Keswick Road, Grasmere, LA22 9RN
Harden's survey result
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!”
Summary
“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.
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
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 |
|
|---|---|
| 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
"A return lunch. We opted for 4 courses (the only other choice was 6 courses) as we wanted to avoid meat. Portions are not large - bread is limited too- so we added an excellent cheese plate to fill us up. Some extra items arrive before the 4 courses. Cooking remains strong if not as outstanding as some. Deserts are not the best feature nor are there any sweet goodies. Overall, enjoyed but not blown away. "
"Excellent bread. Very interesting food, portions small but that's ok for lunch."
"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. When it comes to price, it's nowhere near as expensive as both of those restaurants, yet with similar quality food, service and ambience. When it comes to vegetarians, they are extremely well catered for, and without any of the usual fuss. Locally expensive, but not so compared with better-known restaurants of similar quality, thus the high rating."
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 |
