Spice Essence in South Lakeland

Highly recommended...A beautiful meal. Onion bhaji to start. Succulent and crispy. Delicious. I had king Prawn bhuna.my wife had chicken tikka rogan josh. We asked for both to be 'madras hot' they were both very spicy and superbly delicious. Plus 2 pilau rice, a bombay potatoes and a peshawar naan... A bottle of wine, less than £16. The restaurant was clean and the service first rate. Altogether a lovely experience. The bill was £68.45.. Inc wine. Excellent value.

The food wasn't good at all and would not recommend it.

A disappointing experience and not worth the money. No real welcome upon arrival; we were simply shown to our table. Having eaten countless Indian meals both in the UK and in India we found the cuisine inauthentic with poor ingredients. The raita and curries were completely lacking in spices, flavour or aroma. The poppadums were bland and tasteless. The service was lacklustre.

The food here was amazing my husband and I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend Spice Essence. Thank you 😊

Lovely place food great and staff very attentive enjoyed our date night very clean we didn't book and packed up what I couldn't manage to take home

Always enjoy our food here,good service decent prices ☺️

Simple ambiance,good place to have food

Lovely meal with family. Food excellent good portion sizes. Think it only takes cash payments. Reach it by outdoor staircases. Free parking in square after 6pm. Free parking at set places on road.

Lovely Indian food, service was great, we had a very nice bottle of Shiraz. Could not fault, great stuff. Reasonably priced, would certainly return on our next visit.

Lovely place and friendly staff. Food was good and priced right. Good atmosphere and choice of menu. Cash only but bank across road with ATM.

It’s not Indian restaurant - they don’t know Hindi Only accept cash—-!!!!! Water is chargeable Food is one of the worst I have tried

First of all it’s not Indian restaurant Water charges Worst taste Cash only-

Worst Bangladeshi restaurant Water chargeable Worst taste Non cooperative staff Accept only CASH!!!! Please don’t go

Would not recommend visiting this place for eating. Staff is very rude and absence of basic tap water!!! And very unhygienic place!!

I do not recommend to visit this place for food. Service, taste not good! Ambience not good!

It’s Bangladesh based restaurant with indian name. Would not recommend visiting this place at all for indian food. Staff is rude and absence of hospitality.

We were staying in a nearby B&B and just fancied something spicy. We hadn't booked but it was early evening so we're seated right away. There is an excellent choice and we were very impressed by the quality and quantity of the food. Service was attentive, polite but not overfussy and price was very reasonable. Wish we lived nearer!

We love a curry and this place was great. Good service, tasty food and no one felt bad afterwards (you know this often happens)! Starters good, curries nice and good spice levels. Everyone really enjoyed and the service was great. Cash only was only slight issue but not really an issue!

Our local Indian restaurant is consistently good and sometimes excellent. Food is freshly prepared, the menu is extensive and the prices are reasonable.

To put it bluntly, the food was just very bland. Nice atmosphere and the waiters were pleasant, found it odd when placing out our food they didn’t care where they put it eg- balancing on the knife and forks… risky… Our naan was flavourless but wasn’t badly cooked and our mains were very bland - we added our left over mint sauce from the popadoms to it and added some salt. It was just very mediocre and I wouldn’t spend £50 again there. We were in and out in an hour, we just ate and left but we didn’t feel rushed. It was surprising busy with lots of takeaways so we were just confused to why when our meal was flavourless when it seems so popular?

Delicious food, great menu. Cash only is a bit of a nuisance, it would be much easier if you could pay by card. Will definately return

Honestly one of the nicest dine in Indian restaurants I've tried..probably the best kebab starter I've ever had..no the best. Quick and efficient service and the lager was nice has well..me and my missus were well impressed

A very enjoyable first experience at Spice Essence. Immaculately clean with top class service and good atmosphere. The curries we ordered were well prepared and so very tasty. Special mention for the Peshawar naan bread we ordered, so light, sweet and moorish. Thank you Spice Essence for a delightful evening, thoroughly recommend and we will definitely be back.

