Places to eat in Ambleside
The old stamp house restaurant
British, Cumbrian – Lunch & Dinner
Michelin, Reservations, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
The Old Stamp House Restaurant is at the heart of the Lake District village of Ambleside, housed in the former office of William Wordsworth, who was the Westmorland Distributor of Stamps for a time.
This intimate 28-cover restaurant tucked away in a quiet corner of Church Street, first tentatively opened its doors in 2014. The brothers behind it head chef, Ryan Blackburn, and restaurant manager, Craig Blackburn, set out to offer a unique glimpse into the food and cultural heritage of Cumbria.
Lake Road Kitchen
European – Dinner &After Hours
Michelin, Reservations, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options
Lake Road Kitchen is an award-winning Michelin-star restaurant in Ambleside, in the heart of the Lake District which offers two menus of 8 or 12 servings, their dining service is informal and relaxed. We focus on flavour, technique and exceptional customer service.
Fresher's Cafe
Café, British – Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
This wonderful super friendly café is a great spot to stop for a fling top-quality brunch before heading off to explore the Lakes or take a wander around the local shops. Fresher’s is one of our favourite stops in Ambleside!
Great North Pie Co
British, Street Food – Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Dinner
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Table Service, Vegetarian Friendly
This award-winning pie shop and café is open from early to late, don’t miss out on their excellent pie, mash and gravy, the ultimate Cumbrian comfort food! As a bonus, you can eat in or take away their delicious pies! We recommend settling in for a visit and enjoying one of their many locally sourced beers and ales with your pie of choice!
Copper Pot Cafe
British – Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible
This little café in the heart of Ambleside is a cosy escape from the busy streets with great food, great coffee and excellent friendly service. Stop by for an excellent meal and stay for the wonderful music
Places to eat in Cartmel
Whilst renowned for its 4 Michelin stars, Cartmel’s appeal isn’t just to ‘foodies’.
Rogans
L’Enclume’s laid-back sister restaurant sits in the centre of the village and occupies a pretty cottage beside a stream. It has a pleasingly easy-going feel is complemented by a chatty serving team who present every dish with a smile. Highly skilled preparation making use of creative ingredient and flavour combinations amply justify its Michelin star.
L’Enclume
Three Michelin stars place L’Enclume amongst the top dozen dining experiences in the kingdom.
Mind blowing flavours and presentation making full use of their nearby 12-acre farm that clearly inspires the kitchen. The enthusiasm and obvious pride of the youthful service team further enhance the experience. Prepare to spend £300 pp for a unique experience and book well in advance.
The Cavendish Arms
The Cavendish Arms is a 450 year old Coaching inn/gastro-pub set in the heart of Cartmel. Food is fresh and sourced locally and the menu features beautifully presented and tasty dishes. Service is super-friendly and the cosy ambience is enhanced by ceiling-hung hops and a cosy open fire. Large river-side terrace for alfresco dining.
Cartmel Coffee
At Cartmel Coffee, you’re guaranteed great chat and coffee, yummy cakes, sandwiches and soups.
Always a lovely welcome from lively owner Julie and her team at this Cartmel village Square location. Soups and cakes are home-made are simply divine. The walnut, pear & stilton pannini is worth crossing continents for. Julie home-bakes all the cakes.
The Royal Oak
A traditional village inn featuring Fell brewery real ales, a good selection of wines and keg beers. The reputation- based around seasonal comfort food- is growing. Casual, simple, inexpensive dining with flair and passion is what the Royal Oak is about. With generous helpings and attentive service, this pub seldom disappoints the casual diner.
Heft
This gorgeous rural inn in High Newton has been pulled from the dining wastelands and turned into a shining beacon of what every good restaurant and inn should be with understated culinary excellence in abundance. Their unique take on modern British food, creatively assembled has been recognised with the recent award of one Michelin star.
Places to eat in Grasmere
Lewis' of Grasemere
European British – Lunch and Dinner
Outdoor Seating, Reservations, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Lewis’s Bistro is a great stop for a delicious meal with a range of freshly cooked and locally sourced vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options! This modern, family-run bistro seats only 24 per sitting so we recommend booking in advance through their website.
(We defiantly recommend indulging in their Cumbrian cheeseboard should you find yourselves enjoying an evening at Lewis’s!)
Baldry's Tea Room
Café – Breakfast, Lunch & Brunch
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Dog Friendly
The super friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere mean that Baldry’s a personal favourite for a quick bite to eat in the morning before heading off to explore or a great afternoon stop for a freshly made sweet treat!
The Jumble Room
Asian, International – Dinner
Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
The Jumble Room is a small bohemian-style restaurant that is well known locally for its use of fresh (and where possible, organic) local ingredients. The Jumble Room prides itself on the atmosphere within the restaurant that promotes a relaxed environment allowing guests to take a break from the hectic activity of day-to-day. A reservation is a must if you are looking to enjoy an evening here!
Greens Cafe & Bistro
Café – Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, & Dinner
Outdoor Seating, Takeout, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Green’s is a friendly local café and bistro specialising in home-cooked meals and delicious home-baked cakes. The café offers a wide range of menu items that are freshly cooked on premises including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan and meat lovers too! The meals offered at Green’s are prepared daily in-house, and where possible, using seasonal ingredients provided by local suppliers.
Forest Side
European, British – Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Parking Available, Wheelchair Accessible
Forest Side is an incredibly popular restaurant that serves exceptional high-quality food and drink. Boasting a Michelin Star, we’d defiantly recommend making a booking prior to your trip!
