Turnip House in Banbridge

Found this wee gem of a place today. Hello Freddie! 🐾

The best soup I've ever had! The café has fresh coffee and a great atmosphere. Friendly, warm and welcoming!

A great night with good food and lovely hosts. Was booked as a group for Christmas dinner.

Had a delicious lunch of soup and wheaten scones just out of the oven followed by home made cakes. Perfect on a wet, windy day. A lovely selection of crafts on sale also. Well worth the visit.

What a special find...the hosts, lunch & setting were all fabulous. We called for lunch, had delicious soups with brown scones, followed by lemon drizzle cake & tea - plus dog friendly, thank you 😊

Amazing place lovely food take a look love the dog he is amazing and the cats are so friendly

I love this place! Every time we go in we have a great time and everything we eat and drink is always beautiful. So welcoming you could sit the whole day and not feel you’ve over stayed your welcome. The arts and crafts are beautiful also. Really worth a browse.

Fantastic little place. Lovely food. Lovely hosts. Very welcoming!

Out in the countryside. Not easily spotted especially on a very wet day so perhaps better signage needed outside? Nice craft shop. Good variety of locally produced crafts. Didn't stay for tea/coffee/cake as there were a number of cats walking/climbing around the cafe area which was off-putting from a hygiene point of view But perhaps it was because of the heavy rain outside. This might also explain why it looks so much lovelier on the website than in reality. Will maybe go back when the weather is better.

It is one for the best place in Northern Ireland.

A lovely quaint cosy place to stop for a coffee or a quick snack. They usually do a selection of 3 soups with home made scones to go with them, and then there's a range of homemade buns and cookies. There's artisan felt and paintings both on display and for sale, and they have classes to show you how to do them and also how to make their menu items. Always a warm welcome and lovely views over the Mournes countryside. And don't forget about Freddie their big friendly dog getting everybody- and ever hopeful to scrounge a little treat!

Beautiful place, friendly people (and animals) in a lovely setting. Delicious food and a nice walk.

What a hidden gem. Best Lemon drizzle cake ever.

Really friendly owners, great coffee, delicious baked desserts, unique setting, lovely views, great ambience & cosy. What more could you ask for

Love this place: great food, drinks, beautiful views and gorgeous garden plus wonderful owners.

Cyclist friendly coffee stop with a nice relaxing homely atmosphere.

Had a really enjoyable experience here today. Very unique place, a lovely couple who provided us with just what we needed. Soup and warm scones with cake and coffee to follow. All freshly prepared, simple but tasted great! Excellent value too. Will definitely return!

Lovely place tucked away. Great service. Lovely home cooked soup. Fire. Two cute kittens and lovely doggy.

Cozy little shop. You can get gorgeous homemade food and hand crafted clothes. Very friendly owners and make you feel right at home.

Visited with friends whipst visiting NI, and it was great. Charming little place with the cosiest atmosphere. Delicious soups. I'd he here all the time were it not so far from home!

Utterly fantastic food in a beautiful setting. The lemon drizzle cake is marvellous, as is the rest of the menu. Not to be missed.

Quaint little find. Took friends during their visit to NI. Will definitely be back!

A Beautiful Experience with Freddie Great Food,Craft where Time stands still! One of your most present experiences in the heart Of the Mournes!

Music night by Californian blues man Shawn Jones

all home made and delicious. strongly recommend all of the cake. literally.

We visited this delightful cafe and craft outlet while visiting family in Northern Ireland. The soups were really good, our hosts were welcoming, the dog was friendly and there was an interesting collection of local crafts for sale. Also it was our first time using a sawdust loo - a good experience.

Us four popped in here for a spot of lunch . Wow what a treat . Choice of soups , freshly baked scones to accompany followed by cakes . Lashings of tea and coffee. Total bill !!!!! Are you ready £30 in total . What a bargain, what service , what quality . Gorgeous large table, unique crockery . Great great place . Go go go !

Amazing setting, great food and very friendly, helpful owners. Highly recommend.

John and Elaine are the loveliest, most welcoming gentle souls, who make the best lemon drizzle cake!! The views are amazing, a real tranquil gem.

Beautiful spot. Everybody very friendly and welcoming. Soup and cake both delicious. Well worth a visit after Windy Gap or Dolly's Brae.

A hidden gem at the bottom of the windy gap with stunning views over the Mourne Mountains from kitchen garden. Beautiful homemade organic soups and cakes lovingly prepared by Elaine and John the friendly hosts.

