Fine Dining for Your Festive Lake District Getaway
The picturesque, mountainous area in Northwest England known as the Lake District encompasses the counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire, and is a popular draw for tourism the year round. Perhaps because of this popularity, the Lake District has been dubbed one of the most popular places to eat in Britain. In addition to a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants, the Lakes (as the region is locally referred to) also boasts many more restaurants that hold AA Rosettes. This festive season, if you are planning a luxury estate getaway to the Lake District, a visit to one of these fine dining establishments is a great way to set the tone for your holiday celebration. But visitors to the area be warned, the demand for a table at some of these establishments is at its highest during the festive season, so you need to get your reservations in early!
Below are three of the most popular and renowned restaurants in the Lake District. For more information or to determine how far any of these fine dining establishments are from the area where you will be enjoying your luxury retreat, visit the websites for the individual restaurants.
L’Enclume: Cartmel, Cumbria
Situated in the ancient village of Cartmel, L’Enclume is the brainchild of Chef Simon Rogan. Rogan is a well-respected British chef whose specialty is pairing his advanced technical ability and classical training and combining it with a love of nature and the inspiration of his surroundings. L’Enclume holds a 10 out of 10 rating in the Good Food Guide, and is the number 1 ranked restaurant in Britain. What is perhaps most unique about the L:’Enclume experience is that there is no set menu for the restaurant. Because L’Enclume prides itself in using only the freshest of locally available ingredients, availability varies wildly, and therefore the kitchen remains free to express themselves. Dishes that are served to each individual table may share a common ingredient or ethos, but will vary considerably.
Holbeck Ghyll, near Windermere
Led by Head chef David McLaughlin, Holbeck Ghyll has held on to its Michelin star for the last 13 years. The goal that McLaughlin and his team have is to create an unfussy plate of food that is made up of bold, wholesome flavours that have been created with a bit of a creative and modern twist. Also of note, the portion sizes at Holbeck Ghyll are of healthy proportion. The restaurant takes into consideration that a lot of the guests that come for dinner are doing so after a long day walking, climbing or just simply sightseeing in the picturesque Lake District Fells and have worked up quite an appetite!
Drunken Duck Inn, between Coniston and Hawkshead
This first and, arguably best gastropub in the Lake District is situated atop a hilltop and surrounded by rustic antiques in a beautiful setting. The menu is classically British, with a bevy of fine ales to choose from, all produced under one roof; the Inn also boasts an in-house brewery called the Barngates Brewery. Inn does both lunch and dinner, although no reservations are taken for lunchtime meals. Book early, this is a popular venue and tables are often gone weeks in advance for dinner.
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