Quick info
About The Old Engine House
The Old Engine House is a small cafe and tea house in Carlisle, set in a building on the historic city walls. It sits on West Walls just off the main street, next to M and S, which puts a sit-down stop for tea or coffee beside the shops. The drinks list includes cappuccino with a decaff option, and a pot of tea comes with a plain scone, butter and jam. A wide selection of cakes sits alongside, including toasted tea cakes. For something more savoury, the cafe makes panini and sandwiches, served with crisps in a small ramekin.
Good to know
- AccessibilityWheelchair: entrance, restroom
- Good for kidsGood for kids · High chairs · Family-friendly
- DietaryVegan options · Vegetarian options
Advertisements
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention cappuccino, tuna and cheese sandwich, shortbread and matcha.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention cappuccino, tuna and cheese sandwich, shortbread and matcha.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often praise the cappuccino, with lattes also mentioned, plus carrot cake, chocolate muffins and toasted tea cakes. Matcha and shortbread each earn a mention. Staff are called friendly. One reviewer found it warm and disliked that vegetarian panini share a cooking surface with bacon ones, but alternatives were offered and a tuna and cheese sandwich followed.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often praise the cappuccino, with lattes also mentioned, plus carrot cake, chocolate muffins and toasted tea cakes. Matcha and shortbread each earn a mention. Staff are called friendly. One reviewer found it warm and disliked that vegetarian panini share a cooking surface with bacon ones, but alternatives were offered and a tuna and cheese sandwich followed.
Featured reviews
- Bradley Ryan-Agnew
“Nice cafe, friendly staff and tasty food reasonably priced”
- Paul Bowden
“Lovely quiet place to relax after shopping”
- David Coen
“Brilliant little place tucked away in a quiet part of Carlisle. Welcoming from the outside (I thought "Allo allo allo, what's going on 'ere?"), it definitely pulled me in for a look. A bit warm for my liking, but I'm hypersensitive to heat. Music off would be nicer (for me), but it's not blaring loud like certain big chain cafés, ahem! There are lots of lovely little details that MAKE this place, and I won't spoil it for you by writing about them here. Great staff (very patient with me!). Minor gripe that apparently the vegetarian panini are cooked on the same thing as the bacon ones....ahem. Staff missed a trick by not offering to find out, but this was easily solved by the offer of alternatives. I settled on a tuna n cheese sandwich, and what a sandwich it was! Decent farmhouse bread, distinctive cheese, light-tasting tuna, and just lovely. One member of staff has only been there a few months but seems like she knows hospitality very well. I asked her what brand of crisps came with my sandwich (you get a cute little ramekin of crisps, and it's just right). To my amazement and delight, she calmy and matter-of-factly told me the brand. I said "That's very transparent of you" and she disarmingly said "I don't lie to my customers." THAT is what tipped my review from four stars to five. This was one of the best café experiences of my life. I'm not a betting man, but I really think you'll like this place. I'll be back.”
- Peter Charlton
“Small but great quality food and coffee.”
- Philip Ridgway
“A lovely place to sit, relax and enjoy a drink and something nice to eat. I had a very nice pot of tea, a plain scone, butter and some lovely jam but the star for me was the piece of delicious shortbread.”
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
- Closed
Highlights
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great tea selection
- Popular for breakfast
- Popular for lunch
- Popular for solo dining
Amenities
- Wi-Fi
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Takeout
- Dine-in
- Family-friendly
- Vegan options
Show more amenities
- Cozy
- Onsite services
- Coffee
- Prepared foods
- Dessert
- Solo dining
- Dining options· 5
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Seating
- Table service
- Crowd· 1
- Tourists
- Offerings· 4
- Healthy options
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Vegetarian options
- Family-friendly· 2
- Good for kids
- High chairs
- Highlights· 1
- Great tea selection
- Facilities· 2
- Gender-neutral restroom
- Restroom
- Atmosphere· 2
- Casual
- Historic
- Accessibility· 1
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
Location
Cafes near The Old Engine House
- I Love Cafe4.81950.1 mi
homemade cakes, I Love café breakfast, toasties and ciabattas
- Cathedral Café4.63050.1 mi£10–20Outdoor seatingWi-Fi
soup of the day, white or brown bread, decaf americano
- 0.1 mi£10–20Outdoor seating
beans on sourdough toast, banana bread latte, chicken noodle chilli soup
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Old Engine HouseVegetarian options · Vegan options · Wi-Fi | 4.7134 | — | £10–20 | cappuccino, tuna and cheese sandwich, shortbread |
| I Love Cafe | 4.8195 | 0.1 mi | — | homemade cakes, I Love café breakfast, toasties and ciabattas |
| Cathedral CaféOutdoor seating · Wi-Fi | 4.6305 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | soup of the day, white or brown bread, decaf americano |
| Whytes: Bakery and KitchenOutdoor seating | 4.7231 | 0.1 mi | £10–20 | beans on sourdough toast, banana bread latte, chicken noodle chilli soup |
The 3 nearest cafes by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
Similar Cafes nearby
More to explore in Carlisle
14 places
Cafes in Carlisle
Photo: Foxes Cafe Lounge · 4.6 · 633 Google reviews
See all 14 cafes in Carlisle
