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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
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 far
Lakeland restaurants increasingly reflect a growing British awareness of good food. Local sourcing and international inf
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.
Matthew Colley is a charismatic chef who opened his own restaurant in 2001 to serve "retro classic" dishes to hungry Lake District walkers. He's passionate about local, artisanal produce and makes almost everything from scratch, including his own Cumbrian sausages. The early evening set menu is an exceptionally good value (three courses for £25 if you order before 7 pm); opt for the creamy deep-fried brie, the Pollo Marsala with shallots, and whatever the special dessert of the day is. The atmosphere is warm, leaning towards lively on the weekends, and families are welcome. There's a separate children's menu.
Compston Rd., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9DJ, England
This unpretentious 17th-century inn in the pretty little village of Troutbeck is in a superb location. The menu showcases local ingredients and there's a traditional Sunday lunch with roasted meats and all the trimmings. The intimate dining rooms have oak beams, flagged floors, and log fires. If you want to stay overnight, the 10 ensuite guest rooms have splendid views, and the spot is well positioned for walks in the beautiful Troutbeck Valley. The Queen's Head is owned by Individual Inns, a small group of properties in the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.
Hidden away up a winding lane past the old mill waterwheel, homey Rattle Ghyll is a deservedly popular little café serving great housemade cakes, soups, sandwiches, and salads. The tasting plate of cakes is an especially good option. Local art hangs on the berry-red walls, and old exposed beams give the place extra atmosphere. It's child-friendly, with books to read, and there are seats outside above the stream for good weather. Head to their deli and shop for local produce, an eco-conscious refill station, and coffee from regional roasteries.
Young locals and windblown walkers gather in Keswick's liveliest café for excellent coffee or tea, fruit-flavored cordials, and some serious hot chocolate. The music is laid-back; the staff is undeniably cool; the walls are hung with paintings and photos; and there are housemade pizzas, tapas, and pints of local beer for long rainy days or cold winter nights. Don't miss the decadent chocolate orange cake.
20 St. John's St., Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5AS, England
The National Trust now owns other pubs, but Sticklebarn was the first. With its own water supply and hydroelectric power, the pub's aim is sustainability; the kitchen uses as much produce as possible from the immediate area and makes its own gin and vodka. Most of the menu is traditional pub fare—burgers, macaroni and cheese, and lamb stew, for example—aimed at the Langdale walkers who fill the rustic, wood-beamed dining room. Tables spill out onto the terrace in sunny weather. There's also a wood-fired pizza oven.
This coaching inn and dining room is in Sedbergh, a pretty town nine miles to the east of Kendal. The husband and wife team prepares food with influences from the Lake District, Germany, and Japan, and source their ingredients from within 20 miles of the restaurant.
Chocolate rules at this old spot serving 16 chocolate drinks. You can choose among 300 kinds of chocolates in the shop, too. Aztec Experience hot chocolate blends five spices; the milk-chocolate truffle cake is scrumptious. Servers in period costumes also deliver traditional English fare such as potted shrimps.
54 Branthwaite Brow, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4TX, England
Small but sleek, this restaurant with an open fire and artfully battered floorboards has won a good local reputation for high-quality dishes. The vegetarian selections are always worthwhile, and the sometimes adventurous Modern British cooking shows Mediterranean flourishes. Excellent lunches and the fixed-price early dinners are especially good values.
Situated in Keswick’s iconic Market Square, the Round is the starting point and finishing line for the Bob Graham Round, the most famous and grueling physical challenge in the Lake District. It's a vibrant restaurant and bar serving gourmet burgers with names inspired by the national park's peaks, such as Katsu Bells and Pullvellyn.
Situated in Ambleside’s old mill yard, the Tap Yard serves craft beers fresh from the tanks. It's a lively spot in the evenings, popular with locals as well as visitors, and there's a wide menu of wood-fired pizzas, gourmet burgers, and antipasti to share. Dogs are welcome, and there's a separate children's menu.
One of the region's best gastro-pubs, Tweedies attracts many locals as well as visitors. Delicious updated British classics include beer-battered Fleetwood haddock, braised ox cheek with lardons, and an 8-ounce burger with roasted shallots. Everything is served in a smart, cozy, wood-filled contemporary pub with mellow music, flickering candles, a slate floor, and a fireplace. The attached Lodge next door provides a cozy, informal place to stay. Several of Cumbria's best beers are on tap alongside a good selection of world beers.
Red Bank Rd., Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9SW, England
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