Few know the Cumbrian food scene better than outdoor cook, TV personality and mental health speaker Harrison Ward – also known as Fell Foodie. He shares his top 10 places to eat out across the county.
Cumbria is flying high when it comes to exciting places to eat, he said.
Harrison, who was born and bred in the county, says there has never been a better time to explore Cumbria’s culinary landscape.
He said: “The county has a lot of amazing places to eat right now, everything from cafes to pubs to relaxed restaurants, doing great food with quality produce. And if you want fine dining, Cumbria now has more Michelin stars than any other area outside London.
“It’s my favourite thing to do; head out and eat out with friends. I love to support local, and the artisan spots, and meet people who are passionate about their trade.”
Harrison has turned his lifelong love of food into a burgeoning new career. After a successful stint in hospitality in York he suffered a breakdown, struggling with alcoholism and depression.
He returned home to Cumbria where his path to recovery, climbing fells, cooking outdoor meals and talking openly about mental health, drew a big social media following. Fell Foodie was born. He now travels all over the country as a motivational speaker, takes inner city children onto the fells to cook, and hosted Dame Mary Berry on an outdoor cook up for her BBC 2 show Mary Berry: Love to Cook.
His first book, Cook Out, is due to be published next month. “It’s full of adventure recipes, designed to be eaten on the go, from breakfast to more extravagant summit specials, and talking about the dos and don’ts of cooking outside and the Countryside Code,” said Harrison.
When he’s not working, he’s often dropping into Cumbrian eateries.
He said: “Cumbria prides itself on its produce, and for such a small population the variety is vast. In Cumbria we have coffee roasting, preserves, fantastic smoked meats, creators and suppliers and farming. Also, a great coastline, it’s not just the Lake District.
“There are top restaurants, and there’s a great café culture. And it’s not just run of the mill machine coffee, often it is artisan, and they are creating fresh produce, which sometimes isn’t the case in this country as a whole.”
Here is Fell Foodie’s 10 best places to eat around Cumbria – you can get to all of them by bus and all for £2 for a single fare.
Copper Pot, Ambleside
Bus service: 505, 555, 599 & 516
Fell Foodie says: Fantastic homemade food, great coffee and the best atmosphere. They always have the warmest welcome for everyone, locals and tourists. They use local suppliers and the quality and consistency is always there. I often take people who are visiting. There’s a nice garden for sunny days.
Top tip: They are dog friendly
Homeground Coffee and Kitchen, Windermere
Bus service: 505, 516, 555, 599 & 755
Fell Foodie says: The sort of place you can imagine in Manchester or London. A cosmopolitan café doing things right. Always a really busy spot and a gorgeous environment to be in. The menu is delicious.
Top tip: The Homeground sarnie. It has avocado and chutney and two types of bacon and best of all hash browns, which they make from scratch every day. You want to try those hash browns.
Moon and Sixpence Coffeehouse, Cockermouth
Bus service: X4, X5 & 600
Fell Foodie says: The owner is so knowledgeable about coffee. Very welcoming and right in the centre of town. They have Carvetii Coffee which is ground and roasted in Threlkeld and by the shores of the idyllic Derwentwater in Keswick too. A haven for a coffee break.
Top tip: They have house and guest blends. Let them recommend what coffee to try that day.
The Peddler, Whitehaven
Bus service: 1, 2, 2A, 3, 3A 29 & 30
Fell Foodie says: Based in the old bus station near the harbour, which has undergone a multi-million development as part of the gentrification of the area. It is a fabulous maritime themed restaurant and café. They do local produce and fresh seafood; food done well. Certainly worth popping in for lunch.
Top Tip: Try their enormous loaded flat breads.
The Chopping Block, Penrith
Bus service: 104, X4/X5, 508 & 563
Fell Foodie says: A small café which does simple but proper food – the highest quality ingredients from the area. It is also a high-end butchery specializing in things like salt aged steaks, and a deli farm shop; they work closely with local producers and have a good record of only dealing with ethical farmers who take animal welfare seriously.
Top tip: Pop into the shop for some treats from the counter.
Bassenthwaite Lake Station
Bus service: X5
Fell Foodie says: A café in the restored station on the former Keswick to Cockermouth railway line. There’s a café on the station and also in an old train carriage, plus another carriage where you can have wonderful afternoon tea.
The carriage was used in the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express and is a real step back in time. The food is done to a high level, and it is a wonderful, quirky environment.
Top tip: You are close to plenty of fell routes for a walk.
Bakehouse Born and Bread, Ulverston
Bus service: 6 & X6
Fell Foodie says: Great spot to head to if you are going to the western Lakes or down to Arnside. The first impression is it is on an industrial estate.
But it’s a cosy café where they bake all their own cakes and some of the best bread you can get in the area. You can’t not have a cake, there are huge custard slices and doorstop brownies… the temptation is huge and it’s worth succumbing.
Top tip: Because it’s a bakehouse, be sure to take a lot of their bread home.
Fellpack, Keswick
Bus service – 73, 77, 77A, 78,554, 555, X4 & X5
Fell Foodie says: It all began around the idea of packs of food to take up the fells, which quickly turned into a café and then bistro. They do comforting nourishing dishes with vegan and veggie options and some great curries and chillies. Definitely worth booking in advance.
Top tip: If you can’t get a reservation in the summer make sure you hit their street food truck outside.
Giannis, Carlisle
Bus service: All services to Carlisle Bus Station
Fell Foodie says: Going with my heart for this one. One of the oldest Italian restaurants in Carlisle. The food is rustic and flavoursome and the space is quite close quartered so you end up making friends with all those around you. Hospitality done the right way with excellent service, never fails to be enjoyable. I remember going with my gran, and I still go now. The taste of Italy.
Top tip: They do a happy hour so if you go for an earlier dinner you can come away with a few more pennies.
Comida Food, Kendal
Bus service: X6, 40, , 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, X6, 6C, 505, 555, 599 & 755
Fell Foodie says: It’s a Spanish tapas space doing day and evening with a takeaway service too. They have a big window onto the street and a nice ambience with an open plan kitchen. I like the synergy with food outdoors and sharing platters; I like that tapas feel and the community food approach.
Top tip: Take a gang along and order a lot from the menu and try different things.
