Founded in 1948 and lovingly nurtured by the late Frances Coulson and Brian Sack, Sharrow Bay became known as Britain's first and archetypal 'country house hotel'. It's also stunningly located in 12 acres of grounds on the eastern shores of Ullswater, between the village of Pooley Bridge and the hamlet of Howtown.

The view of the lake and the fells from the dining room is reckoned to be among the finest in England and it makes an atmospheric backdrop for the high-class cooking on offer (not forgetting the special pleasures of breakfast and afternoon tea).

Come for dinner and you can expect to be really pampered. Open with smoked chicken consommé with goats' cheese ravioli or duck foie gras on a confit of potato with onion compote and morel sauce, before moving onto a fish course (fillet of sole on shellfish mash with velouté sauce, for example), and then a fruit sorbet.

Main courses could range from breast of guinea fowl on a galette of celeriac, potato and sweetcorn with brandy and Madeira sauce to fillet of sea bass with balsamic dressing, tomato confit and vegetable salad. Frances Coulson's Regency syllabub with Katharine Adair's shortbread biscuits still appears among the desserts, and proceedings conclude with British cheeses, coffee and petit fours. The Sharrow Bay wine list is full of vintage treasures, great French classics and up-and-coming stars.

Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel is also featured in: Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide

Rate this Restaurant

Anglo French

Mark Teasdale

Lunch: 12.00 - 1.30pm (Afternoon Tea 3.00 - 5.00pm)
Dinner: 7.00 - 9.30pm

Visa, Master Card

• Disabled access
• Private dining room
• Private parties
• Vegetarian menu
• 60 covers

Accomodation is available

Private parking is possible at a location nearby