The Lake District Restaurants

Lakeland restaurants increasingly reflect a growing British awareness of good food. Local sourcing and international influences are common, and even old Cumberland favorites are being creatively reinvented. Pub dining in the Lake District can be excellent—the hearty fare often makes use of local ingredients such as Herdwick lamb, and real ales are a good accompaniment. If you're going walking, ask your hotel or B&B about making you a packed lunch. Some local delicatessens also offer this service.

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  • 1. Fellinis

    $$

    Billing itself as "Vegeterranean" to reflect its Mediterranean culinary influences, Fellinis is one of Cumbria's finest foodie destinations and a particular treat for vegetarians. Upstairs is a plush studio cinema screening art-house releases, while downstairs the restaurant rustles up sumptuous concoctions for a sophisticated crowd. The large, open dining room has soft seating, bold patterns, oversize lamp shades, and a chill, jazzy soundtrack. White tablecloths, contemporary art, and fresh flowers enhance the modern sensibility. Service is attentive without being fussy. Sister property Zeffirellis, a 5-minute walk away on Compston Street, also offers a fine-dining-and-cinema combination with a jazz bar to boot.

    Church St., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0BT, England
    01539-432487

    Known For

    • Unpretentious fine dining
    • Vegetarian and vegan dishes
    • Romantic dinner-and-a-movie ambience

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 2. Four and Twenty

    $$

    High ceilings, shabby-chic chairs, and old-fashioned filament bulbs in jars set the scene for this handsome conversion of what was once a bank: the family-run bistro's name references the financially themed nursery rhyme. Although there is an a la carte menu, the set menu is a particularly good value at £26 for 3 courses, including delights such as homemade mackerel pate with Isle of Wight tomatoes and elderflower balsamic and grilled cannon of Cumbrian pork with wild mushrooms. Book ahead, especially for weekend evenings.

    42 King St., Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7AY, England
    01768-210231

    Known For

    • Cocktails and whiskies
    • Beautifully presented food
    • Busy nights should be booked in advance
  • 3. Henrock

    $$$$

    An informal restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan, Henrock is a superb addition to the dining scene in Bowness. Much of the fresh produce is grown on Rogan's farm in nearby Cartmel, and all of the dishes are seasonal with strong roots in British cooking. In addition to lunch and dinner, Henrock also has an imaginative afternoon tea menu with sweet treats such as chocolate and passion fruit tartelette and pink pepper, raspberry, and rose choux buns.

    Crook Rd., Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3JA, England
    015395-87766

    Known For

    • Local ingredients
    • Creative afternoon tea menu
    • Michelin-starred chef

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch weekdays
  • 4. L'Enclume

    $$$$

    The village of Cartmel has earned a place on England's culinary map with this ambitious Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms. Chef Simon Rogan's innovative food incorporates long-forgotten herbs and cutting-edge techinques. The restaurant is in what was once a forge, now converted to a bright, contemporary, and airy space with dark wooden beams, stark white walls, and splashes of color. The set menu comes with up to 16 courses and includes delights such as dry aged Herdwick lamb with fermented cabbage and fennel sauce, and a fritter of Duroc pig and smoked eel with lovage. L'Enclume's 16 elegant rooms are in three different buildings around the village.

    Cavendish St., Cartmel, Cumbria, LA11 6QA, England
    01539-536362

    Known For

    • Fresh seasonal ingredients
    • Carefully chosen wine pairings
    • Decadent tasting menus

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon., Reservations essential
  • 5. Old Stamp House

    $$$$

    The quality of locally sourced and foraged food has been raised to a new level by this Michelin-starred restaurant, which, together with the Lake Road Kitchen, has given Ambleside unexpected status on the British gastro map. Chef Ryan Blackburn has created a menu anchored to Cumbrian traditions but at the same time mouthwateringly creative and contemporary. Look for hand-dived scallops with pumpkin, braised daube of beef with smoked celeriac, and Cumbrian gingerbread with rhubarb soufflé. The restaurant has an unprepossessing setting, down steps in a dim room, but there's history in the whitewashed, rough-hewn walls: Wordsworth once worked here as "Distributer of Stamps.” A tasting menu is also available at lunch and dinner.

    Church St., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0BU, England
    01539-432775

    Known For

    • Creative seasonal menu
    • Celebrity chef
    • Excellent wine list

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues., Reservations essential
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  • 6. The Fellpack

    $$

    Created by four friends who have returned home to the Lakes, the menu at the Fellpack is designed as a celebration of Cumbria's ingredients and traditional recipes, albeit with a quirky twist. The space has both indoor and outdoor seating, plus a vintage Airstream trailer serving burritos and fries.

