The service was wonderful but it took forever to get our bill. It is a tiny restaurant and the…read moretables all jam close together. So, hearing other peoples conversations is unavoidable. The food was good. The lasagna was the best meal by far. The chicken Alfredo was bland and unflavorful. It needed salt desperately. However, there was no salt on the tables, only pepper. The salads were okay. Nothing special.

OMgoodness... the last time we were here, this place blew us away…read more Three long years later (thanks COVID), nothing has changed! It's a miracle. The Best Italian Food in the Uk as far as I'm concerned. Check out my previous review and my photos- it says it all. Thank you Dodds for sticking it out and emerging back at the top of your game.

Myself and my husband were looking for somewhere nice to eat in Ambleside. We were sure what we…read morewanted and stumbled across Sheila's Cottage. We hadn't booked prior as we just thought we would see what we could find. The staff were lovely and happy to seat us. The interior was decorated really nice and had that homely feeling. The food was brilliant! Loved it all. I ordered the butternut squash risotto for mains and sticky toffee pudding both were lovely I would recommend these!

Great food, in a town without a lot of great choices…read more We ate here after a long day of hiking - our original plan was to have dinner at a pub but none of the pub options in Ambleside looked remotely appealing and Sheila's Cottage did. It was a great decision. The lamb was the best I've had in a long time (be aware it takes the kitchen about 35 minutes to prepare), and my partner's risotto was excellent too, if almost too creamy. Someone else in our group had the penne pasta entree, which I didn't try, but they were happy with it as well. Service was friendly too.

Following a ridiculously positive review by Marina O'Lochlan in the Guardian (giving an outstanding…read more10/10 for food) it was decided that our trip to the Lake District would HAVE to include a visit to Lake Road Kitchen. On the main stretch of Ambleside shops and bars, sits this Nordic-esque restaurant that is promised to delight. We were seated at a table for two, minimal decor and wooden tables with a fur shawl-type wrap draped over the back of one chair (which I should have asked about, but Neil and I came to the conclusion that maybe it was for the ladies who may get a little cold whilst dining?) We had the tasting menu and each dish was exceptionally presented and the flavours.. Oh god, the flavours. They were just spot on. Outstanding mentions go to the king Crab dish with white asparagus and Creme Fraiche with caviar and the venison main course with black truffle. Such a beautiful restaurant and very VERY talented chefs!!! I'm already planning my next trip back here in the summer!

Started in June 2014, Lake Road Kitchen is an unassuming yet intimate restaurant in the stunningly…read morepicturesque town of Ambleside just north of Lake Windermere in the Lake District. Centred around North European cuisine, and looking like the interior of a Nordic log cabin (in a good way), young chef James Cross (with spells at Noma, Copenhagen and Per Se, New York on his CV) has gradually built a reputation from his open kitchen, for beautifully executed food, constructed from locally sourced, and locally foraged ingredients. With exceptionally good reviews from Northern food bloggers such as Bacon on the Beach and Cumbria Foodie way back in 2014, and recently from national restaurant critic Marina O'Loughlin, I decided a trip up the M6 to LRK would be a good idea. After warming hands on the hot towels that we were presented upon being seated, I ordered the 8-course tasting menu sipped some wonderful English sparkling wine from the Wiston Estate winery in West Sussex, and waited for the food to arrive. Perfection is defined as: 'the action or process of improving something until it is faultless', and this is exactly what James and his team are producing at Lake Road Kitchen. From their intimate kitchen, the bread through to the cheesecake could not be subject to a single complaint, grievance, or criticism. Not a bum note, not a missed trick, from 8 courses. Highly improbable - yes, but not impossible it would seem. Therefore, I can only end by saying thank you to James, Sally, and the rest of the Lake Road Kitchen team for such an incredible evening.

It's quite embarrassing that we had Thai food for two nights in a row when traveling through the…read moreLake District but... the heart wants what the heart wants! Full disclosure, I wanted to hate this place. It took a while for the hostess to seat us because he was busy chitchatting instead of taking care of people in line. Also, they kind of scoffed when we said we didn't have a reservation even though the place was half full. Then, looking at the menu, the food doesn't come with rice or noodle, and they charge a whopping 2.95 pounds for plain jasmine rice. I was like -.- But DANG their food is amazing! I was completely blown away. Possibly the best Thai food I've ever had outside of Thailand. Who would have thought a restaurant in a little English village would be one of the best Thai food experiences I've ever had. We got the chicken Phad Krapow and the land stir fry. The flavors on these dishes were absolutely perfect. We cleaned the plates! Highly recommend. If this place were in Arlington VA, they would probably know my name and make my food as soon as I walk in the door!

