Sep 2017 – Myself and Jamie enjoyed a lovely couple of days at the Lake District, where we enjoyed some good food, great drinks, fantastic walks (even if it was in the worst rain I’ve seen in a very long time), and were made to feel welcome by everyone.

Here’s some of the amazing food and drink we enjoyed on our trip!

Trattoria – Lake Road, Bowness-on-Windermere

We were welcomed into the restaurant to dine late evening approx. 9pm on a Friday. There were a few tables occupied but compared to some other restaurants on the street, I wouldn’t describe it as being busy.  We couldn’t fault the service at all; very friendly staff providing everything we needed.

The menu offered what you would describe as standard Italian Restaurant courses although I felt there could have been more pasta dishes on offer.

We went for the mini tomato & mozzarella calzone to start – pictured below. Something a little different! They were quite nice although there wasn’t much tomato involved, or in fact much filling in the ones we were given! But, a nice idea.

I then decided I fancied tagliatelle with meatballs. Like most Italian restaurants, they just can’t seem to get the portions right! It’s very rare that I leave an Italian restaurant with an empty plate. Is there any need for so much food?? My main was a comforting and filling dish, however I am not sure how fresh the meatballs were – definitely didn’t taste homemade, and the sauce again tasted exactly the same as it does in most Italian restaurants.

All in all not a bad experience but I do feel that there was probably other places in the area where we would have had a nicer meal.

The Ship Inn – Bowness Bay, Lake Windermere

After a short walk along the lake, in the worst rain I have seen in a long time, we got absolutely drenched and our waterproofs were no longer waterproof. We jogged back to where we started, to shelter in the pub & restaurant – The Ship Inn.

Initially we were just going to have  few pints and dry a little until the rain stopped, but then we saw a few people order the fish & chips – and they looked (and smelled) AMAZING! So we stayed for food.

You can’t beat a decent fish & chips, however most usually smell better than they actually taste. But this didn’t disappoint! What more to say about it other than a perfect dinner! Fish, chips and mushy peas, mmmmm 🙂

The Country Hut- Bowness-on-Windermere

Whilst we waited for our reservation at a nearby restaurant, we decided to have some drinks in this small but quaint bar on the corner. The bar looked inviting with outside seating and heaters, and was quite busy, proving to be popular.

Again the plan was to just enjoy a few pints, but then I spotted the cocktails being made, and I couldn’t resist!

One of the cocktails – The Bubble Bath was topped with whipped cream and a mini rubber duck! But I chose the Popcorn cocktail which was served in a cup the shape of a popcorn box, and was topped with sweet & salty popcorn and loads of toffee sauce!!

I would definitely recommend this bar for a cocktail treat 🙂

Porto – Bowness-on-Windermere

Recommended to me twice, this Bistro style restaurant did not disappoint! Lovely little place down one of the main streets in Bowness whose menu was to the point but still offering a variety of courses. The service was great here and the atmosphere was also really good. The place was full, both upstairs and downstairs, proving to be a popular choice once again.

For the starter we went for the cheese & leek soufflé, which was mouth-watering! And the scallops with pancetta which were super tasty and very well cooked.

For my main I chose the “lamb chump” cooked pink, which came with pancetta, carrot puree (needed more of this!!), greens and dauphinoise potatoes – pictured below. I cleared the plate! Jamie went for the belly pork which was delicious, however the mash did taste like old school dinner “smash”, which was a shame.

I would say that you should expect to spend approx. £65 per couple for 2 courses and a few drinks each, but it’s worth it if you enjoy a bit of fine dining.

I would definitely recommend eating here, but make sure you book in advance if you do.

Fodder – Windermere

After cocktails followed by food,  we decided to walk up the hill from Bowness to Windermere town centre. A lively little town with various bars that have outside seating areas for late evening dining and drinking. This makes the town so picturesque and appealing.

Offering various beers, wines and spirits, this little place and its staff made us feel welcome, and was a cosy spot for people watching; sitting outside with our pints of Erdinger, under blankets. Perfect.

Sorry, I can’t comment on the food here as we only stopped for drinks.

Granny Dowbekin’s Tearoom – Pooley Bridge, Ullswater

The last place we visited on our trip was Ullswater and a stop at Pooley Bridge. I couldn’t not give this tearoom a mention, purely because of how amazing the hot chocolate is there!!

Hot chocolate with all the works; cream, marshmallows, maltesers and a chocolate spoon. A proper chocolate overload to finish our trip was just what the doctor ordered, kind of haha!

Although we didn’t eat here, the food on offer looked really good including the choices of breakfasts AND the homemade cakes and gingerbread! The welsh rarebit looked especially good, and if I ever visit this café again I will definitely be ordering this!

Well I hope that I’ve given you food for thought if you are looking at visiting the Lakes any time soon 🙂

Jen

@jensfoodblog

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