Food and drink

Kirkby Stephen has a wide variety of pubs, restaurants and cafes, including Indian and Chinese restaurants and fish and chip shops, as well as places offering traditional Cumbrian fare. There are also plenty of other places to eat and drink in the surrounding villages.

Do note that the tea shops can close quite early. If you are in a group and want tea and cakes after 4pm it’s worth ringing to check they’ll stay open for you. Fish and chip shop opening times can also take visitors by surprise; they all close between 7pm and 8pm.

All those below welcome walkers and most allow dogs.

Tea, Coffee and Snacks
The Church Gallery in Market Street has a coffee lounge and quiet patio with self-service hot and cold drink and cakes. The White Hare Cafe is a traditional family run café in the town centre. The Mulberry Bush is a popular cafe in the centre of town, offering full meals as well as tea and coffee (no dogs except outside seating).

Berry, Grape & Grain is a licensed cafe, wine and spirits shop and delicatessen in the centre of town. During the summer there is outside seating.

Meals
Coast to Coast Fish and Chips, as patronised by Alfred Wainwright, is at the northern end of Kirkby Stephen on the road towards Brough. Archway Fish and Chips is in the town centre, offering take-away and a dining room.

The Pennine Hotel, in the Market Square, provides a good range of meals, from bar snacks to a three course dinner.  The Black Bull also provides meals. The Taggy Man in North Road has excellent pie and mash meals in the evening.

Owen’s Farm Shop is a short walk out of town at Sandwath Farm. As well as having locally sourced produce for sale there is a substantial menu of meals, teas and snacks.

Good pubs outside Kirkby Stephen which offer quality food include The Inn at Brough in Brough, the Bay Horse in Winton, The Black Bull at Nateby Inn in Nateby and the Black Swan and King’s Head, both in Ravenstonedale.

Micro-pubs
The L’al Nook and The Old Forge are Kirkby Stephen’s two micro-pubs, situated at either end of the town. They offer a wide range of craft ales and other drinks. It is possible to eat at The Old Forge (booking advised) and it also serves barista coffee and speciality teas.