Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Cumbria

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for the best overall restaurants in Cumbria? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Number 11 Market Place

4.9

4.9 (1050)

£25 and under

Tex-Mex

Whitehaven

About the restaurant

Welcome to Number 11 restaurant and bar,
You will be treated to delicious locally sourced home cooked food in a relaxed and chilled setting where you can wash down your food with a fantastic choice of wines (including our own Number 11 label wine), locally brewed beers and hand crafted cocktails.
Huge range of Gluten Free options and we are always more than happy to cater for all dietary requirements.

Top review

Lesley

Dined 7 days ago

Beautiful food as always. A real treat to eat here

Greenhead Hotel

4.8

4.8 (312)

£25 and under

British

Carlisle

About the restaurant

The Greenhead Hotel was taken over in June 2020 by local proprietor Jordan Dodwell & his partner Anna Pearson. After a complete refurb they opened the doors on the 14th August 2020.

Head Chef, Dan, & his young, eager team use the finest ingredients available using local butchers, suppliers and even forage in the nearby woodland. During the shooting season we source game from the local shoot which features on our specials board.

Situated on the Northumberland and Cumbrian border, with Hadrian's wall on our doorstep, the hotel offers a cosy drinking area with locally sourced ale, a chic restaurant serving homemade classic pub food with a modern twist and 7 newly refurbished dog friendly en-suite guest bedrooms, alongside a 45 bed Hostel, providing the perfect base for your trip.

Top review

Caroline

Dined 2 days ago

This is a first class restaurant, everything we had was perfectly cooked and presented and tasted delicious. I’m sorry we were only staying one night, but I’d definitely come again when next in Northumberland.

Crooklands Hotel - the restaurant

4.7

4.7 (757)

£25 and under

British

Kendal

About the restaurant

The Restaurant
Our main restaurant is modern with a lantern light ceiling which allows in plenty of natural light to flood in. A great piece of real architectural design. The restaurant boast some wonderful bespoke ironwork along with a vintage industrial feel . This restaurant offers a modern ambiance an ideal place to catch up with family and friends and enjoy our mouthwatering local dishes.

The Inn
The Inn is full of old world charm with little hidden nucks for dining. This restaurant is full of character and is used at lunch times primarily, but in the evenings, it offers a cosy ambiance lit by candle light ideal for a more casual approach to dining.

The Inn also offers an afternoon tea which is simply divine. Served between 2pm-5pm by prior bookings only.

The Bar and Snug is a relaxed and super cosy space sticking with the old charm of the Inn which this part of the building offers. It has an impressive wood burning stove and is dog friendly.

Top review

David

Dined on Sep 4, 2024

Was recommended to eat at Crooklands and am so pleased we did. My wife and I had a great meal, excellent service and quality of food was second to none. We’ll be visiting again when in the Lake District

The Cavendish Arms

4.6

4.6 (1846)

£26 to £40

British

Grange-Over-Sands

About the restaurant

Please note we cannot guarantee specific tables when booking on line or at busy times.

The Cavendish Arms is a 450 year old Coaching inn set in the heart of Cartmel. With Simon Rogan and his famous Lenclume restaurant we have some very high standards to maintain. Our food is fresh and sourced locally to ensure the freshest ingredients are on your plate at all times. Our menu changes often and is always being developed by our very talented Head Chef and his team. Along with a great food offering, we are challenging boundaries with our selection of 25 gins, 10 whiskeys and many more superior sprits, we always try to have an alternative rather than using main stream brands behind the bar, ensuring our guests receive the best possible value for money we can provide whilst experiencing a better than expected product. In short our aim is to make sure you leave having had a memorable time and be wearing a huge smile.

Top review

Kerry

Dined 5 days ago

Really lovely experiences here. We visited for 3 meals over one weekend! We look forward to our next visit to Cartmel and the Cavendish Arms.

Avanti

4.6

4.6 (263)

£25 and under

Mediterranean

Kirkby Lonsdale

About the restaurant

Our casual restaurant and bar focuses on authentic dishes from our favourite regions of Spain, Italy and Portugal. We hunt out only the finest quality ingredients and serve them in the same way the locals would in the regions they originate. We believe in letting the quality of the ingredients shine through by trying to keep things as uncomplicated as possible. We are a dog friendly restaurant in our garden and downstairs bar area. Please ensure you mention if you are bringing a dog as we will ensure the correct area is allocated. Thank you for your understanding.

