Food and Drink in the Lake District and Cumbria

We’ll state it loud and clear: the Lake District, Cumbria has a food heritage with no equal anywhere in England. That’s right, without equal. The combination of locally sourced produce and culinary expertise has made eating out a truly outstanding experience – and if you like fine dining, we’ve eight Michelin stars to prove it.
 
That’s good going for England’s second-least populated county, which means there’s one star for roughly every 68,000 people. Now compare that to London, whose 8.1m residents have to squabble over 67 stars - that’s one for every 120,800 people.
 
We’re proud of the numbers, but the proof of our success is in the eating. And you don’t need to dine in a Michelin-starred restaurant to have a memorable meal. What could be better than taking an afternoon tea beside one of the many famous Lakes. A Lake District afternoon tea is the perfect way to spend an afternoon eating delicious food and drink in a choice of fabulous locations.

And then there's our local produce, which enriches virtually every menu – from freshly made potted shrimp overlooking the sea in West Cumbria to a plate of slowly roasted Herdwick Hogget and roast potatoes in a country pub at the foot of a fell – the perfect winter warmer.

Served at any time of the year is the undisputed king of all English sausage – the long, curled Cumberland sausage that is chopped rather than minced. It’s one of the famous Cumbrian foods so treasured round these parts that a butcher’s reputation is made on the quality of their stock.
 
Local produce is also the key to the success of our top-rated restaurants, which offer an unparalleled choice when it comes to luxury dining. By all means we urge you to try those restaurants that have earned Michelin recognition – Simon Rogan’s two restaurants in Cartmel - L'enclume and Rogan & Co, have three stars between them and a national reputation – but their success is a reflection of an exceptionally high standard established by most fine dining restaurants.
 
Cumbrian chocolate and cheeses are superb, but no list of local produce would be complete without mention of Cumbria’s trio of sweet treats, each a legend in their own right: sticky toffee pudding, first invented at Sharrow Bay on Ullswater and today perfected in Cartmel; the world-famous Kendal Mint Cake, which is favoured by mountaineers and fell walkers for its high sugar content; and Grasmere Gingerbread, first created by Sarah Nelson in 1854 and still sold in the same shop by her ancestors today. You can read more about famous food and drink to come from Cumbria in our blog.
 
Alongside our world-class food are some outstanding breweries and distilleries, which make the Lake District, Cumbria a haven for real ale lovers – after a walk in the fells there’s nothing quite like sinking a pint of refreshing ale literally yards from where it was brewed. And if you’re looking for something a little stronger, the Lake District is home to an award-winning distillery that produces its own brand of handcrafted whiskies, gins and vodkas.

With locally brewed ales and locally produced food galore, the Lake District, Cumbria has a wealth of delights to make any foodie happy. Take your taste buds on holiday, go on they deserve it! 

When it comes to family-friendly places to eat in the Lake District, then look no further - we have taken the hard work out of it and produced a list of perfect places with family dining in mind and if you are looking for places to take your dog along with you, check out our list of dog-friendly places to eat in the Lake District, Cumbria.

Nature’s pantry is available to all, whether you’re a beginner learning about foraging and bushcraft on a fungi foray or a Michelin-starred chef looking to enhance a dish with the flavours of the forest.