Sara's Bistro in South Lakeland

Best meal we had whilst staying in Grasmere. The restaurant was very busy but it was a Saturday night. Would definitely return!

We ate here for the first time last week, and the food was amazing and well priced for the decent portion sizes. We had the Seabass and Chicken which were both delicious. The staff were friendly and efficient too. Unfortunately they had completely run out of their famous cheesecake due to closing the next day for the winter, but that just means we'll have to return!

We found it to be very expensive for the portions size. The chicken didn't have enough sauce found it dry and the onion rings tasted of pure grease. The service was good, we preferred the food/ prices and the atmosphere in the old swan just a 5 minute walk away however this was just our preference. We wouldn't go back due to priced menu.

Staff were extremely welcoming and friendly. Starter was great, we got the cheesy garlic bread. Mains, we had the lamb and the sea bass. They were both really tasty however felt the portion sizes could have been a bit bigger for the price. The lamb was £27 and there wasn’t much too it. But enjoyed our evening, restaurant was full and there was a nice atmosphere.

Awesome food and awesome service. Great night and great atmosphere. Lovely evening. Very patient with a member of our group who had learning disabilities.

Ate here for dinner the last Saturday in September - very busy so need to book. Enjoyable meal and friendly service. Reasonably pricey, as is everywhere in Grasmere. I had the French onion soup and rack of lamb, both of which were very good indeed.

Visited for the first time and enjoyed the food very much. Friendly staff. It's a popular place so booking is recommended.

Great food at great value! Owner and all staff were lovely and welcoming. Best restaurant we've been to in Grasmere!!

Absolutely gorgeous place. The food was amazing, the staff were friendly and welcoming. Will definitely come back next time we’re in Grasmere.

Great place for a meal. Tables a little squashed in but that didn't ruin it. Good food at a good price. We were well looked after by good staff who were obviously happy in their work. Booking essential. It's not The Jumble Room but it's not trying to be. My pudding was amazing - an Eccles cake, heated through, with caramel sauce and ice cream - delicious.

Excellent food, highly recommend the scallops starter and sea bass main course, great staff and atmosphere.

Well we will never know what the food is like because we didn’t stay. It looked lovely from the outside and initially on entry. Then we were greeted with a decidedly unfriendly ‘welcome’. The woman who ‘greeted’ us was so reluctant to help that she couldn’t even smile or lift herself from leaning on the wall at the back of the bar. We were shown to a table by another hostile (though slightly less) member of staff. The tables were really close together and cramped, the atmosphere in the dining room so awkward and uncomfortable, we just had the feeling of impending dining disaster. And left! We had a lovely relaxed meal at the pub! I suggest that that if a business owner really doesn’t like running their business, then sell up. In this case to maybe do something that doesn’t involve dealing with people.

We have ate here a few times over the years and it remains a very good restaurant. Good quality ingredients cooked really well, enjoyable wine - which is reasonably priced and friendly efficient service.

I thought we were going for a pub meal. Think again. This is a smart, cosy restaurant serving excellent food. Everything was perfect from the moment we walked in. The pork belly starter just melted away . I've never tried a Lamb shank before and if they are always like this one, I'll be having more. It was delicious. The jus it was served in was divine. Plenty of nice desserts to go at, I went for an Eccles cake, which came with a treacle sauce and ice cream. OMG, lovely. Everyone else also thought the food was excellent. Very pleased we found this and will return next time we are in the area. Fabulous!

Lovely food, venue and excellent friendly staff. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting the area.

This is a must do In Grasmere . True chef preparing amazing Michelin quality food. Everything looked great. We had the scallop appetizer and onion soup both great. Dinner we chose the sea bass. I rarely eat the skin but this was truly amazing. I left nothing on the plate. We opted to stuff ourselves completely & ordered the cheese plate for dessert. OMG- happy food coma. Thank you Lewis’s 💕 Sorry I only took one photo of scallops

we went to lewis's bistro after a long, tiring day and had one of the best dining experiences ever. despite it being almost closing time, the team was lovely and accommodating. the host who seated us and took our orders was one of the sweetest people we have ever met. the food was delicious, especially the desserts. i would highly recommend the sticky toffee pudding and the cheesecake. i can't emphasise how amazing the service was, our host was extremely sweet. i would highly recommend dining at this restaurant when in grasmere for the lovely food and the lovelier people who run it!

