The best restaurants serving British food in Ambleside and Grasmere South Lakeland North West

We loved this place! Excellent range of hot and cold lunch choices and an equally good selection of cheeses. Staff were friendly and helpful- and it was easy to choose really healthy local produce if you wanted to.

Jaw dropping food, wonderful service! We will be back. Lovely chilled environment. Would recommend to anyone and everyone. The goujons were stunning.😍

This is my first time at your restaurant. Your food is amazing. More importantly, your restaurant's service is very nice. I never thought it would be like this.

Pies looked delicious, never got to try them as they didn’t take cash .

Disgusting place, do not bother with this place, the So called Lady of the house is rude arrogant and does not help, avoid at all cost.

Lovely hotel and spa with great views and easy walking distance to centre of Grasmere and surrounding area. The food is very good but expensive for dinner if on a budget. Free use of the Spa was a good touch, especially after a day of hill walking. Would definitely stay again.

I have been going to the Lake District for more years than I care to remember. Invariably staying in Ambleside. A friend recommended Mathews Bistro to me on my latest trip with my family. In the past I have walked past without a second glance. Silly me! My family and I had a great evening. The food was really good well prepared and decent portions. I thought it was going to be fairly standard English fare but I was wrong. A number of dishes had continental and Asian influences. The waiting staff were friendly and helpful. I will certainly be going there on my next trip. Thank you Mathews for a great evening.

We ate here on a Thursday evening, whilst staying in Grasmere. Very good food and service. The steak and chicken were excellent!

Fantastic coffee and perfectly crispy on request bacon roll. Nice staff, clean and you can watch climbers on the rock wall at the same time

First visit and not the last! The food is excellent. Every dish each family had was presented well and very good. Good service. Could do with some portable heaters around the tables or available on request.

Really good meal but disappointed that they had run out of the chilli jacket potatoes. We had to queue which was not a problem and shows even in the middle of December there is a high demand to eat here. Really clean and fast service.

After a morning exploring the fells, we were more than ready for a hearty meal, and the Brit Inn in Elterwater did not disappoint. From the moment we stepped in, the service was friendly, and the staff genuinely cared about making our experience enjoyable—a rare find in many pubs in the Lakes these days. I wasn’t expecting much, as pub meals can be hit or miss, but this turned out to be a very tasty surprise. The food was clearly handmade, fresh, and full of flavor—no pre-packaged shortcuts here! My chicken, ham, and leek pie was a standout, served with proper chips and fresh veggies included (no need to order them separately!). My husband had the traditional sausage and mash, which was equally superb. Portion sizes were generous and filling, just what we needed after a long walk. The drink menu offered plenty of options, making it easy to find something to pair with our meals. Highly recommended if you're in the area, and we’ll definitely be back!

Four of us visited for late breakfast and had a really Lovely meal. Menu is good with lots of variety. Food was fresh, tasty and cooked well with decent portion sizes. It was busy when we visited but we didn’t struggle to get a table. In a good spot within Ambleside too so easy to get too from most car parks etc.

Friendly staff that welcomed us (family of four), without a booking. Food arrived within a reasonable timescale, was tasty/ well presented on plate but was over priced for the ingredients and quality of cooking. My pheasant was very dry, little or no seasoning on smashed potatoes and the kids meal was a bowl of pasta with very little vegetables. As we were visiting and it was an unplanned meal, it did the job. But given the prices and quality of food we would probably not plan to return.

Amazing coffee! Exceptional service from a lovely lady called dawn. Really friendly and a cozy environment. Best place for coffee in ambleside.