Lake Road Kitchen
Ambleside, United Kingdom
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
Nordic décor meets the Lake District at this intimate restaurant, where wooden planks line the walls and sheepskins cover the chairs. The Lakes provides much of the top-drawer produce, although the chefs do look further afield, with a few Japanese influences being incorporated, such as in the king mackerel tartare with white soy, mirin and gold grade nori. Dishes often look simple, but are in fact complex, creative and contain impressive depth of flavour – years of culinary experience are evident in every mouthful. Service is smooth, with the detailed dish descriptions delivered with confidence and pride.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Here are three unique or unconventional aspects of Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside:
1. Nordic-style cooking with Lakeland and Scottish produce
Lake Road Kitchen combines Nordic culinary sensibilities with a strong focus on local Lakeland and Scottish ingredients. The kitchen emphasizes pickling, foraging, and fermenting, creating dishes that reflect both the region and Nordic influences, such as kingfish tartare with white soy and tangerine juice or pork BBQ saddleback with miso glaze.
2. Open kitchen with a no-frills dining room
The restaurant features an open kitchen design, allowing diners to become part of the culinary theatre. The dining room is simple, with pine plank walls and bare tables, focusing attention on the food and the cooking process rather than elaborate decor.
3. Diverse tasting menus with flexible dietary accommodations
Lake Road Kitchen offers daily changing tasting menus in 5-, 8-, and 12-course formats, catering to various dietary needs including pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and pregnancy-friendly diets. This flexibility is unusual for Michelin-starred restaurants, which often have fixed menus.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred Lake Road Kitchen in Ambleside include:
125 day old dry-aged beef: This is a standout ingredient, slow-cooked and served with bone marrow sauce and charred lettuce. The beef is highly prized for its intense flavor developed through extended aging.
Whole cauliflower: A signature dish features a whole cauliflower steeped in pine and goat butter, showcasing a unique texture and the use of foraged pine needles for aromatic complexity.
Orkney scallops: Served with Mornay sauce and foraged sea plants, these scallops highlight the restaurant’s focus on local, seasonal seafood and wild ingredients.
Heritage carrots: Pickled, roasted, and raw heritage carrots are regularly used, emphasizing the restaurant’s commitment to local, seasonal vegetables and foraging.
Norwegian sea trout: Featured in dishes like steamed sea trout with tomato consommé and pink peppercorn, reflecting the restaurant’s blend of local and Nordic influences.
These ingredients are significant as they reflect Lake Road Kitchen’s philosophy of combining local Cumbrian produce with foraged elements and Nordic culinary techniques, creating dishes that are both rooted in place and innovative in flavor and presentation.
Menu & Pricing
Current Offerings & Prices
Tasting Menus
- 12 Servings: £165 per person
- 8 Servings: £110 per person
- 5 Servings: £80 per person
Additional Options
- A5 Miyazaki Wagyu beef available as an additional serving or instead of your main course.