THREE of the top 40 UK restaurants are in Cumbria, according to the National Restaurant Awards.

The awards, sponsored by Estrella Damm, have released a list of the top 100 restaurants for 2021.  Cumbria has three in the top 40 and one in the top five - while a former chef at one of the Cumbrian restaurants took the top spot.

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards has an elite and authoritative judging academy, using a panel of over 200 experts drawn from across the industry including food writers, chefs and restaurateurs.

The UK is split into 11 regions, with members of the academy voting for the top seven restaurants that they have dined at in the last 12 months, weighted in order of preference. The results are compiled, and the top list of the best restaurants is created.

L'enclume, Cartmel - 5th place

Situated in an old forge, this name translates to 'The Anvil' in English.  It is used to scoring highly in these lists - it won Good Food Guide's No. 1 Restaurant UK 2014-17 & in 2020.  It was set up in 2002 by Simon Rogan with its very own farm.  Its chefs and growers work together to provide locally-grown, high quality food for as few air miles as possible.

The Cottage in the Wood, Keswick - 24th place

This restaurant is actually based 1,000ft above Keswick, in the Whinlatter Forest.  Situated in a former coaching inn, chef Ben Wilkinson won his and the restaurant's first Michelin Star in 2019.

The eight-course ‘Taste of Cumbria’ menu features Herdwick hogget from the surrounding fells; freshly landed fish and shellfish from west coast harbours; and a host of wild foods foraged from the forest.

Hrishi, Windermere - 39th place

Based in the Gilpin Hotel and with a Michelin Star to its name, Hrishikesh Desai combines great Lake District produce and classic methods to deliver unbelievable textures and flavours.

Described by the National Restaurant Awards as 'refined French food with an Indian accent', Desai says: “Though the food is fine dining, there is zero pretentiousness."

 

Lancashire restaurant Moor Hall, run by former L'enclume chef Mark Birchall, won for the second year running, taking the title in 2019 before a hiatus in 2020.