A new restaurant has been opened in the heart of the Lake District by a Michelin Star chef.

Having previously called time on neighbourhood restaurant Kysty after six years at the end of July, Ryan Blackburn opened the doors to The Schelly on Wednesday (August 21).

The new casual small plates eatery, located on Church Street in Ambleside, is right next door to the chef’s flagship Michelin-starred restaurant, The Old Stamp House.

Ryan said: "‘The Schelly is a new chapter for us - it’s designed to be an informal place where you can enjoy nibbles and small plates of food with a glass of wine while you catch up with friends or enjoy a relaxed lunch or dinner in elegant yet unstuffy surroundings.

"Over the last few weeks, the team has been busy putting the finishing touches to the interior and exterior of the building and refining the menus and wine list so that we can hit the ground running."

The restaurant can manage 24 walk-in guests, and six at a bookable tableThe restaurant can manage 24 walk-in guests, and six at a bookable table (Image: The Schelly)

The all-new restaurant is set to serve a relaxed menu featuring Ryan’s interpretation of classic dishes from The Old Stamp House menu, alongside an array of dishes inspired by his travels and love of different cultures worldwide.

These include Cartmel Valley Cumberland sausage and egg yolk sauce, potted shrimp and curried cauliflower, Yew Tree Farm Herdwick hogget shoulder with mint and anchovy salad, and to finish, cheesecake with macerated raspberries.

The Schelly is named after a rare freshwater fish found in four Lake District locationsThe Schelly is named after a rare freshwater fish found in four Lake District locations (Image: The Schelly)

Ryan added: "From start to finish we’ve ensured that we’ve treated the building as sympathetically as possible during the work we’ve carried out.

"It’s a fascinating space that’s played a part in Ambleside’s commercial life in various forms over the years, which threw up one or two challenges for us, but we adapted to them, and we hope our guests will like what we’ve created."

Named after a rare freshwater fish, The Schelly seats up to 24 walk-in guests, as well as a further six guests at a bookable table located close to the pass allowing diners to watch the chefs in action preparing their dishes.

The Schelly is open Wednesday to Saturday, noon to 2pm for lunch and from 5.30pm to 9pm for evening service.