    34 Lake Rd., Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5DQ, England
    01768-774999

    Known For

    • Food served in handmade dishes
    • Delicious, hearty cuisine
    • Awesome landscape photography

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
  • 7. The Jumble Room

    $$

    A small stone building dating to the 18th century, Grasmere's first shop is now a quirky, family-run restaurant. The food is an eclectic mix of international and traditional British; think porcini mushroom arancini, beetroot and pumpkin ravioli, or Lebanese chicken with clementine and fennel. A dedicated local fan base means the place always buzzes, and the owners' enthusiasm is contagious.

    Langdale Rd., Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9SU, England
    01539-435188

    Known For

    • Freshly baked bread
    • Lively atmosphere
    • Imaginative menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Wed. No lunch
  • 8. Tower Bank Arms

    $

    With a porch that appears in a Beatrix Potter story and a location just a rabbit's hop from the author's home, you might expect this pub to be something of a tourist trap, but luckily it's anything but. The meals are tasty and copious, making use of local ingredients. There's a slate floor, a crackling open fire, and a bar that stocks some of the best beers around. Four bedrooms upstairs offer a good-value alternative to pricier lodgings.

    Off B5285, Near Sawrey, Cumbria, LA22 0LF, England
    01539-436334

    Known For

    • Literary influences
    • Standard pub fare
    • Some of the area's best ales

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. in winter
  • 9. Angel Inn

    $$

    Up the steep slope from the water's edge in Bowness, this spacious, stylish pub serves good home-cooked fare as well as a fine collection of beers that includes its own Hawkshead brew. The seasonal menu includes a traditional Cumbrian sausage ring and breaded whole tail scampi from Whitby. Leather sofas and open fires make the Angel a cozy place; service is low-key and friendly, with crayons for kids and games to play. The decoration is bright, minimal, and contemporary, with wooden floors and off-white walls. Thirteen comfortable, good-value bedrooms complete the picture.

    Helm Rd., Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3BU, England
    01539-444080

    Known For

    • Draft beers and ciders
    • Landscaped gardens
    • Local, seasonal food
  • 10. Aspava Restaurant

    $$

    At this authentic Turkish restaurant located in a courtyard just off Main Street, the chef combines speciality ingredients from Turkey with those grown and made locally in Cumbria, so every dish has a multicultural twist. The owners are warm and welcoming hosts.

    Headford Court, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9LH, England
    267330

    Known For

    • Authentic Turkish ingredients
    • Dark Turkish coffee and delicious baklava
    • Generous portion sizes

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
  • 11. Bitter End

    $

    Flocked floral wallpaper, old lamps, an open fire, and a handsome wooden floor set the tone at this appealing pub. Homey and intimate, the pub serves big, tasty portions of traditional British food such as scampi tails, chicken-and-leek pie, and gammon with egg and pineapple. You can wash it down with locally brewed beer. The excellent Sunday lunches are popular with locals.

    15 Kirkgate, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9PJ, England
    01900-828993

    Known For

    • Popular Sunday roasts
    • Hearty British favorites
    • Eight real ales on tap

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
  • 12. Black Bull Inn

    $

    Attached to the Coniston Brewing Company, whose ales are on tap here, the Black Bull is an old-fashioned pub in the heart of the village. It can feel a little dated, but it's a good pick for simple, hearty food such as fried whitebait, housemade leek-and-potato soup, and a tasty steak-and-ale pie. The beer choice is exemplary. Old photos of Donald Campbell's boat Bluebird decorate the walls, and there are wooden beams and benches. The inn also has 11 ensuite rooms, which are suitable for families.

    1 Yewdale Rd., Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8DU, England
    01539-441668

    Known For

    • Locally sourced ingredients
    • Large range of real ales
    • Old-fashioned decor
  • 13. Britannia Inn

    $$

    At this 500-year-old pub, restaurant, and inn in the heart of superb walking country, antiques, comfortable chairs, and prints and oil paintings furnish the cozy, beamed public rooms. The hearty traditional British food—from grilled haggis with housemade plum jam to pan-seared sea bass and wild-mushroom stroganoff—is popular with locals, as are the many whiskies and ales, including a specially brewed Britannia Gold beer. The whole family can relax with a bar meal and Cumbrian ale on the terrace while taking in the village green and the rolling scenery beyond. The nine simple guest rooms (eight of which are en suite) are more modern in style, with large, comfy beds.

    B5343, Elterwater, Cumbria, LA22 9HP, England
    01539-437210

    Known For

    • Specialty beers
    • Traditional oak-beamed interior
    • Annual beer festival in November
  • 14. Heft

    $$$$

    Husband-and-wife team Kevin and Nicola Tickle run Heft, a superb fine dining restaurant in the village of High Newton, just outside Cartmel. An imaginative set menu with dishes such as oxtail and thyme custard and a Shetland mussel kebab glazed in cucumber garum is served at lunch (£45) and dinner (£95), and there's a separate Sunday menu available until 6 pm. The building was a 17th-century inn, and the Tickles have preserved many of its original architectural features. Heft also has five double bedrooms.

    High Newton, Newton-in-Cartmel, Cartmel, Cumbria, LA11 6JH, England

    Known For

    • Historic building
    • Locally sourced ingredients
    • Good value tasting menus (especially at lunch)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed.
  • 15. Heidi's Grasmere Lodge & Cafe

    $

    This bustling, cozy little café and deli is lined with jars of locally made jams and chutneys. Bang in the center of Grasmere, it's great for coffee and a homemade pastry or flapjack (bars made with syrup, butter, and oats). Heidi's also offers a B&B experience in the six-room lodge.

    Red Lion Sq., Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9SP, England
    01539-435248

    Known For

    • Locally made products
    • Delicious coffee
    • Cozy breakfast spot
  • 16. Kysty

    $$$

    At the more casual and affordable sister restaurant of the Old Stamp House, head chef Dan Hopkins and his team create seasonal menus inspired by the Cumbrian landscape, sourcing their ingredients from small artisan producers. The lunchtime set menu is a particularly good value at £27.50 for two courses.

    3/4 Cheapside, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0AB, England
    015394-33647

    Known For

    • Seasonal menu
    • Locally sourced ingredients
    • Wild game from the Pennines

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 17. La Casita

    $

    Cumbrian ingredients are used to create authentic Spanish tapas in this charming little restaurant in the center of Penrith. There's an extensive tapas menu with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, but the best value option is to choose four specials for £20 (available Tuesdays through Thursdays as well as Sundays).

    9 Queen St., Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7XF, England
    01768-868202

    Known For

    • Cumbrian ingredients
    • Traditional Spanish spirits and beers
    • Affordable specialty menus

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
  • 18. Lake Road Kitchen

    $$$$

    Cuttlefish shells piled in the window and a Nordic-style wood-paneled interior give a clue as to the culinary style of Lake Road Kitchen, quite possibly the most awarded restaurant in Ambleside. About 80% of everything green on the menu is foraged; the remainder comes from the highest-quality, mainly local suppliers. Every dish is creatively conceived and expertly put together, creating food of the highest order. There are two set menus (eight and twelve courses) each night, or a shortened five course menu. Wine pairings are available and they can cater to most dietary preferences. Reservations are essential as there are just nine tables.

    Lake Rd., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0AD, England
    01539-422012

    Known For

    • Homegrown and foraged produce
    • Mouthwatering set menu with wine pairings
    • Small space so reservations necessary

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 19. Lake View Garden Bar

    $

    This eatery has one of the best views in Bowness, thanks to its outdoor terrace overlooking the lake that is drenched in sunshine for much of the summer and has quite a party atmosphere. There's often live music and an extensive drink menu that includes signature cocktails, plus a tasty selection of sourdough pizzas, burgers, and shared plates.

    Lake Rd., Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3DE, England
    01539-277965

    Known For

    • Fantastic lake views
    • Casual atmosphere
    • Live music in summer
  • 20. Masons Arms

    $

    With fabulous views over the rolling countryside of the Winster Valley to the east of Windermere, the Masons Arms is a slate-floored traditional old inn serving local ales and good pub food. Old mirrors and tankards decorate the walls, and there's a speciality gin list as well as a menu showcasing the best local ingredients. Favorite dishes include slow-cooked pork belly, Cartmel lamb with a rosemary and garlic mash, and a particularly good glazed ham hock to share. In winter there's an open log fire; in summer outdoor seating beckons. Five suites and two cottages provide stylish places to sleep, should you wish to stay.

    Strawberry Bank, Windermere, Cumbria, LA11 6NW, England
    01539-568486

    Known For

    • Locally farmed meats
    • Housemade desserts
    • Popular children's menu

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