Woodland's Bistro and Tea Room, Coffee Cabin and Gift Shop, Santon Bridge, England

At a Glance:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚗 - Yes, at the side of the road (first come first served)

🐶 - Yes, very dog friendly!

🚽 - Yes, one cubicle in the Bistro & Tea Room

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Woodland’s Bistro and Tea Room is a cute and quirky little spot, hidden away in Santon near Eskdale. I’ve been a couple of times now, and I spent some time working from there this morning. It started life as a little gift-shop-in-a-shed in 1954, and has expanded over the years to become what it is today. The gift shop still remains in the adjacent building, along with the Coffee Cabin, in which you find yourself immersed in beautiful artwork. The shop stocks items from local artists, authors and craftsmen, and it really is an absolute pleasure to see so many individual and company names that are based in Cumbria and the surrounding areas. The Bistro and Tea Room is fully licensed, and offers a wonderful range of both soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Their cocktail menu is pretty extensive, but there is loads of choice for the sober customer.

Today was only a coffee stop, as I was in the area for meetings. The last time I was here I treated myself to

a goats’ cheese and red pepper baguette, which was absolutely divine! This time, though, I stuck with an

oat milk latte. The coffee is Carvetii, which I enjoy for both the taste, and the fact that it is sourced in the Lake District.

The service was a little slow, but the staff were very pleasant. I initially sat in the tea room itself, but the WiFi in here was quite slow. I asked about it and was told that it is much better in the Coffee Cabin, and the staff very kindly offered to help me move my bits and bobs over to the site next door. The Cabin is much quieter than the main tea room, as there isn’t a coffee machine housed in here, but it’s got a really lovely atmosphere.

After my coffee and some catching up on work, I spent a little time looking in the gift shop. It can feel a little overwhelming, as there is so much stuff in there, but everything is displayed really carefully, and it’s obvious that attention to detail has gone into every display. Everything from children’s toys to jewellery, candles to headwear, all locally produced, and most displays also contain either a bio or a little history about the supplier!

I would certainly recommend the Woodland & Coffee Cabin, and I am looking forward to my next visit already!