3 Best Restaurants in Ambleside, The Lake District

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 and vegans. 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.

Cuttlefish shells piled in the window and a Nordic-style wood-paneled interior give a clue as to the culinary style of what is 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 imaginatively conceived and expertly put together, revealing a variety of global influences. There are two set menus (eight and twelve courses) each night, or a shortened five-course menu. Wine pairings are available, and the restaurant can cater to most dietary preferences. Reservations are essential as there are just nine tables.

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 innovative and contemporary. Look for dishes such as scallops with pumpkin, braised daube of beef with smoked celeriac, and Cumbrian gingerbread. 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.