Visit the Top Cafe with my mum this morning and enjoyed a lovely cup of tea and a waffle with maple syrup. Very friendly place, dog friendly and really nice staff. Would recommend for anyone wanting a nice quiet cuppa�
Visited Top Cafe twice this week - perfect for post-hike refuelling. Some great options if you have Coeliacs. All food tasty and plentiful and well-priced for us and our young teens. Nothing too much trouble. Smashing views. Great to chat about Alston - one of ur favourite subjects. Love the pac-towel in the loo. Keep on Top, Cafe!
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Around a thousand people live in the well kept secret of Alston. Its cobbled main street runs through an ancient market place. Rat race traffic always chasing a dream of perfection gravitates West toward Cumbria or east toward Durham, leaving Alston quietly living a life of 'good enough'.
The owners of The Top Café came and stayed because they understood 'good enough' is good and enough. The locals called this one the top Café to distinguish it from the others down the hill.
When you go, pay attention. Everything in this understated, everyday premises has been selected with care. The rundown telephone box in the yard was rescued from the main street. You'll have to look on the café notice board to find how it's number (Alston 201) benefits customers today.
Tea is served in teapots from a next door shop and they get the meat for their excellent sausage stottie from the butcher a couple of doors down. I was particularly impressed by the select range of ice creams they stock. And that their coffees and cakes are excellent goes without saying.
So take a ride out to the Top Café and visit Alston, or drive to Alston and try out the Top Café. (Just make sure there's still enough room for me.)
Excellent cafe. Four cyclists arrived hungary and ready for coffee. The staff were very helpfull with bike storage and we were served with bacon maple syrup pancake stacks, sausage bacon and black pudding muffins, tea and excellnt coffee. The range of cakes and particully the cherry latice pie looked wondeful. Thank you, you loverly people.
Had the most incredible pasties for lunch, such great choice, chicken ham & leek, cheese and caramelised onion, lovely lady running this place. So spoiled for choice we took 2 roast veg, home made pesto and goats cheese pasties home for tea, and wow we're these delicious too.
I have just had one of your Pennine Pasties my daughter brought home for me (sausage, cheese and onion) It was the BEST pastie I’ve EVER tasted! I let my family have a little (very little) bit each and we are raving about them. Seriously, go try, they are a Cumbrian treasure! 😃
Tasty soup & pasty. Friendly service. S busy spot so you may have to wait for a table. Takeaway available too.
Cash only at the moment!
Lovely friendly staff, who were most helpful in helping us choose our lunch. Lunch was excellent whilst sitting watching the world go by. Outside toilets spotless. I even got the recipe for the soup I had. If in Alston, try it out you won't be disappointed.
Visited The Top Café for the first time today and will definitely be back. Cycle friendly with space to store bikes at rear. All food homemade and excellent coffee. Had delicious lentil, chickpea and chilli soup with a warm roll and butter, and a fruit scone with jam and clotted cream. Can't believe I haven't been before! Best café in the area.
Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff in the cafe. Had delicious broccoli & potato soup followed by a banana milkshake -- great lunch. Next time I'm in Alston I'll try the B&B, run by the same nice folks.
I would cycle 80 miles to eat the beautiful pies and cakes on offer, the pies are sublime, homemade goodness, buttery crisp pastry and generous tasty fillings - more please! :)
Amazing food and drink, including white hot chocolates!
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