Food poor too average. Waiter rude and arrogant. Would not recommend and will not be returning.

Possibly the worst Indian restaurant we’ve ever been to

Had a dine-in with a large group of us. A good, attentive service with nice food.

Called to order with and asked about allergens, weren’t knowledgeable or clear, had no patience, and told by chap on the phone only vegetarian dishes gluten free, and I while confirming with partner the order they said they were very busy so to call back when decided and proceeded to hang up on me. No wonder reviews talk of rude service. Won’t be trying.

Very nice place clean and friendly served with a smile and nicely greeted lovely food at fair prices and good set meals so can share as well very nice well recommended

Good food with enjoyable curries and naans! Big portions so I might have over ordered naans but it was still a very good dinner! I loved my butter chicken and garlic naan!

The best curry I've had in ages.

yuk... a bhuna with no taste, masalas that you needed sunglasses to look at, both poor quality, the Naan was decent, as was the tiny portion of chicken pakora, (4 pinky-sized fingers of chicken) chapatis were also decent, fried rice was still white?? I have been involved with indian restaurants for many moons, this place is not good.. reading on several other sites it appears they serve good food... 'fraid not guys.. the masala was first done in Glasgow, so this is fake stuff here..

Following previous reviews we ordered a takeaway from Spice Essence whilst on a short break. The whole family where very impressed with the food.

Food was a bit raw. Everything was Average.

Excellent service. Very good food which exceeded my expectations. Hungry for more.

Food was very nice but service was about as poor as it gets, wont be back

A very enjoyable meal and friendly service. Highly recommended! Rather puzzled why the photo is of the pie shop and not the restaurant...

Lovely place to eat. Great surroundings, friendly attentive staff and not too long to wait for the food. Our starters and mains were delicious! Fresh onion barjis and the most tasty lamb rogan josh. Would definitely recommend this place and would love to visit again if we were local to the area (we're from West Yorkshire).

Excellent food very hot curry (which is what I like). Excellent staff really attentive. A bit rushed to start, but settled down later on. Replaced our water without asking. I really wish I lived closer as I would be back every week. Thank You.

Nice meal. Friendly staff. But no atmosphere. We were the only one's in lol

Wow what a experiance. Looks can be decieving, but this place is amazing, nice friendly staff, and food is the best i have had in a long time! 5 *

Only curry house around! Good job it was outstanding! You want a decent ruby in an around the lakes? This is the go to! Yummy!

We had a great meal best indian meal in ages the meal had so many authentic flavours service was great cash only but lucky I had some on me very clean slightly expensive compared to others but well worth it 24/09/2021

We found Essence completely by chance after an afternoon playing golf at Kirkby Lonsdale. All 4 of us chose different meals and they were all delicious. 1st class service, 1st class food, great value for money and somewhere we will definitely visit again when we are next in the area.

We had a takeaway but they were very friendly while we waited ...food was absolutely delicious one of the best curry's I've had..would highly recommend.

Great currys, loads of choice too.

Just finished my takeaway from spice essence and it’s always a bit scary when you order from a new place. Do not be scared, top food, really enjoyed it. Well worth an order. Thanks.

Lovely, tasty and fresh Indian takeaway (there is a small restaurant which looks nice but we didn't try it). Dropped a star as I was told 30-40 minutes for a pickup, after I arrived (about 35 minutes in), I waited a further 30 minutes. I didn't particularly mind, but a simple apology for my wait or someone occasionally keeping me apprised of how my order was doing would've been nice, rather than each of the front of house staff asking in turn my name to find out where my order was 🙈. I talked to a couple of fellow customers while I was there and unfortunately it seems my experience on Tuesday 24th August 2021 was shared by most of them.

We had the chicken tikka masala and pilau rice as a carry out and they were absolutely awesome, taste, texture were all there and piping hot......

Went with family whole on holiday in the area. We sat inside at the back of the restaurant and found it comfortable and atmospheric. The food was amazing. We all ordered starters and four different main courses and could not fault anything. All of the dishes were beautifully presented and cooked to perfection. Beer was ice cold which is what you want with a curry. Can't wait to return.

