The Union Jack in South Lakeland

Came here after reading the reviews. Really enjoyed what we had (full breakfast and bacon barm), excellent coffee and friendly service - would visit again.

Another amazing breakfast. Food is freshly cooked. Service is great, staff are very pleasant and the owner Debbie can't do enough to make sure we are all happy. Definately visiting again. Love this place.

Best breakfast in Kendal and the most reasonably priced too. Lots of other non-breakfast items too for those wanting something else. Friendly staff make you feel welcome and always a quick service. Been coming here for years and would recommend it to anyone. A great local business.

amazing breakfast ,all local produce , very friendly staff , lovely atmosphere and made to feel very welcome , definitely recommend this little gem of a cafe to anyone , amazing

My Husband and I called in for Lunch today, so glad we found this friendly café. We were greeted warmly by the owner. My Husband decided to go for the breakfast as we did not have time this morning. I just fancied a sausage barm. The food was piping hot and you could tell the quality of the ingredients. We got chatting again to the friendly owner and asked about the artwork on the wall. She said she displays and sells local artists work for them. I was nice to have a look at the range of artwork while we were there. We will definitely be returning when we are next in the area.

What an absolute gem this place is , went for breakfast with the hubby , lovely friendly staff nothing was too much trouble for them and such a great atmosphere. Food was amazing all local produce too , I had the small breakfast which I've added a photo of ,so much to eat great value for money and a proper barista coffee for only £1.50 with the breakfast . Will definitely be back for more . Well done Debs , Chef Dan and team . Team union jack 🇬🇧 Kendal Cumbria

We used to visit this cafe years ago, but because of where we parked we hadnt been near it for some time, but we have rediscovered it and yesterday I had one of tbe best steak pies ever, my wife had jacket spud with chilli, also very good, my only slight niggle is I think my chips were the frozen kind, if its possible please try and serve the far better home made chips in future. Thank you Union Jack.

Had lunch at the Union Jack with my daughter and grandson and it was excellent. The food was amazing and the staff were lovely. They brought water out for my dog without me asking and were very patient with my unruly grandson. I’ll definitely be returning

Fantastic breakfast... sausages amazing 👏 service was efficient and friendly.... definitely my breakfast venue of choice from now on.

called in on tuesday the food was amazing all homemade the waitress couldn’t be more helpful and kind front of house was so helpful would highly recommend this cafe

This has been one of our favourite cafes, so we were glad when it was taken over recently rather than closing down. I was full of good will to the new owners, who at first seemed pleasant. True the prices went up quite a lot and the menu became more limited, but I had no problem with the place until a couple of recent visits. Unfortunately these were spoilt not by bad food, but by a hostile un-cooperative attitude from the owners. The first problem happened when I was not served what I had requested on the menu. Instead of gammon and egg I was given ham and egg. I politely pointed this out, but instead of admitting the mistake they became defensive and insisted that I had ordered the ham (even though that was not on the menu). It then transpired that they did not have gammon in stock because they were running a limited menu while the cafe was being redecorated. I replied that I could understand the limited menu under the circumstances, but that in that case they should have removed the gammon from the menu, or at least explained that it was not available at that time. Instead of accepting my point as constructive and offering a brief apology as I expected, they behaved as if I was being unreasonable. That was an unpleasant experience, but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt as they were under stress. Unfortunately this was followed by a second bad experience soon after. My husband and I ordered two breakfasts there, one morning when it was busy (but not insanely so). We waited quietly for almost half an hour, during which time two sets of people who had arrived after us were served. At that point I decided I had better check that the order had not become overlooked somehow, so I called to the waitress and asked when our food would arrive. I realise that these things are subjective, but really don't think I was rude or aggressive towards her. I did not shout (apart from initially calling to get her attention), nor did I swear or insult her; however instead of a civil reply she snapped at me and seemed offended. When she did eventually arrive with the food, I tried to explain why I had considered it necessary to ask, but she only took further offense. The manager then approached us several times asking if everything was alright. My husband replied 'yes', while I initially stayed silent; however when the manager went on pressing the matter I answered that the food had been nice when it had finally arrived. Again instead of responding with a polite expression of regret about the delay, he launched into an attack. He accused me of being abusive to his staff (which is really not true), and generally tried to make out that I was being unreasonable. His explanation for the delay as far as it goes, was that different food takes different cooking times. I can see that that makes sense and would have accepted it, except that one of the other couples had also ordered the same cooked breakfast (so I really can't see why her breakfast would take less time to prepare than ours). I would also not have had a big problem with the situation if only he had been nice about it and given a polite answer to my questions instead of taking offense. Sadly after these two bad experiences, I do not feel like risking a third, and can not recommend the Union Jack Cafe to anyone else. This is a great pity, because it is basically a nice, if unassuming place, which serves tasty food that is still quite reasonably priced. It might be possible to visit it several times without any problems; but the owner's inability to accept any thing less than a rave review or deal with any problems that occur in an appropriate way, means that visiting it is a potentially stressful and frustrating experience and not worth the risk.

