The Square Orange Cafe Bar in Allerdale

Fabulous coffee delicious cake and food looks amazing. Unfortunately we couldn't sample the food as we had dinner at the hotel but would definitely recommend and we be back on our next visit.

Been a couple of times now and thought I should leave a review. Stopped for lunch on a Monday in November and it was still full. I had the nachos (again) and with a beer, it's a good filling lunch, very tasty. Service pleasant and the place is a lot less plastic than many of the bars in Keswick. I will return.

Today my friend and I found this wee gem of a place in Keswick. My friend is gluten free and often we struggle to find places that have a good choice of GF options - other than baked potato and mushroom risotto 🤦‍♀️. However today was different. There was an abundance of GF options on their tapas menu. All made to order served piping hot and very very yummy😋. The staff were friendly and helpful and the atmosphere was great. Only a small place but it packs a punch ☺️

This was one of the best meals we’ve had. We were so lucky to join the queue at the right time, it really made the stay. And so reasonable.

Ordered nachos, hummus, and burrata. Everything was amazing and fresh. Good friendly service.

Great spot with lovely food, atmosphere was buzzing with good music and people and service was efficient. We ate far too much as the food was really good - love the tapas option so you can eat a bit of everything

Arrived early for a coffee and despite not being open they let us sit in until they were ready to serve. My husband is very critical of his coffee but he really enjoyed it, and nice to see it served in a larger mug than a coffee cup. My Rooibos came served in a fabulous cast iron tea pot. Nice vibe to the place and friendly staff.

Good food but quite busy at peak times

The food was incredible. Really reasonably priced for what you get but the hospitality, staff and atmosphere staff sets this place apart. This quite easily jumped into my list of favourite places to eat and I can’t wait to go back. There is a wait to be seated but it’s more than worth it! Wow

The best vegan tapas and pizza I’ve ever had. Plenty of options with a vegan menu. Fabulous.

Never experienced such bad service. We were kept waiting outside in the rain when we arrived, on time, for our booking. When we were given a table it took 10 minutes for a menu to arrive with no offer of drinks. We sat, completely ignored, for another 10 minutes, still no drinks so we left. The place was almost empty too. Don't bother. The response from the owner is a lie. We didn't arrive early at all.

Our favourite place for drinks, dinner and atmosphere in Keswick

A super little pub/cafe. A great atmosphere. Prices a little lively, but then again this is Keswick.

We had excellent pizzas here. The service is quick and very friendly, prices are good, even the music was great! Lovely atmosphere, would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a drink or something to eat. They dont take reservations.

We had lunch here today, 4 plates of tapas and some drinks. We weren't expecting much from the food to be honest, but each dish was perfectly cooked and full of flavour, really impressed. Dog friendly too so our JRT was welcome and even got a biscuit.

Excellent food great staff fantastic atmosphere

Me and my husband went at the weekend on the off chance that we would get a table and we got one straight away, service was amazing, the staff are so busy but still make time to check everything is ok. Food and drinks came to us so quickly which is great when your hungry. The food along with the atmosphere is fabulous.

We called in for a late lunch a d weren't disappointed. It was extremely busy which we sort of expected as we've been before and know how good the food is. It's also dog friendly which is important to us. We were told about a short wait for food straight away but didn't mind a little wait. Food was really tasty, portions a healthy size and well priced. Vegetarian options available which are full of flavour.

Well worth the wait for a table, take a good coat so you can enjoy a drink outside while you wait. So worth it, fabulous place

Fabulous spot for a coffee and cake reward for a long day of hiking. The coffee was good but the cake was insane! A caramel egg inside a chocolate brownie/cookie thing, maybe more calories than I spent on my hike but more than worth it, an absolute taste sensation. 100% incredible.

A rare find excellent service food and people

Cracking little place with great selection of Belgium Beers and tasty looking rustic pizza

I called here a few times in one day and the staff were universally excellent. Decent beer too, which is rare in Keswick.

We've been to this pub many times and it's always great. Waiting for a table is worth it, I recommend the nachos with pulled meat and session i.p.a.

Spent the evening in here with a few drinks and some food. Could not fault anything, we had several dishes and shared everything between us both where nothing disappointed. Quite a small bar and was very busy but that just added to the atmosphere.

Our date night at orange square cafe was fantastic! And the young smiley, bubbly waitress Lara was incredibly attentive although she was ran off her feet being the only waitress working on such a busy night! We were both very impressed by the quality of the pizza and it reminded us of a true authentic Italian pizza. We 100% recommend this place, and the waitress, Lara really made our night special.

