RestaurantsCumbriaGrasmereLA22
HARDENS CLUB PARTNER

survey result

Summary

£171
£££££
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“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

£158
£££££
5
Exceptional
5
Exceptional
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

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!”

Summary

£99
 ££££
5
Exceptional
5
Exceptional
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“A truly beautiful house, in wonderful surroundings” – Andrew Wildsmith’s luxurious hotel sits in dramatic Lakeland scenery, just outside Grasmere, and is increasingly recognised as one of the UK’s top gastronomic destinations. It continues to inspire a high volume of feedback in our survey, all of it adulatory, for Paul Leonard’s “beautifully flavoursome and interesting” cuisine and the “helpful and friendly staff”. Veggies do well here too (“my wife has a medical condition which makes her – in effect – a vegan, so we get to judge every restaurant we go to on these lines too. She has never eaten better prepared, cooked and presented vegetables anywhere over the past 20 years!)”. In October 2021, the dining room received a hard-to-achieve 4 AA rosettes.

Summary

£92
 ££££
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“Every course leaves you wanting more… even though you knew you shouldn’t as there are so many more to come”, according to fans of ex-L’Enclume chef Kevin Tickle’s “sublime” cuisine at Andrew Wildsmith’s swish four-year-old hotel: a “delightful” venue, in beautiful Lakeland setting, just outside Grasmere. The “quirky and interesting set of menus” are “well-realised and quite fun as well”, featuring “seasonal food that’s either from the garden, local suppliers or foraged”. It’s not utterly beyond criticism, though. Even fans concede it’s “costly” and criticisms include its “manicured style of cooking (I pity the sous chefs with tweezers)” and service that “leaves you feeling a bit giddy with so much coming and going”.

For 33 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

Our food ethos is firmly rooted in the landscape of the lakes, inspired by our belief in utilising the best seasonal local produce, our dishes reflect the provenance of the ingredients used and we want to share this with you.

We ask you to journey with us through this rich place and feast through what you see, smell and taste.

Prices

Availability 2 courses 3 courses coffee included service included
Lunch   £65.00
Dinner   £125.00
  Cost Availability Courses
Menu1 85.00 Lunch only 6
Menu2 130.00 Dinner only 8
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £40.00
Filter Coffee £6.00
Extras  
Bread £0.00
Service 13.00%

Restaurant details

Highchair
10
No dress code
40
Any Age for Lunch & 8Yrs for Dinner

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

Reviews of The Forest Side Restaurant in LA22, Grasmere by users of Hardens.com. Also see the editors review of The Forest Side restaurant.
david h
Very good restaurant, one of the best in th...
Reviewed 3 months, 18 days ago

"Very good restaurant, one of the best in the lakes . "

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david h
Very good restaurant, one of the best in th...
Reviewed 3 months, 18 days ago

"Very good restaurant, one of the best in the lakes . "

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Mike E
The food is not dissimilar in style to L'En...
Reviewed 4 months, 16 days ago

"The food is not dissimilar in style to L'Enclume and Moor Hall, but the wonderful, friendly, helpful service together with the truly beautiful building and surroundings raise it even higher in my estimation, particularly at the price. When it comes to vegetarians, extremely well catered for, and without any of the usual fuss. All in all - Worth every penny."

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Keswick Road, Grasmere, LA22 9RN
Opening hours
MondayCLOSED
TuesdayCLOSED
Wednesday12 pm‑9 pm
Thursday12 pm‑9 pm
Friday12 pm‑9 pm
Saturday12 pm‑9 pm
Sunday12 pm‑9 pm

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"User friendly in price, size and outlook"

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