Food, glorious food
10 of the best places to eat in Bowness and Windermere
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The go to cafés and restaurants of Bowness and Windermere
There are so many places to eat in Windermere and Bowness (over 100 at least) that you could easily have breakfast, lunch and tea somewhere different every day. Sounds like our kind of holiday.
From simple, homely cafes serving soups, sandwiches and toasties to fine dining tasting menus at Michelin-starred restaurants, and everything in between, including all the usual takeaways and a wide range of pubs, there’s something to suit everyone’s taste and budget.
The Best Breakfast in Windermere or Bowness
…or brunch, if you’re making the most of not needing an alarm clock while you’re away 😉
Homeground Coffee + Kitchen
Get yourself to Homeground in Windermere for a breakfast (or brunch if you got up late) that’ll set you up right and proper for whatever the rest of the day might bring.
Chances are you’ll have to queue but, it’s worth it – and you can peruse the menu and get your mouth watering in drooly anticipation while you wait.
When you get inside it’s all rustic and cosy, and then there’s the food. We highly recommend the Homeground Sarnie – a towering stack of smoked back and streaky bacon, smashed avocado, hash browns, caramelised red onion, leaves, and a fried egg (if you like – we like), on sourdough ciabatta.
You can probably skip lunch after that little lot.
Homeground website >
Their socials are more useful!
Walk-ins only
01539 444 863
Main Road
Windermere
LA23 1DX
Brambles Café Bar
If you like your breakfast traditional and reasonably priced, point yourself in the direction of Brambles Café Bar. The owner, Karen, gets a lot of love in the reviews on Trip Advisor.
Slap bang in the middle of Windermere, this cosy, friendly little place will fill your plate with bacony, sausagey, eggy, black puddingy, beany, tomatoey, toasty goodness without you having to cough up an arm and a leg.
We haven’t found a better-kept secret than their Full English in terms of quality, quantity, and value. They’re dog-friendly too!
We’ll drink a big mug of steaming hot tea to that.
Lovely for lunch
Urban Food House
How does this little lot sound? Crispy Calamari. Roast Veg Flatbread. Korean Chicken Wings. Buttermilk Chicken Burger. Cauliflower Satay. Not bad, eh? You’ll find all these taste bud-treaters and more on the lunch menu at the Urban Food House in Bowness.
Dishing up great food with urban style and old-fashioned rural charm, the two friends who run the show are strongly committed to recycling and using British materials and local suppliers – 90% of the furniture and fixtures are recycled.
They like dogs too and have been known to offer up the odd sausage to lucky tail-waggers.
Graze
It’s easy to walk straight past Graze, but our advice is don’t – especially if you fancy something light and healthy for lunch that isn’t paninis or toasties or jacket potatoes.
We’re talking palate-pleasers like Udon Noodle Soup, Japanese Curry & Rice, and Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl, to name but a few.
The two-person team in this tiny restaurant cook everything on the short Asian-style menu to order and it can get busy, but the deliciously different food is worth it.
07444 885 167
Next to Lakeland Leather
Crag Brow
Bowness-on-Windermere
LA23 3BT
Bandito Burrito
The nachos steal the spotlight – a genuine surprise that you must try! The burritos are equally exceptional.
For those seeking the best burrito in the UK, look no further – with portions so generous you’ll be sharing them with the family Bandito Burrito delivers an outstanding experience. The use of tomatillos sets their burritos apart, earning a solid 10/10 recommendation.
The friendly staff, live up to the restaurant’s impressive near-perfect 4.9-star rating.
Whether you’re a local or just passing through, Bandito Burrito is a tiny culinary gem worth the detour. There’s not much seating (just a couple of tables inside and out) but, with an unmatched combination of flavourful dishes and inviting hospitality, you’d be daft to miss out, even if it’s just a click-and-collect meal to go.
Top-notch for tea …or do you call it dinner?
Porto
On cobbled Ash Street in Bowness, you can find a whitewashed stone building that looks like it belongs somewhere much hotter. But luckily for us, it’s here and serving some of the finest food in the area.
Slav is the man at the stove at Porto, and he spent time learning his craft under renowned chef Steven Doherty, who used to run the 3-Michelin Star La Gavroche in Mayfair. Ooh, fancy.
Slav’s dinner menu, which changes with the seasons, includes such delights as Lobster Arancini, Herdwick Lamb Chump, and Wild Mushroom Risotto. And, you must try his homemade Porto focaccia, which is made fresh every morning and served as a complimentary pre-starter.
Francine’s
Francine’s is probably the only restaurant in Windermere that has snails on the menu – and having tried them, I can vouch for their gloriously garlicky gorgeousness. But, if that spiral-shelled mollusc doesn’t tickle your taste buds, then how about Lobster thermidor? Or Seafood Casserole? Or Pan-Fried Turbot?
As you’ve probably noticed, Francine’s is a little bit different. A little bit continental. And a little bit special. Heavy on the seafood but with plenty of choice for carnivores and one or two dishes for vegetarians too.
This friendly bistro in the centre of the village has been a Windermere institution for many years.
Baha Bowness
7 days a week, BBQ reigns supreme, promising smoky, tender meats that practically sing with flavour. Feeling social? There are giant “cheeky sharer” platters overflowing with everything from succulent ribs to crispy fries, perfect for creating messy memories with friends.
But BAHA isn’t all about meat. They’ve got lighter bites and vegetarian options too, all made with fresh, local ingredients. And the homemade sauces? Let’s just say they pack a punch, so choose your spice level wisely! There’s afternoon tea and bottomless brunch too!
Live music thrums in the air, competing playfully with the laughter of other diners. Fairy lights cast a warm glow over the room, and you catch a glimpse of a vibrantly coloured cocktails being shaken up behind the bar. This isn’t your standard restaurant; it’s an experience waiting to be devoured.
So grab your friends, book a table beforehand (especially on weekends!), and get ready for a night that’ll leave you wanting to come back for more.
015392 77515
18 Ash Street
Bowness on Windermere
LA23 3EB
- Dog friendly
- Full disabled access to all 3 floors
- Private Karaoke Pod
- Kids changing facility
- Private Hire & Tour Groups
Source at Gilpin
Fancy a sophisticated, Michelin-starred culinary treat for dinner? Of Source you do? Head chef, Ollie Bridgewater, came from the legendary Fat Duck.
The seasonal ingredients come mostly from local suppliers. And the oohs, aahs, and mmmmm that tastes good, will be coming from you.
With three and six-course tasting menus to choose from, and a wonderful setting to enjoy it in. Working with a local organic farm to take a nose-to-tail, low food mile, pesticide-free, no-waste approach, the team at Source are cooking up a Cumbrian storm.
If you fancy something a little more lowkey, Gilpin Spice has you covered with impactful flavours, colours and smells in a more relaxed 2 AA Rosette restaurant.
Cottages in Windermere & Bowness
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