What a great place. John and Elaine are very friendly and welcoming and their home made soup,scones and cake are superb. Lovely wild gardens to explore as well.Local crafts and gifts available.

Lovely place, with delicious soups and cakes. And very nice people. Beautiful surroundings.

Somewhat understated in arrival but don't let that fool you. Inside a super warm welcome awaits. Most importantly not much on the menu (at last a restaurant that knows what it's good at) but what is, is superb. 4 different types of soup, scones to die for and lemon drizzle cake which alone will bring me back!

Such a lovely, heartwarming and genuine experience

Friendly establishment with lovely home baked cakes.

My first visit but definitely not my last. A surprising and wonderfully unique oasis of shabby chic warmth, tasty food, original gift ideas and relaxed and welcoming proprietors. Please , try it out at least once if only for the garden view you won't be disappointed

Beautiful people, beautiful food and beautiful location

A very nice place, shop interesting and a place to get refreshments and relax 😌

Great hidden gem. Love the soups here. Freddie the dog is a great host.

Great scenery, fantastic warm welcome and great food as always. Well worth a visit.

The Turnip House, close to the village of Leitrim, is a quirky but cosy place for a coffee and cake or a bowl of soup. The menu is limited to soups and cakes etc....but with everything being home made, the value for money and quality is second to none. With stunning views and friendly staff, including their gorgeous dog, it’s a place that you’ll definitely come back to.

Lovely friendly welcome at the turnip house . We had leek and potato soup with amazing wheaten scones. Followed by tea and homemade lemon drizzle cake just perfect. We will return again .

Great place & great food love this place

Well I’d guess you could count the number of these soup, coffee and cake places around the country on one hand and likely have fingers left. When they say here that the food is home made its exactly that; this charming place is part of the home where the delightfully genteel couple who live (and work) here with Freddy. Freddy is a Doberman that one could, for now, hold in one arm and love. They had a dog called Charlie but alas it seems Charlie is no more and as anyone who owns pets knows the heartache at their loss we didn’t enquire. We had our own Charlie on tow. Well more accurately on his lead. A rather demented and playful Bichon frieze - not ours but our son’s. So another plus it’s dog friendly even senseless, playful ones. So here we were. To use a Northern Ireland expression we were in the back end of nowhere surrounded by fields in part of a house where soups, brown scones and cakes are made on the premises. I’ve photographed the menu. I had cauliflower & channa dal soup which came with two warm brown scones ‘straight out of the oven’ and served with a generous wedge of butter. Five star all the way, but if I were being very picky I’d have preferred the scones to have been baked a while longer and some more salt in the recipe, but that’s personal taste. The soup was delicious, served hot and gently spiced. My wife opted for their vegetable soup again with two brown scones. There was a tomato & red pepper soup on offer too which was impressive given that the cook was operating in a space smaller than our bathroom at home. We were told that their lemon drizzle cake was ace so after the soups we had lemon drizzle and ginger cake. Again truly home made and darn good. Two other cake types were also available one chocolate brownie style and I don’t remember the fourth. There isn’t a coffee machine so no lattes frappos nor cappuccinos. I had French press (cafeteriere) coffee and my wife opted for hot chocolate. A selection of teas is also available. It’s also a craft place with books, paintings, knitwear and similar for sale. They also focus on environmental considerations and we should all remember there’s no planet B, the earth is our only home. There’s no disposable plastic cups here, there’s no coffee to go and there’s an environmental sawdust eco toilet out back. I bet there’s not many of these toilets about and it sure warrants 5 green stars.

Hard to find but worth it for the coffee

Love going to the turnip house, soup and wheaten scones are always fabulous. Had a filter coffee and ginger cake, delicious. John and Elaine are always so friendly.

A wonderful place to slow down, and enjoy some warm and friendly company surrounded by original art from local artists.

The most quaint wee tea room. We called here for breakfast after our walk up slieve croob, full breakfast bap by the stove served with lovely tea followed by the most amazing lemon drizzle cake, freshly out of the oven still warm, never in my life have I ever tasted anything quite like it. They also stock the most amazing hand made crafts for sale. He even made us fresh wheaten scones to take home while we browsed. Will definitely be back that's for sure.

A lovely welcome when you arrive, Elaine and John are friendly hosts and the food is fabulous. The lemon drizzle cake is famous in the local area however my favourite is the ginger cake.