The Swan
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, & Drinks
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Dog Friendly, Family
For a standout Sunday Lunch, head to The Swan for a delicious hand-carved beef, pork or turkey with all the trimmings. Those with a sweet tooth will be spoilt for choice with an indulgent array of homemade British treats, from sticky toffee puddings and crumble to indulgent cheesecakes and local dairy ice creams.
Wordsworth's Signiture Gingerbread Shop
Grasmere Gingerbread was invented in 1854 by Victorian cook Sarah Nelson who first made the iconic treat in the kitchens of what we now know as The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop! Nelson found herself selling the spicy-sweet gingerbread, which is almost a cross between a biscuit and cake, from a tabletop on a tree stump on the doorstep of her cottage.
This remarkable, unique legacy persists as a staple of any visit to Grasmere with the original secret recipe allowing freshly baked treats to find their way into the hands of visitors from all over the world with the shop managed by third-generation owners Joanne and Andrew Hunter.
It goes without saying that a stop by the gingerbread shop is a must for any visitor, but make sure to get there early as you can – queues have been known to form before the shop is even open!
Places to eat in Kendal
Pedro's Casa
Mexican – Lunch & Dinner
Reservations, Take Away, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Pedro’s is a great stop for family and friends looking to enjoy great Mexican food! Pop over to Pedro’s and peruse their extensive menu, there’s something for everyone to enjoy with friendly service that makes dining in a delight!
Thai Kitchen in Lakeland
Thai – Lunch & Dinner
Reservations, Take Away, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
In 2006, the Thai Kitchen in Lakeland began catering for dinner parties at private homes and holiday cottages throughout Cumbria, from there the business expanded, and in 2016 they embraced the fledgling street food scene in Kendal and began to cater at local and national events, focusing on Cumbria. The truly excellent food is a great stop for those looking for a great evening in with food that just doesn’t disappoint!
The Black Labrador
British – Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
Reservations, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Head over to the Black Labrador and receive a warm welcome in this cosy traditional Cambrian country pub that can be found nestled in one of the best-kept secrets of the Lake District, the beautiful Lyth Valley. This is a great sport for family and friends to enjoy either a full lunch or evening meal!
Yard 46 Cafe
British Contemporary – Lunch & Dinner
Reservations, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Yard 46 has a great range of takeaway meals, cakes and coffee! Take a seat in their charming courtyard cafe, oozing with historic character, and serving a modern light menu. You can also catch the Yard team at The Factory Tap on Aynam Road serving sourdough pizza on Tuesday and Friday evenings
The Joshua Tree
British – Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Highchairs Available, Dog Friendly
The Joshua Tree is a delightful fully licensed Cafe & Bistro in one of Kendal’s oldest buildings. Coffee Shop by day with the ‘Famous’ Starter & Pudding Club held monthly in the evening! Tucked away in one of Kendal’s historic yards – a lovely sunny courtyard to catch those summer rays and inside a warm cosy open log fire for those escaping a cold and chilly morning or afternoon. All food offered at the Joshua Tree is freshly prepared and locally sourced.
Farmhouse Kitchen
British – Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Takeout, Reservations, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible
The Farmhouse Kitchen is an excellent local artisan café in the lovely historic town of Kendal. They are open seven days a week serving all day breakfasts, lunches, salads, toasties, toasted ciabattas, vegan meals, vegetarian options and other hearty meals. There is something for everyone at the Farmhouse!
Places to eat in Nelson/Barrowford
The White swan
British – Lunch & Dinner
Michelin, Reservations, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
The Swan says it best ‘For us, it’s about just doing everything as well as we can, sending out the best food, pouring the finest drinks, making people feel at home – ultimately sending you away as happy as we can.’
Vista Cielo
Italian, Mediterranean, Turkish – Lunch & Dinner
Reservations, Takeout, Highchairs Available, Live Music
Vista Cielo can be found in the heart of Clitheroe town centre bringing you incredible Mediterranean dishes from experienced chefs. It is truly an incredible evening with an endless choice of signature meals from the Mediterranean kitchen featuring, but not limited to, steaks, pizzas, pasta and traditional Turkish charcoal specials.
The Sparrowhawk
British, Gastropub – Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
The fantastic food served at the Sparrowhawk is fresh and locally sourced, truly embracing the plentiful flavours of the region. The pub is Taste Lancashire Highest Quality Assured and a member of Made in Lancashire. Their extensive wine list and cask ales have also bagged them an achievement in the form of The Cask Marque Award. You can always be guaranteed a warm welcome as well as friendly service!
The Bay Horse
British – Lunch & Dinner
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Outdoor Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Dog Friendly
The Bay Horse is a traditional, family-run inn, nestled in the heart of the charming Lancashire village of Roughlee. Set in rolling countryside close to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, The Bay Horse has been operating for over 300 years! The Horse is nestled amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in a rural yet accessible location, attracting numerous visitors, many return time and time again to seek out the undoubted pleasures that The Bay Horse has to offer. The Horse is the perfect place at any time of the day or evening to enjoy even a simple drink!
The White Heart
British Pub – Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Live Music, Dog Friendly
The White Heart is a traditional country pub serving traditional home-cooked food with locally sourced ingredients. Regular events and weekly entertainment are offered as a quiz night, karaoke night and bingo! Sports are also regularly screened in the bar and outdoor area.
About Coffee
British Café – Breakfast & Brunch
Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options, Takeout, Wheelchair Accessible, Highchairs Available, Dog Friendly
About Coffee is found nestled on Colne’s busy High Street as one of the many independent shops. About Coffee is a small, cosy coffee shop and merchants of all things tea and coffee! They serve an extensive choice of delicious coffee, loose-leaf teas, chai’s, real Belgium hot chocolates and cold drinks. Why not pair it with a sweet treat, cake or
toast?