Fantastic meal! Really tasty food, huge menu and excellent portion sizes! Can't recommend this place highly enough.

Great food at a reasonable price. Staff very welcoming.

We're on holiday for the week and just had a takeaway from here. Best indian we've had for a long time 😋😋

The best Indian Restaurant and Takeaway bar none!!

A really great little Indian restaurant and takeaway. Some of the best Indian food I've had in ages, served by helpful and friendly staff.

Excellent food and service. Highly recommended !!!

tasty food and good value . Alcohol cheaper than most places in town . Would definitely recommend to anyone

We were enticed to visit this restaurant by the unbelievable smell as we walked down Main Street. The meal we had lived up to expectations. Absolutely delicious and flavoursome. I think with Indian restaurants there are no in betweens - they are either fantastic or extremely disappointing. I’m pleased to say spice essence is in the first category. So much so we are going again tomorrow which is the last day of our trip here - we cannot wait as we think it’s a great way to finish our break. Staff are lovely too !

Had a take away on Saturday evening. Didn't have to wait very long and the quality of the food was good. Good choice of dishes too and price very reasonable.

Heel goed restaurant. Tijdens vakantie 2x gegeten.

Excellent Indian Takeaway. Food is amazing.

Had an excellent takeaway from here and definitely will return. Freshly made with decent ingredients. Hopefully soon will be able to dine inside in the restaurant

It was bang on,nice food,good service and reasonably priced,definitely recommend 😊

Best curry I've had in a long while!!

Wow wow wow my friend took me here for my 30th as a takeaway obviously but wooooow would definitely recommend reasonable priced and very nice staff

We asked for a takeaway on Sunday and it was really tasty. It was ready in 15 minutes and everything tasted great. The whole family enjoyed it and we will try it again when returning to Kirkby Lonsdale.

Average food and felt rushed even though not busy.

Great place to eat. Please note on friday 21st feb they are having phone issues

Great food. Fast and friendly service.

Great food at this establishment but the lighting completely spoils the ambience in the restaurant and any chance of a warm cosy feel is wiped out by the cold harsh rays from the overhead chandelier. The other major flaw is the house red wine which was not only served at the wrong temperature, namely very cold, but also lacked any body or flavour. The toilets were pretty grubby too it has to be said. If they can sort these problems out then their quality food should see them on target to a quality place to visit.

We are staying just outside of the town and our B&Bs food is frankly pretty poor so we decided to have a look round elsewhere for food, we chose this place based of its reviews. Food was lovely and excellent value for money. We had the set meal for 2 and neither of us eat lamb, the staff were very accommodating and can’t really fault the service it was quick and polite. Things to note: when we visited they only took cash, it’s also set back off the street so it took us a minute or two to find! Would recommend to anyone, we really enjoyed ourselves.

A nice tidy and clean Indian meal. Great flavours with no complaints from any of us. Would return again.

Very nice place, good food and service. Nothing wrong with this place, just how I would expect it to be.

This was a revisit for us. When we arrived to get a take away it appeared to be shut down but we come back a bit later and staff had arrived. We were visiting the town and as we had our dog with us we had to have a take away. We had to find a bench somewhere to eat but we were prepared to do this as the curry had been so good on our previous visitThe menu had all our favourites and once again we were not disappointed,it was lovely.

Nice food and good value. But the service could be better.

Ordered a takeaway after a couple of drinks in Kirkby Lonsdale town. The food was delicious. Naan bread was lovely and freshly made. Chicken chat starter was just enough to share between 2. And the chicken madras was very tasty, lovely thick tomatoey sauce, tasted very authenticity indian. Would definitely return next time we’re in Kirkby Lonsdale. Very reasonably priced too.

