Keswick Road, Grasmere, LA22 9RN
Harden's survey result
Summary
“You can’t fail to be impressed by the marvellous experience” at this “luxurious hotel in the best part of the Lake District”, whose “setting is luxurious and baronial, with perhaps a touch of formality”; and which – despite its remoteness – is one of the top-40 most commented-on destinations in our annual diners’ poll. At dinner you choose between four-course and eight-course tasting menus (at lunch it’s four or six). Chef Paul Leonard’s food is “modern and very well-executed” (“vegetarians are extremely well catered for, and without any of the usual fuss”) and “the servers give you detailed explanations of each course as it arrives”. One or two reporters say they “enjoyed the experience, but were not blown away”. But others feel that “although it is locally expensive, it’s not so compared with better-known restaurants of similar quality, thus deserves a high rating”.
Summary
“A great stay-and-dine location” – Andrew Wildsmith’s hotel inhabits a fine Victorian-Gothic mansion near Grasmere and is one of Lakeland’s ‘premier’ destinations. Chef Paul Leonard “uses locally sourced ingredients to create stunning dishes” for an eight-course tasting menu at £140 per person (although, if you are a hotel resident, there is also a four-course alternative at £95 per person). The “enchanting setting” makes it a superbly “romantic” choice, although a growing number of reporters also consider it rather an “overpriced” one too. Overall, however, positive vibes prevail. (“We were lucky to arrive due to a large dump of snow on the Saturday but we managed to park in a snow drift and enter a world of gastronomy – wow, what a delight! The care and attention to the food preparation and presentation was beyond anything I’d seen before, the beetroot starter was a masterpiece almost too good to eat. A great venue for a romantic overnight stay or a great place to catch up with friends over a gourmet dinner. Superb!”)
Summary
“Simply outstanding in all areas” – Andrew Wildsmith’s “luscious” Lakeland hotel occupies a stone-clad Victorian mansion and it’s, say fans, “well worth the hype and prices” thanks to its “wonderful and romantic setting”, “exemplary service” and “faultless cuisine” from chef Paul Leonard and his team, all combining to create a “top gastronomic experience” – “we’ve been going here for several years since it opened, and it gets better and better: worth the journey!” That said, the pricing is a sticking point for some reporters, who feel “it’s good but not outstanding judged against the strong local competition, and heartier appetites than mine may not be satisfied”. For those of more modest tastes, though, it may be a blessing that you are not constrained to a tasting menu format (although an eight-course menu is available for £140 per person): the entry-level option is a four-course meal for £85 per person.
Summary
Especially when viewed as an all-round experience, Andrew Wildsmith’s luxurious hotel is one of the highlights of Lakeland and indeed UK gastronomy – “the food rates mention next to that of L’Enclume, but the beautiful surroundings raise it even higher as an experience” for some fans and “all aspects are balanced perfectly with a relaxed atmosphere”. “Top-quality ingredients are cooked superbly” by chef Paul Leonard and his team, who “continue to impress with excellent food that’s not too foamy, and matched with top-notch wine pairings”. And the option of a 4-course menu alongside the 8-course one frees you from the tyranny of the tasting menu format; although the latter inspired the odd gripe this year of portions that were “too minimal”. Quibbles overall were few, though, and for most diners here “the ideal number of times to visit is the current number of times you have visited… plus one!”
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Forest Side?
Owner's description
We ask you to journey with us through this rich place and feast through what you see, smell and taste.
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
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|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Restaurant details
The chef
Paul Leonard appointed as head Chef in 2019, Pauls innovativecooking style showcases homegrown and foraged ingredients to great success
The Forest Side Restaurant Diner Reviews
"When returning to a restaurant which you've enjoyed greatly in the past, It's always worrying - is it going to live up to expectations? Forest Side has every time - and often exceeded those expectations. The constantly-changing menu reflects local produce, as well as availability and freshness. There is so much originality, in the menu, and usally the menu entries are a shadow of the reality - the food is far more complex and entertaining than suggested. The efficient and friendly staff do so much to make you feel welcome, and my wife, who suffers from some food intolerances tells me she has never had such inventive vegetarian plates - even at L'enclume or Moor Hall. I'd add that the food is up to the standards of those two restaurants, but far less pricy."
"Forest Side 21 June 2025 Nce couple of snacks to start. Beetroot tartlet with whipped cods roe, potato rosti, hot, topped with a beef tartare. Parkeer House style bread, soft and hot, glazed with honey, whipped butter. Good but not as florally presented as on a previous visit. Roasted breast of qual, with braised gem, peas and summer truffle. A tasty start. Lightly cured scallop with green strawberry, elderflower and a little caviar. Pleasant but a little small. Perhaps only one scallop between the two of us if scrutinised! Roasted monkfish, summer greens and wild horseradish cream. Fish slightly over and horseradish could have been punchier. Saddle of lamb with garden brassicas. Very good, pink lamb, good flavour. Waldorf salad. A fragile tartlet with apple and nutflavoured cream, delicate, prettily presented. Finally, Strawberry, sweet cicely, sour cream. A strawberry mouse in a thin crisp sour cream shell, topped with sweet cicely ice cream, with a strawberry tuile on a thin biscuit base. An excellent finish. Service was ok but slow, and now with the customery different waiter or chef for each course. I think this is not required except for one or two courses. As a Hardens Platinum member there should have been a welcome drink, but this was dealt with by not being charged for our first drinks each."
"This is a lovely hotel in a beautiful location. We opted for the 4 course menu and larger tasting menus can sometimes be too much - certainly not the case here...The portion size is frankly tiny and, for pretty much the first time ever, we were hungry at the end of the meal. The food is cooked well and very well presented but having a chef come out each time and give every possible detail of each animal was a bit wearing and I felt like I knew more about each one than I do some of my family. There are better options in this price range."
Keswick Road, Grasmere, LA22 9RN
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑9 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑9 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑9 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑9 pm |
