The Bank House Coffee Shop in Carrickfergus

This is a Hidden Gem.I visited with Joan for Lunch,and I've been spreading the word.

Visited for lunch with family who came over on the train. We had the excellent Pie and potatoes and were also given Cole slaw and chutney, followed by coffee,scones and cake. The service and friendliness of staff was great and we left with a smile on our faces 🙂 We will return and spread the word. I forgot to mention the Cafe is “Dog friendly” and we were serenaded from 2 pm by a Folk Group .

I strolled into this gem of a Caffe and I was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere and the warm welcome I received. The food was outstanding and the service I received was second to none. I will return very soon as I left a very happy customer. Best place in Whitehead fact. Xxxx

Very comfortable and safe. Lovely food. Friendly staff.

Super nice owner, delicious food, nicely decorated... can only be recommended

Never been in it before, was a great experience, friendly staff, very clean, great food and amazing coffee, will definitely be back

Love Love this place. Top notch food always made fresh. The atmosphere is so relaxing + the live background music is never with microphones +so is calm +relaxing. The best place on the coast to stop for food + time out. The shining star of the bankhouse , isnt their homemade delicious cakes, but Siobhan, the most warmhearted bueatiful woman ever. A diamond.

Only had cake & coffee service a bit slow but we were not in a hurry so not a problem. Lovely gift shop, worth a visit 😁

Back in the bank house never fails to impress,great home made food and very friendly staff . I will definitely be back as its such a relaxing place

Called in here today for brunch. Very tasty toasted soda with toppings that I enjoyed. Service was good, coffee was ok. Poignant for me as my late father used to be the bank manager here and I hadn't been back since he retired... I would revisit however!

Potatoes have been reheated too many times. They don’t have a kitchen. I guess the food gets delivered and they warm up the food.

What a find! First time in Whitehead and I get to discover this wonderful cafe, craft shop, and art gallery! A shop definitely worth spending some time in, lots of interesting and beautiful items made by people local and across Northern Ireland. Prices were very good considering that the items are clearly made with a lot of love and respect for the materials. If you're in the area you should definitely take time to call in have a cup of coffee and a look around the store, definitely worth a visit if heading on to other places along the coast also.

What a lovely place. Friendly staff and great food. I had the bacon quiche and salad which was excellent, very tasty and very reasonably priced. Definitely going back. You’ll love it.

Stopped at this beautiful cozy place accidentally and it was way worth! The food was yummy and the staff members were very welcoming and helpful. Beautiful Art gallery at the front of the coffee shop. The lady at the main entrance was very helpful to find my husband's misplaced pair of glasses (hahaa men) Got the chance to speak to a few local people met at the coffee shop, locals love this place. Would love to come back next time again when we visit Ireland ❤️

The music and dinners and atmosphere here are famous, but there are times when we cannot stay. We go to a class nearby. But there's still a way to enjoy some special Bank House joy - they do to-go boxes. Cakes and tea can make even a rainy day delightful. So, their takeaways are to be recommended.

Stephanie is a treasure. Excellent lunch.

Food is delicious, and the staff are always super friendly and attentive. Can't recommend The Bank House enough!

Such attentive staff! even though it was busy we were seated right away and given a menu and our orders taken shortly after. Food was delicious with there being numerous specials available. I got the chicken tikka pie and my friend got the cheese and chutney scone, both were very tasty! I would definitely come back here again as it has such a lovely atmosphere and nice staff

The perfect place to find, good craic with friendly staff, custom made food if they aren't too busy and loaner glasses if you forgot to bring your own. The Bank House will always be my second living room, a place one always feels welcome.

Fab wee cafe that allows dogs. Good selection of toasties soup and salads. Great coffee. Attached is a lovely gift shop. WiFi available. All made fresh

Morning cuppa with an unexpectedly tasty croissant. What makes this cafe so special are the interactions with visitors and staff. Quick to have laugh, listen to a grumble or give space when needed. So good we came back for lunch and more banter. Simply the best

went here after we took a walk to the blackhead lighthouse and had a great time! amazing food, cozy atmosphere and the best thing was the incredibly kind staff!💚 i‘d definitely come to whitehead again for this café

Nice coffee and friendly service.

Nice enough little cafe but nothing extraordinary. It has an arts and crafts section with some nice artworks and other hand made items for sale. We ended up here as the other coffee shop on the King's Road was closed. Staff very friendly and service was great.

Good local and can be busy cafe.

Be sure to try their soups/quiches of the day, they are delicious! The staff is super attentive! We were lucky and there were musicians playing when we went!

Lovely coffee shop set in old bank building. Great selection of coffee, tea etc and really nice cakes. Great friendly staff and it is dog friendly, so you can bring your best pal with you. Lovely gift shop as part of the floor layout. Filled with local craft items and smelly candles. Thoroughly recommend this coffee shop.

Very friendly, relaxed place to go and meet friends and have a chat. It also has the very unusual benefit of welcoming dogs, so being open to anyone. Love it!

Great little Cafe with good coffee and food.

Beyond their regular menu lots of specials were on offer; quiche of the day, soup of the day, pie of the day, and sandwich of the day. I picked the day’s sandwich special, the Cajun chicken sandwich, which had tomatoes, rocket, chicken, the sauce, and good thick bread. It was excellent. We had some of their coffee and chocolate cake, and it was great. The place is very popular, but isn’t noisy. A band called The Bankhouse Robbers play live music here on Wednesday afternoons, while traditional musicians play Friday afternoons. It was a cold winter’s day outside but our table was toasty and warm. They have a great garden area with outside seating, for other times of the year. They’re in a 70s extension to the impressive former Northern Bank building of 1905. Service was very attentive and friendly.

Super fast, friendly and more than one attendant helping despite a busy café. Lovely atmosphere, acoustics are good. Coffee is really really good.

Had a tasty late lunch here. The service was excellent. There were 3 guys playing guitar and singing which added to the atmosphere. There's a nice craft shop inside too. Definitely worth a visit.

Great local spot for tasty and affordable lunch options. They always have a soup, pie, quiche and sandwich of the day, as well as menu filled with other lite bites i.e soda bread pizza, sausage rolls, ham & cheese toastie. They also have salads and baby potatoes that come with meals & always so tasty and well presented! Great hot and cold drink options including Whipped Coffee Latte, which isn't on the menu but features on their Instagram every once in a while. The staff are so friendly and attentive and always make sure you're happy with the food.

Always a pleasure to visit here and to have a chat with Stephanie .

Good selection for vegetarians.

Great cafe trad music group added to the lovely atmosphere this afternoon!

Very friendly, very good food, lovely coffee shop. Small menu, would love if they could expand it. I like it here. A lot.

Love it here. Food amazing and staff fabulous

Great food and dog friendly too!!

I enjoy my times at the bank, the atmosphere is so enjoyable. Everyone is treated with so much care and hospitality over and above a ‘job’. I have taken so long to write a review because I couldn’t put to words how I enjoy every time I go. The mushroom soup is out of the world closely followed by the salads. 🤗 A very happy customer

The homemade soup was lovely, although the service was slow.

Lovely spot for a bite to eat, from scones and traybakes to soup or pie etc for lunch. Spacious and airy inside with some seating outside in a private garden-type space. There are toilet facilities on site. As well as the café, there is a small shop selling local artisan crafts and gifts. The items they carry are really beautiful and it's lovely to see somewhere supporting local crafters.

Very lovely location, I appreciated food, it was very good

Really friendly and attentive staff. So welcoming. The food is excellent. Scones and cakes are gorgeous. A pleasure to visit the Bank House Cafe.

Lovely little cafe, friendly proprietors, and a beautiful garden equipped for al fresco dining. Highly recommended.

The staff are amazing, beautiful food, can't recommend the Bank House enough.

I love, love, love this place. The employees are busy yet always make time to make customers feel special. I watch the staff sit with the elderly, chat with those in need of some kind words, and make everyone in the cafe feel like family. I couldn’t ask for a better place to be immersed in positivity, great food, and excellent coffee. The bank house is the best.❤️

Was in for lunch today, on holiday from Canada. Food and atmosphere were amazing, definitely recommend the chicken curry pie. The staff were great and the live music was an added bonus. Thank you for a great afternoon.

Stood with my partner like a pair of idiots waiting to be seated. People came and went paying their bills, yet we were ignored completely. Shocking customer service.

Perfectly fine cafe, liked the atmosphere and the general feeling of the cafe. Food and coffee was also good Only main complaint is it took a little while for someone to give me a table, but it was busy so your experience may be different. Give the gift shop a quick glance too while your in!

Had a quick but relaxing lunch. Wonderful food, very well made and tasty. Friendly staff and prompt service.