We had an incredible dining experience at Lewis's. Despite arriving late, the host warmly accommodated us and never rushed our meal. The food was outstanding, with every dish packed with flavor. The desserts were the real highlight—absolutely top-notch. Would definitely recommend their sticky toffee pudding. Great service, amazing food, and unforgettable desserts. We'll definitely be back!

Lovely food and attentive service. Recomend the garlic mushroom starter.

Im so glad I found Lewis's bistro the staff are beyond professional and accommodating my partner wanted the vegan curry with meat (typical) and lewis and his team not only made a curry to shut her up but one so good she wanted the left overs and to google review about it just like the surf and turf to rave over.....Lewis's is a must if you're in Grasmere stop now book a table and thank lewis later

The best place to eat in Grasmere. The food, the service and the atmosphere was 10/10 . I wish this restaurant was local to my home I would be here every week! We had hummus and pitta bread to share as a starter delicious , we then both had steak with pepper sauce which was amazing . Thank you to everyone at Lewis’s Bistro for a wonderful night.

Front of house staff were very friendly and attentive, food was absolutely amazing, this is only our second visit but will definitely be back next time we’re in the area. A great experience due solely to a team who care passionately. Thank you. 10 stars 🌟

Lewis’s Bistro is a wonderful restaurant. The food is amazing, so delicious and freshly cooked. The atmosphere is great and the staff are friendly and professional. We will definitely be returning. Highly recommend.

Outstanding food, warm, relaxed atmosphere and brilliant service. Will return for sure as want to try more from the delicious menu. A real gem.

The best meal by far we had all week on our last night in Grasmere. It is dog friendly but make sure you tell them in advance as only 4 dogs allowed at a time in the restaurant - there was only one other dog in last night during our meal, a spaniel I think (Teddy is a cockapoo)…the other dog was a good distance away. If your dog is a bit grouchy with other dogs it might also be worth asking the staff to ensure the dog tables aren’t all bunched together (lots of dogs don’t like other dogs so close). Black labs are Teddys absolute nemesis!! Husband had the garlic mushrooms to start and surf and turf for main and I had the sea bass in tandoori butter. Even surpassed the lovely meal which I had declared the best meal ever on our first night at a different place. Husband thought his food was amazing too. I wasn’t feeling too well after a full week in the lakes with almost constant rain and wet waterproofs (no sulking around inside or being able to shop when you have a dog with you) so we didn’t get any wine or dessert as I needed to get back to rest, but it would have been nice to stay longer. Another tip - If your not keen on children being in when eating a nice meal and generally constantly climbing around and making noise the ‘late sitting’ time slots might be more suitable for you. Wish we had discovered the restaurant earlier in our trip (most other places only offering the usual - scamp/burger/pie etc). We will return for future visits to Grasmere.

A catalogue of serious mistakes: 1. Sea bass with 10 pieces of chilli 2. Packaging served up in the vegetables 3. Incorrectly trying to charge £103 instead of £62 4. Disrespect to the customer: "don't bother coming back" 1. What capable chef would put 10 slices of chilli with seeds in a fish dish? Sea bass has a delicate flavour which is absolutely destroyed by even one mouthful of chilli 2. Serving the vegetable cardboard packing "punch outs" with the vegetables shows a complete lack of care 3. Wrong charge: After a huge disagreement the offending Sea Bass dish was removed from the bill. Then trying to overcharge by £41 looks like a final attempt to penalise the customer. 4. "Don't come back" parting shot was completely unnecessary and shows total misunderstanding that the mistakes were the restaurant's fault. Any reputable restaurant would have removed the charge for the offending item without question and would have apologised profusely.

Fabulous food, wonderful welcome & service. Definitely recommend

Delicious food as always never disappointed when eating at this restaurant.

Lovely evening meal. Plenty of food which was well cooked. Lamb was excellent.

Fantastic food and the staff were excellent and very friendly.

Food was above average, not exceptional. However, it took an hour between appetizer and main course. We saw people that came in after served and left. When asked, no explanation or sense of urgency. Maybe not a place to go to if you don’t look upper class and white.