Really beautiful interior, delicious food to match, reasonably-priced wines, and quick service. We…read moreloved having dinner here, I'm a Cumbrian native and it's rare to find such great Thai food. Highly recommend.

This is a lovely restaurant in the Lake District. Great service and fine dining without anything…read morepretentious. The staff made us feel welcome and comfortable. They fit us in on a busy night with just an hour notice. The candlelight on the tables was very romantic for a night out with my husband. The prawn and chorizo starter was absolutely delicious. The lamb shank with fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes was excellent. I will definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great dining experience in The Lakes.

Ambiance, service and food was excellent. How much effort Lucy and the team puts into the customer…read moreexperience really shows.

Excellent service and excellent food. Our waitress was friendly and fully explained the menu when…read morewe had difficulties with dietary requirements. Their fish dishes were the highlight. Would highly recommend going here if you don't mind spending £10 - £16 a main.

The food was very good; drinks were lovely on the second round; ambiance is nice; prices were…read morereasonable for the area.

This place is amazing. The service is excellent. The food is outstanding. We shared a handmade…read moresteak and ale pie and sticky toffee pudding and they were fantastic. If we are in this area again, we will be coming back. Highly recommend.

Quite simply the best food we've had since arriving in the Lakes. We were attracted by the…read morelunchtime special £8.50 for soup of the day and any main (pizza/pasta) on the menu. It would be fair to say it exceeded our expectations the tomato and basil soup was served with bread and genuinely excellent. Followed by carnivore pizza which again was excellent with really high quality ingredients Italian meats, spicy sausage, fresh chilli etc. I would have been thrilled with this quality of food doran evening out never mind lunch. Staff were very pleasant and the restaurant though small was immaculate. I strongly recommend you give it a try.

Excellent italian food and friendly, efficient but not overbearing service. Plenty of choice…read morealthough they seem to be slightly biased towards sea-food as three of the four specials were fish based. There were five of us and we chose a variety of dishes,I had red mullet, ratatouille and green (pesto?) mashed potato, whereas my son had pizza. Mine was absolutely delicious. So was the cappucino brulee that I shared with my wife. Everybody else was very pleased with their choices too. Quite a small premises with straightforward decor and ambience, but clean and well run. Definitely worth a visit. I believe you pay a premium for eating in Ambleside but we spent slightly over £20 per head and I think that this was most reasonable overall. I hope that you enjoy it too.

To be fair, I am a tourist from the US, and so my opinion on fish and chips carries a bit less…read morelegitimacy than a true Brit's. That said, Old Smithy's just served up a plate of the best fish and chips I've ever had in my life. The fish tasted very fresh, offering a vibrant flavor that was severely lacking from some of the battered fish I've had in London. The batter was simple, but fried perfectly. The chips were freshly cut and -- just as the batter was -- fried just right. Hell, even the mayonnaise and tartar sauce (served in packets) were delicious; I could actually taste the egg in the mayonnaise. I often forget that mayonnaise, before becoming the bastardized mayo that pervades US markets, was originally a French sauce. As silly as it sounds, the mayonnaise packets here jogged my memory. I wholly believe that the quality of the fish and chips is a reflection of the local mindset here in Ambleside, where very little seems to be outsourced. Other than freshness, there was nothing else really noteworthy about the food, and yet it's that beautiful simplicity that made it so delicious. And at £6 for a large plate? It was almost unbelievable.

Just had a portion of chips with curry sauce after a few pints. Nicely cooked & open on sunday eve…read moretill 10.30, perfect.

A vegetarian Italian restaurant?! We were hesitant before going and then were so glad we did…read more Located in the lower level of a historic cinema, this glowingly-lit place was the perfect spot to meet up with friends. They gave us a giant round table that was super plush and cozy. My gin and elderflower tonic was delicious, as was the tagliatelle bolognese. I finished mine and almost my husband's too. The portion was the perfect size and the rest of our table enjoyed their meals and desserts too. They offer lots of appetizers (like specially-made bruschettas, etc), as well as pizzas, pastas, salads, and decadent desserts. Honestly didn't even notice that it was all vegetarian. Definitely go here!

Boy, does this place do a good Whiskey and Coke. As you can…read moretell I am extremely easily pleased. We went here last week with old family friends and was the perfect environment to catch up, enjoy great food and have a good drink. The menu is great and everyone left feeling extremely satisfied with what they ordered. I would 100% recommend if you are in the Ambleside area!