What a smashing little cafe. We went with our Airedale and she had some biscuits, a sausage and a bowl of fresh water. The staff were so nice and welcoming. We both had a toastie for lunch which was very fresh and tasty. We’ll certainly eat here again if/when we’re back in Kendal.

Went to Union Jack after hearing all the great things people are saying. We got breakfasts and they were very good quality and very fairly priced. It’s an old school cafe with chilled out friendly atmosphere

Finally found it open and was not disappointed, food was excellent staff was friendly and professional.

We had such a warm welcome from all the staff today and Milo our Cockapoo was spoilt rotten with attention and dog treats from the owners! Lunch was amazing and great value for money, we highly recommended The Union Jack Cafe if you are looking for somewhere to pop in for a drink or bite to eat. Thank you so much and look forward to seeing you all again on our next visit. 😀

Great breakfast made by Dan and lovely friendly staff. Will return an recommend to friends. Reasonable prices

Went for a spontaneous brunch after strolling past and feeling hungry. Was greeted with a smile and ordered at the counter. I’m vegan so had a veggie breakfast and gave the egg away. It was delicious. Totally worth the money and I had my daughters vegan sausage too. The staff are really friendly and chatty without being overbearing. Will 100% go there again.

Thrilled to see this iconic cafe in Kendal has returned to its former glory under new ownership. Fabulous breakfast with quality products with a great cup of coffee. Brilliant.

Been a fan of this place for years and were keen to support the new owners who took over recently. We visited on the 1st day they reopened, and today is our 2nd visit under the new owners. Both visits have been great, today in particular. The staff are super friendly and couldn't be more accommodating, providing a kids portion of one of the adult specials, for my lasagne loving boy! Food came quickly and was delicious and while we were waiting they brought over some kids books for us to read him. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone for breakfast, brunch or lunch.

In 1976 I was 18, my friend Si and I hitch hiked around England. We arrived at Kendal too late to get into the YHA and spent a very uncomfortable night trying to sleep in a telephone box! We ordered a full English Breakfast at this cafe in the morning and having polished it off, then ordered a second one! It remains one of the best meals I have ever had in my life! I had to select a date from the drop down menu which unfortunately didn't go back 47 years. However I am delighted to see that the full English Breakfast hasn't changed!

Great quality breakfast, really quick service and lovely owners. Ideally located next to car parking. Highly recommend.

The perfect English breakfast. Everything was cooked to perfection. Nice people running the place too!

Excellent food, great veggie breakfast. Highly recommend. The service was good too and the food was piping hot.

Recently undertaken by new owners. Warm welcome. Great food at great price. Parking either on street at the rear if you can find a spot or there is a car park at the parish church 2 minutes walk away. If you're passing by call in. Support local small businesses.

My husband and I went to the union jack for lunch. We were out with our dog and decided we were hungry and union jack was the nearest place to us, I'm so glad we did!! My husband had the full monty and I had the BLT and they were delicious, all fresh ingredients and the best homemade coleslaw I have ever had. Didn't leave our dog out either and she's got two sausages. The couple were so friendly and welcoming nothing was to much trouble, and everything was so clean. Will definitely be back!!!

Passing through Kendal and found this little gem,great breakfast, friendly staff and good value. If we're in Kendal again we will definitely pay the Union Jack a visit.Well done all.👍

Great services and great value for money on the breakfast!! Hash browns were amazing and lovely bacon bun! We’ll be back definitely!

Me and my partner are in Kendal for a few days, we went into the cafe everyday and they didn’t disappoint. The food was delicious and freshly made to order, such a welcoming atmosphere and Paul and debs are amazing people and are doing an outstanding job. Will definitely be back soon.

We popped into this lovely little cafe for brunch today. What a fantastic quaint place it is. My partner and his brother had the Full Monty breakfast, my son had some Sausages and beans and I opted for sausage barm. The service was absolutely fantastic,...

The best all day breakfast in Kendal! We chose from the breakfast menu, but there was a good lunch menu to choose from, too. Nice to know that the meat was locally sourced. All good 👍

A lovely traditional British cafe in the centre of Kendal. Great as we were staying in the Travelodge where breakfast was £8.99 and a bugget style which isn't always the best. I five minutes walk to the Union Jack is worth the stroll and for...

