The Lake District has long had a strong foodie pedigree, with well known establishments such as L’Enclume regularly topping lists of the UK’s best places to eat. Which is lucky, as after a day’s hiking on the Lake District’s fells, or a rainy day exploring its historic towns and villages, you will have worked up a hearty appetite.
With so many fantastic independent cafes and locally-focused restaurants you will not struggle to find somewhere to eat in the Lake District. Whether you want a Michelin-starred tasting menu, a cosy fireside pub or a homemade scone in an adorable café, the Lake District has something to satisfy your hunger. These are a few of my favourite places to refuel after a busy day.
Be sure to check out my other Lake District guides for more help planning your itinerary – there are ideas on what to see and where to sleep, where to walk and where to hide from the rain!
What to Eat
Cumberland Sausage – the UK’s only protected sausage recipe, and can only be produced in Cumbria. Pork is chopped (not minced) and mixed with herbs. Atop a steaming heap of buttery mashed potato and smoothed in gravy, there is little better after a cold day on the fells!
Lamb Henry – lamb shoulder marinated in mint and slow cooked until it is so tender it falls off the bone. ‘Proper’ Lamb Henry is made with the local Herdwick lambs.
Sticky Toffee Pudding – the village of Cartmel is understandably proud of its famous sticky toffee pudding. This very moist sponge cake, made with finely chopped dates, and covered in a toffee sauce is The Husband’s favourite. It is so popular that the chefs involved in making it at Ullswater’s Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel – where it was invented in the 1960s – all have to sign confidentiality agreements to never disclose the recipe!
Hawkshead Relish – originally just a sideline to a family run cafe, the Hawkshead Relish Company now has over 120 different relishes, pickles and preserves and stockists around the world. All are free from nuts and gluten and suitable for vegetarians. There are several distinctly Lake District flavoured options including Damson jam, Sticky Toffee sauce and Westmorland chutney.
Kendal Mint Cake – if it was enough to get Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hilary up Mount Everest in 1953, then the original energy bar should help you up Scarfell Pike! It is basically mint and sugar. Romney’s, Wilson’s and Quiggin’s are still the main producers and you can find it in most gift and outdoor shops across the Lake District.
COSY PUBS
The Wild Boar – the most inventive – and delicious – afternoon tea I have had. Mini Fish and Chips, pork scratchings and pigs in blankets replace the more common slithers of sandwiches – although the traditional scone keeps its place! Decor is modern country pub – cosy leather chairs around open fires, and a wide range of draft beer.
Traveller’s Rest – we stopped at this 16thC coaching inn on a whim one wet and cold evening and were completely blown away by the fantastic food. We had the menu from the specials board and it was one of the best pub meals I have ever eaten. Try and sit in the booths by the open fire for a cosy pub atmosphere, rather than in the main restaurant room.
The Drunken Duck – the menu is more imaginative than the standard pub grub and the food is always excellent. They also serve their own-brew ales from their own Barngates Brewery. Prices are quite steep, so one for a special occasion (or come for lunch rather than dinner to save a few pennies).
The Mortal Man – the location is hard to beat with amazing views over the valley to Windermere. The food is hearty rather than fancy, with generously portioned British classics – the chicken pie is just the thing on a cold day.
Kirkstile Inn – cosy pub in the north west Lakes, perfect location for lunch after a walk up Haystacks. In winter there are roaring fires and in summer, a garden onto the river. Classic pub food done really well, with a locally sourced menu – the cheesy chips are delish. It is also home to the award winning Loweswater Gold – the best ale in the Lakes according to The Husband.
The Kirkstone Pass Inn – worth a visit for the drive over the Kirkstone Pass alone. But once you are there good food and a decent drinks selection await. Try and get one of the tables out front if you visit on a summer’s evening.
The George and Dragon – the casual atmosphere doesn’t prepare you for how fantastic the food here is. Much of the produce on the menu comes from the family who own the pub’s farms (rare-breed pigs, shorthorn cattle) and the kitchen garden at nearby Askham Hall. I had the twice baked souffle and it was scrumptious. The Husband was pleased with the selection (including three local) of real ales.
Ye Olde Fleece Inn – reputed to be one of the oldest remaining pubs in Kendal. Built in 1634, it is one of only a few remaining historic timber-framed structures in the town. Good food (the smoked haddock linguine is lovely) and a friendly atmosphere.
The Pack Horse – an open fire, low wooden beams, draught ales and good menu make for an inviting atmosphere on a rainy day. It is in the centre of Keswick so a good lunch spot after a morning exploring the shops.
The Blacksmiths Arms – great location for a lunch stop after walking around the Old Man of Coniston. The wood panels and flag stone floors add to the cosy atmosphere, and the honey roast duck is a great way to warm up on a cold day.
TEA SHOPS AND CAFES
Bluebird Café – you absolutely must stop here for a Cumberland sausage sandwich after a walk up the Old Man of Coniston. Great location right on the water.
Hazlemere Café – the cakes and afternoon tea at this family run cafe in Grange-Over-Sands are as pretty as they are tasty. The bread display in the window is always enough to tempt me in!
The Tea Room at Blackwell Arts – this little gem has great friendly service and good food. The salads are great. On a sunny day you can sit on the terrace overlooking Windermere.
Fellpack – this Keswick cafe has a small but delicious menu. The Winter Mac is divine. There is an interesting selection of local photographs upstairs. Also serve dinner and do takeaway wraps and sandwiches.