The food at the Turnip House is hearty and tasty. All home made and very very reasonable. Great views of the Mournes and friendly staff - and you can have a mooch around the garden. there are also lovely crafts that you can purchase. What more could you want?

My wife and I had a great lunch at the Turnip house it’s a very tranquil place to be really relaxing great soups cakes and view

Very relaxed atmosphere, great food, served by people that obviously love what they do, will definitely be back!

Such a tranquil lovely stunning place..amazing scenary and views...all food is homemade with love absolutely delicious...John and Elaine are the nicest people so down to earth...had the pleasure off meeting their gorgeous granddaughter Eleanor little gem...cant forget Charlie the dog he is like a big teddybear just adorable thank you so much amazing experience...with amazing people 😁

I had a great lemon drizzle cake with coffee at the turnip house this week it was a real treat ,something to see inside or outside

Stopped for lunch had homemade soup and wheaten scones. Delicious! Followed by ginger cake and tea a real pleasure. I would go again.

Just home from a visit to this little place. Ginger cake and lemon drizzle was amazing. We felt that we had actually stepped off the earth for a few minutes it was so peaceful

Elaine and John are so welcoming. I highly recommend the lemon drizzle cake!! There are lots of beautiful handmade loc crafts to choose from!

Such a cozy spot for tea, crafts and views! John and Elaine are wonderful hosts.

Turnip House is one of my favorite places in the world. Incredible views of the Mourne Mountains.

Looks can be deceptive. This appears to be a cafe in an old garage beside a derelict house (which is actually what it is!) but it is so cosy, and warm. The staff are incredibly nice , there seems to be a real community interest in the place. The soups ,scones (made in front of us!) , cakes , coffees and tea are delicious and unbelievably cheap. Food is organic and local where possible. I doubt you can find a better, more interesting ,warm or welcoming place....and a big dog too!

Friendly owners, dog friendly! Delicious lemon drizzle cake and ginger slices served with butter, hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, what else could you want?

A Magical place with wonderful views of the Mourne mountains. Elaine and John are excellent hosts nothing is too much trouble for them. Craft workshop well worth it, my daughter's did some fantastic felting with Elaine. All food homemade.

John and Elaine are the most lovely couple providing a unique, picturesque, setting for their homegrown lunch menu and cake selection. They recently catered for a party of 25 for myself and the guests had nothing but glowing reviews of the delicious food. Thoroughly recommended!!

Great lemon cake and everything else too

Just love this little retreat so close to home. Great company, amazing cake, views to die for and the garden is just beautiful . The kids love to run round the garden . I feel truly relaxed here. Sx

Love this place... feel so relaxed when there.... super views of the Mournes.... good food at very reasonable prices... Lovely owners who make everyone feel welcome... can't wait to go back x

This quirky coffee shop and craft centre is really welcoming, the food is all homemade and you can even see the bread being made if you are there at the right time. The soups are lovely and varied on each visit. Great coffee too. Lovely setting in a beautiful landscape but fairly difficult to find if you don't know it is there.

Friendly, homely, excellent food and beverages. Back to nature. Organic. Local crafts on sale. Friendly owners and dog.

Called today for our first visit to The Turnip House. Its very quirky..the family dog Charlie took a shine to my husband. Beautiful countryside and fantastic scenery. The hens roaming around in the rustic setting was lovely. The sultana bread and brownies were mouthwatering. Very relaxed and friendly and could give some of the so called trendy cafes a run for their money.

So happy to have found Turnip House again !! loved it when we used to visit at Trassey Today the Tomato & Lentil soup was very good served with delicious fresh baked scones A little gem set in the midst of outstanding beauty

Great to see such a place in a beautiful hidden part of ireland ,simple good food to sustain you on your way to wherever and to wonder about .

Delightful tea room, all fresh and homemade and extremely reasonably priced. Off the beaten track and we will definitely be back!

If you're looking for an experience that you'll remember for a while to come, drive past the beaten track and head for this magical little spot near Castlewellan.

Qué encantador, acogedor, café y tienda de artesanía. Visitamos el 26 de julio. Conocimos de inmediato por una señora Elaine, encantador y amable, que nos informó de lo que había en el menú. Mi marido tenía una sopa de hongos, había Sopa de verduras doradas. . Absolutamente precioso con frescos (fuera del horno) wheatend bollos. Las raciones fueron muy generosos, no debería haber nada más para comer, pero cuando vi la variedad de deliciosos dulces, yo no podría resistir derretida! Todo recién horneados, pasteles de jengibre, Chocolate brownie tarta de limón y tarta, realmente, llovizna. Con un cafetiere de café recién molido) divino! ! Tengo que subrayar que no sólo la comida que es excelente, toda la experiencia. Nunca he estado en un lugar como este antes. Los increíbles alrededores, con todas las frutas y verduras crecen afuera. Sin duda es un mundo diferente. Sería loco, no volver a visitar este maravilloso lugar.

