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Eating Out

Eating out in and around Windermere

Below is just a small selection of cafés and restaurants that we have personally eaten at that we can recommend. There are countless more places that could also be mentioned!

  • The Hut

    45 St Martins Square Bowness LA23 3EF

    Facebook thehutbowness

    Lovely family run cocktail bar, best cocktails in the village.

    http://www.thehutbowness.co.uk/

  • The Westmoorland

    Lake Road, Bowness LA23 3AP 015394 44078

    Lovely cosy and friendly family run Bar and restaurant. Great home

    Cooked food with GF and V.

  • Francine's

    Main street Windermere, 015394 44088

    Cuisine: Continental style bistro

    Comment: An excellent restaurant. We have sent a lot of guests here and every report has been excellent one of our favourites. GF options on the menu including pudding, closed Mondays.

  • Cafe Italia

    Main Street, Windermere

    Cuisine: Italian/European

    Comment: Lovely cafe, lots of choice and great coffee and can also relax with wine.. Outdoor heated area. GF options.

  • Homeground

    56 Main Road Windermere 015394 44863

    Cuisine: Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch

    Comment: Lovely food and coffee, also nice home-made cakes. Very friendly. GF options available including cakes

  • The Pig

    13 crescent Road Windermere 01539 234010

    Guisine: Great British food

    Comment: Local produce for lovely British and continental meals, with pork in many forms. GF options including pizza.

  • Lakeland Cafe

    Beside the train station Windermere 015394 88100

    Cuisine: Contemporary

    Comment: Fantastic food can have a full lunch, light bite or coffee and cake. It is always busy. Very good GF options, for food and cakes.

  • The Angel Inn

    Helm Road Bowness, 015394 44080

    Cuisine: Pub Grub

    Comment: Set back on a hillside in Bowness, The Angel offers good pub food. GF options

  • Villa Positano

    Ash Street Bowness 015394 45663

    Cuisine: Italian

    Comment: Great Italian restaurant, very difficult to get a table here. Lively atmosphere (Closed on Wednesdays). GF options

  • Lake Raj

    3 Longlands Road (behind the cinema) 015394 45900

    Cuisine: Indian

    Comment: Small but with rally nice staff and service. Indian Fusion Cuisine, GF Aware

  • The Albert

    Queens Square Bowness 015394 43241

    Cuisine: Good Pub Grub

    Comment: Good pub grub with a good selection of meals, one of our favourites. GF options

  • Cafe Riva

    St Martin’s Square Bowness 015394 23232

    Cuisine: Italian

    Comment: Lovely food with a good menu and friendly staff. Excellent GF options, including pizza

  • Jintana

    Bowness 015394 45002

    Cuisine: Thai

    Comment: Open since 2004, the restaurant offers diners a relaxed, friendly environment in which to enjoy freshly prepared authentic Thai food. GF options marked on the menu

  • Jacksons Bistro

    Bowness, very end of ash Street 015394 46264

    Cuisine: English, cosy bistro with a wide menu and good value for money. GF and vegetarian options.

  • Fellinis

    Church Street Ambleside

    Cuisine Modern European Vegetarian. GF and vegan options

    Comment: Superb vegetarian restaurant in catering for the most discerning vegetarian palette with a distinct Mediterranean twist. Above the restaurant a state of the art digital cinema will show the latest art house and niche film productions.

  • Zeffirellis

    Compton Road Ambleside

    Italian inspired menu. Can buy a meal and cinema ticket. GF and vegetarian options

  • Chesters by the River: Vegan cafe

    Skelwith Bridge, past Ambleside

    Cuisine Mediterranean/British

    Comment:Beautiful setting beside the river, lovely food and homemade cakes, gets very busy but you can sit outside. Great to combine with a walk. Fantastic GF and vegetarian options.

  • The Water Mill

    Ings – 10 minutes drive along the 591 to Ings village. 01539 821309

    Cuisine: English Pub Grub:

    Comment: English pub with lots of character and a large selection of ales, from their own micro brewery. GF options

  • Greens Cafe

    College Street Grasmere LA22 9NN

    Cuisine: Bistro style, British/European. Really good menu, with lots of GF options, as well as vegetarian and vegan. Does GF scones.

  • Baldry’s Tea Room

    Red Lion Square, Grasmere. 01539 35301

    Lovely cafe, great food and cakes, as well as friendly service. GF options, including several choices of scones.

  • Ambleside: MR H's Tearoom

    4 Lake Road, Ambleside LA22 0AD 015394 431421

    Facebook: Mrhambleside

     

    Vintage tearoom serving yummy  homemade delights, vegetarian and GF

    options, also sell vintage and home-made goods

Covid 19 Important Information for Guests

COVID-19: Important Information for Guests

We look forward to welcoming back guests at Kirkwood Guest house, and are now taking booking. We recommend you book direct for the best prices either by phone or on our website.