What a gem this place is. Very friendly staff in a lovely tea room setting, and a breakfast to die for. The Union Jack deserves its place at the top of best breakfasts in the area.

If I were to choose one cafe anywhere in the world to have a cooked breakfast then this would be the place. The food is plentiful, wonderful quality and superbly cooked. I have eaten the same item’s several times and the high standards are always...

Always first class service and homely food . Excellent prices and good old school cooking at its best . Lovely cosy place to go for a good breakfast to start the day

I go into the Union Jack Cafe quite regularly. You can't beat a decent cooked breakfast every now and again; and over the years I've tried most of the places in town offering a breakfast. The Full Monty at The Union Jack Cafe (full cooked...

This is a wonderful little cafe with professional and elegant service of good quality food and drinks at a very reasonable price , a real credit to Kendal and south lakes.

a great breakfast which was excellent value for money plenty of choice on the menu very clean and quick service

The staff were very friendly,the tables were immaculately clean,the choice on the menu was vast,we had the English breakfast,well worth the £5.50, would recommend this place to anyone visiting Kendal

Visited last weekend with friends and were very impressed with the food. The quality of the ingredients were top notch and delicious. The waiting staff were lovely and were very accommodating with our orders especially since we are all particular about how we like our...

Was a lovely breakfast and cupa tea all safe in one door out the other. Time to help the small business definitely try it if you are in town. 😋

Our last day of a week in Kendal and we had to be out of the property by 9 so this was the place for a full English treat. Good food and friendly service. A number of size and content options and also happy to...

After a few days in Ambleside and Windermere decided it was time to escape the over-priced breakfast places and try somewhere else on my way out of the lakes on my way home. The reviews sounded OK so… Union Jack Cafe in Kendall it was....

Simple but excellent food Friendly service Comfortable setting Local or tourist, wanting a traditional English breakfast - go here.

Traditional, homely food - no frills, but it always host the spot and is just right. Lovely staff. Great to be back.

Simple food, very reasonable price And strict Covid rules. Will be coming back👍 service is quick a nice little quirky cafe

The cafe has implemented strict covid guidelines so one would feel safe. You enter via the back entrance and exit from the front (one way). You are asked to wait at the entrance, fill out the track and trace slip before being seated to your...

We had a delicious breakfast on our short break in the Lakes, reasonable price, great menu and good service.

Excellent food lots of choice well presented by polite and efficient team thankyou.Good coffee breakfast highly recommended .

What can I say - Amazing from start to finish! Went in literally minutes from closing but was told it's still ok to order The Full English that I really craved. I really enjoyed my food along with delicious coffee. My daughter had an Ice...

Quick food and friendly service. Food is nice and simple. Nothing fancy but they are good at what they do. Good COVID measures in place!

Off the cuff visit for breakfast. Visited Kendal and was not sure what would be open. Found this place and decided to pop in for breakfast. It was only second day of trade after restrictions allowed them to open to say we were impressed was...

Although we live several miles from Kendal, I clearly remember that even 50+ years ago, the Union Jack cafe was here. As we often travel into Kendal for shopping etc, we usually make a point of not having breakfast at home, but instead havng it...

Visited on Friday for something to eat and decided to try the cooked breakfast. Good decision. Every item cooked to perfection with NO Grease on the plate. Excellent value for money. Definitely recommend if you like good honest food cooked as it should be. 👍

Great fresh home cooked food and welcoming atmosphere. Extremely clean premises and plenty of choice on the menu

Delicious food at good prices with very welcoming and efficient staff. Quite busy when we arrived but still didn't have long to wait and everything was hot. I would not hesitate to recommend the Union Jack cafe.

Had the full breakfast. Lovely sausages, nice bacon, fried bread ❤,properly done egg and mushrooms. One very small criticism, I would have preferred a choice of tomatoes or beans. With a large coffee and toast, you can't knock it for £6.50. 30 years ago, Kendal...

walked all around kendal to find a proper cafe,,& luckily at the last minute found the union jack,👍👍 Great breakfast like it should be, A Must Visit if your in Kendal and like propa grub,,,really friendly and lovely service and food,& plenty on the menu...

Visiting my brother in Kendal for a few days so googled places to eat. Do not be put off by the fact the union Jack is at the bottom of town.it is SO worth the walk. The owners are lovely but the breakfast is superb!!...

We visit The Union Jack for full breakfast with coffee once a month .Always excellent service with a smile and we reckon best breakfast in Kendal and best value .

Delightful breakfast served extremely efficiently by friendly staff and best of all with a smile. Well worth a visit .