Great little gem in Grasmere. Delicious food, excellent service and great wine list

Food was amazing. We had the mushrooms and bread basket to start, then the chicken and pork belly for mains. Highly recommended. I advise to book as Grasmere did not have many options for dining on a Saturday night.

Came across this lovely little place whilst on holiday and would thoroughly recommend. Food was delicious and whilst the service was a little slow at times, everyone was very friendly so we didn't mind!

Beautiful family restaurant, serving great quality food and wine and we were made to feel so welcome with our 6mo. Highly recommend and would love to come back. Thank you for making our first evening meal out since becoming parents so wonderful and memorable!

Great restaurant so glad we visited on a couples weekend, after reading other people’s reviews. Good selection of dishes, lovely friendly staff

Not friendly waiters. Not welcoming.

Me and my husband visited Grasmere last week and came across this lovely little place and had a gorgeous meal. The food was top quality and the staff were very friendly and attentive. Will definitely be returning on our next trip to the beautiful Grasmere.

We had 3 courses 16th April 2024, the food is amazing, the service is fantastic, would definitely recommend.

Amazing food and excellent service with a warm ambience. Craig was fantastic, very attentive and courteous. 10/10.

we've always visited Lewis's for evening meals when staying in Grasmere. Always lovely food, nice atmosphere & good service.

Lovely food and great service - worth a visit.

I was really disappointed with the food last night. The steak was very small and not cooked how we asked for them to be, and the Chips we're like scraps, also other food was over salted. 10% service charge should not be added automatically, in my opinion. The fire exit door kept getting left open, so this kept making a couple of us cold. Also, dogs in a food environment for a nice meal on a night out is not for me, and i understand it is a walking area but for a nighttime meal. I do not agree with animals being around me and not being kept closer to their owners

Most over cooked food ever served

Had a delightful dinner at Lewis's. The food was superb ( rack of lamb, roasted belly pork, black pudding starters with creamy mushrooms, bakewell tart etc). Salt and pepper chips were to die for apparently. Excellent range of GF options. Lovely waiting staff. Very competitive price for the excellence of the food. Good portion sizes. Have holidayed in Grasmere for 15yrs now and this is our first ever visit. I wish we'd gone in before!!!. Thoroughly recommended.

We had a meal here on a cold wet night in November and enjoyed the fillet steaks which were served up, nice sauces in particular the one with red wine in it. We couldn’t fault the meal and service from a lovely lady with a good sense of humour. My only negative was that they allow dogs into what is a lovely restaurant with a nice atmosphere, on the night there was only one dog in which was no problem at all but it was pouring down outside and the smell of wet dogs is not very pleasant. We love dogs and have had dogs for over 25yrs but would never dream of expecting to take them in a lovely restaurant, there is one thing taking them in a pub for a snack but to take them in a dining room is a step too far for us. Whilst there was only one dog in when we were there on a wet Thursday night it doesn’t mean when we book in another time there isn’t 10 in? When you allow dogs in you have no control over the amount that come in. That’s the only thing that would put us off booking again for a special occasion as the place was delightful.

Great scallops and Sea Bass. Cheerful staff, just fitted us in despite not having booked so thank you very much.

Booked the day before so lucky to get a table. Excellent food. We enjoyed the atmosphere and friendly staff. Wine choices good as was the food. I have to say the roast belly pork was the best I have ever had, and I've had a few in my time. Would certainly return and highly recommend. Absolutely perfect!

Can't comment on food or atmosphere as only stayed a few minutes. Had a 6:30pm booking and arrived early - there were no other diners in. The door wouldn't shut behind me, so I said to a female member of staff that the door won't close properly. She said it did in an off-hand manner that I found offensive. Without a smile or a greeting she asked for my name, which further irked me - my basic requirement when eating out is a friendly welcome. She pointed to a table I didn't want as it was too close to another table. I asked for a table which was reasonably spaced from other tables, but she said that was reserved. To cut a sad story short, I told her she had an attitude, which she didn't appreciate. She told me I would have to leave if I carried on, but I said I was leaving anyway. How can you enjoy an evening at a restaurant when you are greeted in such an unwelcoming, unprofessional manner. We had a lovely meal elsewhere. The food at Lewis's may be wonderful, but I won't be returning to find out!

