Our best restaurant guide for dinner
If there’s one thing you want after a long day in the outdoors, it’s a good feed. Luckily, it’s likely that Keswick will have just the thing to satisfy your cravings, no matter what your taste is. Ever changing, in recent years Keswick has increasingly become worth visiting for its fantastic variety of passion-led eateries alone, offering plenty of choice for all. Those wanting gourmet burgers, tantalising tapas and innovative cocktails won’t be disappointed, but neither will anyone who wants a plate of hearty pub grub piled high with plenty of bang for your buck. Here’s a roundup of our go-to favourites in Keswick centre, all easy to get to – and totter back from – if your stay is within walking distance of town.
Bar Es
Let’s kick things off with a little gem tucked away in Keswick’s back streets, Bar Es: a vibey Mexican bar which offers a rich reward to those who like to delve off the beaten track. A rustic aesthetic and the friendliest staff in Keswick will make you feel instantly at home as you settle in amongst its quirky decor, putting you at ease before a completely on-point selection of craft beer, cocktails and tapas will make you forget you’re in rural Cumbria. Their constantly evolving variety of dishes can include anything from a range of mouth-watering softshell tacos to spicy meatballs and chimichurri chicken drumsticks, and there’s a fantastic vegan menu too. Top it all off with a choice tequila or two and your group will be set for the night – just make sure you book well ahead to get a table this summer.
The George Hotel
Next some classic pub food at the oldest coaching inn in Keswick. The George will very much satisfy those of you with a traditionalist in your group, who just wants some good pub grub, whilst more than pleasing everyone else with its excellent offering of “home cooked local food with a modern twist”. The cosy atmosphere makes it most of all, with a snug bar area overlooked by the inn’s original beams and warmed by fires in winter, although there’s plenty of space for groups in its charming restaurant area too. Hearty food, excellent pints and a roaring fire – what more could you want?
Fellpack
Since opening in 2017, Fellpack have shown how much Keswick was ready for more innovative eating choices, already expanding to open The Round (see below) and move their original restaurant to a larger premises. The team behind the brand combine their true and timeless passion for the mountains with an on-trend approach to hearty fell fuel; no other place in Cumbria could offer you the option of a melt-in-your-mouth lamb dhansak, a classic ragu (made with Cumbrian beef, of course) or a vegan teriyaki seitan steak in one menu. Served by welcoming staff who clearly live and breathe what they do, whether it’s in Fellpack or on the actual fell, you won’t be disappointed. Book ahead.
The Round
Burger, cocktail and/or a pint anyone? Sometimes knowing when to keep things simple is an art in itself, and that’s exactly what they’ve got going on at The Round. Named for the hallowed Bob Graham Round which starts and finishes on their doorstep at Moot Hall, the Fellpack team have continued to infuse this menu with their passion for the hills and offer a range of Lakes-inspired burgers. It’s a hard choice between tantalising options such as the Katsu Bells chicken burger or a Striding Veg paneer patty, but their cocktail menu makes things easier, directing you between a range of short, fruity, fizzy or long options – with a lovely selection of mocktails to boot. This summer they’re also offering a much needed walk-in option that isn’t a pub.
The Square Orange
A firm favourite amongst locals and visitors alike, the Square Orange is one of the cosiest little joints you’ll ever have the good fortune to be tucked away in. It’s small size can make it hard to get a table, but all the more satisfying when you do, especially when they even manage to squeeze a live musician or two in as well. Whatever you choose here, you can be sure it’s been carefully selected, from freshly roasted coffee blends to an eclectic selection of both local and European beers. You’ll also be able to pair an impeccable wine selection with Spanish tapas dishes or stone-baked pizzas with a perfectly thin crust. To top it all off , the Square Orange represents excellent value for money – don’t miss their offer of any 4 tapas dishes for £19.95.
Oddfellows Arms
It’s nice to know that there are still places like the Oddfellows Arms in the world. This is a pub which remains unaffected by the temptation to maximise on tourist capital and instead serve up the most reasonably priced plates and pints in the national park. Dishes tend to be priced around the £5 – £8 mark, and you’d be hard pressed to find many meals over a tenner. Yes, it might not be gourmet, but sometimes you just want an 8-inch Yorkshire pudding, brimming with roast pork and gravy or beef and ale stew, and a big pile of chips For anyone feeling less secure after covid, this pub is the place to be, with its 50 picnic benches making up the largest beer garden in town.
Merienda
A laid-back cafe-restaurant with a continental feel, Merienda is the perfect little haunt to enjoy both coffee and cake or an unhurried evening meal. The building isn’t that big, but the space and decor is arranged so well there’s a TARDIS-like effect in place. A well-travelled menu offers anything from pork and kimchi wontons to baked local trout, jerk chicken to broccoli tempura and more. When Keswick’s feeling busy, this is the cafe you can turn to – bag that window seat, order a coffee, choose today’s most tempting cake and enjoy some exceptionally entertaining people watching on the main square.
Pheasant Inn
Slightly out of Keswick but still within walking distance of most places you’ll stay, The Pheasant is the ideal choice for those that want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the town centre on an evening. A CAMRA pub, you’ll be sure of a well-kept beer and good local choice here, along with a cosy atmosphere where the line between local and tourist is at it’s thinnest. The menu offers the best of dependable pub favourites, from fish pie to Cumberland sausage whirls, and their use of local produce means you’ll be more than sated by whatever you order.