The Exhibition Rooms

‘The food is always faultless’ enthuses one visitor for whom The Exhibition Rooms has become a local favourite. With windows on two sides, the high-ceilinged dining room has an airy feel. Glass chandeliers & pot plants add Victorian elegance to the otherwise relaxed space. The modern British menu is updated seasonally. Cornish crab might be given the exotic treatment with a salad of green papaya, mango & coriander, while shoulder & cutlet of Herdwick lamb is gently braised & served with parsnip purée & fondant potatoes. Set menus at lunchtime & early evening entice locals, as do promotional nights on Monday & Tuesday where mussels or steak with a glass of wine cost around £12. The downstairs bar, complete with sexy zebra-lined ‘cave’ & sheltered terrace, draws the trendy crowd.