Visited today and was so impressed... the little place is the cutest. John was lovely and his food hit the spot. Charlie the dog is gorg too.

Un hogar lejos del hogar con vistas a rivales de los anillos señor! Que puede ser parcial, pero no se me ocurre un calentador, un lugar más hermoso para tener nos casamos! También he de mencionar la increíble sopa fresca y bollos wheaten, y la tarta de limón más delicioso! llovizna

Delightful stop as we toured the area.

Mi amigo y yo visitamos la casa después de una larga caminata nabo Castlewellan Forest Park round después de encontrar en tripadvisor. Estamos muy contentos de haber hecho! Un plato de humeante brócoli caliente y sopa de puerro y dos bollos wheaten, seguido por cada brownie de chocolate tarta y té. Bellisimo! Volveremos.

Recientemente hemos descubierto casa nabo. La comida es muy sabrosa y los propietarios son muy acogedores y amables. Lo recomiendo encarecidamente para una comida ligera.

We were in the tourist board office in Newcastle and found a leaflet for this place. The lady at reception was great with her directions and recommendation for a visit here. It was on our way home so we decided to call. Lovely drive over the hills, really deep in the countryside - beautiful. My daughter and I just love tea rooms and the quirkier the better, this has been voted up there with our favourites! You could sit all day admiring the view and the garden, munching the yummy cake and drinking lots of tea! Very generous with their tea and coffee and lovely mugs to drink from. Our lemon drizzle cake and scone with homemade jam were both yum and so reasonably priced.We will definitely be back in the winter when the fire is lit and we can sample the homemade soup!! The shop has some lovely things to buy and we did purchase a lovely key ring which was also very reasonably priced.

Great place for a light lunch in the Dromara hills. Home made soups and cakes. Good value. Save it on the sat nav. You'll want to come back!

Looking for somewhere for lunch, saw The Turnip House online and thought it looked interesting. When we stopped the car a large friendly dog greeted us. The owner checked that we weren't frightened by him and said to go on into the restaurant as someone was in there. We were welcomed and asked if we would like soup. When we said "yes please" the owner said it would be 10 mins and began to make the wheaten scones. We looked around the bookshelves and the crafts. The table was set for us but just as we were about to sit down the dog planted itself under our table. As we are not terribly fond of dogs and particularly not when we are eating, we moved our plates to a small table, so that the dog could not lie under it. Immediately the dog was taken outside which was very considerate. The soup was brought along with the hot scones freshly baked. We had to also sample the delicious cake with a cup of coffee. Very reasonably priced good homebaked food. The views from the garden are amazing.

It's worth finding this place. The soups and cakes are delicicious and the views over the Mournes are superb. Gardens are lovely for a scroll and a sit and a coffee and a chat. Owners are very lovely

Gorgeous wee spot nestled in the heart of the countryside. Such a calming wee spot, we were made to feel very comfortable by the owners warm welcone. We ordered coffee and tea and the famous home made lemon drizzle cake also the ginger cake all beautiful. Real wee gem . Hope to be back real soon.

We called into the Turnip House on Monday, and was really surprised. The soup was to die for and the scones define. Also Charlie the dog was really good company. Would recommend to everyone

First visit. A quirky little spot a few miles outside of Castlewellan, A good sat nav is a must to find it but absolutely worth the effort. Owners are very friendly and cakes to die for. Will definitely be back

Unfortunately I must rate this establishment as a 4 due to my enormous disappointment that I was unable to procure any turnips when I visited last month. This was the sole purpose of my visit, and as you can imagine, I was most disappointed. Everything else was great, though.

Wonderful spot in the country outside Castlewellan. The views are spectacular and only surpassed by the most amazing home made food. Elaine, John and the very efficient waitress Eleanor offer a very friendly welcome and a simple menu cooked to perfection. On a sunny day sitting outside enjoying what has to be one of the most wonderful views in the area, along with John's lemon drizzle cake.... Perfection!!!