This place is lovely and would highly recommend, we where staying in grasemere for the weekend for our anniversary, we booked lewis Bistro for our anniversary meal, the place was small and booking is 100% needed, but lovely, staff are welcoming and friendly, the reason we chose this place was that they had plenty of gluten free options on the menu, the meals came quite quickly and where lovely, would highly recommend

The food here was simply incredible. The scallops were fantastic as was the pork, and my wife's vegetarian options of garlic mushrooms and salt & pepper tofu was also very good. The cheesecake just finished off a brilliant evening. The atmosphere was lovely as we arrived early and it slowly built throughout the evening. Very good value considering the quality

Excellent food. Prices not much more than most places in Grasmere but well worth the extra. Great service too.

Fantastic birthday meal. Fabulous food, great service, table of 9 (some with food allergies) all catered for beautifully.

We come to this restaurant every time we visit grasmere. The menu is extensive and the food is good. I’d love an ale on tap! (But they have bottles in the fridge). They are very popular. Booking required.

Went here for a meal during our honeymoon and the food was all absolutely phenomenal! Every element was cooked to perfection.

Delicious meal last night. Everything was great but loved the French onion soup. Both mains were delicious too and the sauces/gravy were outstanding…. Chef obviously knows their stuff! Shared sticky toffee pudding and also very yummy. Lovely service, friendly and attentive. It’s not cheap but it is good value five the quality and quantity. Highly recommend but ensure you book as it’s very busy.

We were informed that there were two sittings ,6pm and 8pm and we could have a table at 8-15. A table could be reserved for 1hour 45 minutes. When we arrived the place was packed out and some people arriving with us at 8-15 were told to go and have a walk and come back in 15 minutes. There is nowhere to wait inside . Admittedly we did get our table in the middle of the restaurant straight away and then were forgotten about. It was obvious that the place was overbooked and the two front of house staff could not cope to which they admitted later. Two tables who came after us were given menus and water within 5 minutes or so and we were still ignored. After 10 minutes we asked if we could have a bottle of wine while we were waiting and I must say that was brought promptly along with an apology for keeping us waiting. I am not an expert on the Restaurant business but I do know when a place has to many people booked in and there is not enough staff to cope. We finally got the menus and ordered . Our two main course meals were served after 9-00 but they had forgotten to bring our starters? The food was very good however Looking around ,and we had plenty of time to do so , it looked obvious that the people who booked in at 6-00 had had a great night out and looking at the smiling faces and nice comments made I am sure that they had. The experience was not the same for the guests at the 8-00 sitting. My advice is go to the early sitting. I am sure it could be a good night and you would receive a more attentive service if they were not as packed

We ate here on our previous stay in Grasmere and were keen to return as we'd enjoyed it so much. The food is quite exceptional and the service is very friendly and attentive, which makes for a lovely ambience all round. We had the black pudding and scallops starters followed by sea bass and rack of lamb, which were all beautifully cooked and presented. We were quite full, but managed to share a sticky toffee pudding dessert. Special mention to Libby, who was an absolute delight! We will definitely return if we stay in Grasmere again.

Fast service and brilliant food.

Food, atmosphere and service were all absolutely fantastic. We will definitely be back.

Very good food and charming staff!

Fabulous food, service staff were amazing and attentive. The lady who I presume was in charge was not good and I felt like she was doing me a favour letting me dine there. A smile, being polite to your customers and staff cost nothing these day. She was very abrupt when I came in and when I said how good her staff were as I was leaving she didn't really acknowledge me.

This must be our 10th or more experience and every one is 5/5. Food is always delicious and staff super attentive and serve with a smile. It is hard to maintain such high standards over time so bravo to Amanda & Darren. Our favourite place to eat on a trip to the lakes.

Visited on a Saturday evening for 8.15 service. Booked in advance as a result of recommendation by friends. Just as well as the sign on door said it was fully booked. We were shown to our table in the window, the best table in the house in our opinion. Both the staff who dealt with us, the one who showed us to our table and the one taking our order were friendly and professional despite the place being very busy. The wine was ordered and arrived quickly. We decided against starters; my partner had the surf and turf and I had the fillet steak with a peppercorn sauce. Both dishes were delicious and the steaks were tender and cooked exactly as we’d ordered. By the time we’d ate them we were full and couldn’t manage desserts. That was not a problem and the staff left us until we were ready to leave. The prices were on a par with what is charged locally and I had no complaints. Would certainly visit again

Loved our evening at Lewis’s. Delightful staff, especially Mel and her daughter. Food was Devine! Being a coeliac I was spoilt for choice, but so pleased I chose the Sea Bass with Tandori spiced potatoes, it was delightful. My partner had the pork belly which he said was simply delicious and cooked to perfection. Highly recommend a visit here if you’re in Grasmere. Thank you to all the staff, especially the chef!

