Best restaurants in the Lake District

Local produce, pickling jars, plus a constantly changing (yet ever impressive) menu means Lake Road Kitchen ticks all the boxes of a zeitgeist-hugging special occasion restaurant that could only call the Lake District home.

The menu is just as eclectic as the hodge podge dining room at this casual, comforting restaurant which won’t break the bank. Stick to tradition with fish pie or choose adventure with mango chicken curry.

Few Lakeland restaurants come more accomplished than Simon Rogan’s two Michelin-starred L’Enclume and rightfully so - the tasting menu here (dictated by produce from Rogan’s own organic farm) is truly a once in a lifetime experience.

A smartly converted 17th century coaching inn acts as the home to this popular Michelin starred restaurant with rooms, where chef Ben Wilkinson’s menu reads as an ode to Cumbria and its bountiful natural larder.

The Lake District isn’t all Michelin frippery. Satisfy your comfort food cravings with this casual takeaway cafe serving up warming bowls of soups, cheese-stuffed toasties and a la mode brunch dishes, all at reasonable prices.

Showcasing chef Ryan Blackburn’s love of Cumbrian produce, this intimate Michelin-starred haunt (there’s room for just 28 diners) serves seasonal tasting menus underpinned by the finest British ingredients, alongside a pleasingly diverse international wine list.

With its gorgeous views and roaring fires, The Drunken Duck feels like a typical countryside boozer. The menu is a cut-above standard pub grub though - think pork belly with pudding, baked celeriac, truffle and crackling.

A Victorian gothic mansion set in 40 acres of manicured grounds provides an arresting and appropriate backdrop for Forest Side restaurant, where the menu is underpinned by foraged finds, local produce and warm, thoughtful service.

Only a half hour’s drive from the Lake District, you’ll find this cosy restaurant with rooms where the motto is ‘refined, yet relaxed dining’. Don’t miss the traditional three-course Sunday lunch, complete with all trimmings.

The interiors here might seem like a ‘gastropub by numbers’ effort, but the food is far from ubiquitous. Tuck into the likes of herb crusted halibut served alongside sauté leeks, confit potato and parsley sauce.

A romantic manor house provides the backdrop to a menu that is a pure, unadulterated celebration of British produce - think the likes of grilled Cornish turbot with cods roe and truffle. Vegetarian menu also available.

A much-loved Cumbrian staple, the Masons Arms boasts quaint interiors and Lakeland views in every direction, as well as a menu full of crowd-pleasing and well executed pub classics. Don’t miss the sticky toffee pudding.

Thought vegetarians would struggle to find a restaurant in the Lake District? Think again. Fellinis Mediterranean inspired fare will convert even the most resolute carnivores. Don’t forget to check out the on-site arthouse cinema either.

Seasonal British ingredients are married with Asian flavours at this Michelin-starred restaurant, which serves a decidedly Cumbrian afternoon tea in the day and a high-end tasting menu come evening. There’s an impressive wine list too.

Although hardly a cheap eat, this is a decidedly more relaxed sibling to L’Enclume which offers elegant, yet comforting dishes. On our visit, meaty lamb croquettes and creamy baked cheesecake with spiced pineapple were highlights.

Straddling the borders of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, Hipping Hall’s grand, historic dining room conjures up images of gut-busting medieval banquets. Instead, the kitchen turns out a refreshingly simple, ingredient-led offering that delivers.

Set on a 67 acre estate overlooking Windermere, The Samling blends the traditional with the contemporary. Here, you’ll find the a la mode likes of roasted aubergine and feta ciabatta alongside traditional fish and chips.

A traditional country house hotel with stunning lake views, Holbeck Ghyll is all about tradition at first glance, but its menu is surprisingly up to the minute, making the most of local and seasonal produce.

The Lake District is famous for fine-dining, but this picturesque country inn is best known for its humble pies, changed daily, paired with chips or mash and best washed down with a local cask ale.