The Cupola Kitchen & Visitor Centre

Open all year round, in the heart of the Peak District National Park, in a beautiful woodland dale setting with stunning views of Middleton Gorge; a haven for climbers and cavers.

Easy to find on the A623, on the edge of the historic village of stoney Middleton. There is a large free car park, providing full accessibility to the site, including fully accessible WC’s.

CAFÉ – BAR – PIZZA - GRILL

There is always a very warm welcome, including for your dogs, and there is no need to book. We serve excellent homemade produce, sourced from local suppliers, we also have vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

Open daily from 9am for breakfast, including traditional English, cooked on the griddle. Lunch is from 12pm and includes delicious, griddled sandwiches, seasonal specials, wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas and a fully licensed bar.

Evening opening is Friday and Saturday 4pm - 10pm (last food orders 8pm) providing a pizza and grill menu, along with daily specials. Monday to Thursday opening is 5pm - 8pm providing a full pizza menu, including takeaway.

The interior has a modern industrial feel, which provides a welcoming ambience and vibe. The outdoor terrace has amazing views across to Middleton Gorge, where climbers can often be seen scaling the towering crags.

The building was designed and built to reflect the important industrial heritage of the area, its huge chimney testimony to the former Lords Cupola, which operated on the same site in the 1700s, the inspiration for its flame-cooked food.

TAKEAWAY

Pizza takeaway is available from 5pm Monday to Thursday as well as on Friday and Saturday on request during quieter periods (also available to eat in).

TOURIST INFORMATION

A small, permanent ‘Life in a Gorge Exhibition’ tells the remarkable story, beginning with the geological events that formed the dramatic limestone gorge which dominates the site, and in turn, led to thousands of years of industrialisation, extracting the rich minerals that the stone contains.

The story continues with the village of Stoney Middleton which grew up to house the workforce to quarry and mine the stone. It was a working village, dominated by factories, many specialising in the production of men’s heavy duty safety boots, for which it is renowned, and home to the invention of the steel toe capped boot. One factory remains in operation to this day, using some of the oldest machinery in the world.

Its people, no less fascinating… strange customs, tragedies, intriguing folklore, an infamous highwayman, and mysterious murders.

Today the village is a fascinating place to wander and explore, dominated by its quirky buildings, listed for their national importance, set within beautiful quaint backwaters.

Within the Visitor Centre there are various video presentations covering aspects of heritage. One shows how geological events created the limestone and the towering crags dominating the location. A second, documents the Heritage and Trails of Stoney Middleton and Eyam, with footage from the complete trail. Another shows the process of traditional bootmaking within a Stoney Middleton Factory, whilst a captivating full wall projection shows ‘now and then’ images of local street views, one morphing into another.

Entrance to the exhibition is free, or by donation, and includes a free Heritage and Trail Map of Stoney Middleton and Eyam. Exhibition opening hours are 10am - 4pm.

Other tourist information and leaflets are also available, providing details for other local facilities in the area.

GUIDED WALKS IN & AROUND STONEY MIDDLETON & EYAM

Stoney Middleton and its ‘Plague Village’ neighbour of Eyam share some fascinating heritage, as well as quaint and charming buildings, and amazing scenery and views of the National Park.

Free (or by donation) A3 fold out maps and information guides are available from the Visitor Centre, providing details of the trails, which themselves have information boards along the way, highlighting facts and information about particular locations. The trail map allows walkers to vary the time and length of the walks, whilst QR codes link to further information. A Roman Bath House, an octagonal Church, Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible train crash location, Eyam’s plague village tragic burial site, a highwayman’s haunt, a murder scene, caves, towering limestone crags and stunning National Park Scenery, just some of what you will see and discover…

SHOP

The Visitor Centre includes a small retail area dedicated to local craft and artisan products including honey, beer and gin, art and glass work, books, candles, cards and more. Perfect gifts and Peak Park mementoes to take away.