Great food. #6 pizza for the win!

Our favourite place to eat while in Keswick! Great staff, food and atmosphere. Child friendly and a large menu to choose from. Always busy, so sometimes need to wait to get a table, but well worth it.

Lovely atmosphere. Busy, but staff were very attentive. Lara is a star and deserves a raise. Tapas was great (padron peppers, chickpea curry, prawns, patatas bravas, garlic mushrooms). Nice bottle of Montepulciano.

We found this place on our last visit to Keswick 6 months ago and couldn’t wait to go back. It didn’t disappoint! We had to wait for a table which we expected and didn’t mind, we stood at the bar and had a drink and a chat to the barman Adam. Got a table within about 20 minutes, and ordered our food. We shared 3 tapas dishes of meatballs, patata bravas & chorizo along with a garlic bread with mozzarella and a #6 pizza with n’duja and burrata cheese. Honestly some of the best tapas we’ve had and we’ve had our fair share. The pizza is so light, fresh and tasty. We already can’t wait to come back for the amazing food and great service. Well done to Adam he’s an asset to your team with his friendly attitude, you can tell he loves his job which makes all the difference.

Me and my partner visited on our first night staying in Keswick. 30 minutes walk from our campsite (Castlerigg). Had the loveliest time. Tapas was incredible, especially the homemade meatballs, and the staff were so welcoming and made our visit extra amazing. Would definitely recommend!

Bustling little pizza & tapas place. Odd pizza dough, really really thin, felt like eating a water biscuit rather than a pizza base. If you like super thin pizza things the one for you. Pizzas a little small, and very little tomato sauce. Anchovy pizza isn’t the Italian style (salted anchovies), it’s the oily marinaded white type anchovy. Tapas good, small portion of patatas bravas, chorizo a little over cooked. Great service and only a short wait for a table even though it was full.

Best place for coffee in Keswick! Friendly staff couldn't do more for you, tapas is beyond amazing. Vegan menu is brilliant too. 10/10

Great food variety, especially for those who eat Gluten Free! Staff were friendly and atmosphere was cute.

Cool little joint, great food and drink selection. Pizza was delicious!

First time visiting, we had drinks & pizza! Thin crispy pizza,staff extremely friendly

It was ok. Nachos were quite good but the rest wasn't amazing. The prawns were a bit of a let down. We ordered the food to come out with no bread as one of us is gluten free but it still came out with bread. The servers were lovely though they were very busy!

Food was not as good as expected.

Excellent service and amazing tapas and pizza the place is very popular there people queuing out the door waiting for tables as it's only a small restaurant.

Lovely little place that serves great coffee. Also have a nice food selection including tapas.

Excellent, we've visited twice now after a recommendation from a friend,we shall return 😀👍

What an absolutely awesome place! We dropped in here for lunch on the last day of our holiday and bought a combination of pizza, nachos and tapas to share amongst the family. Everything was truly outstanding! If it wasn't for having the kids with us, we'd have happily sat there all afternoon, ordering occasional bits of tapas, sipping Belgian beer, and listening to the excellent playlist. Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere, great service. We'll be back next time we're in Keswick!

One of the best eateries in keswick generally always busy which is never a bad sign.

Amazing food, great atmosphere, and reasonably priced. Wish I could go there every week.

Very small, nice atmosphere amazing looking food but waitress is rude and incompetent. When we asked for a table she said “It’ll be 40 min wait, you can wait by the bar or outside” she never told us we had to put our name down, we decided to wait outside after 40 minutes and seeing people leave we decided to ask whether we can have the table and she said there people that put their name down for it. We were there first she made us wait 40 min to the tell us about putting the name down. We never got the food and very annoyed with the service, she tried blame it on her accent when she should have apologised and put us at the top of the list for next seating. Absolute Joke. Waste of time. I refuse to go back due to her attitude and incompetence.

Quite honestly the best food I've ever had! Managed to get a table on a sunny Friday evening and immediately felt welcomed by the staff. Fabulous atmosphere and amazingly delicious food. Between two adults, we ordered six tapas dishes, and our son ordered the Mozzarella Basil pizza which he described as "the best pizza I've ever tasted". Can't recommend it highly enough - definitely put this on your list of places to try in Keswick.

Great little cafe. A quick visit for a coffee. Excellent atmosphere.

