Finding space for a family of 8 in the lakes wasn't as easy as we thought, but luckily Cafe Italia…read morewas able to accommodate us. While the downstairs appears to be a quick cafe area, upstairs has more of a restaurant feel to it. It even has its own bar on this level. The bathrooms and kitchen are on the 3rd level. First impressions were that it seemed a little bit more upscale than most other places in the area, and I have a feeling that on a Friday/Saturday night this will be a date night hotspot. The staff have matching uniforms and all had accents. It gave it a real nice touch. There is a full service bar, however due to the fine English cold weather, I just stuck with a cup of tea, so I can't comment on the alcohol quality. Our group jumped straight into mail meals, in which the menu is literally a book. They could probably do with trimming it by 50% and still would have a nice variety). Anyways, while trying to remember what everyone had ordered, the 3 items that stuck with me were: pizza - authentic, fresh, flavorful and quite large. Buffalo chicken wrap - nice portion size, Amazing taste. Mackerel - I have to be honest, I've never tried it before so I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like, however, it was very very good to me! We had many other dishes at our table and everyone left happy. Once again, the portion sizes were more than enough. So you won't leave hungry! For the meals listed above, you're looking in the 8 -12 pound range for prices. If I was to go back to this area, I would most definitely return for the chicken wrap. It was fantastic!

This cafe occupies pride of place on a busy corner in Windamere town. The staff are all well…read moregroomed, good looking and very charming - and good at getting people inside. So it's busy. In fact, they are so busy getting people through the doors, it can be hard to get a server's attention once you are at your table. When I was finally able to stop one of them to order my lunch, I had a Mediterranean salad, which was fine. The coffee is good. Also, they are cash only so be prepared.

Cosy cafe with great sandwiches and cakes/brownies. Coffee is very good too. Very relaxed…read moreatmosphere (roots reggae playing in the background).

From the owner: We are proud to only stock locally sourced ingredients from the Lake District. Our menu includes…read moregourmet sandwiches, brunch menu and homebaked goods made instore in our bakery. We also provide gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.

To be honest, both my wife and I absolutely loved the food. It was different as you can tell there…read morewere effort in the designing of the menu. The biggest problem for us however was the fact that the food took literally 45minutes to come. At 35mins when I followed up the food, the waiter said you will be the next order. I mean I know you guys are classy and serve brunch whole day, but since when was that kind of time frame acceptable? We had a baby, and in the end the baby got bored and over tired waiting that he also started screaming. Let's just say, it was definitely the speed of the food's fault. I'd have rated the food a 5 star. But my over all experience can at most be a 2. I had to rush so badly that I basically had to just smash the food down. Improve on your speed in delivery and you'd get a better rating, if I get to return one day, or if I get a refund for my food. (You know I was in a rush when I didn't even get a chance to photo my food, and I'm such a photos guy!)

Listen, I realize they're not really using Yelp all that much in the UK, but for the American…read moretourists who are...here ya go: This place is amazing. It was actually recommended to my friends and I from the owner/operator of a kayaking company in Bowness-on-Windermere. He said he visits Homeground all the time. Anyway, the restaurant is located on a busy little main street full of restaurants and cute shops, which makes for great walking post-meal. Parking can be kind of a bitch. If you're lucky, you find something free on the street. If you're not, you find a nearby pay lot. The restaurant itself has that whole hipster/earthy vibe to it. Even the employees fit the look. It's open, it's woody, and the first thing you see when you walk in is the big coffee apparatus (listen, I don't drink coffee, I have no idea what those machines are called...) and the barista. Food is brought to your table and cleaned up for you. Our cashier was friendly, even when he was barraged with a ton of questions from a very picky eater in our bunch. He actually took the time to explain the process of poaching an egg to her, despite how busy he seemed. (FYI: If it says poached egg, you're getting a poached egg. This is not a "cook eggs to your liking" kind of place.) And when I asked him for recommendations on a sweet treat, he gladly shared his favorite. The menu is amazing (see photos), so I had a hard time choosing what I wanted. In the end, I ordered the Homeground Sarnie (not realizing it was a sandwich). This was a hell of a sandwich, loaded with everything from bacon and eggs (an add-on) to a weird (but delicious) fried hash brown patty. (Also, I'd like to say that I love how arugula is so widely used in the UK.) In addition to my sandwich, I ordered a scone with a side of butter and jam (when in Rome...). The scone had dried fruit, which added some additional sweetness; it was crusty on the outside, soft on the inside - yum! And because I'm a girl who loves to eat (and has a major sweet tooth), I also ordered one of the pastries on display. Unfortunately, no photo, but it was a blueberry frangipane bar with a lovely dollop of cream on top. I didn't eat this till much later, but it was tasty. I also had a few bites of my friend's Huevos Rancheros order and WOW - a definite recommend (although, make sure you're hungry, as this is a pretty big portion). Get the chorizo - it's fantastic. If I ever find myself in Windermere again, I'd definitely go back.