The TripAdvisor Community doesn’t lie. Spice Essence is just as they say - at best average or, as in our case, poor. On arrival at 7:30pm this Saturday evening we opened the door to something resembling chaos - take away clients standing everywhere and stressed staff. We were shown to a table and our drinks order was taken quickly....... and then someone must have hit the ‘stop button’ because, after the drinks had arrived, nothing more happened for ages.Somewhat disconcertingly, while we waited another couple left their table, went to the bar and complained about their meals before paying (cash only folks) and left. Hmm.Eventually, someone came and took our order, After an apology at 8:45pm our meals arrived at 8:50pm - a mere 1hr, 20mins after arrival. We had set ourselves a stop-loss time of 9pm so they just saved themselves another customer who would have just got up and walked out by 10 minutes.The food? Average sums it up perfectly, as others have said. The pickles tray was not great, the papadum just towards the stale side but not quite. One of the curry dishes was luminescent red. But all edible, okay dishes. I expected average food and average decor based on the other reviews. Since this is the only curry house in Kirkby Lonsdale we thought we would take the chance. It filled us up, was okay food and nobody has fallen ill. So it meets the basic need and was relatively inexpensive.The service is the issue. The lead waiter gets totally stressed out - darting here and there, lots of activity but less positive impact. He is stressed, everyone feels his stress and so his engagement style is poor. By the time things had calmed down at 9:10pm when we settled up he was apologetic and had come down from Defcon 1 but it was really too late. I worry about his blood pressure, heart rate and general wellbeing rather than my delayed meal! And yes, you read that correctly, we received our food 80mins after arrival, ate it in 15mins, paid and left (we didn’t eat it all).Would I go again? No I wouldn’t. I love curry but this ain’t worth it. Should you try? Maybe if you’re desperate for your spice kick but avoid busy evenings. And don’t expect much.Shame really, that’s the second totally stressed-out waiter / waitress we’ve had today. Folk need to embrace the fact that they’re in the ‘hospitality’ industry, its more than just shoving food in front of folk and telling them to ‘eat-up’. People want to enjoy the experience too before they part with their hard-earned cash.Not recommended - Arianne

meal was nice and servive was very quick, nothing special but nothing bad. central in the town, dont think i would go again.

I found some of the negative reviews on this Indian restaurant rather surprising.Personally we found it well above the average Indian restaurant, with better choice (including unusual dishes) and a more home made taste than the typical Indian.It's small but not cramped - probably best to book.It doesn't take cards but that's not an issue as there are cashpoints within a few yards

Tasty,well cooked plentiful food cooked well,and friendly courteous efficient service

The anticipation built by the quaint entrance down a lane is immediately dispelled upon entering the rather drab interior. The menu sports the usual dishes and we had a selection of side orders as a sort of tapas meal. All were uninspiring if inoffensive (aloo gobi, tadka dal, chole saag and Bombay potatoes along with lemon rice - bland flavours with that all-too-frequent occurance of the same sauce used in a supposedly different dish (the Bombay potatoes and aloo gobi).The lemon rice was quite bitter as it seemed some of the whole spices had been burnt a bit but upon commenting to the waiter (we were never asked ourselves if the food was ok) he huffily replied: "That is how we make it here". With such bland food and sullen service (as well as being 'cash only') I would recommend you avoid if looking for a good quality Indian restaurant.

Ni hao it’s just okay at the spice essence restaurant. Situated in the heart of Kirkby Lonsdale and tucked away in a little alley off the Main Street. The choice of food on the menu is reasonably price (paid for in cash) Early evening meal bank holiday weekend we didn’t want to wait around in queues in other restaurants after a long day of walking, this was the ideal selection. Food quality was okay and the service was acceptable. Recommended yeah just okay. Xiexie Gordon Sissi

After reading some of the reviews on trip adviser, I was a little apprehensive but booked and decided to give it a try. Glad I did, four of us enjoyed a very tasty meal which was reasonably priced. Staff very friendly. Decor basic but clean. Give it a go I don’t think you will be disappointed

possibly the best Indian I've ever had, the curries were brilliant, especially my Korma. Onion bhajis were bloody massive. If we return to kirkby Lonsdale we will 100% go back

Lovely meal. They ran out of ice and not happy drinking warm larger at £4.50 a pint!! Would definitely recommend the food

We visited the restaurant while on a two night stay in a nearby hotel.