Lovely little eatery. We had 2 great pizzas and nachos. Very busy, we got the last table (no bookings taken, so first come first seated). We had a great time.

Incredible food with a charming atmosphere, Les provided impeccable service, would thoroughly recommend the pulled pork nachos and tapas, food arrived in impressive time and everything tasted amazing.

Really fun tapas/pizza bar in the heart of Keswick…lots of interesting options and delightful service!

I have been here twice, and have to say it is a lovely placer for a bite to eat. I recommend the pizza. Good place for doggos too. Definitely recommend, and will come back again.

A hidden gem in Keswick. You can’t book but it’s worth the risk of just rocking up. A delightful server got us a table and let us know they were busy and there might be a wait. No problem. Great selection of drinks. We went for the tapas and it did not disappoint. Only downside were the group of four next to us who were doing some right moaning about how long the food was taking. The excellent bar manager offered them a free round of drinks which they turned down and carried on moaning! The manager halved their food bill and they left saying the food was marvellous and they couldn’t wait to visit again. Great service in my opinion. Brilliant place, lovely staff.

Lovely food ,excellent service and a lovely welcome and atmosphere.Me and my family enjoyed it so much ,the pizza was the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life !

Lovely little bar serving a good selection of tapas and pizza

Little gem - great food - great service

We have been coming here for years when we visit Keswick, such a cosy bar day or night, great food, excellent choice of local beers, the music, great service and atmosphere. Brought some family today for their first time hoping they would like it and they were blown away by the quality of the food, the tapas were amazing, probably the best we have had including Spain! And excellent service as always. Thank you!

Really tasty tapas and friendly service

We had to wait a bit for a table, but we got to sit outside with a glass of wine so not bad a all. The food came out quickly and was delicious, we particularly enjoyed the haloumi special. The hostess/waitress seemed to be doing three jobs at once and was so lovely. Great location and food, worth waiting a bit for a table during busy times.

There's a reason that there are always people waiting outside for a table! the food is amazing and the atmosphere is so chilled and cozy, I will always choose this place for tapas!

We go here often. We love the coffee and the drinks, the inside is beautiful and atmosphere is great. The prices aren't too bad however wasn't overall impressed with the pizzas. Barely any cheese and it slid straight off when picked up. One couple had a bunch of rocket thrown in the middle of their pizza and it looks rather unpresentable. Would order differently next time.

Probably the best cafe bar in Keswick, if not the North of England😉 perfect fiid & drinks. Fab staff & great atmosphere. Always come here when in Keswick.

Lovely place. Dog friendly. Amazing food with good veggie and vegan options. Lovely feel. Staff really friendly x

Best food of our holiday looked in numerous times and it's always busy decided to take the plunge and was not disappointed walked in and the smells were amazing staff were amazing, will definitely be back left after dinner thinking do they do breakfast if not will come back for lunch

Tapas style menu and pizzas. We had the tapas and it was all excellent. Good ingredients, bit different, great service. We queued for a seat as no bookings. Buy didn't take long. Good size portions. Figs in balsamic and honey were delicious.

Fabulous restaurant, the food was awesome, the team were super friendly and welcoming and atmosphere is fantastic the best restaurant and food we’ve had in Keswick

This restaurant has a Good selection of vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant has a no booking policy, but the staff are friendly and helpful and will serve you a drink if you have to wait for a table. We waited roughly 15 minutes. We would strongly recommend the nachos, truffle mushrooms, padron peppers, and pizzas. The food comes out in tapas fashion, i.e. each dish is served when it’s ready and in no particular order. The savoury food definitely outshone the sweet. We had a sticky toffee pudding for dessert, that was nice, but not particularly special. Definitely worth a visit if you fancy something a bit different.

As a tourist to the Lake District, I’ve come across the most rude staff in this restaurant.

Best food and service in the whole of the lakes!! banging food made by handsome chefs and amazing service by charismatic and welcoming staff, as a Scottish person in Cumbria I have never been made to feel so welcomed and valued, love this place!!

