The Arches Coffee House in Carlisle

Lovely traditional place to get cheap affordable food. Only issue we waited a while for food but it was busy. Ladies we’re working hard

Popped in for a coffee on a wee day trip to Carlisle. Staff were very welcoming and the treacle scone baked by Katie that morning was delicious. My husband said the same for his lemon meringue pie. Reasonable prices and a lovely experience.

Always enjoy a visit to this lovely cafe. Tasty food with brilliant service. Generous portions at great value. My kids always enjoy it here too.

A lovely local place.The food was wonderful.The service was fun and the price was reasonable.And it's an easy walk from the main street.

I haven't been here in such a long time, and I was glad to see that it hasn't changed one bit. The food is as lovely as it was 20+years ago! It's always busy which I can see why!

I haven't been here in such a long time, and I was glad to see that it hasn't changed one bit. The food is as lovely as it was 20+years ago! It's always busy which I can see why!

Visited for breakfast but 3 mins after time but we're quite accommodating.. Coffee was lush whilst we waited for breakfast, when arrived all was fresh and nothing was to bother to the friendly staff. Best cafe brekkie in a while a credit to the staff and definitely recommend.

A very traditional cafe in the centre of Carlisle.The staff were very friendly & welcoming .The cafe had lots of homemade food options and prices for food and beverages were very reasonable.The cafe was very busy but service was prompt, seamless and very organised.Cafe & toilet facilities were clean & tidy.

A very traditional cafe in the centre of Carlisle.The staff were very friendly & welcoming .The cafe had lots of homemade food options and prices for food and beverages were very reasonable.The cafe was very busy but service was prompt, seamless and very organised.Cafe & toilet facilities were clean & tidy.

Best place to go for a meal best service highly recommend

Lovely meals. Great service and reasonable prices.

Nice cafe with friendly staff and good service. We had the Full English and enjoyed it if a little greasy. Generous with the butter for toast. Good value.

Friendly service. Toasted scones are excellent

Love this Coffee Shop. Staff are very friendly and food is very good quality - a regular visitor here

Fantastic dinner, good prices. Nice stuff. Me and partners new place for dinner

A gem of a small cafe in the centre of the city! No wonder it's so busy. Lots of choice on the menu, good-size portions, food cooked to order and well done. Coffee good quality (Lavazza). Ask for milky coffee if you normally have a latte. Good choice of delicious desserts. Great value and friendly, efficient service. Highly recommend.

Great place been a few times lovely staff 😊

Tried here for the first (and last) time. I ordered a full breakfast and a glass of coke. Dirty glass with someone else's lipstick on it. Breakfast came, mushrooms in a sea of oil, tasteless sausage, fried egg, hash brown, and tinned tomatoes, again flooded in juice. Waitress came along half way through with the bacon they'd forgot to put on the plate! Dunno how you can forget bacon on a full breakfast, but they did!!

Visited twice 2 initially pop in and c Katie 😊 But had snack And breakfast over the 2days Was lovely We where made VERY WELCOME Great service and very friendly staff 💖💖

Long wait for food 25 minutes for a bacon roll

The best little cafe in Carlisle i would recommend 👌

Great food, reasonable prices, recommended.

Great place for a chat ☺️ well done girls xx

Clean, swift friendly service and great scones 😊😊😊

Excellent service. Lovely Steak Pie with Gravy, Chips and veg

Great food not expensive really enjoy this little cafe great

We were in Carlisle for several days in the fall of 2022. We randomly stopped at Arches and it was delightful! The food was tasty, the service was great and the prices were really reasonable. It was nice to get a little bit of the ambience of Carlisle.

Fabulous! Toasted cheese sandwich to a T

Great food, Kind People, Known Then And Been There for years, Highly Recommended!

Always brilliant, super friendly, great food , love this place

Fantastic place to grab lunch. Nice sizeable portions for the price, delicious food and very friendly staff. Highly recommended!

