2 Best Restaurants in Penrith, The Lake District

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 à la carte menu, the set menu for lunch and weeknight dinners is a good value, offering updated, seasonally focused delights such as mackerel pâté and grilled Cumbrian pork with wild mushrooms.

Cumbrian ingredients are used to create authentic Spanish tapas in this rustic, casual little restaurant in the center of Penrith. The extensive tapas menu includes a number of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices as well as meat and fish, and the best value option is to choose four specials (available Tuesdays through Thursdays as well as Sundays).