It’s been a difficult time and we wish to thank the NHS and Key Workers during this ongoing pandemic. Our thoughts are also with everyone who has been affected. As you will understand we have had to make some changes at the guest house in order to keep our guest safe, and ensure you have a comfortable stay.

Cleaning

We pride ourselves on the cleanliness of our guest house, but we have introduced extra cleaning, such as using antiviral disinfectant. We have also had to remove any extra soft furnishings from our rooms. There will also be extra cleaning throughout communal areas in the house, and hand sanitizer is available.

Arrival

We love meeting new people but during this time we are trying to minimise contact with guests. We would therefore ask that you let us know your arrival time in advance, in order to minimise a queue. Check in is 4pm onwards, early check in, cannot always be guaranteed, and must be arranged in advance.

There will be hand sanitizer available in the porch and the hallway. We will greet you on arrival, but we will keep at least a 1 meter social distance. We will be taking payment on arrival, we can take this from your booking, or you can pay by card or cash. This is to avoid a queue on departure. You will be directed to you your room, your key will be in your room. The key opens your room door and our front door. Our phone numbers will be available in the room, please contact us if you need anything.

Rooms

We ask all guests to place all rubbish in the bins provided. We will not be servicing rooms daily, unless requested. If you need any towels or condiments, please let us know by text or talking to us, and leave any rubbish or dirty towels outside your room. We have removed our entire book collection. We have left our DVDs for people to use, if you take one please leave it in your room so we can sanitise this. We are happy to provide any cleaning equipment as requested

Breakfast

We encourage guests to take advantage of breakfast in the room, during your stay. We are offering the choice of room service or a breakfast in the dining room. There is a list of the breakfast options in your room, and we ask that you pre order your breakfast the night before by text. If you are coming to the dining room, you will be assigned a time for breakfast, and this will be table service with all tables being 2 meters apart.

Going out

We recommend that you book restaurant as far in advance as you can. We also recommend that you book local attraction in advance, such as boat trips, mountain goat tours and Beatrix potter. We have lots of leaflets, but if you use these please bin them after your use. We recommend you use the internet to find out local information and maps. We are always happy to help you plan days out, or help you book events.

Check out

Check out is at 10.30am. We ask all guests to understand that we need extra time to clean our rooms. Please leave your key in the bowl by the office door on check out.

Covid 19 symptoms

If you develop any of the symptoms of Covid 19, then please let us know as soon as possible, by phoning us. You should arrange to return home as soon as possible, to self isolate and book a Covid 19 test. If you cannot return home, then you should seek advice from NHS111. Whilst at Kirkwood guest house, you should self isolate in your room. We will provide you with two Laundry bags, one for bedding and one for towels. We will provide you with fresh linen, towels, food and cleaning equipment, but will not enter the room. You will be charged for the extra cost of your stay, and therefore recommend that you purchase travel insurance in advance.

Gluten and Wheat free Breakfasts

"I was diagnosed with coeliac when I was six, in the days when it was relatively unknown and gluten-free products were scarce. When we took over Kirkwood House in 2013 I wanted to ensure that not only did we serve the best in gluten and wheat free breakfast cuisine, but that we also guarantee there is no cross-contamination in our kitchen.

We ensure that any wheat-based products such as toast are prepared in a separate area to specified gluten and wheat free products. We stock a range of gluten-free products, such as brown or white bread, sausages. We also cook gluten-free pancakes and Belgian waffles. Gluten free biscuits are also available in the room.

Please let us know about any dietary requirements when you book and we'll be happy to help."

For more information on Coeliac please visit www.coeliac.org.uk.

Paula Bailey
Owner, Kirkwood House

Charge your electric vehicle while in Windermere

charging stationMore and more people are investing in electric vehicles for making short journeys around town, but their limited range makes them a poor choice to use for short breaks or the family holiday.

Kirkwood Guest House has installed a 32a Rolec fast-charging electric vehicle charging station, capable of charging two vehicles*. 

This high-speed charger can fully charge an electric vehicle in less than four hours, at a fraction of the cost of petrol or diesel vehicles.

If you are staying with us in Windermere and want to make use of our EV charging point please advise when you book to confirm availability.

 * fees apply

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TripAdvisor

tripadvisor winner 2014

Latest Review

Fantastic stay!

Stayed here for 3 nights with my partner and could not fault a thing. Our room was huge and well presented with tea and coffee making facilities. The room and en suite were spotless.

Read more …