1863 Restaurant with Rooms

1863 is set in the quiet village of Pooley Bridge, not far from where the Ullswater steamer docks, and named for the year it was built, for the village blacksmith. This smart white painted building later became the post office, and its newest incarnation keeps it firmly at the centre of village life. The contemporary dining room is small and cosy, with a conservatory area and a little garden at the back. Inside you’ll find bare tables with linen napkins and a cosy, welcoming atmosphere, with some button backed banquettes arranged to form little booths, with wall mirrors and multitudes of prints and paintings giving a comfortably eclectic feel. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and there’s a three-course market menu as well as a tasting menu. The wine list is relatively short but effective, clearly curated with pride, and pairings are available. Cooking is skilful, using prime ingredients from Britain and beyond to underpin the modern menus. Naturally smoked haddock is a great starter, a lovely piece of fish, served with an unusually mild and creamy tartare sauce made with crème fraîche; crisp potato scraps and Cumbrian pancetta add texture and bite. A main course dish of Cumbrian lamb is a thoughtfully constructed and visually impressive plate of food, the meat incredibly tender – cooked pink, with a small, almost sticky glazed meatball packed with flavour and enhanced by vibrantly green wild garlic oil. Great skill and technique can be seen in a dessert of Valrhona chocolate, white chocolate, coffee, and walnut – a classic combination of grown-up, sophisticated flavours. Everything about a meal here, from the just baked bread and whipped butter to the canapes and petits fours really is as pretty as a picture and deliver all the attention to detail you could wish for.

Awards, accolades & Welcome Schemes

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence