The best restaurants in Staveley-in-Westmorland South Lakeland North West

We heard from an assistant in a shop in Kendal that, in her opinion, Kimi's Gelato was the best Gelato ever! According to her, it was regularly frequented by her and all her friends, so we had to find out for ourselves. After a couple of failed attempts, we finally made it to the shop. It's a spacious shop with what appears to be a relatively small display cabinet, so it crossed our minds that perhaps this wouldn't be the experience we had been promised. I absolutely did not mind being wrong on this occasion, as we were in for a treat. The first thing of note is that the incredible colours are a real feast for the eyes and then you have to face the impossible task of choosing one or more of the amazing flavours. Mel, who served us and who was delightful, was really accommodating in allowing us to test any of the flavours. I think I would have tried every one given half the chance. I chose the Strawberry and white chocolate and also the Rocher. There were surprises in every lick. Pieces of strawberry then chunks of white choc. The Rocher is a Ferrero lover's dream. Decadent and certainly not lacking in flavour and texture. We think Jon who creates these Gelatos is a genius! We are dreaming of our next visit.

So I’m not normal one to leave a review, that being said overall I was hugely disappointed with the meal I had at the Knipe Grill at Gilpin Lake House. Firstly - we were show to our table and and iPad dropped on the table. Yes this is a menu and yes I can work and iPad. But with the hotel boasts 5 stars I expect a little more interaction. -With an experienced chef David with many an accolade, unfortunately I was underwhelmed. You quote “My food is fun, there’s always a bit of a story behind it, a bit of nostalgia and playfulness” Sadly there was no story no fun. This was primarily down the the service and the lack of engagement, talking us through the menu, championing and highlighting locality, seasonally and recommendations. The level of service we received for the price paid just wasn’t up to standard. - and finally whilst I know this is a hotel with a hot tub, there is something about having a group of people in bath robes walking through the restaurant heading to the hot tub a little strange. I wouldn’t expect this from a restaurant in a 3 star Spanish hotel, let alone a 5 star very expensive hotel/restaurant in the lakes In summary the restaurant's inexperience staff led to poor service, which significantly impacted the dining experience. The lack of knowledge and attentiveness resulted in frustration and dissatisfaction. While the food showed potential, it ultimately fell short of the expected standard considering the price paid. Overall, the combination of what seemed like inexperienced staff and underwhelming food quality makes this restaurant a less than satisfying choice. Sorry for this review but unfortunately this is a true reflection of my/out experience.

We visited late September 2024 to celebrate my father’s birthday. Was not disappointed! Greeted by extremely friendly and welcoming staff (who also made a lovely fuss of our cocker spaniel) and we all had Sunday dinners. Food was exceptional. I had the lamb which was cooked to perfection by Clare and incredibly tasty too. Will certainly be returning!

Staveley chippy is one of the best we’ve been to. Very tasty food and great service. Elliott and his staff are always friendly, smiley and professional. It’s very much part of the Staveley community. The pizzeria next door is amazing too!

We had a wonderful lunch at the Gilpin the food was delicious and the staff were excellent. Lovely atmosphere and very relaxing. Looking forward to going back again.

Another fab stay at the brown horse. Three course meal was absolutely amazing like always. Breakfast, again amazing standard and included in with our stay. Will return again and again and again.

We stayed at the site over the bank holiday weekend and visited the pub a few times for drinks—each visit was a great experience! On Monday evening, we decided to have dinner, and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. While there were some gluten-free options on the menu (mostly meat-based), the team let us know that with a bit of advance notice, they could offer more variety. The chef even kindly offered to make a gluten-free carbonara—something not on the menu—which my mum ordered and really enjoyed. We all had different dishes, and every single one was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend this lovely pub (and the campsite)!

Charming location. Great service. Wonderful food with distinct flavors, excellent presentation and many options. Full bar and wine list. Not noisy. Good parking. Highly Recommend.

Unfortunately it has now been permanently closed since 9th September 2024 by the owners so don't make a special trip there. The Eagle and Child pub in Staveley is a great alternative if you're in the village.

Once you get past the dumping ground at the rear entrance into the cafe the interior is very nice. The cafe was not too busy but we had to wait quite a while for our drinks to arrive and then a further wait for our food which was ok, but nothing special.

I have been on several occasions and have found the owner/chap (who I presume to be the owner) to be very, very surly. It is such a shame as the product (essentially coffee) is very good, but if on each occasion that you visit you seem to be treated with distain at best and a sense that he does not want you there then eventually you are going to get the message and not go back, which is now how I feel.

Great food, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Homemade food really hit the spot after a long day walking and they even welcome dogs in their dining area! The lady behind the bar is lovely and stopped for a chat as I was checking out the lovely, quaint little pub. The food is amazing and homemade, especially the specials! Really delicious. Not far off the main road from Ambleside and Windermere. We will definitely be back! The desserts are a must!

We are staying nearby and visited the sun on two occasions and both times we were made Rod eel welcome and the staff really friendly. On our second visit we ate and the food really good. I had the steak and ale pie and I must say it is probably one of the nicest I have had. My partner and our friend both had the Lancashire Cheese and Onion Pie and both said it was fantastic. The waitress was attentive and chatty and overall we had a great experience.

Ate here on a Tuesday evening. The bar staff said there would be a 40 minute wait on food which was fine but ended up being 55 mins. The food wasn’t the best. I had the game burger and my father had the lambs liver - not what you’d expect for the price. Really disappointed.

We visited the pub on the off chance while looking for a late lunch. After reading the reviews I was slightly concerned and wasn’t sure what to expect however we were not disappointed. The steak pie was delicious and the flavour of gravy was wonderful. Would definitely recommend