Found by walking past and menu looked good so booked. Small Restaurant but with a big attitude. Staff were very welcoming and overall service just right. The local ale served was very good and the wine, French Rose, was one of the best my wife has had for some time. The Pork Belly serves on Mash was exceptional, very tender and packed with flavour. Dessert’s were varied and well priced. A little gem in Grasmere, so much so we booked again for the following evening

We enjoyed a lovely evening with excellent service and delicious food. Possibly the. Eat cheesecake I’ve ever tasted. Definitely would go back. Only thing I may alter is the tables as felt a little close to the couple’s at the side of us. Other than...

Delicious food ! Lovely presentation However on arrival we asked if it would be possible to move to a brighter table? We were told adamantly that all tables were booked and besides we were 15 mins late which was incorrect i have confirmation proof! Secondly...

From the moment we arrived we knew we’d booked a great place. From the lady who showed us our table, next to the window, to the lady who took our order, both friendly & professional. Drinks ordered & delivered quickly. The delicious food arrived not...

Friendly and efficient family run restaurant. A good choice of dishes. We can recommend the garlic mushroom, and the black pudding, starters and the cod loin and chicken mains were very good indeed. Prompt and cheerful service and a lovely atmosphere.

For a 'Melt in the mouth' Fillet Steak this is the place to Dine in Grasmere.

The sea bass in tandoori butter was beautiful + the Malbec + the cheeseboard. Very friendly and attentive staff, very relaxed, just what we wanted after a long walk in the hills. We will definately be back.

Before we visited we checked the ratings for all restaurants in Grasmere and decided to go with Lewis’s. The food was OK and the service was prompt, I feel the restaurant lacked atmosphere and I feel that it’s slightly rushed as they have two sittings. I had two pints of Peroni and speaking from previous bar experience the glasses wasn’t cleaned properly causing the beer to go flat really quickly. Upon paying our bill I was asked how was the meal, in which I responded it was OK, the lady in charge said “just ok ok? Not good” I think this was to change my opinion, I repeated myself and said the meal was ok. I think there is too many tables crammed in to a small area and I had to wipe the salt off our table and sat opposite three dogs that a couple had brought in whilst dining which I didn’t agree with. On the whole the experience was OK.

We ate here in Aug as a family. The booking process was easy and confirming our reservation was dealt with quickly. The restaurant is in a great location but on busy summer evenings when Grasmere is busy you may struggle to park, so allow more...

Fantastic food (Grasmere lamb; cod; fillet steak; Bury black pudding…) wine (a good Valpolicella) Lovely and really friendly service. Atmosphere marked down only because of the presence of an unbelievably and unashamedly racist family who had seemingly trained their child to stare at us (Brit [me] plus Japanese family friends and my Singaporean Chinese…) I had to stop snd check to make sure I wasn’t mistaken…but no, absolute ignorant and bigoted blonde mother and replicant AI daughter. Father scowling but didn’t have the guts to stare at me. I was speechless to witness such behaviour in this day and age…

What a lovely little find this bistro is. We both had scallops to start which were perfectly cooked. I had the tandoori sea bass….a subtle flavouring of the fish that works extremely well. Leave room for puds too as they are scrummy. Also, Amanda knows...

This place is a hidden gem - it was recommended to us by someone who works at The Inn at Grasmere. The food is outstanding, as is the service and dogs are allowed! We went twice in our short stay - hands down the best...

A wonderful evening and meal provided by Amanda and her team. We went for a friends birthday and they made us very welcome. The food was really really good, from the onion soup to the chicken supreme everything was fresh and great flavours. The evening...

Visited Lewis’s for my partners birthday meal with friends. Amanda (Fiona 😉) and the team made our visit fantastic from the very moment we stepped in the door. The food is divine, full of flavour with a great variety of choice on the menu. The...