Looked nice from the outside . Food was bland and unexciting , waiter took the pickle tray away before our main course without asking. The decor and furnishings seemed tired. Damp patches on the wall and ceiling and the chairs were in need of replacement or covers. Wouldn't go back.

Takeaway was ok but a 30 minute wait for one dish and rice from when I called in and placed order. Ignored whilst I was standing around, not even advised how long it would be! It was a Tuesday night and not particularly busy, eventually when I asked had they forgotten me?, waiter pointed to a group of 4 people and said their food was being cooked as ordered before me, but they were actually on their starters when I arrived, not impressed.

Both ordered King Prawn Masala. Wish we hadn't as the Prawns were still in their shells . . Covered in sauce and a right faff to eat . .Hardly any prawns as well. The pitta bread was horrible and crumbly, like dry flour. When we complained the waiter just said "people complain if it's not like that". Asked for some lemon water in a finger bowl to be told that they don't have lemon!!! Never again.

Good choices on menu, some things not usually on normal Indian restaurant menu, staff friendly quick service great Shasklick curry. But no complimentary drink at end of visit, little disapointing but did not spoil night

Found Spice Essence by chance when we visited Devils Bridge with our children couple of days ago, hidden away on the main road. So glad we found it, absolutely amazing staff, polite and courteous. Food was better than expected, the meat starter was fresh and sizzling tasty and the Chicken Karai was the best. Food was really excellent better than what was expected. It was a great family experience and would recommend this place to anyone if your looking for authentic taste of East. Thank you to you all at Spice Essence you all deserve 5 stars.

As a regular take away customer , I am not impressed. Since Khan has left, the food is not the same quality. Would not rush back.

Loved the curry, great service and good price, would thoroughly recommend. Extensive menu with many speciality dishes.

A good curry house with an excellent menu, service very quick and efficient, all our meals were very good.

Visited this lovely restaurant on Friday evening; surprisingly we were the only diners in there. The food was absolutely gorgeous, chicken pakora is my favourite starter and this was by far the nicest I have tasted...the batter was so light and tasty. The mains didn't disappoint either and all dishes were emptied. Would highly recommend and would return next time we're in Kirkby Lonsdale.

3 of us called off here on the way back home from a few days in Scotland. Limited roadside parking in the town centre; we eventually found the restaurant off Main Street up an alley way. Entrance was up a flight of wooden stairs. On entering the restaurant we found it to be well decorated and maintained. We also noticed a sign saying cash payment only. Staff were friendly and efficient throughout or stay. The menu is quite extensive with all the usual dishes present. We went for chicken puri chat starters which were very tasty and spicy. For mains we went for chicken pathia, chicken madras and chicken chilli masala served with rice and chaphatis. All were delicious tasty and hot. Thoroughly recommended; we would certainly pay a repeat visit when next in the area.

Went to the Spice Essence on a Sunday evening, family of 5. We ordered 4 starters, 4 mains and 3 rice. Asked for some extra sauce. Usually at Indian restaraunts the sauce does not come at an extra cost. On this occasion they decided to charge £4 per sauce on top of the already £12 meals. Not including the rice. 6 pints of beer. Total was £118.85. When queried about the sauce was told it was £4 per sauce because of the almonds in the sauce. Charged £16 for curry sauce in an Indian. Food was only average. As a visitor to Kirby would not recommend and certainly won’t be back.

Kirkby is blessed to have such a good place, the staff are great, friendly, helpful and always willing to advise and recommend. Never had a bad meal the take away is great also, only thing missing are spicy poppadums!

We were so glad we ate here. Very reasonably priced. All you want an Indian restaurant to be. Excellent, tasty, spicy, hot food. Friendly and courteous waiters. Definitely come again!

I went here for a take away for the family

Current owners as at Feb 2019, are doing a great job. Have a monthly take away from here and the food is always very good as is the service.