Review: Bistro at the Distillery, Lake District, England

During our recent jaunt to the Lakes Distillery in Cumbria, we had the pleasure of dining at the Bistro at the Distillery, which is located on site, near the distillery gift shop. 

On the day we visited, the bistro was a hive of activity and buzzing with energy, making it apparent  that the bistro has become both a destination for tourists and locals who are looking for sensational cuisine in a modern setting. 
​
The bistro is open from 11:00 am-8:30 pm, with a variety of menus for diners to choose from including  the all day menu (11:00 am - 5:00 pm), afternoon tea (3:00 pm-5:00 pm) and the supper menu (5:30 pm-8:30 pm).

Starters
For our starters we indulged in the Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, (the most amazingly decadent soup I've EVER had) and the potted salmon with cucumber and taragon (a bit unusual, but nicely presented).

The Jerusalem artichoke soup, which was drizzled with truffle oil and served with fresh, crusty bread, probably had about 10,000 calories in it, but for its sheer tastiness factor, it's worth every calorie. I was so impressed by the soup that I asked the chef to share his secret recipe, so I could attempt to recreate the soup at home. 

Mains
Mains included the grilled plaice with brown shrimp butter sauce (very rich and heavy on the garlic), served with artfully whipped mashed potatoes and purple sea kale (which injected a lovely pop of colour to the overall presentation).  We also had the wild mushroom pappardelle, which for me stole the show with its rich, earthy flavours. ​​

Dessert
For the finale to our meal, we shared the lemon meringue tart, which was served with The Lakes Gin ice cream. The pastry was light and perfectly  cooked and the citrus flavours with a long finish of crisp gin, really came through.  It was definitely the perfect end to an amazing meal. 

Prices
Bistro at the Distillery offers a daily changing Fixed Price Lunch menu (£16.95 for 2 courses or £19.95 for 3 courses).

Our  experience overall
Food and drink: ★★★★★
Ambience: ★★★
Staff attentiveness/friendliness: ★★★

Bistro at the Distillery
Bassenwaithe Lake
Lakes Distillery
Cumbria
CA13 9SJ

A.A. Miln

If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy these reviews:

Brassserie Blanc, Charlotte Street
Boneyard, Pump, Shoreditch
​