Cartmel, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

“I think the best meal I’ve ever eaten” – Simon Rogan’s converted blacksmith’s workshop in a beautiful village to the south of the Lakes nowadays carries the weight of anticipation brought about by the third Michelin star that it acquired in 2022, and on most accounts “the drive is well worth it” to sample such “ridiculously good” food that “lives up to all expectations”. At the heart of the experience is a fifteen-course tasting menu for £265 per person (at lunch there’s a shorter selection for £125 per person). It’s finely wrought cuisine, with an emphasis on ingredients from Simon’s ‘Our Farm’ project nearby, and “the intimate nooks and crannies to hide away in and the quiet efficiency of the unrushed service makes it a place where time freezes” (“add in a room for an overnight stay and you have the best romantic getaway”). Sommelier Jordan Sutton is “fantastic and the wine pairing really complements the meal beautifully”. Is there a catch? Perhaps. Although ratings are still enviably high, complaints about value are also steadily rising here. (“A real sense that I was paying over the odds for the three stars. For my partner and I to be offered a glass of Champagne on arrival to mark my 50th to then be charged a huge amount per glass was a low point.”)

“Exceptional all-round” – Simon Rogan’s development kitchen to fuel his Michelin three-star with new dishes is a super-intimate experience of just 6 covers, and by definition aims for diners whose enjoyment derives from interacting with the chefs; exploring the sourcing (much of it from Simon’s nearby ‘Our Farm’ smallholding; and dissecting new ideas that push culinary boundaries). By its very nature, it doesn’t inspire a huge volume of feedback, but all that we have says it lives up to the renown of one of Britain’s most highly regarded kitchens. At dinner, the price of a meal is £265 per person.

“Consistently brilliant!” – Behind the white-washed walls of this rural pub-with-rooms, Kevin & Nicola Tickle’s Lakeland venue has a high level of culinary ambition, especially in the evening when a set lunch (for £49 per person) gives way for a 10-course set dinner for £120 per person. “Surprising ingredient combinations, (sometimes VERY surprising!) are well presented and full of differing flavours and textures, all of them very local and fresh” and there are also “some off-piste wine choices”. “It’s a challenge to serve each course to every table, at the same time, but they manage in a very professional way without any delays” – diners “love the friendly, happy service” style. There’s also “a great dog friendly bar with excellent pies, snacks, and good local beer”.