L'Enclume

Nothing could be further from nostalgic Lakeland sentimentality than this strikingly transformed stone smithy – now a world-class restaurant-with-rooms boasting two Michelin stars. Chef/proprietor Simon Rogan’s passion for local food and ‘nature’ is never in doubt: he now focuses exclusively on the raw materials available in this lush part of Cumbria, and has acquired an organic farm to produce most of the raw materials for his kitchen’s daily output. Forget printed menus, just relish the experience and marvel at his pitch-perfect, beautifully controlled artistry: a visually stunning creation involving two varieties of carrot, presented with slivers of ham fat and a sprinkling of nasturtium flowers, for example, typifies his talent for drawing pure, undiluted flavours from uncompromising ingredients. Otherwise, you might be treated to anything from ice-cool marinated mackerel with thyme flowers, pennyroyal leaves and droplets of radish essence to musky meadowsweet ice cream with hazelnut and apple. This is astonishingly subtle cooking, matched by informed service and a thoughtfully collated wine list.