John Watt & Son

a slow saturday morning suits this place well. blackfriars street isn't a thoroughfare you pass through by accident, and john watt & son, sitting at number 49, draws people who've made a deliberate choice to be there. carlisle doesn't have an oversupply of independent roasters, which means when you find one this committed to the process, you hold onto it. the regulars clearly have. roasting their own coffee puts them in a different category from most independent shops, because what ends up in your cup started as a decision made in-house, not a bag ordered from a wholesaler. that matters more than it sounds. for a weekend that isn't rushed, or even a weekday morning when you want something properly considered, blackfriars street is worth the walk.