome and delicious and were good value.

Great cafe, serving good home made meals. Dogs are welcome at the end of dining hall. Prices very reasonable. Do try their scones and ice cream. Absolutely gorgeous.

Myself and my family finished our visit to Lowther with a meal at the cafe. It offered a brilliant spring menu and a selection of delicious cakes and paninis. We all enjoyed our food a great deal and it was very reasonably priced for the quality. My 3 year old daughter was made very welcome with crayons and a colouring book by excellent staff. I cannot recommend highly enough!!

I went there with my wife having seen it on the antiques roadshow. Having only just having surgery on my foot we were unable to wander around the castle but did have lunch in their cafe. Staff were very friendly, the food... what can I say, their gardeners plater was delicious. I'm pleased we got in when we did as within a few minutes it was full. The only criticism I have was the staff not challenging two customers who brought their dog into the cafe, then allowing the dog to be allowed to stand on the table where people would be eating meals from. At least two members of staff saw the dog enter and one saw the dog standing on the table but nothing was said. Plenty of other customers were passing comments but nothing was done.

Fantastic cakes, a great hot food menu, fast and friendly service. Fabulous hot drinks. All set in a wonderful location. Everything you need for a day out. I will be returning with more of my family

Welcoming friendly and helpful staff. Good menu from tea and scones to cooked lunch. You can eat inside or out looking over the main court yard of Lowther Castle. Although the restaurant is in Lowther Castle grounds there is no fee for use. Dog friendly which is a big bonus. We will definitely visit again.

We have just visited and I believe the café is fairly new. Fresh rolls and hot meals. hot and cold drinks and alcoholic too, huge home made scones and home made cakes. You can sit inside in the warmth or sit outside in the courtyard. Yes it is a little expensive but worth it.

We stopped in at Lowther Castle half way through a walk in the area. The cafe can be reached without paying the entrance fee to the grounds and is located within a lovely courtyard. The cafe seems very new and was very light and airy, both dog and child friendly. The menu included be paninis, coffees and tea and a specials board which from memory has soup, a ploughman type platters on it and a good number of other items. Unfortunately the paninis don't actually feature on the chalk board and it was only by chance I saw someone else get one I asked but the prices and fillings I didn't see on a board anywhere. We had a tuna and cheese panini and a beef and onion one. Both were £4.25 with salad being charged as an extra.They were pleasant enough however they did look a bit lost on the plate with no salad or crisps to accompany them. The staff seemed new and didn't seem to be fully aware of how the various catering equipment worked (the hammering of the panini grill machine gave that away!) They were however pleasant but screamed of seasonal workers. The trays are also very flexible so be careful if you load them up with heavy hot drinks!A stunning location however makes up for the small issues and I am sure as the season progresses the staff will get the hang of it!