A welcome oasis for vegans in an area of the Lake District sparsely populated with vegan options.
Cuisine: Open Sandwiches, Toasties, Curry, Burger, Meatball Sub, Cakes and Ice Cream
Opening Hours: 9.00am-5.30pm
Location: Syke Farm, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9XA
Date Visited: July & Nov 2019
Price Range: £6-10 for food
Contact: 017687 70277
Website: None
WiFi: Yes
Charging: Power points near some tables.
The area of the Lake District around Borrowdale, Honister Pass and Buttermere is some of the most spectacular and rugged in the region. It’s not too far off the beaten track, but it feels remote and sparsely populated. Unfortunately that means that places catering for vegans are few and far between. The Syke Farm Tea Room is an oasis in this desert for hungry vegan travellers.
Situated in a beautifully converted stone clad barn with exposed beams and wooden furniture, Syke Farm Tea Room has a farmhouse feel that is perfect for its environment. There is an upstairs section with extra seating and some outdoor tables for sunny days. It’s also close to the famous Lone Tree of Buttermere for those of you wanting an instagrammable location to show off your holiday.
The menu has a dedicated vegan section with open sandwiches and deep filled toasties, plus some vegan specialities for those who want a larger meal. The Sweet Potato Falafel Burger pictured above was deliciously seasoned and excellent value for money. Before 11am they do vegan fry ups for breakfast.
There are a range of vegan desserts and ice cream available from the counter. As these vary day by day they aren’t listed on the menu, but it’s a delight to go and browse the options. The staff are always happy to talk through the options. As well as cakes there is usually a vegan-friendly crumble or fruit pie, which is very welcome on colder days.
It’s worth noting that there is only one toilet (unisex) on the premises which means there can be a bit of a wait if you’re caught short during busy times. Please don’t let that put you off though, the food and atmosphere are well worth it.
There is a gluten-free section of the menu, but it’s not immediately clear if or how that overlaps with their vegan offerings. You would have to speak to the staff to make sure you can get a meal that satisfies both requirements.
Syke Farm Tea Room is definitely a favourite of ours and we make a point to stop in whenever we pass. We’re even considering basing ourselves at the adjacent Syke Farm campsite on a future trip so that we have it on our doorstep.