How to buy local food

Written by: Janie

Thriving family businesses, rich farming heritage, traditional skills and flavoursome ingredients – it’s all led to some truly fantastic local produce just waiting to be savoured.

From tasty cheeses and breads to delicious bacon and sausages – it’s time to grab your shopping bag and get to know these superb local producers and suppliers. This is your guide to shopping local for food in Carlisle, The Western Lake District and Coast.

Jump to:

• Bryson's of Keswick
• Cranstons
• The Keswick Cheese Deli
• The Sawmill Café & Farm Shop
• The R B Woodall Shop

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Bryson’s of Keswick

70 years on, this family-owned business is still producing quality produce on the same site in the heart of Keswick, ensuring the profession of craft baking lives on.

Make sure you stop by to try some delicious local specialities such as Borrowdale Tea Bread, Cumbrian Fruit Cake and Lakeland classic Plumbread – all made to old and secret recipes by a skilled team who works hard throughout the night so that customers can enjoy a wide range of fresh produce every morning.

Their shops can be found in Keswick and Cockermouth as well as coffee bars serving takeaway drinks, sandwiches and hot savouries. A warm welcome and a lovely cream tea awaits you at their traditional tearoom above the shop in Keswick.

From breads, pies and pasties, to cakes, biscuits and sandwiches - each tasty bake receives the utmost care and attention, get ready to enjoy a slice of the Lakes!

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Cranstons

Passionate about great meat and really good food since 1914, the expert butcher and maker Cranstons buys only the best cattle, sheep and pigs from farmers they know and trust.

First class when it comes to sausages, bacon, pies, salads, cooked meats, sandwiches and desserts – all their products are packed with flavour, made in house by an experienced team who have spent years perfecting their skills.

Their larger shops are known as Cranstons Local Food Halls, found in Orton Grange, Carlisle and Brampton. Here they offer their renowned butchery and deli counter alongside a selection of local produce from more than 50 suppliers.

Best-sellers include Traditional Cumberland Sausage, expertly dry aged local beef steaks, rustic sausage rolls and Cumbrian hampers… all scrumptious additions to your shopping list. Rest assured that a Cranstons label means made with real care and pride!

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The Keswick Cheese Deli

This small spot in the centre of Keswick is a must for the cheese loving visitor. While their range of 90 cheeses covers produce from around the UK and overseas, they specialise in Cumbrian-made cheeses aiming to showcase farming heritage and the tradition of cheese being made by hand, on local farms.

Indulge in handmade cheeses from local farms such as Thornby Moor Dairy and The Torpenhow Cheese Company. The range covers both pasteurised and unpasteurised, cows’ milk and a range of ewes’ and goats’ milk cheeses. These are especially popular with allergy sufferers.   

To complement your cheesy purchases, the deli also offers local cooked and cured meats, olives, chutneys and crackers. There are even hampers of various shapes and sizes – the perfect gift for the foodie in your life!    

Creamy, smoked, rich, soft, smooth, mellow or tangy – we hope you and your tastebuds are set for a truly cheesy adventure.  

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The Sawmill Café & Farm Shop

Standing on the banks of the River Irt in the beautiful Wasdale valley, expect a friendly welcome at this charming café & farm shop. Carefully restored by a local farming family, you’ll spot a working waterwheel and millrace running through the heart of this fantastic venue.

The farm shop stocks many small Lake District based producers, including locally sourced meats, cheeses and a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. Pick up some jams, preserves and chutneys or local beers and ciders. There’s also cake and ice cream for those with a sweet tooth.   

And don’t miss the café – a delightful spot next to the farm shop with spacious seating inside or on a lovely riverside terrace. Enjoy tucking into a delicious lunch inspired by local and seasonal produce. From their fantastic cake selection to their big breakfasts, there are plenty of options to keep you fuelled while on your adventures around Cumbria.

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The R B Woodall Shop

This quaint little shop in the sleepy village of Waberthwaite is home to a much-acclaimed family business that has been producing a fine range of bacon, hams and Traditional Cumberland Sausage for 8 generations.

Still in use today, their original centuries old recipe for the Traditional Cumberland Sausage stipulates a 95% meat product made from only the best quality shoulder pork in Cumbria. Whitehaven was once one of the busiest ports in England bringing into the country many new and exotic spices that also contributed to this ancient recipe.

This rich history would eventually earn them the PGI status for Traditional Cumberland Sausage – a status awarded by the EU for a product with characteristics attributed to their geographical origin.

With a host of loyal customers, this shop supplies to hotels and retail outlets throughout the county and further afield including to the royal family – proudly earning the business a royal warrant.

A true local delicacy, it’s time to savour this fine taste of Cumberland!

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The Cumberland Food & Drink Programme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is supported by Cumberland Council and Sellafield.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus