Where to Find the Best Sunday Lunch in Cumbria

Though Cumbria is best known for its incredible scenery, beautiful walks and rich history, it’s also built a reputation for its excellent gastronomy. From traditional pubs serving hearty comfort food to elegant Michelin-starred restaurants in Cumbria showcasing some of the region’s finest local produce, Cumbria is a hub for fantastic dining options.

When it comes to finding the best Sunday lunch in Cumbria, it’s impossible to choose just one of the hundreds of fantastic restaurants in Cumbria. Whether you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion with a delectable Sunday roast or you’re a foodie who loves nothing more than dining at the best eateries in town, you’re not short of sensational places to eat in Cumbria.

To help you in your journey to find the best Sunday roast in Cumbria, we’ve put together a few of our top recommendations for restaurants in Cumbria where you’re guaranteed to find a scrumptious Sunday lunch. Be sure to let us know if you give any of these Cumbrian restaurants a visit and sink your teeth into our other blogs on the best cafes in Cumbria and food festivals in Cumbria.

1. The Wild Boar, Bowness on Windermere

With comfortable seating, open fires and a seasonal menu that delights both locals and visitors alike, The Grill & Smokehouse Restaurant at The Wild Boar is one of the best places to eat in Cumbria. Set amongst the beauty of the Gilpin Valley, it boasts an exceptional standard of service and a warming, friendly atmosphere merged with a modern open kitchen.

Whether you’re a resident at the hotel or just passing by, you’re sure to find a hearty dish to inspire your appetite. Here you will find seasonal menus designed by head chef Dylan Evans focused on fresh local produce with some unique dishes along with a cracking Sunday roast. In addition to an impressive food menu, The Wild Boar boasts a wide choice of real ales, draft and bottled beers as well as an extensive wine list and a selection of over 110 whiskies.

2. Heft, High Newton

Heft is a 17^th century inn featuring five guest rooms, a bar serving quality local beers, carefully selected wines and seasonal small plates and snacks. Heft’s menus are designed using a wealth of locally reared and farmed produce, showcasing the very best of the region’s natural larder.

As well as being a Michelin-starred restaurant and well-rounded pub, Heft offer their own take on Sunday lunch called ‘Sunday Service’ for £37.50, featuring outstanding dishes including roast meats and many delicious sides to choose from. Sunday Service at Heft starts at noon every Sunday and runs through until early evening, with the last service at 6pm.

3. The Plough Inn, Carlisle

The Plough Inn is a country pub set in the picturesque village of Wreay near Carlisle in Cumbria, offering quality, locally sourced food and ale. Boasting garden and mountain views, The Plough Inn is also a beautiful bed and breakfast with excellent access to local attractions such as Hadrian’s Wall, Carlisle Castle, the North Pennines and the northern fells of the Lake District.

All Sunday roasts at the Plough Inn are served with creamy mashed potato, thyme and sea salt roast potatoes, mashed swede, fresh seasonal vegetables, cauliflower cheese, homemade Yorkshire pudding and proper stock gravy. Discover for yourself just why they are rated so highly for their Sunday roasts and ranked #2 of 185 restaurants in Carlisle on Tripadvisor by paying them a visit.

4. The Fellpack, Keswick

Located in the popular market town of Keswick, The Fellpack is a warm and intimate place to meet with friends and family and enjoy great food and wine. At The Fellpack they aim to keep their menu short, seasonal and eclectic, offering dishes that are innovative twists on classics, using skill and flavour to provide a memorable eating experience.

The Fellpack promises a hot and hearty Sunday lunch in Keswick that is packed with flavour. As well as offering a selection of meats to choose from, all The Fellpack’s roasts are served with roast potatoes, green vegetables, root vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding. Their Sunday menu also offers delectable vegan options and other tasty meals if you’re in the mood for something a little different.

5. The Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite

Located in the village of Crosthwaite just outside of Kendal, The Punch Bowl Inn is a wonderful place to enjoy Sunday lunch in Cumbria. Dating back to 1829, The Punch Bowl has been extensively refurbished and today provides a relaxing blend of old charm and modern comfort. Here you’ll find a traditional bar, formal and informal restaurants and a terrace with the same menu throughout.

The Punch Bowl Inn offers a seasonally inspired, classic British and French menu with local ingredients from the nearby countryside. Every Sunday, The Punch Bowl offers a delightful Sunday lunch menu that is popular with residents at the hotel and visitors alike. As well as irresistible Sunday roasts, they also offer an extensive range of almost one hundred wines to pair with your meal.

6. The Yan at Broadrayne, Grasmere

Nestled amidst the beautiful Lake District fells and a short stroll from the idyllic village of Grasmere, The Yan at Broadrayne is a bistro with beds on a picture-perfect 17^th century converted sheep farm. Whether you’re fresh from the fells or a family dining for a special occasion, their wholesome ambience, Cumbrian hospitality and family-style atmosphere will ensure you experience a warm, personable service whenever you visit.

The Yan Bistro offer an ever-changing menu full of rustic Cumbrian classics, nostalgic British favourites and exciting modern dishes resulting in food that is good for the soul. Every Sunday, the Yan Bistro Sunday roast service runs from 1pm to 7pm for just £29.95 for two courses or £38.95 for three courses. With an array of meats to choose from and a tasty vegetarian alternative along with all the trimmings, Sunday lunch at the Yan Bistro is definitely not one to miss!

7. The Dog and Gun Inn, Skelton

The Dog and Gun Inn is a Michelin-starred dining pub at the heart of the north Cumbrian village of Skelton, north of Penrith. Nestled in the heart of northern Cumbria, this charming gastro pub is best described as a proper British pub, serving a range of imaginative and mouth-watering dishes inspired by the rural Cumbrian landscape.

From their succulent Sunday roasts to their mouthwatering deserts, every dish at The Dog and Gun Inn is crafted with care and showcases the best of local produce. Visitors should definitely make their way to this cosy inn for Sunday lunch to experience not only delicious food but also the welcoming hospitality and rustic charm that define the essence of dining in Cumbria.

8. Inn on the Lake, Glenridding

Set in 15 acres of grounds with lawns sweeping to the shores of Lake Ullswater and views towards Helvellyn, Inn on the Lake is a spectacular hotel in the Lake District boasting not one, but two phenomenal restaurants. The Ramblers Bar, situated within the hotel’s grounds, offers excellent traditional pub meals and seasonally changing menus, with strong emphasis on local produce.

For more formal dining The Lake View Restaurant offers light lunches, afternoon teas and relaxing three course Sunday lunches. The same fantastic Sunday lunch can also be enjoyed in the beautiful Orangery with 360-degree views of the lake and the surrounding fells, for a truly unique and memorable dining experience in the Lake District.

With a generous natural larder, it’s no surprise there are so many fantastic restaurants in Cumbria and, with that, many places to enjoy a traditional British Sunday roast. But the food and drink culture in Cumbria runs deeper than our region’s hospitality offerings. Here at Made In Cumbria, we are proud to showcase some of the very best local food and drink suppliers in Cumbria including award-winning brewers, bakers, butchers, fishmongers and cheese makers who have collectively built Cumbria’s reputation for quality and excellence.