We stopped over for breakfast here in Kendal while en route to Windermere. Found this on TripAdvisor so had a try and it was a joy. The full English Breakfast was superb. Filled us up till lunch. Staff was friendly.

En Kendal para el verano y he comido aquí cuatro veces. La perfección completa cada vez, y con tres de nosotros, hemos tenido una variedad de alimentos diferentes, desde las sopas hasta los desayunos y la lasaña. Como todas las otras críticas han dicho, la comida se sirve muy caliente, cocinada a la perfección. ¡Este es el café para gobernar todos los cafés y debería ser el estándar de oro de la comida! No sé cómo se las arreglan, con una cocina tan pequeña, para ofrecer una gama tan amplia de alimentos o para que todo esté perfectamente preparado al mismo tiempo, cuando tantos lugares más grandes y costosos, con más personal, no pueden obtener bien así. Soy bastante quisquilloso con mi café, me gusta con crema y el personal de la cocina siempre se las arregla para encontrarme un poco. Todos son amigables, eficientes y están impecablemente limpios. Si sirvieran almuerzos los domingos, ¡estaría en el cielo! Es como si el desayuno fuera para mí: quiero que todo esté caliente y, al mismo tiempo, es difícil de manejar. Recomiendo este lugar más que cualquier otro lugar que he comido.

Called in Sunday morning for breakfast and wasn’t disappointed, extremely polite and excellent service. Can definitely recommend the food.

La comida se prepara con ingredientes de calidad y siempre se sirve muy caliente en las cantidades correctas. Teníamos el desayuno para 2 adultos y 3 niños en esta visita y fue excelente. Un niño pidió solo huevos y tocino y eso no fue un problema en absoluto, muy alegremente acomodado. Servicio realmente limpio, rápido y amigable y valor fantástico. Es difícil encontrar un mejor desayuno tradicional en la ciudad. Se lo recomendaría a cualquiera que desee una alimentación sencilla y con una buena relación calidad-precio en un café sin pretensiones. El chocolate caliente y los pasteles también son muy buenos.

We love this place we go every week food is great the prices are great the staff are very friendly it's nice atmosphere and we will always keep visiting here 😁

Mis suegros viven en Kendal y son visitantes habituales de The Union Jack. Fuimos una familia de 4 para el desayuno. Estaba delicioso. Desayuno grande y recién cocinado.

Union Jack Cafe is really good value for money. We both really wanted a toastie (I know old hat but what you fancy) well not alot of places do them anymore & after Google search union jack came up. So we went & all expectations were fulfilled, fantastic toastie, good staff, quick service. Spot on, can't fault it.

Myself and my work colleagues had a full monty breakfast here in December as we was working close by. We was very happy at The warm welcome and friendly staff. The breakfasts were served very quick and food was excellent and great value for money. Been back 3 times since. Same experience every time. Highly recommend this cafe. Great location too and loads of parking out back. Lovely end of town and setup. Also there is a nice park and art gallery to the rear with large play park and riverside seating.

the service was brilliant and the people were extremely friendly. food was delicious and arrived quickly. great value for money. very cheap. would 100% recommend. 10/10. We decided to visit on our morning break from college and could not have made a better decision.

Thought we would try out the local caf on our break from college. Walked in and was greeted by a lovely lady. After a few brief moments to decide what we were having on the fantastic menu, we ordered. Food was absolutely fantastic and was cheap for what you got. Everything was brilliant. Couldn't fault the place. Will definitely be back in the future.

We go to this cafe a lot. It doesn't look anything special on the outside but it is such good value with a wide range of dishes: from the cooked breakfasts, sandwiches through to full meals and puddings. You won't be disappointed, seek it out.

Absolutely awesome breakfast in this warm and cosy cafe. Nice staff and good quality food. Worth every penny.

Entré para un bocado rápido mientras esperaba a que mi alojamiento de AirBnB estuviera listo. La cordial bienvenida de la chica detrás del mostrador, no tanto de la chica que trajo la comida, ¡no la vio sonreír una vez! Tenía un café negro y un bollo. El bollo era bueno, pero hubiera sido bueno que se le ofreciera mermelada y mantequilla. Parecía hacer una buena variedad de desayunos durante todo el día y otra comida sencilla y sencilla. Si necesita que se le avise al inodoro, debe ir afuera para llegar a él, ¡no es tan bueno cuando llueve fuerte! !

Brilliant very good produce lovely sausage bacon egg beans toast and tea a nice glass latte would go again. Service very good and helpful lovely cafe thank you. Going for lunch next time yum can’t wait

Another wonderful breakfast at this homely, family-run cafe. The food is no nonsense, but everything is just as it should be and great value too.

