The Outgate Inn in South Lakeland

We visited the Outgate Inn in Ambleside twice this week during our holiday with the kids, and we couldn't have been happier with the experience. The food is fantastic—especially the homemade burgers and wood-fired pizzas, which were a hit with the whole family. We were lucky enough to try the homemade chicken and leek pie as well, and it was delicious. Highly recommended! The beer is clearly well looked after, and the atmosphere is lovely and cozy, particularly with the log burner adding to the warmth. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming, making us feel right at home. There’s plenty to keep the kids entertained, from dominoes to activity sheets, and even treats for our four-legged friends! The locals are equally welcoming, and it was nice to chat with them about life in the area. All in all, we had such a wonderful time here and can’t wait to visit again. Wishing you all the best!

If you’re staying in Outgate or just passing call in and support your local. It was great to see the Outgate open again after a short break. The food is really good, the Sunday lunch was really ‘home cooked’ and if you’re have the lunch you must have the cauliflower cheese. Wednesday is burger night and the chicken burgers are excellent. The chef does some wonderful specials but if you just fancy really good pub food the pie, the sausages and the fish and chips can’t be beaten. Really attentive and friendly service rounds it all off.

Very friendly staff, excellent food for choice and quality. Cosy pub inside, huge garden for summer. Nice log stove and comfy seats. Very reasonable prices . 16.95 for huge Sunday roast. Sirloin steak skewer 19:95.

We had been looking for a pub that served food late afternoon in the area as many appeared not to do so. This one was and we were so glad it was! Made to feel very welcome, the food was superb, Cumberland sausage and mash with nicely cooked vegetables followed by sticky toffee pudding. Good, wholesome food, eaten by the fire. Doesn't get better than that! Thank you.

Not made to feel at all welcome, so much so we didn’t bother staying to try the food. Great pub if want a football match blast out at you☹️

Had the fish and chips cooked to perfection, we had the small portion it was more than enough and value for money , staff were excellent

Friendly staff and enjoyed the fish and chips ! Good luck to the new owners/tenants - nice to see the facilities were really clean too - always a good sign !

Please visit this place. Nicola and Jamie have just taken over with Mel in the kitchen and it is just fantastic. Stop off for food and/or a drink.

We arrived in the lakes yesterday (August 31st) and wanted some lunch and found the Outgate Inn. We were greeted by the loveliest landlord and lady Nicola and Jamie and got talking. Turns out the pub has only recently reopened (no less than a week ago) We honestly could not find a negative so much so we rebooked for our Sunday roast today 💜 Food 10/10, Pub 10/10 and the staff could not be friendlier would 1000% recommend to all Thank you both so much, and all the best with the pub Amy & Matt

Lovely local pub was staying 200 mtrs away in a cottage small menu but delicious pub grub. Think it’s recently re opened very welcoming deserves to succeed.

Stopped in for a Sunday roast and was very happy I did. Excellent food in a warm, friendly, traditional English Inn. Prices were very reasonable and the service was great. Very relaxed atmosphere, muddy boots and dogs are welcome! Great selection of beers and ales, if you are close by I highly recommend a visit. You.wont regret it. Particularly enjoyed learning about the history of the place, which you will find out about if you visit and have a look at the picture up on the wall as you enter the bar.

We turned up without a booking but the staff were very accommodating and managed to fit us in. Nice pub atmosphere with good food.

I had the best Korean Cauliflower dish here tonight that I have ever had. Superb chef & wonderful friendly staff. Will be back for definate.

I could have had a better veggie meal at McDonald’s for a quarter of the price - would not recommend sorry

WOW! Visited The Outgate Inn on the off chance of an evening meal on the last day of our holiday. Although busy they managed to accommodate us. Not only was the food tasty and good, but the service was excellent. Will definitely go back again.

We pre-booked our table and arrived after a long day’s walk, we were given a choice of two tables, neither were anything special and both were by the door so it was a little chilly. The staff were pleasant but once the food arrived no one asked if it was okay. We had the scampi which was fine and the chilli con carnie which sadly wasn’t great, it was just lukewarm and quite bland.