The day before yesterday (28th June), we visited The Square Orange Café in Keswick for lunch, attracted by its high Google ratings. However, our experience turned out to be a deeply distressing encounter with blatant racism from both the chef and the waitstaff. The café is small, with only seven tables in the front hall. We were the fourth table to arrive that day. The first table (an Asian couple) had already ordered, while the second table (a family of eight white people), the third table (a white family of three), and we were waiting to order. The waitress bypassed the second and third tables and came straight to us with a patronising expression, lecturing us on their ‘first come, first served’ policy and told us she would serve the second and third tables before us. It was perplexing why she felt the need to explain this universal rule to us, but not to the white families. We politely nodded and agreed. The waitress proceeded to take orders from the second and third tables and then began setting their tables with cutlery, completely ignoring us for another 10 minutes. We finally managed to place our order for a pizza and tapas. Our prolonged wait continued as we watched the second table receive all their tapas dishes and the third table all their meals. Meanwhile, a fifth table (two young white women) arrived and ordered two pizzas. What happened next confirmed the racial bias in this café. The waitress eagerly took the order of the fifth table, and within ten minutes, the two white women were served their pizzas, while we and the first table (Asian couple) still hadn’t received our food. At this point, we had been waiting for nearly 40 minutes. Only after serving the two white women did she bring nachos to the first table and tapas to us. I was infuriated and confronted the waitress: ‘Isn't it first come, first served? Why did the table that came later than us get their food first?’ With a condescending tone and expression, she replied, ‘We only have one oven, and we try to make sure every table has something to eat before fully serving any table.’ I pointed out, ‘Then the second and third tables should have only gotten some of their dishes, right? Why did the third table gets all their food? Are you a racist? Only the Asian couple and us have yet to receive our full orders! I have been staying in the UK for many years, and I’ve never been treated like this!’ The waitress, trying to dismiss my anger, said, ‘Don't use the word 'treat.' I am trying to help you sort it out. Don’t argue with me.’ I answered, ‘You're not helping us at all; you are racially discriminatory. I am not arguing; I am stating the facts. I will definitely leave a review on Google and expose this on other social media platforms. Now please charge me for the tapas; I won’t take the pizza.’ Hearing about the Google review, the waitress panicked and offered to waive the bill. However, I insisted on paying for what I consumed, saying, ‘I ate, so I will pay—this is my way of life. Don’t pretend you’re doing me a favour. It’s clear you’re a racist.’ Why do I believe the chef is equally racist? Because our pizza hadn’t even been started by the time we left—and I could clearly see this in the open kitchen. Despite standing up for myself this time, I am still feeling disappointed after-the-fact. I visited the Lake District to relax, but instead encountered this traumatic experience. I urge everyone to avoid The Square Orange Café! And if you ever encounter racism, stand up and fight back – but ensure your safety first.

Ordered Nachos and 6 tapas for two of us. Everything was great. There was more than enough food. We couldn’t eat it all but not because it wasn’t good. The tapas were delicious! The atmosphere is lovely and relaxed. The staff are lovely. We’ll definitely be back. Thank you. 🤩

I was deeply disappointed to learn about the discriminatory treatment experienced by a fellow customer at this café. It is unacceptable that the staff prioritized serving local customers while ignoring those who had already placed their orders. Discrimination of any form has no place in our society. I hope the management takes immediate action to address this behavior and ensure a welcoming and respectful environment for all customers, regardless of their background.

Fantastic food, vibe and excellent service. We had a lovely lunch here, highly recommend.

Amazing place, the food was lovely

Seriously tasty food, great service and top atmosphere. Prompt service, minimal waiting time for food. We were in and out in 45 minutes- Just excellent.

Unplanned visit for a light early evening meal. Very attentive waiting staff, good music - quality from 80’s & 90’s. Food was faultless, very fresh, great quality. Crispy base pizza and beautiful tapas. Quick service for an eat and run schedule.

No booking, but lovely food. Really tasty

We were so looking forward to our meal tonight (my wife, my three sons and I). We ordered nachos as a starter, followed by tapas for the four of them and a pizza for me. We shared the nachos as expected. The tapas then followed for the four of them, while I waited. After 15 minutes they had pretty much finished their meal, but still no sign of my pizza. A look across at the staff confirmed it was pretty clear that a mistake had been made and that my pizza wasn't being prepared. However, when I asked about my meal, there was a blanket denial that anything was wrong, and indeed, I should accept that meals came out at different times and I should be patient (notwithstanding that everyone else had finished!). A simple apology seemed to be beyond anyone at the restaurant, and I'm now left hungry and out of pocket, not only for my family's meals, but for the two drinks I had in the expectation of actually eating a meal tonight. Thanks allot. Not. Zero respect for me. 0/5.

One of the best burratas I have ever eaten in my life!!! Delicious!!! I would add a little more bread but SPECTACULAR!!!

