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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.
Off B5285, Near Sawrey, Cumbria, LA22 0LF, England
Known For
- Literary influences
- Standard pub fare
- Some of the area's best ales
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. in winter
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Flocked floral wallpaper, old lamps, an open fire, and a handsome wooden floor set the tone at this appealing pub. Homey and intimate, the pub serves big, tasty portions of traditional British food such as scampi tails, chicken-and-leek pie, and gammon with egg and pineapple. You can wash it down with locally brewed beer. The excellent Sunday lunches are popular with locals.
15 Kirkgate, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9PJ, England
Known For
- Popular Sunday roasts
- Hearty British favorites
- Eight real ales on tap
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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Attached to the Coniston Brewing Company, whose ales are on tap here, the Black Bull is an old-fashioned pub in the heart of the village. It can feel a little dated, but it's a good pick for simple, hearty food such as fried whitebait, housemade leek-and-potato soup, and a tasty steak-and-ale pie. The beer choice is exemplary. Old photos of Donald Campbell's boat Bluebird decorate the walls, and there are wooden beams and benches. The inn also has 11 ensuite rooms, which are suitable for families.
1 Yewdale Rd., Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8DU, England
Known For
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Large range of real ales
- Old-fashioned decor
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This bustling, cozy little café and deli is lined with jars of locally made jams and chutneys. Bang in the center of Grasmere, it's great for coffee and a homemade pastry or flapjack (bars made with syrup, butter, and oats). Heidi's also offers a B&B experience in the six-room lodge.
Red Lion Sq., Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9SP, England
Known For
- Locally made products
- Delicious coffee
- Cozy breakfast spot
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Cumbrian ingredients are used to create authentic Spanish tapas in this charming little restaurant in the center of Penrith. There's an extensive tapas menu with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, but the best value option is to choose four specials for £20 (available Tuesdays through Thursdays as well as Sundays).
9 Queen St., Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7XF, England
Known For
- Cumbrian ingredients
- Traditional Spanish spirits and beers
- Affordable specialty menus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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This eatery has one of the best views in Bowness, thanks to its outdoor terrace overlooking the lake that is drenched in sunshine for much of the summer and has quite a party atmosphere. There's often live music and an extensive drink menu that includes signature cocktails, plus a tasty selection of sourdough pizzas, burgers, and shared plates.
Lake Rd., Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3DE, England
Known For
- Fantastic lake views
- Casual atmosphere
- Live music in summer
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With fabulous views over the rolling countryside of the Winster Valley to the east of Windermere, the Masons Arms is a slate-floored traditional old inn serving local ales and good pub food. Old mirrors and tankards decorate the walls, and there's a speciality gin list as well as a menu showcasing the best local ingredients. Favorite dishes include slow-cooked pork belly, Cartmel lamb with a rosemary and garlic mash, and a particularly good glazed ham hock to share. In winter there's an open log fire; in summer outdoor seating beckons. Five suites and two cottages provide stylish places to sleep, should you wish to stay.
Strawberry Bank, Windermere, Cumbria, LA11 6NW, England
Known For
- Locally farmed meats
- Housemade desserts
- Popular children's menu
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This unpretentious 17th-century inn in the pretty little village of Troutbeck is in a superb location. The menu showcases local ingredients and there's a traditional Sunday lunch with roasted meats and all the trimmings. The intimate dining rooms have oak beams, flagged floors, and log fires. If you want to stay overnight, the 10 ensuite guest rooms have splendid views, and the spot is well positioned for walks in the beautiful Troutbeck Valley. The Queen's Head is owned by Individual Inns, a small group of properties in the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.
Town Head, Troutbeck, Cumbria, LA23 1PW, England
Known For
- Historic building
- Plenty of cask ales
- Weekly fish-and-chips night
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Hidden away up a winding lane past the old mill waterwheel, homey Rattle Ghyll is a deservedly popular little café serving great housemade cakes, soups, sandwiches, and salads. The tasting plate of cakes is an especially good option. Local art hangs on the berry-red walls, and old exposed beams give the place extra atmosphere. It's child-friendly, with books to read, and there are seats outside above the stream for good weather. Head to their deli and shop for local produce, an eco-conscious refill station, and coffee from regional roasteries.
Rydal Rd., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9BS, England
Known For
- Housemade soups
- Tasting plates of cakes
- Outdoor seating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner
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Young locals and windblown walkers gather in Keswick's liveliest café for excellent coffee or tea, fruit-flavored cordials, and some serious hot chocolate. The music is laid-back; the staff is undeniably cool; the walls are hung with paintings and photos; and there are housemade pizzas, tapas, and pints of local beer for long rainy days or cold winter nights. Don't miss the decadent chocolate orange cake.
20 St. John's St., Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5AS, England
Known For
- Decadent chocolate orange cake
- Ethically sourced tea and coffee
- Live music on Wednesday evening
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The National Trust now owns other pubs, but Sticklebarn was the first. With its own water supply and hydroelectric power, the pub's aim is sustainability; the kitchen uses as much produce as possible from the immediate area and makes its own gin and vodka. Most of the menu is traditional pub fare—burgers, macaroni and cheese, and lamb stew, for example—aimed at the Langdale walkers who fill the rustic, wood-beamed dining room. Tables spill out onto the terrace in sunny weather. There's also a wood-fired pizza oven.
B5343, Great Langdale, Cumbria, LA22 9JU, England
Known For
- Real ales on tap
- Family friendly
- Wood-fired pizzas and other standard pub fare
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No dinner
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Chocolate rules at this old spot serving 16 chocolate drinks. You can choose among 300 kinds of chocolates in the shop, too. Aztec Experience hot chocolate blends five spices; the milk-chocolate truffle cake is scrumptious. Servers in period costumes also deliver traditional English fare such as potted shrimps.
54 Branthwaite Brow, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4TX, England
Known For
- Period costumed staff
- Traditional English desserts
- All things chocolate
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No dinner
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Situated in Keswick’s iconic Market Square, the Round is the starting point and finishing line for the Bob Graham Round, the most famous and grueling physical challenge in the Lake District. It's a vibrant restaurant and bar serving gourmet burgers with names inspired by the national park's peaks, such as Katsu Bells and Pullvellyn.
21 Main St., Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5BL, England
Known For
- Great burgers
- Hearty meals
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Situated in Ambleside’s old mill yard, the Tap Yard serves craft beers fresh from the tanks. It's a lively spot in the evenings, popular with locals as well as visitors, and there's a wide menu of wood-fired pizzas, gourmet burgers, and antipasti to share. Dogs are welcome, and there's a separate children's menu.
Rydal Rd., Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 9AN, England
Known For
- Laid-back atmosphere
- Great for families and dog-lovers
- Beer from local breweries