I've been coming to the Lake District every couple of months for over 4 years and this was my first time eating at the Outgate Inn. It was so good, I immediately booked for the next night. The staff are efficient and really helpful. The food was excellent and the overall experience was the best I have had in this part of the world. I can recommend the pasta dish, the burger and the fish and chips. My only regret ? Why did it take me so long to try it ! I'm coming back in July and already looking forward to it. Many thanks to Rita and the team.

We have a holiday home in Hawkshead and visit often though with may pubs and restaurants in the Lakes suffering from shortages of staff as a result of Covid/Brexit, it can be hard finding a place to eat at short notice. Alex however, always does his best to accommodate us and gives a very warm welcome. The food is hearty pub grub style with the occasional Asian dish added to the menu too. Home made pizzas are good and the kids portions are generous. There is a big garden at the back with bands often playing.

Nirgendwo bekamen wir noch etwas zu essen. Hier wurden wir gerettet, sehr lieb und voller Verständnis. Das Personal war sehr freundlich, das Essen war gut. Zwei Tage später waren wir nochmal da und haben draußen gesessen. Das war auch angenehm, allerdings haben uns die lauten Geräusche der Klimaanlage etwas gestört. Viele Sorten Ale stehen zur Auswahl!!

Lovely lunch in the garden served by very obliging waiting staff. Good lunchtime menu selection of pub favourites and nice range of beers.

Great staff great food & great beer spot on would book a table in advance gets busy Also great beer garden with tv outside ace for summer

We called for lunch during an 8 mile hike so we were hungry & thirsty. The staff greeted us very pleasantly & pulled perfect pints of cask ale, which we enjoyed in the large beer garden, where there is a tv showing sky sports live football. We all chose pizzas with a side of fries & they were excellent.

Booked a table at late notice for lunch, friendly on phone and when we arrived, Lovely olf building and great pub. Food was simple and perfect.

Camping close by.Came late on Sunday and even though really busy the staff were great. Came at the end of service and staff were happy to alter menu for me (Veggie) and son who has autism and wanted sausage with his kids meal. Really good food,nice pint and great service

Great Sunday lunch. Staff nice and helpful . Made our walk . Would recommend to anyone. Will be back.

Such a lovely welcome, nice and warm for March. Lovely menu and absolutely yummy food. Highly recommended:). Nice choice of drink options too.

Very Good Fish & Chips. The batter on the fish was a good 8.5/10. It's a big portion. The chips were good, but could have been done for a bit longer. Service was excellent. They have sports on TV, although I emailed in advance to...

A nice country pub with quality food and good service. The staff were friendly and polite and helpful.

Stopped by on our walk from wray castle to hawkshead. Nice beer garden put the back. It was a lovely sunny day. Nice selection of beers. We will come back for food

Very friendly pub. Welcomes “muddy boots & dogs.” Enjoyed their fish and chips. Nice ambiance and a good pint.

Another return visit to this village pub. Friendly service and lovely tasty food to welcome the first day of the New Year.

Had ours works Christmas meal at the Outgate Inn with a few other businesses, the service and food were absolutely top notch. Could not fault anything. Good Craic and would highly recommend a visit to this excellent pub

Fantastic sunday roast with friends. Great live music. Booked last minute, a hidden gem, with friendly and helpful staff. A lovely short walk from our lovely cottage in Hawkshead. Dog Friendly pub. Excellent portion size and delicious home cooked food. The second time I have...

Fantastic food menu, can highly recommend the fish and chips. The sticky toffee pudding is a must, finished with an Irish coffee. Very friendly staff who made my dog feel at home.

Looked at the lunch menu online and it had some interesting dishes but when we arrived, it was just basic pub food. At the very least they need to update the online menu

We loved the Outgate Inn, it isn't always easy to cater for gluten free and children but they were very welcoming of both. For mains there were plenty of choice for gluten free - I had the lamp shoulder which was delicious; the chicken burger...

Lovely little find. When you can’t decide what to order because the menu has such great selection, 10/10 chef, love it! Seafood chowder to die for, packed with flavour and gorgeous mussels. Delightfully cheesy toastie and great fish and chips. We’ll definitely be recommending! Great...

Only been here once but got a warm welcome, and the lamb Henry was the best we've ever eaten. Must come again when we are back this way.

Pros: * Excellent service * decent selection of really good beer * Top quality starters (mushroom soup & mozzarella and beef tomato) * I enjoyed my lamb shoulder but felt something was missing Cons: * The steak and ale pie could have done with more...

What a find! This was a highlight of our visit to the Lake District. The staff are really friendly and go out of their way to ensure you are ok. The food was excellent, so much so we visited twice and in both occasions wanted...

A warm welcome , clean and efficient environment , and excellent meal. A pleasant surprise as so few places to eat in the area.

Whilst on holiday we visited this pub numerous times and it never failed to disappoint. Super friendly and helpful staff, great food and very dog friendly. A great atmosphere all round - couldn’t have wished for better. Highly recommend.

We visited the Outgate fri 9th Sept for an early dinner after a full day of walking with friends. Very welcoming, friendly and superb food & service. Not only did the staff make this a lovely visit but the other guests & locals coming in...

Booked in at the last minute, table ready for us on arrival 10 mins later. Very warmly welcomed children and dog. Food and drink excellent. Best meal of our holiday in the lake.

We decided on a "first pub we see, we'll stop" drive round the back lanes of Windermere and boy, we were lucky to happen across the Outgate Inn. Many tables were reserved from 7pm onwards but we were slotted in at 6pm without any fuss....

Visited Tuesday lunchtime with my son and we both enjoyed very nice fish & chips. The beer batter was light and crispy and filled with lovely big white flakes of fish and the triple cooked chips were chunky, light and soooo tasty. Accompanied with homemade...

Had a lovely meal in this friendly pub. I can’t fault the service or the food. Welcoming dogs, kids and muddy boots I think says it all!

Superb food, service and drinks sums up our two visits here this weekend. The landlord and his staff are fantastic and will do what they can to make you happy as standard!

En pub midt i en sving,men god parkeringsplass på andre siden av veien. Da vi kom var det en del...

We were staying near by and had booked a table here. The car park is over the road from the pub and is quite small so at really busy times parking could be an issue. The place was quite busy. For drinks we had a...

Sunday lunch and no booking but we were happily seated. Hubby had fish n chips which he really enjoyed and I had falafel burger n chips, which was OK. Service was good but it’s expensive for pub grub so I don’t think we’d return if...

Friendly and pleasant pub with efficient service. Menu was limited and food fairly basic, but tasty and reasonably priced.

Spent a few hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the garden of the Outgate Inn, between Ambleside and Hawkeshead. Friendly service with great food - we had the fajitas - served in the garden with plenty of shade. Easy to drive by - but...

Ample portions at a good price. Staff were friendly and helpful. The restaurant was airy and there was plenty of room.

This is a lovely family pub, we called in without booking and our family of 4 plus dog were welcomed very warmly. Both the service and the food were lovely and we will definitely visit again when in the Lake District

Lovely pub! Warm welcome from all, great beers. Food was excellent, obviously freshly cooked by someone who enjoys food. Everything was very clean. Would definitely return. Thank you!

Very satisfactory Sunday lunch with great beer and lovely friendly staff. Slightly weird TV screen on the wall showing videos of plants, birds, fish and other animals. Felt like a computer screen saver. But at least it wasn’t in our line of sight.

Lovely family pub/restaurant, very quaint. Food was delicious, four of us ordered different things and we all enjoyed what we had. Staff are very friendly.

Stayed nearby and visited this pub twice, the first time for drinks sitting near to the bar, enjoying lakeland views out the window and even some games of darts, rare in pubs nowadays. The staff were fabulous, friendly and chatty, which really made the visit....

Our B&B hosts booked us a table at the Outgate for Sunday dinner on a very busy weekend. Even though they were very busy when we arrived, the welcome was warm, the beer and wine were lovely and the food was fabulous! We'll be back...

The staff here could not have been any better! I have coeliac disease and eating out is a pretty scary deal for us gluten free’ers and small village pubs don’t usually have much to offer but we called ahead and the chef told us to...

