While many picturesque villages struggle to keep a pub or even a shop ticking over in the current climate, stroll into the village of Cartmel in Cumbria and it's an extraordinary gastronomic scene. There are cafes, there are bakeries, there are bars, pubs and an ice cream parlour - and at the heart of it all are two restaurants that can lay claim to FOUR Michelin Stars between them.
Over the past 20 years, thanks in no small part to the culinary genius of chef Simon Rogan, this idyllic village has become a foodie hotspot quite like no other. L'Enclume, his original Cartmel restaurant, claimed its third Michelin Star earlier this year making it the most celebrated restaurant in the north.
Based inside a former smithy (L'Enclume is the French for anvil) the restaurant is one of only 135 restaurants across the world to hold three Michelin stars, deemed to be the highest foodie accolade. In 2018, his second Cartmel restaurant, Rogan & Co, also won its first Michelin Star.
Read more : The stunning botanical gardens an hour from Manchester worth the drive
There's even a Simon Rogan shop in the village - where you can pick up L'Enclume merch as well as Rogan cookbooks and foodie treats. It's all based in the historic gatehouse on Cartmel's Market Square.
The village, on the edge of the Lake District, has long been a destination for tourists, thanks to its ancient 12th century priory and its own racecourse right on the edge of the village. On race days the village is packed - and it's an extraordinary scene to watch the racehorses gallop past the pretty stone cottages and shops from the centre of the racecourse.
There is a burgeoning food and drink scene here, with no less than four pubs in the village centre - the historic Kings Arms, Cavendish Arms, Pig & Whistle and The Royal Oak. All boast outdoor seating areas, where customers can soak up the picturesque views of the historic village all around.
There are plenty of gift shops and ice cream shops too - at Hale's you combine the two with gifts and an array of changing flavours. Meanwhile at The Larch Tree it's an Aladdin's Cave of quirky items, from fashions to an extraordinary array of mechanical woodwork children's toys.
It has all combined to make the village a popular days out destination, just around an hour and half's drive away from Manchester. Here's more on what to expect in the idyllic village of Cartmel.
L'Enclume
The restaurant that started it all for acclaimed chef Simon Rogan - and which this year celebrates 20 years since he first opened in the village of Cartmel. It is Rogan's flagship restaurant, winning his first Michelin Star in 2005, with the second following in 2013.
When it claimed a third Michelin Star earlier this year it became part of an elite club of just 8 in the UK, and 135 restaurants across the entire world to hold the top honour. It also became the first restaurant in the north to EVER win three stars.
Dining at L'Enclume is an extraordinary experience quite unlike any other - which is what draws visitors from across the UK and indeed from across the world to the tiny village. Set within an historic stone building that was formerly a blacksmiths, the name is a nod to that heritage, with L'Enclume translated as "the anvil".
But eating at a revered three Michelin Star restaurant does come at a cost - the full tasting menu recently went up in price and will now set diners back £250 - up from the previous price of £195. Meanwhile a £100 lunch menu at the restaurant is no longer available, with just the £250 tasting menus at lunchtimes.
When the price rise was announced earlier this year, bosses said it was down to the "cost of living crisis", which sparked plenty of debate. But the reality is the extraordinary drama of this kind of dining experience, with the very finest of produce honed into dishes unlike anything you're ever likely to eat again, does take a lot of time and money to create.
The tasting menu price does not include any drinks - you can add a taster wine flight for £90 per person, signature wine flight for £135 per person or go to town on the select wine flight for £275 each.
L'Enclume, Cavendish Street, Cartmel, Cumbria, LA11 6QA| lenclume.co.uk
Rogan & Co
For those wanting to sample the skill of Simon Rogan and Michelin Star food but at a slightly less expensive price-tag, then Rogan & Co is the one. It is his "neighbourhood restaurant" set in an atmospheric 14th-century building overlooking the River Ea, which holds one Michelin Star.
