Pizza
International
Take-out
Cafe at Skelwith Bridge turned vegetarian Easter 2016. Serves vegan pizzas, mains, pastries as well as salad options. Also has a gift shop on site (non-food). Open Mon-Sun 09:00-16:00.
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Skelwith Bridge, Near Ambleside, Skelwith Bridge, England, LA22 9NJ
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 14 May 2024 by BeeSmith
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Added by VeganLauraL on 03 Aug 2016
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114 Reviews
First Review by VeganLauraL
Katie2020
Points +316
Wonderful - Edit
You absolutely must go here !!! Been multiple times and only just realised there is a much bigger car park available not just the tiny one outside! Food amazing. Really imaginative and flavourful.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Interesting options , Great portions
Cons: Can get busy
Guest
jayhay23
Points +247
Still the GOAT - Edit
Still crazy busy, but as long as you prepare yourself mentally, it's worth it. Great amount of choice on the menu for all palates. Cake selection is unreal. We are lucky to have it! Bonus points for the only non vegan thing on the menu (on the day I went) being Cheese Pizza to really hammer home the point that if you're not vegan, you are a child and deserve to be treated like one 😂
Read moreGuest
Veganolive1
Points +5030
Vegan Heaven - Edit
We've been to Chesters loads of times hence the many photos
Read moreOur latest visit was in November when we called for lunch and had green tacos with tamarind squash and jackfruit gyros. The food was fantastic, fabulous flavours and textures, we could not fault it. The range of cakes and pastries is truly stunning, from doughnuts to croissants, cakes, cinnamon buns, cookies it's a massive selection.
The menu changes regularly at Chesters and it's creative and amazing and we will be back soon.
Updated from previous review on 2025-11-23
Guest
joseyg
Points +462
Delicious vegan options - Edit
Lots of sweet and savory options to eat in and take away. There is a lovely shop next door of homeware and gifts, stationary, books etc. beware parking is limited, and some inconsiderate people will park and go on a walk. Please don't do this!
Read morePros: Salads, Cakes, Pastries
Cons: Parking limited
Guest
KathleenP
Points +75
Phenomenal vegan cafe! - Edit
What a gem of a place! Almost everything is vegan (there was one dish that was vegetarian not vegan). We had burrito, sausage roll, pasty and bhaji roll. Got puddings to take away which were fab!
Read morePros: Huge vegan variety, Lovely ourdoor seating by the river, Delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows
Guest
EthanBakerTravels
Points +1161
Just amazingggggggg - Edit
Everything food wise seemed to be vegan. So many baked options! The chickpea curry was excellent. The bhaji was made of cauliflower, was lovely to see so many plants on one plate!
Read moreGuest
Hlmj1989
Points +227
Could be the best place in the UK - Edit
As always a delight and if every cafe was like this the world would be a much better and kinder place 💚
Read moreNoodle pots and rice pots are incredible, pastries and coffee lovely, breakfast burrito omg so good. 😊
Edit: I wish the default milk option would be kinder. But sad to say it is dairy 😪 and you have to specify if you’re vegan as some things on the menu contain cows milk (like the focaccia and the cream with the scones).
Updated from previous review on 2025-10-12
Guest
Nessyxx
Points +63
Lovely food. - Edit
A treat of a place with so many delicious vegan options. Most stuff is vegan (which they don't seem to advertise, maybe so carnivores don't get scared off!!). The place was very busy, small car park. Beautiful setting. Loads of freshly baked goodies.
Read morePros: Variety of vegan choice, Setting, Fresh food
Cons: Too much choice for an indecisive person 😉, Quite expensive.
Guest
DanCrook
Points +164
Fantastic place in the lakes - Edit
Almost everything here is vegan, and the items that aren't are labelled.
Read moreLovely food, lovely location and lovely staff.
Pros: Food, Location
Guest
rottpop
Points +16
Amazing!! - Edit
Incredible selection of mostly vegan food, honestly one of the best vegan friendly cafes I’ve ever been to.