We live in Belfast, and haven’t been to Whitehead in an age (I bet everyone says this). We had a nice wee habit near 10 years ago of going to the Bank House every Christmas Eve as it was the wonderful antithesis of all that shopping madness. It was much smaller then. There’s plenty of space here, and a good mixture of 2, 4 and 4+ seating. The staff are really relaxed and friendly and the menu is nice and varied. I had steak pie and garlic potatoes and it was gorgeous, really tasty home cooking. Mum had soup and my wife had soda bread pizza. All served beautifully and were really tasty. Good prices and of course the lovely shop and Louise in Lighthouse Yarn, too. Extra props to the friendly lady with Amber the cocker spaniel, the lovely chatty lady with the two kids (one that gave our daughter a hug goodbye!) and the member of staff that was incredibly understanding with our daughter who struggles with making choices and has food aversion. Thanks folks we’ll be back for sure.

Lovely place to visit for a cuppa and a browse round thse shop. Staff were great.

An outstanding destination eatery with great food, wonderful coffee and delightful staff, well worth a visit.

This is a dog friendly cafe and we would not have eaten there if we had known. They should put a sign on the door.

My wife and I visited today for lunch. We had been a number of times before, and happily the food standard was really excellent, as always. The friendly vibe in the place is amazing, the unexpected live traditional music just added to the atmosphere. We could, and would, have happily spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing there, but sadly we had things to do. We can't wait to get back and spend some more time there. Thank you to all the staff, it's important to know how much your hard work is appreciated. I should add we have no connection with the business, other than as very happy customers.

Lovely wee spot for a light bite and a brew, though we sat in and filled our bellies one day 😂 Coffee is fantastic. Though don't expect it quickly as they are usually pretty busy but can be a bit slow. Not sure if it's the machine they use or not but, only one coffee is made at a time. Kinda strange. Great food. Animal and child friendly. Brilliant staff too, the girls in here are some of the nicest I've met. Even the rough looking guy they have working there now is lovely too Always make time for this wee spot

Beautiful, relaxing afternoon lunch today with family. Relaxed and homely atmosphere with fantastic attentive staff who were professional and personal with their customer's requirements. Well done Stephanie and respective staff.👍😊 Regards Paul. ❤️

Food was lovely and the staff are always fab

Veganuary? The Bank House has AMAZING soups and the odd traybake to fill new and veteran vegans alike! The regular doggy visitors make an amazing atmosphere, with live trad music on Friday afternoons! I come in to write all the time, and it's a great place all around. Cannot recommend enough

Absolutely gorgeous food and wonderful service

Great asset to Whitehead great place for light lunch coffee great selection of homemade sweets and snacks

Friendly cosy cafe. Staff cant do enough for you. Love it!

You just gotta go see this place An absolute jem! Such a surprise to to find it in Witehead. Staff very friendly and efficient the menu quite varied and exciting.. I had the ploughman’s was simply gorgeous.. presentation delightful! You would never think you were in what was a bank.. a definite place to return to…

Lovely place for a nice lunch great cakes and buns oh lovely coffee too 😋

Delicious coffee and cake. Lovely welcoming atmosphere

If you find yourself in Whitehead, be sure to make a stop here. Lovely staff, pet friendly, and deliciously fresh food and drinks. It is female owned and operated, which is an even better bonus! If you are vegan, the servers are happy to accommodate with delicious options!

Excellent coffee shop and very dog friendly. 🐕

Brought my friends there on several occasions they were all very impressed

Lovely gift shop, good coffee and food available, I drive quite a distance to Whitehead and always visit The Bank House.

Very nice. Friendly staff and nice food. Really enjoyed it.

We stopped here by chance and were blown away by the lovely food and friendly staff. We'll definitely be back ❤

This our first time in here and it lovely the woman was so helpful x friendly being dog friendly inside x out is fantastic defo recommended this wee place x if your looking a special gift they also have a gift shop which houses unique gifts 🎁

Great healthy food Lovely staff

Great people, food & coffee !!

Nice and friendly staff. Had a really nice German biscuit and ham and cheese toastie with some really toastie chutney. Really nice range of cakes too

Lovely food. Very friendly staff. We will definitely be back.

Great coffee and lunch with gift shop attached. Staff very friendly. Dog friendly. Cake very good

Great spot, food lovely and friendly service. Thanks so much.

Lovely food ,really pleasant staff who know how to look after their customers.

My card I was paying with didn't work. I was generously given my coffee and a bun for free. What else can I say! You must visit.

Lovely cafe my partner and I decided to take a trip to whitehead for the day. Seen this place and it seemed like a nice atmosphere..... However, after we sat down for 15 mins and received no service whatsoever. Asked a waitress for a menu which she acknowledged but she didn't bring that over as she was chatting to other customers. We just decided to leave as the service was slow and we felt as though we had been forgotten about even though there was a handful of staff on and they had walked past us on numerous occasions and ignored us, tip for staff please make sure to acknowledge All customers and not just regulars. Ended up at another cafe. Very disappointed.

