I have eaten in most of the restaurants in Keswick over many visits. Some are excellent. Some trade entirely on the captive walking crowd and do not have to try very hard. Here are the ones that actually deserve your time.
The Mortal Man (Troutbeck, but worth the drive)
Technically not in Keswick but close enough to mention. A 16th-century inn in the Troutbeck valley with one of the better menus in the area. Proper Lake District food: Herdwick lamb, local game, cumbrian cheeses. Book ahead. The drive through the valley is worth it in itself.
The Square Orange
On St John's Street, central Keswick. A relaxed cafe-bar with good food and a sensible drinks list. Not a destination restaurant but consistently reliable for lunch or an early dinner. No pretension, reasonable prices. The kind of place you go back to on a wet afternoon when you want something decent without the fuss of booking.
Zeffirellis (Ambleside, not Keswick)
Again, not Keswick proper. But if you are driving through Ambleside, Zeffirellis is a genuine vegetarian restaurant worth knowing about. Attached to a cinema. The food is serious, the pasta is excellent, and the setting is unusual. Worth the 20-minute drive from Keswick on a Wednesday evening when Keswick options are thin.
The Dog and Gun
Lake Road, CA12 5JB. The Dog and Gun is primarily a pub with a decent bar menu rather than a restaurant, but after a long day on the fells the distinction stops mattering. Good pies, proper chips, Cumbrian sausages. Dogs welcome. It fills up fast on wet evenings in summer, so get there early or accept standing in the bar. Which is not the worst outcome.
Bryson's Tearoom
Main Street, Keswick. A bakery and tearoom that has been in Keswick for decades. The Cumberland rum nicky tart is a thing. So is the bread. If you want a proper sit-down lunch that is not going to cost you £40 a head, Bryson's is the answer. Gets busy at noon on weekends, early arrival or late lunch is easier.
Practical notes
- →Book ahead for any restaurant at weekends in peak season (July to August). Keswick fills up and the decent places go fast.
- →Wednesday and Thursday evenings are easier than Friday to Sunday for finding a table without a reservation.
- →The Market Square area has several reliable options in close proximity: useful if your first choice is full.
- →Most pubs in Keswick serve food until around 9pm. Later than most. Useful to know after a long fell day.
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Damian Roche
Founder, Churchtown Media. Builder of TheLakesGuide.co.uk, TheLakesWildlife.co.uk, and HikeTheLakes.com. Southport-based. Regular Lakes visitor for decades.
