Best restaurants in the Lake District

This multi-awarding winning Ambleside restaurant only serves two tasting menus (eight- or 12-courses) with chef James Cross at the fore of the kitchen. Stop by for hyper-seasonal, climatically local cooking from a chef at the top of his game. 

Simon Rogan’s neighbourhood eatery in Carmel boasts one Michelin star and exemplifies the skill, style and techniques the chef has become known for. Local Lake District produce is given the best chance possible in the hands of the kitchen team. 

Enjoy stunning views of Lake Windermere while you dine at this Victorian country house hotel, which offers both fine dining and more casual menus. Take a seat in the old-school dining room for classic dishes such as lemon sole with fregola, caper, parsley and brown butter.  

We urge you to spend a weekend at The Samling, a luxury country house hotel which describes itself as ‘easy to get to, difficult to leave’. The restaurant offers pitch-perfect fine dining made with local ingredients, but it’s that lakeside view that really makes dining here memorable.  

This intimate 28-cover restaurant opened its doors in 2014 to offer guests a taste of Cumbrian food and heritage. It gained a Michelin star in 2019 for its dedicated to quality ingredients, carefully chosen wines and dishes that remain true to its ethos. 

The name of this Keswick gem might not be overly inventive, but the cooking at Michelin-starred The Cottage in the Wood is sure to be like nothing you’ve experienced before. Surrounded by a tranquil woodland setting, the kitchen team turn out perfectly-formed dishes using the best seasonal produce.  

The jewel in Simon Rogan’s crown has got to be three Michelin-starred L’Enclume, known for its sustainable approach, hyper-seasonal produce and, of course, its mind-bogglingly innovative menu. Dishes include the likes of seaweed custard, beef broth, bone marrow, Porlock oysters and its own blend of caviar. 

Nestled within the Lake District National Park, Heft is a gastropub that’s been beautifully restored to offer a traditional British inn feel. Serving tasting menus for lunch and dinner, each dish has been inspired by the surrounding area and head chef Kevin Tickle’s love of the English countryside.

Nowhere is a restaurant’s commitment to nature and ingredients better demonstrated than at Forest Side, where guests can actually see chefs foraging in the grounds, nabbing ingredients from the kitchen garden or wild surroundings. Such freshness shines through on every plate for a true taste of the English countryside.  

If you’d like a visual representation that food can indeed be art, look no further than the plates at Michelin-starred Hrishi and Gilpin Spice. Modern British cooking is elevated with Asian flavours via a succession of clever riffs with exotic overtones.