An excellent place to eat. Wonderful food, sensibly priced served in a vibrant atmosphere by welcoming staff. No pre-booking so you may have to wait for a table but that’s ok, it’s worth it. Will definitely return if we’re back in Keswick. Thank you.

Great atmosphere, delicious pizza and tapas, tapas has big portion, we will come back the next day straight away.

Dog friendly, fair prices, great food and coffee. Friendly staff. Go there if you can.

Fantastic place. Lots of lovely dishes. Great coffee and selection of beers, including alcohol free. Very friendly welcome and dog friendly too

We ate here twice on a recent visit to Keswick. We were recommended by a fellow walker we met in the hills! We were outstanded by the food! My partner wants to know the secret to whatever the chorizo is cooked in!! Lovely food, lovely drinks and a lovely atmosphere! For a small venue with only walk in’s it is worth the short wait for a table! Thankyou!

food was both fantastic and good value for money. the service and atmosphere were excellent too. would certainly go back

First time visiting , we have been to Keswick many times but it is always busy , so glad we got a chance to get in , food was amazing and the cocktails were fab will definitely return staff were really friendly and welcoming great night.

Cosy atmosphere and incredible food selection. Great for lunch or dinner or drinks. Perfect for all occasions!

Lovely little hideaway from the business of Keswick! We only had coffee and cake but they were all delicious and the service was incredibly friendly! Worth the extremely small detour from the main high street!

Amazing find! We only went in for the drink selection as they had a good selection of beer on draught. It was very quiet when we were in and were made to feel very welcome. At 5 o'clock on the dot within seconds the whole place was full. We had another round of drinks and then gave our table up to a walk in. After we left we instantly regretted it as they have a very good drinks menu but also probably the best food on offer in Keswick. We will be back on our next holiday and will be arriving at ten to five to ensure we get a table!

Great tapas, pizza and coffee with a good selection of beers and lager on tap. Friendly people. Thanks, we really enjoyed the food.

I've been here twice now and it is very good food. No reservations tho so there is a need to get there early if you have your heart set on this place.

Lovely place, delicious tapas and very welcoming staff

Best spot in Keswick. Great atmosphere whether empty or full, good coffee and beers. Tapas and pizzas are excellent and varied. Staff are just excellent.

Well, we timed that right! Able to grab a quick drink at the bar and then to our table. This is a fantastic eatery with a great buzzy feel. Tapas were top quality and the service professional, attentive and super friendly. Highly recommended.

Good coffee and cakes, the staff also helped with a little birthday surprise bringing a gift over to my buddy on a plate that we'd set up with them. Great atmosphere and service!

Ate here with friend for a casual evening. They do state that there is no booking, so you just have to turn up and hope for the best. We stayed around and by the end of our first drink, we had a table ready. They are up front with this, so no issues at all with the wait. We ordered all the tapas between four of us and that was pretty much enough. Some of the stand out dishes were: Chorizo, Baked Camembert, curried chick peas and the prawns. Don't get me wrong, all the tapas were lovely, these were just the favourites. Good service and great atmosphere.

Surprisingly tasty food! This is such a tiny place that makes pizza and tapas and we went there with a toddler. We went for lunch on a bank holiday and it was really busy so we had to wait for about 10 minutes but they don't accept bookings so we waited. We got a couple of pizzas and some of the tapas including the patatas bravas, chorizo, one of the specials - bechemel mushrooms and the prawns. Every one of them was truly exceptional! As a bonus it's very dog friendly!

Lovely, intimate setting, good food, and coffee.

Brilliant few hours in the square orange. We were really lucky to walk straight in and get a table as soon after, others were told about a 45 min wait! Nice choice of beers and nice snacks food to keep us going. The perfect reward after walking around Derwentwater.

Having lived in Keswick for a number of years now, I can not actually believe that I've not eaten at the Square Orange until now!!!! I visited for lunch tapas and drinks with my wife for my birthday treat. It's is the most unique and enjoyable dining experience I've had in Keswick!. The food was perfect, the atmosphere was super chilled, and the staff were amazing I would highly recommend a visit, and we will most certainly be back soon. Thank you x

Having lived in Keswick for a number of years now, I cannot actually believe that I've not eaten at the Square Orange until now!!!! I visited for lunch tapas with my wife for my birthday. It's is the most unique, and enjoyable dining experience I've had in Keswick!. The food was perfect, the atmosphere was super chilled and the staff are amazing I would highly recommend a visit and we will most certainly be back soon. Thank you x