The Gun Dog Coffee Shop

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Ian Jones

The Gun Dog Coffee Shop is a cafe tucked away in the scenic market town of Sedbergh, Cumbria. It’s based firmly on the traditional model – all mid-20th-century decor and baked goods. Think Enid Blyton – minus the problematic elements.

It’s a few steps across the road from the mighty Black Bull Inn, one of Cumbria’s top must-visit fine dining venues. And while that restaurant serves some of the region’s most inspired courses, The Gun Dog Coffee provides a more measured experience. It’s a welcoming space, with people popping in for a brew and a chat.

It’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life, with a high-end coffee machine and a range of sweet treats. Today, there’s a cherry bakewell tart, millionaires shortbread and chocolate tiffin. All utterly delicious, and made just how your great gran made them – with plenty of butter, sugar and cream.

Toast and crumpets are available from 9:30 til noon, and a sign announces the launch of a weekend takeaway curry menu, where locals or visitors can grab some well-made Indian dishes for a Saturday night treat. 

Our advice? Do as we did, take a trip out to Sedbergh, eat like a king at the Black Bull Inn, then the next morning pop over the road and eat like one of the Famous Five.

57 Main StSedbergh LA10 5AB View map
Visit now

Opening Hours

  • Monday9:00am - 4:00pm
  • Tuesday9:00am - 4:00pm
  • Wednesday9:00am - 4:00pm
  • Thursday9:00am - 4:00pm
  • Friday9:00am - 4:00pm
  • Saturday9:00am - 4:00pm
  • Sunday10:00am - 4:00pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near The Gun Dog Coffee Shop

Tom Branfoot. Photo Eleanor Hall, Museum of the Home
LiteratureWest Yorkshire
Poetry at the Dusty Miller

Poetry at the Dusty Miller is a now regular night with invited readers, organised by Carcanet-published Carola Luther and Judith Willson in the Coiners’ Room in the Mytholmroyd pub.

Free entry

Where to go near The Gun Dog Coffee Shop

Cumbria
Museum
Dent Village Heritage Centre & Museum

Dent Village Heritage Centre & Museum displays important, yet lesser known, histories. The centre itself has been built entirely through local labour, with the displays covering histories from vampires to slavery.

Cumbria
Tourist Attraction
Hell Gill

There’s plenty of wild swimming to be done at Hell Gill, but there’s more to explore in this 500m long slot canyon.

Kendal Museum
Kendal and Sedbergh
Museum
Kendal Museum

Kendal Museum houses an impressive collection of artefacts, both historical and natural, from Neolithic treasures through to beautiful animals.

The Joshua Tree
Kendal and Sedbergh
Restaurant
The Joshua Tree

The Joshua Tree is a family-run, homely bistro and restaurant housed in a sixteenth century building, specialising in coffee and exquisite fish and meat dishes.

Culture Guides

Sextile
Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss (unless you’re paying attention).

Hannah Platt 'Playing Out', courtesy of Threshold, photograph by Jules Lister.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.

portrait of Lorsung in a dark shirt with dark hair and dark round glasses
Literature Events in the North

We've got laughs and we've got leftfield on the live literature radar this month. Something for everyone, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.