We first went to this pub for food during the pandemic - when pub licensees were complaining about having to operate table service. So when we called in again in May 2022 for a drink, we were hoping to find a traditional, country Lakeland pub....

Having been to my daughters wedding in Ambleside decided to stop over and looked for a highly recommend country pub But boy were we disappointed!!!! Having gone by taxi to what was reviewed as a nice place my first impression was of it not being...

Inside is a typical country pub, friendly manager, limited menu but we ate an excellent Cumberland sausage sandwich and scampi with chips, good Cumbria beer, We will return next year.

Outgate Inn seems to be suffering with much of the hospitality industry in the Lake District with insufficient staff. The menu was a cut down version of the one on the website but our food - gammon steak and scampi, was fine. The lady working...

The last few reviews of this place seem harsh to me. We went on a long walk from Hawkshead and ended up here for lunch. It was perfect, proper old school decor which is rare now. The food was brilliant, we all had sandwiches and...

We stumbled across this place while walking back to Low Ray from Hawkshead, we had a couple of ciders and then ordered a couple of pizzas, sadly these were probably the blandest pizzas we've ever had, I don't think I've ever experienced such a tasteless...

Menu very limited on night we went . gammon , fish and chips, falafel and burger. Plus pizzas. Fish and chips £15 .. all pizzas over £11 . Not inspiring at all so left after first drink. All doors were open and everyone complaining that...

Had been encouraged to book this place by the positive reviews here. Sadly, they were having a really busy night and the table we'd booked several days earlier wasn't available. We'd have happily forgiven them had someone apologised, but it was brusquely suggested we get...

Cosy, traditional pub with delicious food available. Great beer garden with far reaching views. Good atmosphere.

Enjoyed fab meal here! The Mussels were delicious, as was the burger, and the Cumberland sausage and mash. Beer was good too! Friendly atmosphere and lovely staff! Can’t wait to come back ! Thank you 👍😊

Attended the restaurant with my family on Saturday evening to celebrate my daughter’s engagement following a recommendation. Before we booked our table we checked that the restaurant was dog friendly and made the assumption the whole restaurant was!Unfortunately, when we arrived, the dog section was...

Ok . I’m guilty, for years I’ve driven past, and never called in . Tragedy ! I brought my Uncle who has limited mobility here today, to warm up after the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Grisedale. Primarily , because there is no walking or access...

Popped in here and had a lovely Sunday Dinner. Service was friendly and there was A good atmosphere in the pub. See you again soon.

Korean cauliflower with pickled carrot & cucumber!! wow delicious! probably our 20th time eating at the outgate.. the chef and waitresses are amazing! never had a bad meal and service is always outstanding!! Sunday dinner lovely! I can see this becoming our new weekly place...

Attended here with full family for mothers 60th. The staff were nice and beer selection was good. The food was expensive. Alot of the party had garlic bread for starters which was £10 and the pizzas £13 and they were probably the size of an...

We went for a meal this evening we arrived at 18:45 and the meal took a long time to arrive. The quality of the food was very good and we all enjoyed it. Definitely worth the wait. Nice pub friendly service and dog friendly

New owners doing a fantastic job. Great menu, food really good, service attentive and fantastic atmosphere. Dog friendly local pub at its best and good value for money. Well worth the drive

Been to this great inn on New Years Eve and New Years Day. Great food, really cannot fault it and great service too. Will most definitely be back. Highly recommended.

A great place for a drink & lunch. We had lunch yesterday and it was delicious. Friendly pub, great food and you are guaranteed a good pint too. If you are in the area it’s definitely worth a visit.

Stopped off for a pint and really glad we did. The lady behind the bar was so amazingly friendly and accommodating and made us, the in laws and our labradoodle very welcome. It’s a beautifully untouched rural lakes pub. We didn’t eat but the menu...

Are here with my partner a couple of months ago and it was great.. superb burger in snuff gastro pub and nice accompanying wine.. great staff who were very appreciative of us phoning the next day when we’d realised we hadn’t paid.. (you pre pay...