Looking for specific pattern they didn't have it but gave me info on how to maybe get it!

Great food all home made .Staff are friendly and welcoming

Alway a delight to go here for coffee. Really missed it during lockdown

Excellent. Lovely wee place. Delicious toasties. Also do my favourite. Scones with Jam and cream. Staff very friendly. Lovely outside area as well. Well worth a visit! Closes at 3 o clock.

Dropped in for a lovely fresh scone and a first rate Americans. Organised, friendly and covid safe.... felt valued... thankyou the Bank House

Amazing food, the people working are very nice, the place is very nice too.

Called in today with hubby and grandkids. Definitely a child friendly place and staff were excellent. A wee gem

Pet friendly place, good food and really warm staff

lovely food in a lovely setting, Were there today and it was great to be back inside. The staff are so friendly and helpful, cake is outstanding . Well worth driving all the way from Dundonald for. Looking forward to our next time.

I had the vegetable Balti at The Bank House in October 2020. The owner, Sinéad made it. I think this was the only Indian food you could find in Whitehead. It was very good. Great, big bowl of hot food, and I like their bread.They had a foot-operated hand sanitiser device at the entrance. The staff all wore face shields and some had masks underneath as well. The tables were spaced out, and there were some separator screens in the dining area. People cleaned each table after diners finished eating and left. I got some take away soup while I was there. They do home made soups that are marvelous.

A really nice place for a light lunch. Friendly staff, tasty food. Very organised regarding Covid 👍😷😊

Clean and tidy, friendly staff. This was in the garden, great surprise on the way out.

Good home made food. Very reasonable prices We had the Hot Pot, Very tasty and lots of meat. Good service. Gifts, Cakes, Pastries for sale in Gift Shop. I think this was an old bank.

I love their new home-made quiche of the day. For six quid you get it with a salad bowl. They have a great variety of salads on offer, but I just ask for a mixture. It was all good – couscous, feta cheese, olives, cucumber, peppers and more. Because the government’s Eat Out to Help Out offer was on, my meal was only three pounds. For these giveaway prices I stayed for half a portion of coffee cake and a pot of tea.On a different day I had another variation, one of their home-made soups then the quiche with salad. Great combination.Service here is excellent. People working here seem to really enjoy their day.Lots of things are new and different, besides the menu. They open from 10am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday. Staff are all in face shields and often masks underneath as well. The tables have been spaced out, and there are some separator screens in the dining area. There is a foot-operated hand sanitiser station at the entrance, and a one-way system with the exit through their French doors.Dogs and bicycles are very welcome in the spacious garden area. Out there you’ll find the willow horse and ploughman sculptures by Welig Heritage Crafts. Their exterior has been given a new coat of paint. The neighbours in the outstanding 1904 end of the building have yarn-bombed the railings outside with a host of festive hand-woven bunting. Some of the knitted designs feature the famous coloured houses from Whitehead’s sea front.

Going for a walk called in for lunch. The menu had salads and soup etc if you are looking fast-food type option need to go elsewhere. Went for the soup which was tasty and toasted sandwich. Portion control was also the control. The soup was microwaved. Did get the eat out to help out but would have been slightly expensive if not using that.

Great food, service & surroundings

Just awful. Drove up the coast out of my way to visit this cafe. I'd had a lovely flavoursome sandwich here at Christmas, so I was looking forward to the same today. The menu was tiny. The waitress informed me that they were serving a smaller menu due to covid 19. Well the menu consisted of soup, a cheese and ham toasties, and quiche!Ridiculous! Ordered two cheese toasties. When they arrived they were not conventional bread toasties, but instead thick dried up sliced homemade loaf. Absolutely no weight or substance to the bread. No salad or as much as a lettuce leaf with them. We were asked if we wanted a small tub of coleslaw, which in my opinion, should have came with the sandwich anyway. Shouldn't have needed to be asked.Drank the awful Americano coffees and ate as quick as we could to get out.Won't be back. If you can't offer decent menu, then just stay closed.Worst lunch we've ever had in our lives!

Wot a fantastic fine so glad it was recommended special thanks to Stephanie for talking us through the menu and letting us sample the cheese it was absolutely delicious!! All the food the toasties were double deckers well filled!! Soup was scrumptious the super food salads well OMG it was Devine. And now the most important thing to say the desserts was absolutely delicious well my carrot and apricot cake was bloody yummy. We also had coffee,chocolate and lemon and coconut cake they were all home made and delicious. Also in there was a fifteen no words for that. So sad that we dont live local r this would b r go to place for food. But the next time we r in near we will definitely call.