8 Best Restaurants in The Lake District, England

Billing itself as "Vegeterranean" to reflect its Mediterranean culinary influences, Fellinis is one of Cumbria's finest foodie destinations and a particular treat for vegetarians. Upstairs is a plush studio cinema screening art-house releases, while downstairs the restaurant rustles up sumptuous concoctions for a sophisticated crowd. The large, open dining room has soft seating, bold patterns, oversize lamp shades, and a chill, jazzy soundtrack. White tablecloths, contemporary art, and fresh flowers enhance the modern sensibility. Service is attentive without being fussy. Sister property Zeffirellis, a 5-minute walk away on Compston Street, also offers a fine-dining-and-cinema combination with a jazz bar to boot.

High ceilings, shabby-chic chairs, and old-fashioned filament bulbs in jars set the scene for this handsome conversion of what was once a bank: the family-run bistro's name references the financially themed nursery rhyme. Although there is an a la carte menu, the set menu is a particularly good value at £26 for 3 courses, including delights such as homemade mackerel pate with Isle of Wight tomatoes and elderflower balsamic and grilled cannon of Cumbrian pork with wild mushrooms. Book ahead, especially for weekend evenings.

An informal restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan, Henrock is a superb addition to the dining scene in Bowness. Much of the fresh produce is grown on Rogan's farm in nearby Cartmel, and all of the dishes are seasonal with strong roots in British cooking. In addition to lunch and dinner, Henrock also has an imaginative afternoon tea menu with sweet treats such as chocolate and passion fruit tartelette and pink pepper, raspberry, and rose choux buns.

The village of Cartmel has earned a place on England's culinary map with this ambitious Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms. Chef Simon Rogan's innovative food incorporates long-forgotten herbs and cutting-edge techinques. The restaurant is in what was once a forge, now converted to a bright, contemporary, and airy space with dark wooden beams, stark white walls, and splashes of color. The set menu comes with up to 16 courses and includes delights such as dry aged Herdwick lamb with fermented cabbage and fennel sauce, and a fritter of Duroc pig and smoked eel with lovage. L'Enclume's 16 elegant rooms are in three different buildings around the village.

The quality of locally sourced and foraged food has been raised to a new level by this Michelin-starred restaurant, which, together with the Lake Road Kitchen, has given Ambleside unexpected status on the British gastro map. Chef Ryan Blackburn has created a menu anchored to Cumbrian traditions but at the same time mouthwateringly creative and contemporary. Look for hand-dived scallops with pumpkin, braised daube of beef with smoked celeriac, and Cumbrian gingerbread with rhubarb soufflé. The restaurant has an unprepossessing setting, down steps in a dim room, but there's history in the whitewashed, rough-hewn walls: Wordsworth once worked here as "Distributer of Stamps.” A tasting menu is also available at lunch and dinner.

Created by four friends who have returned home to the Lakes, the menu at the Fellpack is designed as a celebration of Cumbria's ingredients and traditional recipes, albeit with a quirky twist. The space has both indoor and outdoor seating, plus a vintage Airstream trailer serving burritos and fries.

A small stone building dating to the 18th century, Grasmere's first shop is now a quirky, family-run restaurant. The food is an eclectic mix of international and traditional British; think porcini mushroom arancini, beetroot and pumpkin ravioli, or Lebanese chicken with clementine and fennel. A dedicated local fan base means the place always buzzes, and the owners' enthusiasm is contagious.

With a porch that appears in a Beatrix Potter story and a location just a rabbit's hop from the author's home, you might expect this pub to be something of a tourist trap, but luckily it's anything but. The meals are tasty and copious, making use of local ingredients. There's a slate floor, a crackling open fire, and a bar that stocks some of the best beers around. Four bedrooms upstairs offer a good-value alternative to pricier lodgings.