Simon and executive chef Tom Barnes regularly re-imagine the menu here, which features creative, yet comforting dishes that showcase the very best of the region’s produce, much of which is grown specially and harvested at Simon’s farm in the Cartmel Valley. Also, unlike at L'Enclume, guests are able to choose their own dishes rather than be presented with a tasting menu.
Guests are invited to choose three courses from a seasonal selection of dishes, all of which are served alongside snacks to start with, a pre-dessert and petit fours to end the meal. And for those who may balk at the £250 price at L'Enclume, Rogan & Co offers a more palatable price of £79 for the set menu.
Having recently experienced the cuisine here, it really is a stunning way to experience the gastronomic genius of Rogan but in a slightly more laidback style of restaurant. And for those who think fine dining is all about tiny portions, it's actually refreshing to enjoy Michelin style cuisine but in a heartier, large plate style.
On my visit I enjoyed marinaded tomatoes with whipped curds and the most incredible tomato granola for starter. Main was a rich and oh-so moreish slice of dexter beef cheek with garlic, brassica and onions. Dessert was the prettiest summer berry cake with cassis milk chocolate and lemon balm.
It delivered all of the intensity of flavours that Rogan has become so highly regarded and rewarded for, but with a more informal style of dining.
Rogan & Co, Devonshire Square, Cartmel, Cumbria, LA11 6QD | roganandco.co.uk
Sticky Toffee Puddings galore
If fine dining is not your thing, then one of the other big draws in Cartmel is the famous sticky toffee puddings that are made here. Cartmel Village Shop on the village square is now iconic for its squares of the treacley dessert favourite which it first started baking here 30 years ago.
Customers swiftly got hooked on the sweet treat - and from those early days of small batch bakes has spawned a national phenomenon. The dessert is now stocked at farm shops and delis up and down the country, with a black and white image of the pretty village shop printed on every packet.
But it's all still small-batch made by the same family. No visit to Cartmel is complete without popping your head in to the shop here, and smelling the gorgeous fresh-baked treat.
You can pick up a hot slice served with cream or ice cream too, as well as packs of the pud to take home to cook for yourself. At the shop itself you'll also find a treasure trove of local produce, including Kendal Mint Cakes and Kendal Mint Cake Gin no less.
Cartmel Village Shop, Parkgate House, The Square, Cartmel, Cumbria LA11 6QB | cartmelvillageshop.co.uk
The racecourse
Among the extraordinary features of what at first glance appears to be a tiny chocolate box village, is that there's a sprawling racecourse at its edge. Throughout the spring and summer a variety of race days and music events are held here.
The tradition of racing in the village is said to have started back in the 12th century by monks from the Priory. And the famous Whit Holiday Racing has been a fixture on the social calendar here since 1856.
The 2022 season finale takes place at the end of August, with the Cartmel Cup day on August 27, while a special bank holiday Monday finale takes place on August 29. You can buy tickets at the gate on the day of the races, although they can also be purchased online here.
How to get there
Cartmel is at Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria, the best sat nav postcode to use if driving is LA11 6QF. It's around 15 miles off Junction 36 of the M6, using the A590, then following local road signs into the village.
It takes around 90 minutes by car from Manchester city centre. Trains from Manchester Piccadilly also take around an hour and a half.
The nearest main line train station is at Grange-over-Sands which is around a two mile walk (over a hill) to get to Cartmel which will take around 45 minutes.
There is a local bus 532 to get from Grange to Cartmel which takes around 7 minutes.
Read more on interesting places to visit next:
- The "hidden" mini-Lake District in Cheshire becoming a hit for staycations
- The farm shop with champagne deli bar and luxury lodges in Cheshire woods
- The huge cave in the Peak District with incredible views an hour from Manchester
- The hidden water park that's free an hour from Manchester that families love
- The farm shop with fruit picking, sunflower field and huge play area that families love near Manchester