We are now open on Mondays, serving our homemade stone baked pizza during lunch and in the evening.

Full menu available Tuesday to Sunday during lunch and in the evening.

Our suppliers are amongst the very best in the UK, importing regional delicacies used by the finest restaurants in the UK. Our fish, seafood, fruit and vegetables are all delivered fresh each day from local suppliers.

Top review

William

Dined 5 days ago

Another enjoyable meal spoiled by a quartet of diners who did not seem able to talk at a normal level so we had a problem hearing each other. The staff were pleasant though which helped.

The Ivy House Restaurant

4.5

4.5 (630)

£25 and under

British

Keswick

About the restaurant

Located in the centre of Braithwaite village, within the Holiday Property Bond Hotel, Ivy House Restaurant offers its guests contemporary Cumbrian classics, in a breathtaking Lake District setting. From succulent Cumbrian classics to modern European delicacies – the team have designed their daily changing menu to delight and inspire. Just 2 and a half miles from Keswick and 10 minutes from Bassenthwaite Lake- the elegant restaurant and peaceful village of Braithwaite, is the perfect location for a relaxing evening meal out, after a exhilarating day in the Lakeland Fells.

Top review

Alice

Dined 3 days ago

We had a perfect dining experience. The staff were lovely and made us feel very welcome. The food was excellent.

Plough Inn Wreay

4.7

4.7 (297)

£26 to £40

Pub

Carlisle

About the restaurant

A country pub in the picturesque village of Wreay near Carlisle

Top review

Ellavip

Dined 7 days ago

Enjoyed a fabulous evening meal at the Plough Inn in Wreay - my husband had the steak pie which was packed full of very good steak and I had the creamy mushroom pasta which was delicious. Lovely pub and dog friendly too!

TJ’S

4.3

4.3 (539)

£26 to £40

Home cooking

Penrith

About the restaurant

Welcome to TJ's Bar and Restaurant.

We are located at Parkfoot Holiday Park by the shore of Ullswater Lake, a short walk from Pooley Bridge.
We serve fresh home cooked food, burgers and steak from the grill and also have a busy takeaway service serving homemade pizzas and other tasty alternatives.

Please Note

We only reserve our restaurant dining area, the bar area is a first come basis and will not be reserved for entertainment.

We operate on a card only basis, cash will not be accepted. Food and drink from the Restaurant is ordered separately.

Top review

Brian

Dined on Aug 30, 2024

Love it here! Great staff and lively food ! Really nice atmosphere

Merienda

4.6

4.6 (377)

£25 and under

British

Keswick

About the restaurant

Keswick is one of the most scenic parts of the Lake District – which in itself is up there with the most scenic parts of the United Kingdom – and in the very heart of the town, you can find Merienda on the Main Street, whose food is about as beautiful as the surroundings. We offer wholesome, uncomplicated food in a homely ambience, and you can enjoy it any time of day, from a quality morning pick-me-up (We are serious about coffee and use quality Merienda's exclusive espresso blend from Darkhouse Coffee Roasters, Keswick) and hearty breakfast, to a range of delicious cakes and filling sandwiches, to a scintillating evening dinner menu accompanied by a range of fine wines and quality beers. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the focus of a menu filled with British classics and dishes inspired from around the world – reserve a table and head on down.

Top review

Kay

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent food and service once again I had the seabass & hubby had the beef tacos- absolutely delicious. Can't wait to return.

The Cross Keys Inn

4.3

4.3 (270)

£25 and under

British

Penrith

About the restaurant

Welcome to The Cross Keys Inn, we look forward to serving you!

Top review

Tonia

Dined 6 days ago

My husband got the pie which is normally nice, however he left most of it and said it was dry no flavour and the chips were soaked in fat, Our last visit he tried the pasta dish which was awful , it was like milk poured over pasta not flavour at all I don't think we will return for food However the service is great and the drinks are good

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