A local’s guide to the best Hawkshead restaurants for every occasion

Hawkshead is a tiny Lake District village, but it’s popular with tourists. This means that if you Google “best restaurants in Hawkshead”, you’ll likely end up in the same restaurants as everyone else.

So how do you know where it’s actually good to eat in Hawkshead, and where it’s just popular with tourists? 

As locals to the area, here’s our guide to Hawkshead village restaurants based on real visits, not just star ratings!

Best restaurants in Hawkshead for a special occasion

Petit Four and Billy’s Barr are our top recommendations for a special occasion, like celebrating a milestone or wanting to commemorate a great trip to the Lake District!

Here’s what to expect at each restaurant: 

Petit Four

Cuisine: Anglo-French

Price: £££

Owners Ben and Harriet built Petit Four around good food made properly, using locally sourced ingredients. The small, regularly changing menu includes slow-cooked meats, simple sharing plates, and sparkling wines.

Hidden behind a bright blue door, you can relax in the calm tranquillity of the French bistro, away from the village bustle below. It’s actually one of the highest-rated restaurants in Hawkshead with a 4.9 TripAdvisor rating – and dogs are welcome too!

Good to know: Book ahead for evenings, especially on weekends. The restaurant is only open for dinner Weds-Sat from 6pm-9pm.

Billy’s Barr & Restaurant

Cuisine: Modern British

Price: £££

The lively, social atmosphere makes Billy’s Barr & Restaurant appeal to all – families, couples, walkers, and more. On the menu, you’ll find classic comfort food with a modern twist, and we’d particularly recommend the Sunday roast for the creamy cauliflower cheese!

There’s a lovely veranda, too. If you’re visiting in summer, you can enjoy an evening cocktail while watching the sunset. 

Billy’s is a good middle ground if you’re after delicious Hawkshead dining without the formality of a stuffy restaurant.

Cosy pubs in Hawkshead with character and charm

If you’re looking for more relaxed places to eat in Hawkshead, The Red Lion Inn and Queen’s Head Inn combine proper pints with classic pub grub.

Queen’s Head Inn

Cuisine: Cumbrian pub food

Price range: ££

The Queen’s Head Inn is a 17th-century coaching inn, popular with locals and travellers alike. That said, we just had to add it to our list because of the friendly service and generous portions! 

The fresh, seasonal menu serves up Cumbrian classics like fish pie, burgers, and Sunday roasts. The roaring fires also make it the perfect place to warm up after a winter walk. 

Good to know: The whole family is welcome here, including your four-legged friend! If you’re bringing your pooch to the area, take a look at some of our dog-friendly Lake District cottages.

The Red Lion Inn

Cuisine: British pub

Price: ££

If all you need is a traditional home-cooked meal and a decent pint, look no further. The Red Lion Inn is a historic 15th-century inn, and it recently earned a finalist spot for best country pub at the Great British Pub Awards!

Besides the great Hawkshead food (shortcrust pastry pies and fluffy Yorkshire puds), its characterful interior also makes it worth visiting. You’ll find oak-panelled walls, an open fire, and unique art (including portraits of dogs wearing suits!). 

Good to know: There’s a dedicated dog menu if you’re travelling with a furry friend.

Recommended reading: Things to do in Hawkshead for a weekend!

Casual places to eat in Hawkshead

Poppi Red and KITTchEN are well worth visiting, especially if casual, quirky spots are more your style. 

Poppi Red

Cuisine: British café and pizzeria

Price: £-££

Poppi Red is a social hub inside a converted art gallery, right in the middle of the village. It offers everything from home-made cakes in the café (the lemon and blueberry is especially delicious) to stone-fired pizzas in the bistro.

Its vintage decor feels like you’ve stepped into the past, with chintzy crates and baskets on display. There’s also a gift shop inside, so it’s the perfect place to choose a souvenir to take home with you. 

Good to know: There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options!

KITTchEN

Cuisine: American / British

Price: £-££

There are two things that KITTchEN is known for: craft beer and rescue cats, making it one of the quirkier Hawkshead restaurants. 

Located in a central position at The Square, it’s the perfect place to stop for a drink and soak up the rays at an outdoor table. Expect a fun, relaxed menu including pastrami sandwiches, nachos, hot dogs, and cheese boards, perfect for a light lunch or for sharing. 

Good to know: It’s an over-18 venue, so not one to visit with the family. To keep the cats happy and healthy, it isn’t dog friendly. 

Best restaurants near Hawkshead

If you’re happy to hop in the car for a few minutes, you’ll reach excellent restaurants near Hawkshead, like the Outgate Inn, where you’ll find fewer crowds and countryside walks nearby.

Here are three recommendations worth the car ride or taxi fare:

• The Outgate Inn (£) is a traditional country pub, serving up fish and chips, sausage and mash, burgers, and Sunday roasts. It’s also known for its well-kept cask ales and wines which you can enjoy in the beer garden on a sunny day!

• Tower Bank Arms (£) is another classic English pub, just two miles from Hawkshead. Expect hearty, locally-sourced dishes like beef stew, gammon steak, and sticky chicken. You’ll need a reservation for dinner, but lunch is walk-in (12-2pm). 

• The Old Stamp House (££££) is the choice for Michelin-star dining. Roughly five miles from Hawkshead waits a carefully composed tasting menu, built around Cumbrian ingredients like west coast fish and cured meats from Waberthwaite.

Make Hawkshead your base with a Coppermines Cottage

Hawkshead packs an impressive list of restaurants into a tiny village. There’s a proper bistro, characterful pubs, a pizzeria, and more to choose from. If you’re staying in the town, you can even walk to nearly every one of these Lake District restaurants in Hawkshead!

If you’re planning your trip to the area, take a look at our holiday cottages in Hawkshead, the perfect place to relax and dry off after a full day of eating and exploring. 

Get in touch with our team today to book your stay!