Great little cafe with a good choice and great staff

Came here yesterday morning between our train connections. Fast, friendly service & does a gorgeous coffee. The food is lovely & fresh. Look forward to coming back soon!:)

Me and my sister ordered toasties and chips. The food itself was fine, standard, no frills really. £1.90 for a can of pop is a bit extreme! The whole place just felt a bit grubby, like it needed a real good deep clean. The cutlery was filthy so I ended up just using my fingers. I wouldn't rush back

warm welcome..sandwiches were freshly made..full to busting in middle with ham off bone..side salad ..crisps..absolutely gorgeous

Would absolutely not recommend eating here. I have eaten here twice and each experience was bad. My most recent experience, I came in and sat down as it wasn't busy at all. A couple entered a few minutes after me and was served immediately as I was still waiting. The waitress (an older lady) left and the couple tried to get her attention at least 3 different times to come over to me but they were ignored. Finally after almost 10 minutes a younger girl came to serve me. I asked her for a table size of tap water along with my order and she ended up bringing me out a cup of water with small black foreign objects in it. I had drank most of it before realizing and she came back to replace it. The food was not tasty, I ordered a salad and it was more like an arranged plate of random vegetables and fruit which was incohesive as if there was no thought behind the flavor of the dish. It was not up to standard for the price. I ate 5% of my plate and just wanted to leave. After getting up and going to pay, I was told that they weren't accepting cards, only cash. This should have been acknowledged to me the second I sat down. This was extremely unprofessional. They told me to go to an ATM right across the street, which I did. However, that specific ATM does not accept Mastercard so I had to treck to a different one, which was extremely inconvenient and frustrating because of their dishonesty. I came back and the older woman asked why I didn't eat my food. I explained that it wasn't good and she said "well it's a salad, sorry". In conclusion, the inability to be honest about the payment method was unsettling and if honest, it would have detoured me from eating here in the first place which is why I believe they weren't upfront about it to me or anyone else. The food was unpleasant and I was unable to eat it. The dining experience was ruined because of the lack of attention to guests.

Lovely friendly staff & service soup is beautiful as is homemade coleslaw & reasonable prices

Leuke lunchroom, lekker geluncht

The staff and the food are very nice we visit there a lot

We went there for teacakes a coffee and a hot chocolate. The service wad was friendly, efficient and slow quick. The teacskes were tasty, my husband loved his coffee and my hot chocolate was out of this world. The price was reasonable too. I'll definitely be bringing my friend there for lunch next week when she comes for a visit.

Great little cafe. Came in a month or so back and had a couple of breakfasts and coffee. Didn't have to wait long for food to arrive. They seem to take cleaning seriously which is good in times like this. Friendly staff.

The steak pie was horrible, it was basically a steak gravy soup with a hard, bland flaky hat on top. Not impressed. Shame because their sticky toffee pudding was lovely!

This is a lovely little local business to support. We had jacket potatoes: 1 with prawns, 1 with beans. A nice side garnish & coleslaw. Loads of prawns & jackets are oven cooked with gorgeous skins. Service is fab too - very helpful & attentive staff. Good prices -too. We'd recommend to everybody!

We stopped off at Carlisle on our way back from Scotland to Shropshire and were looking for a place for lunch.The Arches is very close to the cathedral and looked clean and reasonably priced .Tables were well spaced and COVID friendly.We were given the choice of where to sit and the waitress was very friendly and attentive,not rushing us but there when we needed her. So,the food....The menu has a selection of sandwiches,jacket potatoes,cakes etc as well as full meals and specials on the board.I had steak pie,packed with meat ,very tender and tasty.My wife had the ploughman's which was massive and had everything on it,cheese,ham,cheese savoury,pickle,salad, onions, bread,all delicious.Together with two drinks it came to £18 so I'm not sure why a couple of people have criticised the price? Absolute bargain and filled us up all the way back to Shropshire.When we return to Carlisle,it will be our first stop! Thanks again

We visited Carlisle as tourists and we were so happy that we stumbled upon Arches. The waitresses and service was attentive but not pushy, comfortable dining arrangements and a fantastic menu selection This was one of the best cafes I've ever visited, given super portion sizes and the quality of the mac and cheese special was of an excellent standard and low price. I would recommend this place to anyone who is in Carlisle or visiting the area

Lovely place, good breakfast and great staff. Absolutely amazing sausages!! And who cares if the anti covid disinfectant is a bit sticky, at least everything is super clean!! Will be back thank you so much :) :)

We visited on Saturday after reading earlier reviews. Enjoyed soup and sandwich -both excellent choices. I noted some criticisms of the toilets and sticky tables. These were unfair as while the tables are sticky it shows the cleaning that is undertaken. Similarly I was confident about utilising the toilet even if I had to give way to someone exiting because of the narrow entrance. It is better to be sure of the hygiene of facilities these days. Very friendly and efficient service and we were greeted by one of the staff later in the afternoon as we continued our visit to Carlisle. The cakes are worth it as well

Homemade food freshly prepared, me and my partner both thoroughly enjoyed everything. Service was fast and friendly even though most tables were full.

The service was excellent and the the staff were very helpful and friendly and the food was excellent.

We've been here twice now within one week. It serves standard cafe food, but of excellent quality, freshly prepared and generous servings. It is also great value; being cheaper than other cafes close by. Staff are very friendly and they are clearly practising covid regualtion cleaning; with every tabel thouroughly cleaned after each use and menus also cleaned very regularly. If I was being really picky, I'd say the loos could do with a revamp and perhaps have another hand sanitizer(they have one as you enter)just outside the loos. On the whole however, I'd thoroughly recommend. Probably the best cafe in Carlisle.

Love this little family run cafe, used it for years. Friendly and lovely food, always busy

Fab! - stumbled across The Arches by chance and ended up with a wonderful homemade soup and cheese toastie combo. Perfect for a rainy autumn day 😍😀. Friendly staff, covid safe, and lovely food!

Fab! - stumbled across The Arches by chance and ended up with a wonderful homemade soup and cheese toastie combo. Perfect for a rainy autumn day 😍😀. Friendly staff, covid safe, and lovely food!

Lovely place staff very friendly great food and really affordable prices brilliant atmosphere always go the the same cafe every time, highly recommend a try.

It was nicely organised and friendly staff and nice and clean and up to date with covid regulations very nice staff well recomended

Excellent service and food was top notch

Great place to eat, Lovley Staff.

Was visiting Carslile for the day and stumbled across this little gem of a cafe. Staff were friendly and helpfull, was asked to sanitize hands on entrance and details were taken for track and trace, we ordered sandwiches and a drink the sandwiches were rammed with filling and well presented. We sat opposite the counter and the staff were constantly sanitizing everything. Well done!!

We love visiting the Arches. The staff are excellent and very friendly. The food is lovely. It is a great local business that should be supported. Highly recommended

Good value food, well presented with lovely service. An excellent cafe. A lovely range of fillings for every taste. Lovely tray bakes.

I went in with a group of my friends whilst passing through Carlisle. The portion sizes were perfect and the food was wholesome and tasty - just what we had been craving the entire car journey. The staff were super friendly and incredibly patient with us when we changed our order a million times. Lovely staff. Lovely little cafe.

As a tourist in Carlisle I was looking for some authentic scones, not the store bought packaged kind. Thankfully I came across this small cafe with amazingly tasty scones.

Great place great service. Not too busy but not too quiet ether.

Lovely cafe, been coming for years. Always amazing food & good service.

Nice place out of the way hot food nice staff

Have walked past the cafe so many times and never thought of going in, that was a mistake as its a really nice place. It was very busy being a Saturday lunch time but we found a table and were served quite quickly. I had the lentil soup which was homemade and really tasty. There's a specials board and the meals coming out looked good and there was a lot of yummy looking cakes. We were all impressed and will definitely be back.

Always good quality hot food and very pleasant staff.Our Saturday eating place.

Always excellent food and service👍hard to find anything not to like

This place always does the best home cooked food, this type of local atmospheric cafe is a rare breed, so I always support local businesses this is the best carlisle cafe and its reputation speaks volumes old generational and young, the staff a brillant and accommodating. I cant fault the place.

Great breakfast served by terrific staff

Good selection of light meals, snacks, scones etc. Friendly table service.

Old school cafe atmosphere and food, brilliant

Lovely place staff very friendly

We've been in here a couple of times on separate trips to Carlisle. Situated just off the main square, it's friendly staff, cheaper prices and a good selection of food are the reason for repeat visit. The sandwiches are great, plus there's meal specials each day and a large variety of cakes and puddings. Enjoy!

Went to the arches coffee house today as I often do 👍As food always excellent ... staff so friendly and always go out of their way to give you a warm friendly welcome ... and a nice clean coffee shop ... all homemade 👍 Soup would be highly recommended ... you have to try, well done girls keep the good work up

Great breakfast at a reasonable price. Friendly staff. Milky coffee was the best.

Lovely food and staff, great menu at a reasonable price

Good, homemade quality food every time at a reasonable price, the cafe is lovely and clean and very friendly staff!!

