7 Best Restaurants in The Lake District, England

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.

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.

Husband-and-wife team Kevin and Nicola Tickle run Heft, a superb fine dining restaurant in the village of High Newton, just outside Cartmel. An imaginative set menu with dishes such as oxtail and thyme custard and a Shetland mussel kebab glazed in cucumber garum is served at lunch (£45) and dinner (£95), and there's a separate Sunday menu available until 6 pm. The building was a 17th-century inn, and the Tickles have preserved many of its original architectural features. Heft also has five double bedrooms.

At the more casual and affordable sister restaurant of the Old Stamp House, head chef Dan Hopkins and his team create seasonal menus inspired by the Cumbrian landscape, sourcing their ingredients from small artisan producers. The lunchtime set menu is a particularly good value at £27.50 for two courses.

Cuttlefish shells piled in the window and a Nordic-style wood-paneled interior give a clue as to the culinary style of Lake Road Kitchen, quite possibly the most awarded restaurant in Ambleside. About 80% of everything green on the menu is foraged; the remainder comes from the highest-quality, mainly local suppliers. Every dish is creatively conceived and expertly put together, creating food of the highest order. There are two set menus (eight and twelve courses) each night, or a shortened five course menu. Wine pairings are available and they can cater to most dietary preferences. Reservations are essential as there are just nine tables.

Small but sleek, this restaurant with an open fire and artfully battered floorboards has won a good local reputation for high-quality dishes. The vegetarian selections are always worthwhile, and the sometimes adventurous Modern British cooking shows Mediterranean flourishes. Excellent lunches and the fixed-price early dinners are especially good values.

One of the region's best gastro-pubs, Tweedies attracts many locals as well as visitors. Delicious updated British classics include beer-battered Fleetwood haddock, braised ox cheek with lardons, and an 8-ounce burger with roasted shallots. Everything is served in a smart, cozy, wood-filled contemporary pub with mellow music, flickering candles, a slate floor, and a fireplace. The attached Lodge next door provides a cozy, informal place to stay. Several of Cumbria's best beers are on tap alongside a good selection of world beers.