Mathilde’s Café – great Scandinavian Grasmere café attached to a lovely art gallery. The Husband thought he had died and gone to heaven after sampling the bacon and maple bun.
Let It Brew – this Glenridding cafe has the a perfect location for a post Helvellyn-cake stop! Coffee (from Bruce and Luke) is excellent, and the cakes are all tempting! Wide selection of teas offered.
The Homeground Coffee – the cakes at this Windermere café look so epic along the counter you will be unable to resist no matter how large your pub lunch was!
Waterhead Coffee Shop – this sweet café has a great location on the edge of Windermere. The blueberry scones are a favourite.
Daisy’s Café – breakfast in Ambleside at this famous little café is not to be missed.
Lingholm Kitchen – probably the best cake I have ever eaten in my life. Yes, really. The “garden cake” (like carrot cake, but so much more) is genuinely so good that we planned our minimoon to come back to the Lakes purely for another slice! Their brunch and lunch menu is also excellent – and portions are huge. Complete with oodles of Beatrix Potter history – I don’t think I could love this place more!
Brew Brothers – independent coffee shop in a former outfitters shop in Kendal, with homemade cakes and speciality teas.
PACKED LUNCH SUPPLIES
Keswick Cheese – stocks more than 90 varieties of cheese, including many local options. What is not to love?!
The Rattle Ghyll Deli and Café – the best picnic I have ever had up a hillside came from here! Cheeses, quiches and all manner of tasty baked treats at this vegetarian, plastic-free deli really demonstrate the Lake District’s foodie leanings. The produce is so tasty even the carnivorous Husband didn’t notice it was all veggie at first! They also have a wide range of local alcohols and local produce if you are self catering.
Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop – fresh milk, meat and cheese products from locally-reared animals. Also has a café serving traditional English breakfasts – the local bacon and Cumberland sausages with all the trimmings are not to be missed!
Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – little has changed here in the 160 years this shop has been selling gingerbread – even down to the white and blue paper wrapping the biscuits come in. Opened by Sarah Nelson in 1854. Her original gingerbread recipe is hand-written on parchment and stored in a bank safe. The only person who knows the recipe is a partner in the business, who bakes the gingerbread fresh every day.
SWEET TREATS
Cartmel Village Shop – you absolutely cannot miss trying the world’s best sticky toffee pudding! No Lake District foodie itinerary would be complete without it! Most of the region’s menus will feature it, but this is the original.
1657 Chocolate House – historic café and chocolate shop in Kendal, with over a hundred different types of truffles.
Bruce and Luke’s Coffee – small batch coffee roaster in Keswick that also offer the most sugary of delicious doughnuts!
Ye Olde Friars – family owned since 1927, this chocolatier has shops in both Keswick and Ambleside.
Hutton’s – this sweet shop in Bowness is a real favourite. The window displays will tempt you in, and the old fashioned sweets and beautiful truffles will keep you there!
The Little Ice Cream Shop – award winning ice cream parlour in Hawkshead for absolutely huge ice creams! Also serves dairy free and vegan ice creams.
CASUAL EATS
Chester’s By the River – delicious vegetarian fare in a surprisingly chic café. The rosemary flatbread with hummus and beetroot pesto is a particular highlight.
Angel Lane Chippie – a locals’ favourite, this fish and chip shop in Penrith is nothing fancy but simply downright tasty!
The Chopping Block – this Penrith cafe-butcher-deli bills itself as the Lake District’s best kept foodie secret, and I think that is pretty accurate! The menu is fantastic – all made from high quality, locally-sourced produce. It is also a great place to pick up some local treats if you are self catering or looking for a picnic.
Jumble Room – this colourful and quirky Grasmere eatery serves Asian inspired dishes in a relaxed setting.
The Smith Windermere – this cosy place services some of the best pizzas in the Lake District. The atmosphere is relaxed and the prices reasonable – things not always easy to find around Windermere!
The Square Orange – known to locals as the “squ’orange”, this Keswick tapas restaurant is a real gem. It is tiny so fills up quickly, but waiting at the bar is part of the charm!
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
L’Enclume – the original Lake District foodie destination. The two Michelin stars are well deserved this wonderful restaurant. Two locally sourced tasting menus are offered – one of lunch and one for dinner – with optional wine parings. Expensive but I promise this will be one of the most memorable things you do in the Lake District – the dishes are almost a work of art. Booking is essential.
Lake Road Kitchen – award winning restaurant in Ambleside has seriously upmarket tasting menus in a sleek setting. Very expensive but perfect for a special occasion.
Forest Side – a real Lake District foodie gem! Anywhere that serves a good, strong lychee martini is a winner in my book, but Forest Side also boasts one of the best tasting menus I have had. The food comes out looking like a work of art, and almost exclusively features produce from the hotel’s kitchen garden and nearby farms.
HRiSHi – for a special treat, afternoon tea at the Gilpin Hotel is my go to. The setting is as comforting as they come – leather sofas around a roaring log fire – and the cakes are so pretty it seems a shame to eat them.
I hope this has got your mouth watering and given you plenty of ideas about where to eat in the Lake District. It really is a top foodie destination! Be sure to check out my other Lake District guides for more help planning your itinerary – whether you are looking for the top sights, walking or rainy day activities, there are recommendations for all!
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