Fellside Studios

A short list of our personal favourites

Supported by the UK's biggest all-year-round tourist industry, and a discerning local population, the Lake District boasts a great number of high quality restaurants.

With so many to choose from, we've restricted ourselves to just a handful of gems, each one selected for its exceptional high quality, specially good service, or real individuality.

New owners and other changes have caused us to shorten this page quite a bit since we first compiled it in 2004 – we obviously need to get out more for research!

Restaurants in and around Ambleside

Zeffirelli's Pizzeria
An Ambleside landmark, much beloved by many families, including ours. Always busy, with a happy mix of young and old, couples and extended family groups. Menu almost unchanged for over 20 years: excellent pizzas, pastas, soups, salads, and frozen yogurt desserts – you'd hardly notice it's all veggie! Tables can only be booked along with a reserved seat in one of Zefferelli's four cinemas. Otherwise you'll need to get there early, or wait until the cinema rush is over. Much extended in 2004 with a big and stylish new dining area alongside the Garden Café.
• Compston Road, Ambleside (on left of one-way street coming into town centre from Windermere).
• Open 7 days a week, 6.30pm - 10.00pm.
• Tel: 015394 31612.
• Web: www.zeffirellis.com

Zeffirelli's Jazz Cafe and Bar
Upstairs from Zeff's Pizzeria is another of Derek Hook's visionary projects, now firmly established as one of the UK's premier jazz venues. Currently being refurbished in early 2008, it's already a great atmospheric place to drink, eat and chill, with a shortened version of the downstairs pizza and pasta menu. The live jazz on Fridays and Saturdays is often free; click here for forthcoming gigs.
• Opening generally as Pizzeria above, but check the gig link above for special ticketed events.

The Drunken Duck Inn Restaurant
Regularly featured in guides and Sunday magazines, 'the Duck' is the definitive upmarket country pub (with upmarket prices to match!). A tiny original tap-room and two small homely dining rooms serve carefully prepared Cumbrian / Mediterranean main courses and especially good sweets. Friendly staff take time to chat to guests, and a pint of 'Cracker' from the Duck's own micro-brewery could easily win you back to Real Ale.
• Barngates, 3 miles from Ambleside, watch for sign off B5286 to Hawkshead.
• Open 7 days a week, 12.30pm - 2.30pm and 6.00pm - 8.45pm.
• Tel: 015394 36347.
• Web: www.drunkenduckinn.co.uk

Restaurants in and around Windermere

Jericho's
An unassuming, upmarket, and very unpretentious restaurant, hidden away in the backstreets of Windermere, that nevertheless features in all the best food guides for its fabulous food and careful service. An unusual open-plan kitchen is run by owner-chef Chris Blaydes, and his partner Jo often greets you at the door. Fruit-flavoured breads, and steak with pipe-cleaner thin chips (more eloquently described in the small daily changing menu) are simply wonderful. A well established and reliable favourite with many local regulars. April 2008 update: Chris and Jo have moved everything to their new 'Jericho's Restaurant with Rooms', just round the corner in College Road. We await reports, but we don't expect to be disappointed!
• About five-minutes drive from Fellside Studios in Birch Street, Windermere, left off one-way street going towards Bowness at Windermere Post Office.
• Open Tuesday to Saturday, 6.45pm - 9.45pm.
• Tel: 015394 42522.
• Web: www.jerichos.co.uk

Restaurants around Ullswater

Sharrow Bay Country House Restaurant
The best of the best. Sharrow Bay was founded by Brian Sack and Francis Coulson in 1948, creating a new style of exceptional quality but unpretentious country-house hospitality and cuisine. Sticky-toffee pudding was invented here! Awkward to get to (and very expensive to stay at) we've only ever lunched there. But what a lunch! Sat in our own small bay window, watching the winter sun go down over Ullswater, enjoying perfect food, served impeccably. Highly recommended.
• 1 1/2 miles from Pooley Bridge on the east side of Ullswater.
• Open every day, with one sitting at 1pm and 8pm, but closed from mid December until end of February.
• Tel: 017684 86301.
• Web: www.sharrowbay.co.uk