Cumbrian fine dining restaurant included in UK’s top ten

A Michelin-starred Cumbrian restaurant has been named as one of the UK’s best fine dining destinations.

Pentonbridge Inn, near Carlisle, took seventh spot in the UK’s top ten fine dining restaurants in TripAdvisor’s 2024 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards which are based on the quality and quantity of reviews posted on the site.

The awards celebrate the highest level of excellence in travel and recognise destinations which receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the TripAdvisor community over a 12-month period. Out of eight million worldwide listings, less than 1% are selected.

Chris Archer, head chef at Pentonbridge Inn, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been named as one of the best fine dining restaurants in the UK.

The fact that this award is based on reviews from people who have dined at the restaurant and stayed with us makes it even more special. We’re so grateful for the continued support we have from our guests and the wonderful feedback that they give us, both in person and through reviews.”

The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards described Pentonbridge Inn as offering ‘an informal take on fine dining, with friendly staff and an eight-course tasting menu that showcases local ingredients’.

Pentonbridge Inn was one of two Cumbrian restaurants to feature in the top ten UK fine dining restaurants, along with The Old Stamp House at Ambleside which took second place.

Pentonbridge Inn, which sits in countryside close to the Scottish Border at Penton in north Cumbria, offers a set tasting menu featuring ingredients sourced from the restored walled garden of its sister business Netherby Hall, a historic country house at nearby Longtown.

Chris works closely with the garden team at Netherby Hall to source the fruit, herbs and vegetables for his seasonally-inspired dishes, as well as working with quality suppliers from across Cumbria.

Chris has been head chef at Pentonbridge Inn for five years and honed his modern British style of cooking through working at Michelin-starred and AA Rosette restaurants across the UK including Winteringham Fields, Midsummer House and The Cottage in the Wood, near Keswick.

The front-of-house team at Pentonbridge Inn is led by Ross Bell, with the restaurant-with-rooms owned by Gerald and Margo Smith, who also operate luxury self-catering cottages and apartments at Netherby Hall. As well as a Michelin-star, Pentonbridge Inn holds three AA Rosettes.