Read moreGuest
gabriella_de_martino
Points +107
Beautiful vegan food - Edit
An absolute gem of a vegan/vegetarian coffee shop set in the heart of the stunning Lake District. It’s honestly disappointing to see negative reviews on google simply because they don't serve animal products — especially in a region overflowing with places that cater to meat eaters. The food here is absolutely delicious; so well crafted that if you didn’t know, you’d never guess it was entirely plant-based. A perfect spot for anyone who appreciates great food, beautiful surroundings, and a more conscious way of eating. Easily 5 stars! Please support !
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-07-02
Guest
SarahNicole22
Points +67
Fantastic place - Edit
Loved it here, had a fantastic lunch and even went back for cake and oato milkshake after a walk. Stunning location is just a bonus! Food was freshly cooked with so much flavour and they didn’t shout about everything being veggie/almost everything vegan which was great, trick the meat eaters!!
Read morePros: Food, Selection of drinks was great kombucha/oato shake, Location
Guest
Seano21
Points +97
If Heaven was next to a river - Edit
I have no words for how amazing this place is. The food isnn by out of this world! Only one item wasn’t vegan the day we were there! The staff were great and the scenery was incredible! The wait was a little long, but that’s to be expected in a place of this standard!!!
Read morePros: Food, Staff, Scenery
Cons: Nothin, Nothing, More Nothing
Guest
Chickpea1
Points +300
Heaven by a river! - Edit
I haven’t been to this tea room for years. We were on a walk and just popped in… so excited when I asked what was vegan to find out it was EVERYTHING! Amazing choice, beautiful almond pasty and gorgeous frittata… so pleased I stumbled across this as usually I do lots of research but missed this one!!
Read morePros: So much choice, Delicious an great variety, River side view and dog friendly
Cons: No matcha
Guest
DexyA
Points +13
Delicious plant-based food. - Edit
Location was perfect.
Read moreVegan food was fresh, inventive and absolutely delicious.
Pros: Fresh and innovative vegan food. , In a perfect location.
Guest
susiehaha
Points +278
Still vegan heaven - Edit
If you read reviews of Chesters on TripAdvisor or Google, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Chesters sold their soul to the devil when they ended table service and changed a few other aspects of their business model a few years ago. Not having been for a few years, we were expecting paper plates, plastic cutlery, and takeaway mayhem. Thankfully, hardly anything had changed when we went there for lunch today. The choice of food is still amazing, as is the quality and portion size, and it was all served on proper crockery with proper cutlery! We really couldn't understand what the fuss had been all about. Our lunch was delicious - a huge vegetable bhaji for me, a mushroom and spinach toasties for Mrs HaHa, a bowl of chips (still some of the best chips ever), plus tea and cakes - Guinness cake for me and bakewell slice for my other half. Oh, and a couple of raspberry and vanilla scones found their way into my bag for a treat later. Soooo relieved that it was business as usual, and still greatly amused to see from reviews how annoyed some people get when they discover that the delicious food they have just eaten contains no dead animals or their products. Go Chesters!!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2019-11-06
Pros: Generous portions, Great choice of food, Vegan heaven!
Cons: Only 1 salad on offer cf 4 or 5 back in the day
Guest
SusanPlowman
Points +228
Great vegan cafe in a lovely location - Edit
My husband proposed to me here and it is a lovely spot.
Read moreThe food is all vegan apart from the dairy milk, cream and butter for vegetarians that request it.
I had the frittata and roasted celeriac salad , hubby had the lentil spicy soup and an onion bhaji it was all lovely. #Veganuary
Pros: Location , Food, Service
Cons: The worry that they do have non vegan cream and da
TurnipForPlants
Looks so good! And ai want to big pastry.
Read moreGuest
wjm
Points +90
Fantastic food - Edit
Love coming to this place! Loads of vegan options…. Interestingly the staff say that everything is vegan apart from cows milk alternative for hot drinks but it’s strange that Chester’s do not advertise themselves as a vegan place! On this visit we had toasties, chips and the most amazing winter salad. Food is amazing quality, reasonably priced and staff are lovely. Lovely location also.