It is impossible not to relax when gazing at the Mourne Mountains from the Turnip House! The views are stunning and ever changing. The food is always homemade and fresh. Their lemon drizzle cake it to die for! I attended a felting workshop for the first time and had so much fun. I would highly recommend others try felting. =)

Great views, actually stunning, a real find, beautiful countryside.Lovely people & the soup, scones & chocolate cake were just amazing.A real wee gem of a place tucked away from the hustle bustle of everyday life.Everything homemade & fresh.The crafts, jewellery, paintings & knitted garments are just fantastic.Will be back with. Friends & will spread the word. Prices are great too.Outside is just so lovely to dander about & take your ease & enjoy the view & tranquility.Now for the one down side. =. The dog, I know some people, maybe a lot of people love dogs, I do too, but not in an eating establishment, not hygienic, jumping up on the sofa, children & adults stroking it while eating, a definite no, no in my book. A lovely day in April so no reason why the dog couldn't be outside, it is a small area & a big dog.Was glad I was with 2 others as they could keep the dog away from me. Though I did hear a customer being asked. If they minded the dog, the customer just smiled, the dog wasn't removed. We as a family will return but I was annoyed at the dog in the cafe. I couldn't give top marks, only reason, the dog.

We were met by Elaine and John, the proprietors, (and Charlie) with their usual bright, breezy and friendly welcome. Immediately seated at a table with a wonderful view of the Mourne Mountains bathed in brilliant sunshine and with a blue sky background! Two steaming bowls of tasty Golden Vegetable soup with a choice of home-made bread, and scones baked specially for us only 15 minutes earlier! How fresh is that? Followed by Ginger cake, with stem ginger pieces in it - yum-yum, for me and Lemon drizzle cake for the wife with a caffetierve of fresh coffee, it all made for a very pleasant drop-in lunchtime snack for around £10 for the two of us! Fellow customers feel at ease to chat to us and each other in this homely environment. Very cosy venue with a log burner to enhance the cosiness on a cool but sunny Spring day. Binoculars supplied for better observing the view and various nick-nacks for sale for the souvenir hunter. who could ask for more? Will we be back? Oh yes!

What a lovely hour we spent in the Turnip House yesterday. As usual, we got a warm welcome from John and Elaine ... closely followed by the aroma of the wheaten bread that John was baking. The homemade soups were lovely ... served with the aforementioned bread!! Now, that's fresh! We finished off with tea, coffee, hot chocolates and splendid chocolate cake. What a lovely way to spend a snowy afternoon. It's great to have such a wonderful experience so close to home. Looking forward to sampling Elaine's homemade blackcurrant wine!!Best Wishes - McNeills, Dromara

Having visited Turnip House on a number occasions now I can safely say there is no where around like it - With its beautiful setting, old farmhouse feel and fabulous homemade delights its great to visit anytime of the year. Call in for a visit and swing by the Legananny Dolmen and Finnis Souterrain.

I am an habitué of Turnip House, for the last twenty years. The welcome is always warm, the food excellent, the views superb and the attention adjusted to my needs. I can have a technical discussion on crochet or be commiserated on a business disappointment. It is a wonderful place to be, so very peaceful, and I am looking forward to the Benraw Creative Convivium. J Paisley

A really warm welcome from the moment you arrive, great food served by the most friendliest couple. The lemon cake is amazing. The bread and scones freshly baked. A must visit to anyone exploring the mourne area.

Wonderful view of the mountains, beautiful bread with excellent tomato soup. Very nice selection of handcrafts!

Spent 2 nights camping in the grounds of the shop for a friends 30th birthday. Had a fantastic time. John and Elaine let us take over most of the grounds. They also came part of the celebrations. They were extremely warm and friendly and John cooked an amazing feast on the Saturday night. It truly was an unique experience for my first time up North. Thank you both. N x

John and Elaine couldn't be more welcoming hosts. Visited for a family party get together / mini festival and the entire day was fantastic. The setting is outstanding, homemade bread and wholesome food was delicious and everybody has had a fantastic time. A wee gem in the heart of the mournes. Take a scenic drive and pop in to see for yourself. Thanks.

On first driving into the yard I was firstly shocked to see the condition of the old house but on entering the craft shop I entered a completely world full of all things crafty and homely. Our party once seated were greeted like one of their family and John and Elaine give us their full attention. On asking about the history of the old house we were given an explaination of what they expected to do by them selves. I wouldn't say it was like "The good Life" but it was idealic all the same. It has to be seen to be believed.