Simple, well presented meals by friendly and accommodating staff. We returned three times in a week and were not disappointed. They catered for my wife’s dairy allergies which can often be challenging but they did so in a friendly manner which we both greatly appreciated - a true gem in Kendal

Always a good sign when the place is packed with locals. This cafe has excellent bacon & egg sandwiches, with gluten and dairy free breakfast and lunch options

Looks a bit basic and rough around the edges but food cooked to order to a good standard and served piping hot, without breaking the back. staff pleasant, wifi good, I would certainly go again.

This excellent, traditional,no-nonsense, British caff continues to deliver the goods. Good value and lovely staff too. Family run.

Called in here this morning on the way through Kendal. I grew up in the town and can't believe I've never visited until now - it's a great little café with a friendly, easy-going atmosphere. Everything very clean and tidy. My husband and I both had breakfasts (his was the 'Full Monty') and our two kids had toasties. Lovely food, reasonably priced. Particularly happy with the eggs which had good, rich yellow yolks rather than some of the rather anaemic looking things I've been served in more expensive cafes of late! Took the kids to let off some steam in the Abbot Hall park before setting off on our journey home. We'll be back!

We come to Kendal every few months to visit family, and always try to fit in breakfast at the Union Jack. Today it was excellent as always; quality ingredients nicely cooked, friendly service, good value, and clean and cosy setting. My only slight gripe is that the Full Monty breakfast doesn't include tomatoes, but they are available as an optional extra.

Me and my husband were looking for some beakfast and found this place. I had egg and sausage on a barm whilst my husband had bacon and egg on toast. with a cup of tea and coffee. Both breakfasts were reasonably priced and tasty. Friendly staff. Cosy feel to the cafe.

Came in for a spot of breakfast on our last day in the lakes and was not disappointed. It is a lovely little cafe with friendly staff and the food was lovely. Hats off to you

Had spare half hour before shops opened and glad we called in.

I returned to Kendal after a break of several months and made Union Jack one of my first stops. Nothing has changed. Breakfast there still sets you up for the day and the friendly, personal service ensures you feel very much at home. Their ‘Full Monty’ breakfast is legendary.

The first thing we noticed about the Union Jack was how immaculately clean it was. The prices were great for a full breakfast, with the tea served in a large teapot, and also plenty of extra hot water. The food was great. Customer service was excellent too. We can highly recommend this establishment. Plus there was a great choice of other meals too.

My favourite cafe in the South Lakes. Great food, proper chips, real sausages. Really good value for money. Perfect

After a long drive of 4 hours on our way to the Lake District we stopped in Kendal and headed to the Union Jack for a breakfast after reading reviews on here . Can't fault it great breakfast for a great price .

Called in for breakfast a few times while in Kendal. Friendly service and good choice of breakfasts depending on your appetite. Traditional cafe serving good food. Nice coffee.

We were stopping in a Travel lodge and wanted a decent breakfast, Found the cafe, to be top notch and...

The Union Jack is always our first port of call when we're in Kendal. Food, Staff and Atmosphere are second...

Called in for lunch to this nice traditional cafe with good food, snacks and main meals. The staff made the customers ( many of whom were clearly local regulars) very welcome.

We ate here with our 3 young children. The staff were brilliant and we received a warm welcome. The Full Monty breakfast is a good quality fry up and good value. Children's meals are super value. Lots of clear plates was evidence of the quality of meals. Highly recommended.

We have been going to the Union Jack for several months now and it has always been excellent, the food is freshly prepared, piping hot and very reasonably priced, staff are always friendly and the place is spotlessly clean, you will not find better anywhere

We wanted a cuppa and lite bite to kill time waiting for a funeral. Plenty of tea and hot water. Good selection of cakes. Just what we wanted.

Called in for a late lunch, and was very impressed. Excellent sevrice, good quality food and good value. We will definitely return. The cafe served good traditional food with an extensive menu and also a Special's board. I can see why it is always busy!

Delicious home-cooked food, beautifully plated and served piping hot - just as you would expect. The staff are friendly and courteous, and it is a pleasure to dine at this establishment. I heartily recommend a visit.

I've been eating there about 25 years - enough said eh? You can either have a basic snack like beans on toast, or a full meal. Always prompt friendly service. Large public car park behind.

Great service. Basic food. Really friendly. I had scampi which was great. It really is a great cafe with such friendly service. Would recommend.

there were mostly locals in the cafe but it was a nice and friendly atmosphere. the staff were nice and welcomed us. the food came fairly quick after ordering and the food was very good.