The staff is super friendly, and didn't mind me lugging my huge backpack into the small shop. I…read moreordered a honey roast ham sandwich and soup combo. The sandwich was pretty basic, but I dipped it into the yummy beef goulash. The meal really hit the spot. I would've liked to sit and take my time, but the cafe was packed and there were groups waiting for tables. The staff never pressured me to hurry up, but I didn't feel comfortable taking up a table for 3 when there were people waiting to eat. It's a decent cafe, but definitely don't expect to kill time here. Dessert selection looked good, the apple pie was sold out so it must be a fan favorite!

Delicious coffee, nice cake selection, dogs welcome inside. They also have newspapers, mags,…read more and board games. Will def visit again.

The higher end of average cocktails, lovely staff, I didn't have cake, but they looked of a…read morepatisserie valerie type. There's outdoor seating, inside is a little dark, especially on a grey day. I think my main issue with it, is that it seems to attract a particular type of clientele (no offence to customers- bitchier versions of my Mother (also, no offence to my lovely Mother)) which can be a little off putting.

My wife (American) struggles to find any bartender who really knows how to make a dirty martini…read morehere in the UK. Finally, whilst vacationing in the lakes, we found the Fizzy Tarté which sells itself as a champagne and pastry bar, however... their cocktails are worthy of attention too. The service was certainly attentive and we enjoyed our short break from souvenir and clothes shopping (OK I was mainly there to carry the bags!) Pop in sometime and see if you can put the bartender to the test... I think you'd be pleasantly surprised!

Excellent service, tasty food, delicious drinks & great prices…read more We highly recommend. We

Prebook in advance to avoid disappointment!…read more I booked this for our anniversary meal. Despite turning up on time we had to queue outside for at least 25 minutes with several others waiting for people to finish their meals. Once inside the waiter was super apologetic, and you could tell he needed a drink himself. The restaurant was very cosy with interesting pieces of art on the walls. A nice very traditional feel about the place. Anyway the starters consisted of various seafood and meat dishes to which you can size up as a main on average pricing of £7 to £15. I had the pork cheeks and himself the clam spaghetti. While we waited we were presented with canapés consisting of cheese and carmalised onions..the other truffle oil on crackers. These were a very tasty treat. The spaghetti was well made and the sauce light smothering the tiny clams. My pork cheek was super tender, and it lay perched on perfect mash, panchetta, black pudding, pickled onions in a tomato broth. Various bits of bread was also served to mop up this juice. Only criticism clam meat is sooo small in this country so not worth the battle against the shells for such a tiny reward. For mains I had the seafood special which was a bowl filled with mussels, clams, scallop, king prawns and longuistines swimming in a broth and fresh pasta. This was super tasty, cooked to perfection and presented nicely. My only gripe was I only had one at most two scallops. My other half chose the lamb which again was super tender, in a homely bed of mash, sauce and root vegetables. Super simple dish but everything was cooked perfectly. I was feeling quite full but the orange panacotta with orange sorbet was too tasty to miss. It didn't disappoint. Overall despite the disappointing beginning the service was impeccable and food really tasty. However I did expect a bit more in terms of creativity considering this was a Michelin star restaurant. Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy your seafood especially.

Very good food, and they have gluten-free, but you have to ask for I as they do not label as such.read more

A very cosy and warm acafe built out of an old cottage. The food is very delicious, I had a cheese…read moretoasty which more than enough filled me up. It has an extensive menu and range of drinks and food to suit everyone except vegans. As it is an old cottage the celling is low and there is little room inside. Outside eatingnis an option and the baristas will bring food to you. It is very warm, in contrast to the outside of the Lake District. The pricing is quite high but it is owned by the National Trust so it is understandable. In all, I would highly recommend, if your not vegan or tall. Dogs are allowed into the cafe like many other businesses in the Lake District. A nice little spot to rest near the ferry.

Traditional café in the main green and white ferry building (Bowness Pier) on Bowness promenade…read more Great place for soup and sandwiches, toasties, etc. good fresh coffee too. Go up the step and into the back area for lovely lakeside views. The brave ones can sit outside on the ferry pier. (It's 2°c today...) :-)

My friend and I stopped by here for tea and a sweet pasty after our tour ended. We were cold on the…read morelake cruise, so we needed something warm. We had tea and shared an Apple Rhubarb pasty. The pastry was flakey and buttery and the filling was quite good. They of course had traditional and other savory pasties as well. They also have croissants. They have deals for larger orders like 10 scones for £10. Seating upstairs looks more comfortable than the one downstairs. The WC is also upstairs.