My wife and I with our West Highland Terrier, visited the Outgate Inn for lunch after finding the three pubs in Hawkshead wasn't serving food. We where made to feel welcome from when entered the pub to when we left, the food was very nice...

We arrived here after an extremely wet walk round Tarn Hows, to find a fire welcoming us. We had great service from friendly staff, the beer and wine were excellent and the toasted paninis with fries were spot on. Perfect Lakeland pub!

staying in hawkhead no where to go at night we went here [ 4 mins drive from village]staff were fab and food was lovely and a open fire excellent. car park opposite

we gave the outgate a go after meeting the boss on the car ferry to Bowness. We knew there was a limited menu due to staff shortages but pizzas were all we wanted. The service was fine , drinks reasonably priced but the pizzas were too expensive by £2 at least. £60+ for pizzas and a round of drinks is a bit steep.

After a rather challenging walk up Old Man of Coniston the day before my husband and I decided to walk from Hawkshead to the Outgate Inn for lunch as an easier option plus we’d not found it easy to get food all week anywhere but had noticed food was being served here a few days before. The staff were friendly enough but the food was a let down to say the least and for what they charged was a disgrace! Extremely limited menu. I had chicken, mozzarella, pesto and rocket panini with fries which was ok but for the £12 price tag was shocking, my husband had scampi and chips which said £13 on menu but on later looking at the bill we’d been charged £14. It was a tiny portion and what I can only describe as an embarrassing offering. We watched as we sat outside people pulling upIn their cars obviously wanting food which we knew they wouldn’t get as they had stopped serving thinking they’d had a lucky escape and saved a fortune. I would NOT recommend eating here at the moment but maybe it’s due to the fact they don’t have a chef like many other places in the Lake District presently?? Or at least a qualified one!

Like many people we found it very hard to find somewhere to eat. After driving past it several times we thought we’d give Outgates a go. We called and were told they do serve food but last orders are 7.45pm and they have a smaller menu than usual. All absolutely fine with us. We had delicious homemade pizzas and a fantastic burger. Lots of parking and friendly helpful staff. My only teeny complaint was the chips had a lot of salt on them but then I guess it kept us drinking!

We came here for a drink and some lunch and it was very nice. There is a free car park over the road. They were only offering pizza from their food menu which was fine with us and they catered to dietary requirements as they offer dairy free and plant based options. We got a margarita half with normal cheese and half with vegan cheese which they were more than happy to make and said there was no issues whereas some places would not be bothered to do it. Overall great little find and I would go back!

Was excited to be visiting here for a family meal. The food was very good but the menu was very limited especially for kids. Me and the missus had burgers and the children had pizza and even though it was very nice food its not what I would have picked had there been more to chose from on the menu.

We stopped here for dinner and found that, like most places we had tried, they had a staff shortage. However they were very friendly, and happy to serve food to the outside tables. Their menu was limited but the pizzas were delicious, the salad was tasty, and the fish and chips going to other tables looked very good. Overall probably a 4.5 because of the reduced menu but definitely a 5 star welcome.

Nice enough food, but a bit of a flawed system irritated us. We arrived at 6:00pm and were told that there would be a small delay on food given they only had one chef in. No problem, so were asked to order food at 6.30. By the time we had got settled and our children had chosen it was 6.15, so I went to get drinks. I should also point out that they were still seating families at this stage and asking them to order at 6.30 also. By the time I got served it was 6.25, so asked if I could place my food order at the same time as there was now a queue of 5 behind me and I’d need to drop the drinks back at the table and re-join the queue, to which I was told no, as it might get lost! I should come back in 5 minutes and circumvent the queue. I’m sure that would’ve been really popular, so we just followed the pedantic customer friendly system and re-queued.I completely understand that you need to manage customers expectations on the time it may take but if you’re going to continue to seat families and tell them the same time to order you’re going to create artificial queue’s and unnecessary angst amongst customers - which you did - which detracts from pretty decent food. The food was pretty good. Real pizzas for the kids, tasty burgers. One point that they may want to make note of - a few of the wooden boards they’re served on were very smelly (the musty damp badly dried tea towel smell - you know the one) that needs resolving.

