Lake District's Culinary Gems: Heft and The Brown Horse Shine

Cumbria and the Lake District are renowned for their stunning landscapes, but a lesser-known aspect is their thriving culinary scene. The region boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other area in the UK outside of London, alongside a selection of excellent pubs, some of which also hold Michelin stars.

Heft: A Dual-Concept Dining Experience

Heft, owned and operated by Cumbrian chef Kevin Tickle (formerly of The Forest Side) and his wife Nicola, earned a Michelin Star in 2023. It uniquely combines a casual, dog-friendly pub bar with a formal fine-dining restaurant.

A recent Sunday lunch featured a standout 24oz dry-aged beef rib (suitable for two), served pink with thyme-roasted onions, wild mushrooms, ramson béarnaise, and herb and garlic potatoes. Other options included whole plaice, slow-roasted Herdwick hogget shoulder, and a salt-baked celeriac 'steak.' Sides ranged from a cheesy mac 'n cheese to cauliflower roasted in brown butter. Desserts included Yorkshire rhubarb strudel and a pecan tart.

Notably, Heft offers the option to take leftovers (“heftovers”) home, a nod to the pub’s name and the traditional Cumbrian agricultural term “hefted,” referring to sheep that naturally stay within designated areas.

The Brown Horse: A Historic Coaching Inn

Tucked away in Winster Valley, The Brown Horse at Winster is an 18th-century coaching inn that prioritizes locally-grown produce, sourcing meats and vegetables from its own farm and kitchen gardens. During a recent visit, starters from the specials menu, including tempura prawns and halloumi fries, were particularly well-received.