Parkside Restaurant

You'll find Parkside tucked away on Station Road, just far enough from the chaos of the town centre but close enough that you're not trudging up a fell to get dinner. It's the kind of place locals actually book when they want to eat well without the Lake District tourist markup—no twee cottages or twee presentation, just good cooking that knows what it's doing. The ratings speak for themselves: 4.4 out of 5 from people who know the difference between decent food and the usual town fare.