Such a great setting. We came for dinner twice during our weeks visit staying locally in Colthouse, Hawkshead. The staff were so friendly the food, particularly pizza, was so delicious. The pizza is cooked authentically in their own pizza oven and offers great choice for everyone accompanied with a choice of sides. It’s dog friendly and great for locals and tourists. We sat inside on the first night and outside in the recently refurbished beer garden on our second trip both were very nice. There’s car parking to the pub and it’s easily accessible from Hawkshead and Ambleside. The Lakes are really struggling with staffing in all establishments and therefore it has been difficult to find places to eat. We were so pleased to come across this great place. Thank you in particular to Nich for making both our visits so great!

Party of 9, we were greeted by the friendly staff and made to feel very welcome. The menu is not extensive but the chef delivers with every dish. The portions are generous, make sure you are hungry!The vegetarian falafel burger with beetroot relish was « one of the best, couldn’t be improved », the roasts were excellent, both pork and beef, finally the fish and chips were demolished with relish.The desserts didn’t disappoint, the strawberry cheesecake just being the best.We wouldn’t hesitate to visit again!

I agree wholeheartedly with one of the other reviewers’ description of this as a gem. It’s a bit off the beaten track but actually only a 10 minute drive from Ambleside where getting a table in a decent restaurant is quite a challenge at the moment (we booked everything three weeks in advance and just as well). The food is fantastic. We very much enjoyed the chicken and prawn Thai curry and the lamb Henry. The commendably extensive wine list has something for every wine fan - those on the board are in addition to the already impressive wine menu. Service was warm, efficient and very helpful.

We stopped in at the Outgate Inn for a drink and lunch. Overall this visit was ok but nothing special. The food was decent enough but the vegetarian options were a little disappointing and the pizza had an awful lot of cheese with a rather soggy base. The staff were friendly enough but, again, nothing that made the place stand out for any reason.

So driving past we admittedly dismissed the Outgate Inn because it looked in the middle of nowhere with nowhere to park so we drove past and went into Hawkshead. In the end we were struggling to find anywhere to eat as we called and they said they could fit us in.When we arrived we noticed there was indeed a carpark hidden across the road with ample parking.Upon entering it does appear a little dated but still comfortable and extremely friendly staff. They also have a fantastic beer garden that's huge and has plenty of seating in the sun or in the shade.Looking at the menu it does come across as expensive, but that being said I have no problem paying a little extra if the food is worth it.... and let me tell you, these guys can cook!I would absolutely not put the food in the category of standard pub food. It's delicious, excellently presented, tasty, cooked to perfection and good portions.I really appreciate good food and this place is a hidden gem or off-the-beaten path so when I find food this good I like to shout about it. Don't dive past and dismiss it, it's that good!.

We really enjoy the food at the Outgate and the beer garden setting for being able to stay out doors and enjoy the lakeland fresh air. The staff are really nice friendly and on the ball with service.

We were staying in Hawkshead for the week and chose the Outgate Inn for a birthday meal for my partner. The table was booked a couple of weeks before so we were surprised and disappointed to find no table available upon arrival. We were left standing at the door whilst the staff discussed what to do at the bar. Eventually we were taken to a small table with short bar stools which had been set up in a corner under the dart board. On my right was condiments and on the left the bar top with a view of the back of the coffee machine where the washing up was being left. I looked at the waitress and asked if this had been set up especially for us. She replied that it it had and that it was a special table. If we had just walked in off the street and it was all they could offer then fair enough but it wasn’t. I said we had booked for my partners birthday and I wasn’t happy sitting there. They said if we could wait they would move us so we agreed and were given a better table. E ordered drinks but there was no vodka left from the weekend. (On a Tuesday) there were no small bottles of water either. We ordered a burger and a pizza.both arrived quickly and were very nice. I know it has not been easy for pubs recently but I felt the experience here could have been much better.

We were here for the England v Germany Euro 2020 match. We sat in a marquee and watched the match on a large screen. This was a difficult occasion for any pub given the covid restrictions and the pub carried it off very well and safely. We had pizza, which was served quickly and tasted great. We will certainly visit again to eat inside and from the main menu.