Keswick is an absolute hub town for the outdoorsy. How could it not be, surrounded as it is by so many wonderful fells, reaching right down to the shores of Derwentwater? So the many restaurants in Keswick are daily confronted by enthusiastic diners, tummies rumbling, after a day of activity (whether they’ve undertaken extreme adventures, epic hikes, boat trips, or just taken in a bit of the wonderful Lakeland scenery).
Keswick is one of the most popular bases for walkers in particular. It is a great leap-off point for tackling the Northern and Central Fells – from Scafell to Great Gable, Blencathra to Skiddaw.
10 Great Restaurants in Keswick
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Lakeland Sandwich and Pie Shop
Sometimes you need food on the move. No, this isn’t a restaurant in Keswick, but a takeaway sarnie for your packed lunch is a valuable foodie option for many visitors!
This Keswick sandwich shop seems to be loved by all who visit. A huge range of freshly made sarnies are available here, with toppings like the New Yorker, and the Salt Beef Baguette, winning acclaim from hungry hikers. Brekkie sarnies are available too, should you need a bacon bap to get those engines firing in the morning! Gluten Free customers can rest easy here too, as this shop goes the distance to make coeliacs feel properly and safely catered for. So, choose your topping – and get hiking up those hills!
Janslss.co.uk
12 Station St, Keswick, Cumbria England, CA12 5HP
Jasper’s Coffee House
Head to Jasper’s in Keswick for great food, brunch or lunch. From ‘Grilled Cumbrian Rarebit’ to ‘Smashed Avocado’ to ‘Wild Mushrooms on Toast’, this independent coffee shop offers up savoury options perfect for either brunch or lunch, to satisfy any appetite.
Whether you’re taking a day off hiking or just enjoying a day moseying around this lively town, it’s great to relax with a coffee over brunch and watch the world go by. Oh, and there are plenty of doggy-friendly treats too, from ice cream to doggy beer! They have a restaurant in Keswick, and also a sibling coffee shop up in nearby village Braithwaite.
https://www.jasperscoffeehouse.com/
20 Station Street, Keswick
Cumbria, CA12 5HF
Old Keswickian
A solid chippy in the centre of Keswick, the Old Keswickian only uses sustainably sourced, wild, organic cod from the North Atlantic. What could be more satisfying than really good fish and chips, after any sort of energy expenditure?! Choose Takeaway to perch somewhere picturesque around the town, or head inside to eat in. This isn’t a 1950s diner-type chippy – this is a traditional old building, and the dine-in room upstairs (seating up to 70) features ancient oak beams and a cast iron fireplace. You can’t argue with this solid British classic.
Market Square, Keswick, Cumbria, CA125BD
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Fellpack
Fellpack is the perfect place to head for an injection of fun after a tiring day – the upbeat, welcoming ambiance, as well as the great food (not to mention the cocktails!), will give you that second wind you needed.
This warm and friendly bistro feels young and stylish, too, and the food reflects that. Innovative twists on classics populate a menu that is only constrained by the phrase ‘‘we only serve what we would want to eat’. This means you’ll find eclectic dish combos available, pulling inspo from all over the world. Current menu dishes include the likes of fishcake nicoise salad, Sriracha pulled pork bao buns with kimchi slaw & Seoul fries, lamb tagine, cauliflower carbonara, a dhal, and seafood paella!
Somehow they are all delivered with the Fellpack spin, making them seem ingenious and suitable rather than weird and wacky. You’ll end up travelling the gastronomic world without leaving the comfort of this restaurant in Keswick! Vegan and gluten-free options are plentiful, and well marked on the menu too.
https://fellpack.co.uk/venue/the-fellpack/
34 Lake Road, Keswick CA12 5DQ, UK
The Round
Worth noting is that Fellpack owners also own a sister restaurant called The Round! So if you’re in love with Fellpack, but fancy a change, head here for more fun feasting. With a more hip and lively vibe, this is great for drinks and snacks as you all recount exciting tales from your day. Based in the heart of Keswick, they serve up great burgers, using local ingredients and homemade sauces – as well as fun cocktails, wines, and beers. On the cocktail menu, you’ll find the classics, sure, but also some mixology of their own invention – try out ‘Queen of the North’ – a delightful mix of gin, Cointreau, vermouth, pomegranate, lemon, and aquafaba!
