SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel

The flagship has now become SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel, and the hotel has pulled off a bit of a coup in tempting ultra-talented chef Ollie Bridgwater to Cumbria, after a decade spent at The Fat Duck in Bray.

This five-star, family-run hotel has a great reputation for good reason - this is easily one of the most friendly, welcoming teams we’ve ever come across. From being greeted to being waved off in a taxi, the SOURCE team - and indeed, the wider hotel too - are exceptional.

The room is equally homely and comforting, split into a cosy lounge and bar and a pair of dining rooms. There’s also a lovely al fresco terrace - very inviting on Windermere’s sunny days where you can sit with a drink and a snack and, if you’re lucky, visit with some nearby alpacas. We find ourselves in the more intimate dining room, which has a fantastic buzz and retains some lovely old-school charm thanks to starched white tablecloths and smart, besuited service.

SOURCE’s tasting menu kicks off with a bit of Fat Duck-esque magic - a gin and tonic, housed inside a sphere of cucumber jelly, so that it pops in your mouth as you eat it. It’s a signal of more innovation to come. Chilled herb gazpacho with scallop and pickled radish is a palate-zinging wake up, accompanied by the crunch of a smoked eel tapioca cracker on the side. A delicate piece of roast native lobster - cooked over the coals of a konro grill - is served with a rich satay sauce; a combination of sweet, earthy and creamy that comes off with top marks.

SOURCE still delivers some tried-and-tested comforts too, whether it’s an impeccable Parker House roll with whipped bone marrow, or a pleasing and perfectly-cooked dish of beef, onion, wild garlic and ale with a stuffed morel. The desserts don’t falter either - and it’s all accompanied by an excellent wine pairing that ventures away from the norms. Bridgwater has only been here for less than six months upon our visit - on the basis of this early form, this could easily become one of the very best restaurants in the Lake District.

The Gilpin group spans two five-star hotels in the Lake District, just a mile from one another and both nestled in some of the area's most beautiful scenery with thick woodland and, of course, breathtaking lakes.

The Gilpin Hotel is set in 21 acres of lush countryside and benefits from a Champagne bar, rooms with private hot tubs and en suite spas, as well as two restaurants - Gilpin Spice and SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel.

SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel is headed-up by executive chef Ollie Bridgewater (formerly of Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck) and boasts a coveted Michelin star, not least due to the team's commitment to championing exquisite produce, distinct flavours, seasonality, sustainability, and precision.

The restaurant offers two different tasting menus, both with the same considered focus on using the very best ingredients. The ‘ORIGIN’ menu offers a shorter dining experience for guests to enjoy, featuring four distinct courses plus petit fours. While the seven-course ‘SOURCE’ menu takes diners on a complete, immersive journey to showcase the very best of Ollie Bridgewater's cooking. While the menus changes regularly in line with the seasons, examples of previous dishes include Orkney scallop lasagna with Wiltshire truffle and celeriac, aged Cumbrian pork with blood pudding and clementine, and rice pudding with sesame, miso and sake. Dedicated wine pairings are also available, as well as an extra cheese course for a supplement.

Both menus can be tailored with your choice of starter, main course and dessert, allowing diners to create their very own Michelin-starred tasting experience. For those looking for something a bit lighter, a lunch tasting menu is available on Fridays and Saturdays, while an early evening offer from Sunday to Friday allows diners to experience the ORIGIN menu for a discounted price.