My wife and I visit this place is often, the food is good and affordably. Staff are good and attentive. With a visit if you are looking for a local cheap place to eat.

This is a lovely cafe, just down a side street from the main square. The atmosphere and the staff are both excellent, being very friendly and informative. The specials board at lunchtime is magnificent, with the portions being extremely generous and delicious.

As always a great friendly service

Stumbled across this nipped in and wasn't disappointed, friendly staff, hot food which was delicious. Hit the spot thanks. Reasonably priced for the centre......

Nice place for a quick snack, very nice staff, very clean, foods good.

Very upset, but tea for 2, and get 1 small teapot with only one teabag, but pay for 2 cups, not acceptable.

A superb little coffee shop hidden down the pleasant back-streets of central Carlisle. Fortunately we visited the place mid-morning with the shop half-full of customers. There's around 12 tables, roughly 5 at ground level and the remainder up four steps - which may prove a little awkward for people who are unsteady on their feet and have to rely on sticks or crutches etc. That said, the shop feels very cosy, fresh and clean. The tables were always cleared of old food, cups and plates within a couple of minutes of customers leaving; and the plastic table clothes were always wiped down properly, with no obvious mess on chairs or surrounding floor. The menus are quite typical for a coffee shop - scones, cakes, sandwiches, soups, hot toasties, full breakfasts. And some of the walls do carry special deals and/or chef's specials. And the good thing is that there is a waitress to take you order at your table. So you can always ask questions or ask for variations to your choice, and they are happy to do that for you. In my case I went for ham & cheese on wholemeal bread (the menu doesn't offer this combo, but by simply asking, they will oblige). I also had the soup of the day (home made thick and creamy vegetable), which was rather excellent! The ham & cheese sandwich came with the usual lettuce, tomatoes & mayo side, but the entire meal was delightful, filling and very tasty. To follow I went for a slice of apple pie and two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and a pot of tea. Again all very nice, especially the pie, which was rich with flavour and very filling! During the hour I spent there the shop was beginning to reach capacity, and yet the three waitresses kept on top of things with ease; always patient, always with a smile on their faces and ready to help when needed. Even though the final bill was around £14 or so I would definitely make a point of coming again, not least for the pleasant staff and surrounds; but also for the quality of food on offer.

Beware they only accept cash payments .

Great little stop off for home cooked food when shopping :)

Very homely and relaxing place. Excellent coffee and scones. Really good home cooked food. Staff always pleasant and chatty.

We really enjoy eating there the food is excellent and the staff are very friendly

Had the soup....it was delicious. Home made highly recomend it....

Brilliant coffee shop food excellent, quick service, please to staff

What a wonderful place🤩 proper food by decent hard-working friendly 'proper' people. Thank you it was one of the best cheese and onion toasties eaten for years.

Fantastic funny friendly staff, tiptop food like Lemon méringue pie with cream, the best shortbread and scones. Sit in the window tables and watch the world go by while drinking excellent tea and coffees. Thanks ladies

Had a lovely lunch here again. I had the most amazing ham, cheese and tomato toastie . Lovely thick pieces of ham ( not plastic ) served with coleslaw. My husband had the cheese and onion toastie. As usual staff are lovely and very helpful and smiley. Would thoroughly recommend this place.

Had sandwich - very tasty with quick service. table cleaned upon arrival. It was very busy when I arrived and had to have the table next to the toilet which was very unpleasant as a rather large deposit was left by someone and other customers were calling for the air freshener. Sit in the window and watch the word go by

always a great atmosphere, the waitresses always smiling and welcoming, food is lovely all freshly cooked, at most reasonable prices. can be quite busy at times but worth the wait. family owned and run so great ambeance.

We were not wanting much to eat at lunch time so called in here. Our first visit. Nice friendly traditional cafe, good service, not fancy, reasonable priced, and good home made food. We both had a salad, with roast ham (good quality) and chicken breast. Lots of light meals and cakes to choose from.

If you want good homemade food in pleasant surroundings then seek out The Arches Coffee House - so much more that the name would suggest. It's located in the back streets but still part of the pedestrianized area of central Carlisle. We only had the toasted tea-cake (3-pieces per portion) but the food being consumed around us looked and smelled very good. Good selection of cakes as well. The staff were friendly and efficient, with lots of smiling faces and a warm welcome on arrival.

Very good food and pleasant staff.. Recommend

Lovely meal staff very friendly