Lake District Eating Out Guide

Latest Awards for Restaurants, Pubs, Bars & Inns:

L'Enclume in Cartmel has been awarded Number 1 restaurant in the country in this years Good Food Guide (fourth year running)

The Masons Arms at Bowland Bridge have been awarded the title North West Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide

Eating Out in the Lake District & Cumbria:

You really are spoilt for choice when eating out in the Lake District and Cumbria. From fabulous Michelin-starred restaurants to cafés and tea rooms that are the size of a front room in a small terrace house, there is something to suit every taste and budget.

Many of the Lake District hotels have restaurants which are open to non-residents. In fact, most of the “high end” dining is attached to an establishment offering accommodation. There are also plenty of independent restaurants to choose from, whatever your taste.

Cumbria and the Lake District has been identified as one of the best places in the country where you can source "free" ingredients; many of the hedgerows, forests and pastures are regularly frequented by chefs looking for mushrooms, wild herbs and edible grasses. The diverse nature of the habitat in the Lake District, from mountain tops down to the coast, make it an ideal place to find these hidden gems which later end up being served in the country's top restaurants.

More and more Pubs & Inns now have a separate restaurant or dining room and many of these offer high class food at very reasonable prices. The majority of other pubs and inns serve home cooked food using locally-sourced ingredients. If it’s fast pub grub you want, there are plenty that serve "chips with everything"!

Most of the major Lake District towns have a choice of more than one Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurant, but there are also Mediterranean, Thai, Greek, Cantonese, Fusion establishments - and the list goes on and the choice of food is endless! It’s a good idea to book a table at the height of the season, especially at weekends. A growing number of cafés and tea rooms are now also serving restaurant food; some shut late afternoon and re-open in the evening as a restaurant, these offer good value for money and can be popular with both locals and visitors, so again, book a table!

There are the usual choices of takeaway food in most Lake District towns; lots of the Chinese and Indian restaurants have a takeaway menu and there are plenty of takeaways to choose from. If that’s not your cup of tea, there is always fish & chips!

Testimonial for Your Guide 2 the Lake District:

"A quick note to say how pleased we are with our feature on Your Guide 2 the Lake District - you have managed to capture the feel of our cafe & bistro. Lots of people, both locals and visitors look at the site and view our online menus. We now get more discerning visitors; people who want a little more than to grab a quick bite to eat and prefer quality home cooked food. Nothing has been too much trouble and any changes are made with the minimum of fuss – keep up the good work!" - Pauline & James from The Joshua Tree, Kendal