Read moreGuest
Ahungryherbivore
Points +75
A must visit for vegans! - Edit
Chesters makes me so happy. A big variety of sweet and savoury pastries and cakes, and some meals. From my understanding the only thing they offer dairy milk but otherwise entirely vegan. Everything served in takeaway cups and bags, but space to sit in if you desire. Really nice setting and staff are all lovely. A must visit for anyone on the area, we go every time we visit the lakes and I expect many more visits to come.
Read morePros: Lots of variety , Delicious food, Lovely location
Cons: Lots of wastage
Guest
KristinaLR
Points +344
Chesters is a dream come true - Edit
I love coming to Chesters. It is such an oasis in a somewhat unlikely location. The setting could not be nicer, on the river in Skelwith Bridge, so peaceful and a nice place to walk. Everything is vegan with a couple of exceptions. Often very busy but they still have plenty of options later in the day. I love the Victoria sponge cake. I usually get a savoury pastry as well, with an Indian style filling. I appreciate that they also use my own containers, as everything is served in disposable receptacles.
Read morePros: huge selection, delicious, great setting
Cons: wasteful packaging
Guest
veganaurora
Points +318
Cakes, cakes and doughnuts! - Edit
Really glad we came across this cafe. They had so many different types of vegan cake. They had raspberry and passion fruit sugared doughnuts too! I had the passion fruit one and it was filled with delicious, tangy jam.
Read moreThe coffee was good too, and so was the vegan sausage roll and tofu burrito.
It's busy and rightly so. The food is great here and there's so much choice.
Very much recommended.
Pros: So much vegan cake choice!, Tasty well-made food, Nice staff
Cons: That there isn't one of these cafes in every town!
Guest
StephenWildish
Points +106
Very very good! - Edit
Great menu and choice. The perfect vegan lunch. I had a biryani and giant onion bhaji. Vegan sausage rolls, salads and cakes looked immense as well.
Read morePros: Really good tasting food, Onion bhaji was massive, By the river on a good walk
Cons: Slightly confusing what is vegan and what is veg
Guest
EleanorBP
Points +104
Vegan heaven! - Edit
A mouthwatering array of pastries, cakes and savoury bakes...and everything is vegan! Spoilt for choice - a rare treat!
Read morePros: Large selection of vegan cakes and pastries, Really good coffee, Beautiful riverside setting
Guest
ladyblack
Points +441
Nice lunch at Chester’s - Edit
We go to Chester’s every time we visit Ambleside. It has been more of a takeaway setting (still with indoor and outdoor seating), due to staffing shortages. The food is always great here, however the chips, which are usually amazing, weren’t so good this time. The menu was also much reduced compared to previous visits
Read morePros: Vegan options
Cons: Limited menu
Guest
VickiTaverner
Points +105
Fabulous - Edit
Brilliant location and beautiful food. All the food seemed to be vegan. Dairy milk for drinks appeared to be the only non-vegan item.
Read morePeople were literally queuing out of the door it’s so popular, lots of seating available inside and out.
Guest
williamson01
Points +44
Great destination for veggies. Ok for vegans - Edit
This is a lovely cafe location. Get here by car or via a walk. The veggie options are great. Lots of them, varied and good portions. Hot and cold food. Fewer vegan options as many of the sandwiches are feta and goats cheese etc. However there is always decent vegan food on the menu. V vs Ve Labelling is not always the best so good to check with the staff who are always good. Outdoor seating area is great and fairly large and overlooks the river.
Read morePros: Food quality, Atmosphere and location
Cons: More vegan options would be better
VickiTaverner
The cheese is all vegan I asked
Read moreGuest
katiemall
Points +118
i’ve returned many times - Edit
amazing selection of vegan food. we love the sausage roll, samosas and scones. have been many a time after walking over loughrigg fell. definitely want to come here for a full cooked meal soon!
Read moreGuest
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