Would have liked to have been greeted at the door on entrance not called from behind the bar...we were served by a very nice young girl, her first day, well done. Started was lovely, scallops, and mushrooms, followed immediately by our main course, very rushed....main...

Great atmosphere, really welcoming staff. Our food for the most part was delicious and really flavourful - the salt and pepper prawns were absolutely amazing! The only reason it wasn’t five stars is that our veg was a bit over cooked on the main courses...

Food was fabulous but the lady owner Fiona needs training in how to give service. When speaking to your staff they come across as if they are frightened to give feedback to you ! Not sure where to begin as we were very close to...

We arrived on spec and the manager happily fitted us in at short notice on what was obviously going to be a busy night. I had the steak which was cooked exactly as I asked for it. Really enjoyed the food. My wife had the...

OMG, the food here is amazing and the service was awesome! Highly recommended (especially the pork belly and the lamb)

Went last week food was good service was ok, tables were really close together, too close for comfort. Alcohol and food were overpriced, we ate in the hotel one night and food and drink was just as good in our hotel and overall better priced....

Excellent food, good sized potions good value, including the wine. Tables not too close together, great atmosphere and friendly service. What more do you need.

The food was good and the service was quick but not particularly friendly. The tables were too close together for our liking, I know the place is small but we felt the people on the tables on either side of us were far too close...

Regular visitor to Grasmere and this would be the second occasion my wife and I have dined at Lewis’s. On this occasion we only wanted a main course and there was certainly an extensive choice on the menu. I decided on the sea bass and...

Excellent food, well prepared and ok prices (would not say it’s the cheapest ). Friendly service.

Was really disappointed at our experience at Lewis Bistro. I agree with a lot of the comments, we were thrown our mains when literally just finishing the starter, olives and bread with more bead. The mains were over priced and very tasteless. I was so looking forward to the “bean stew with vegan chorizo” only to find it was a massive bowl of beans in a tin of chopped tomatoes with 3 pieces of quorn pepperoni. Not chorizo. Even as a vegetarian I know the difference between pepperoni and chorizo. No taste whatsoever and at £17 was clearly very very very overpriced. It was clear the chef and his partner was just desperate to leave the restaurant as fast as possible, whilst people were still trying to eat, making their way through the restaurant to leave as fast as they could. Definitely would not recommend or return.

When the owner saw us outside before they opened booking a table online she came out and invited us in to confirm our booking. Busy evening but quick service. Fantastic French onion soup, large portion of olives with good bread. The pork belly was superb...

I had really high hopes for this restaurant, they greeted us nicely, welcomed our dog and offered us the menu and drinks straight away. My starter was fabulous, I had the scallops, the samphire gave the dish a very salty flavour, which I loved. The...

Lovely food and experience. They managed a group of 10 admirably. We had the sea bass, lamb and chicken followed by Bakewell tart, sticky toffee and Eccles cake. All delicious. Very attentive service. Need to book and Highly recommend! Thank you for a lovely evening.

Absolutely fabulous meal and wouldn't hesitate to recommend, although strongly suggest you book as it is rightly very popular. Great food, piping hot and large portions. For starters we had a king prawn dish and a scallop one, main courses we had one lamb and...

Just perfect 5* from us. Garlic bread the best we’ve ever tasted. Fillet Steak was super tasty and tender, cooked just right. Puddings were good too. Very good value considering the quality of ingredients and the cooking. Can’t fault the place. Advised to book, you’ll...

Excellent food and great atmosphere. Good choice of wine and beer. Great service and menu , booking is probably essential especially at weekends.

Best meal of our holiday! We are staying in a hotel with a good restaurant, but fancied a change of scene and Lewis’s didn’t disappoint. The food was delicious and perfectly cooked. I had the salt & pepper king prawns to start - they were...

What a find, food here was fantastic, excellent menu wonderfully presented, very good atmosphere, friendly helpful staff. Definitely have to book in advance as you would expect for a small restaurant of this calibre. We will definitely go back again next time we are in...

Had a fantastic meal here. Was a great atmosphere, the food was beautiful - scallops and prawns to start, rack of ribs and cod for mains, and then we found room for dessert too. Wine menu was pretty impressive too. Service was great, and was...

We had a good night out here with family. The menu is varied, the food good and the quantities ample. Service was good as was the atmosphere in the restaurant.