There are currently 12 burgers on the menu, all with Lakesy names – from veggie options like the Super Green Gable (a kale, spinach, and pea patty with herb & lemon mayo, roasted red peppers, red onions, and rocket) to Pullvellyn (Cumbrian beef patty plus pulled pork, Swiss cheese, BBQ sauce, lettuce & red onions), and Katsu Bells (crispy fried chicken, slaw, house pickles, katsu sauce, & curried mayo). There are plenty of burger options beyond the ‘obvious’ beef patty, and plenty of vegan and gluten-free options available too.
https://fellpack.co.uk/venue/the-round/
21 Main Street, Keswick CA12 5BL, UK
Merienda
This quirky global food-inspired restaurant in central Keswick is owned by George and Meera. Offering everything from light bites, coffees, and cakes up to substantial meals, it’s a great shout for whatever you’re in the mood for. The evening menu offers starters like broccoli, spinach, and mixed pepper tempura, halloumi fries with chilli sauce, and pork and kimchi wontons with pickled cucumber and hot sauce. For seconds? Their offering is as varied as grilled Jerk chicken leg, Teriyaki beef tacos, and baked whole local trout with Parmentier potatoes. Varied is the word!
They also offer a children’s menu. Serving up food all day, through a breakfast menu (8 am-12 – think breakfast rolls, eggs any way, and topped porridge), brunch menu (8 am-3 pm, featuring all the brunch classics plus more interesting options such as slow-cooked Boston beans with chorizo, feta, Dukkah, spinach, poached eggs, cornbread, and rocket) and lunch (12-3 pm, featuring great sarnies like the Reuben, alongside salads and a couple of bigger items like the pulled pork burger) – Merienda is a great spot to enjoy grub. Just make sure to book!
10 Main St, Keswick CA12 5JD
Square Orange
With a full vegan menu, every diner can easily be catered for here. A full pizza menu is available, with the classics like Margherita sat alongside more unusual pizza combos such as mozzarella, BBQ pulled pork & red onion, and N’duja, garlic, and oregano with rocket and Burrata. If you’re not in the mood for pizza, they also offer an extensive Tapas list, featuring dishes like truffle oil mushrooms, homemade meatballs, and stuffed vine leaves.
https://www.thesquareorange.co.uk/
20 St. John’s Street, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5AS
The Keswick Kitchen
Based on the golf course, dine surrounded by the amazing Fells here at Keswick Kitchen. Restaurants in Keswick come in many shapes and sizes, and this one is classic and traditional. Lunch dishes include dishes like a homemade soup of the day with mini tin loaf and Netherend Farm butter. You can also pick from a range of sarnies and toasties, or opt for heftier mains. If you are feeling hungrier, these heftier classics done well are the perfect choice – think premium whole-tail Scottish scampi, chips, salad, & tartare sauce, or sliced roast Cumbrian ham with 2 free-range fried eggs & chips, or even homemade steak pie, with chips, peas, & lashings of gravy.
Sometimes the classics are what you crave! Keswick Kitchen is the one to beat for Sunday lunch, too, with a classic slow-roasted Lakeland beef brisket on offer, accompanied by homemade Yorkshire Puds, horseradish sauce, and proper bone marrow beef gravy. Veggie and vegan options are also available on request.
https://www.keswickkitchen.com/
Keswick Golf Club, Threlkeld, Keswick CA12 4SX, UK
£££
The Cottage in the Wood
Cottage in the Wood is one of the very best restaurants in Keswick – but it’s not quite in the town centre. This Michelin-starred locale is just an 11-minute drive up into Whinlatter Forest. It’s a true once-in-a-lifetime occasion. It’s not only Michelin that rates them – they have also won Restaurant of the Year in the Cumbria Food Awards 2022, Taste Cumbria Winner 2022, and are listed in the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants List 2022 and the UK’s Top 50 Boutique Hotels List 2021.
The menu is a love letter to the Lakes, featuring the best local produce and purveyors. Current dishes from the Tasting menu include ‘Grelot Onion – Spring Onion Allerdale Goats Cheese – Gooseberry’ and ‘Saddle of Herdwick Hogget – Cauliflower Romanesco – Wild Watercress’.
https://www.thecottageinthewood.co.uk/
Magic Hill, Whinlatter Forest,
Braithwaite, Near Keswick,
Cumbria, CA12 5TW
Mizu, Lodore Falls Hotel
Head along the banks of Derwentwater to the Southern end and you’ll find Lodore Falls, in which sits the pan-Asian restaurant Mizu, winner of the Golden Chopsticks Awards 2022 for Best Restaurant in England! Offering a modern, light, and bright interior, Mizu’s menu combines treats from Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. It’s a menu full of variety, offering everything from the freshest sushi and sashimi to crisp tempura with zesty dipping sauces, fragrant curries to grilled meats and hearty bowls of ramen.
https://www.lakedistricthotels.net/lodorefalls/mizu
Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa
Derwentwater, Keswick, CA12 5UX
These are just some of the great restaurants in Keswick! A bustling town with plenty to offer, from the Mountain Festival in May to the weird and wonderful Keswick Museum & Art Gallery, there’s plenty to do alongside enjoying the awe-inspiring natural landscapes surrounding you.
