SquareMeal’s list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK has been released and Cumbria has had a strong showing.

The foodie website shouts about the best of the best in a bid to celebrate the chefs and hospitality teams out there going above and beyond to give their diners top-class experiences.

Whittling down the UK’s burgeoning dining scene into just 100 top spots was "an excruciating job, that took months of planning and deliberation by both our team and you, our readers."

Here we take a look at the restaurants in Cumbria that made the top 100. The full list can be seen at SquareMeal.com.

Four Cumbrian restaurants ranked in the top 100

7. L'Enclume

Cavendish Street, Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6PZ

Squaremeal said: "L’Enclume has officially entered legendary status as one of the country’s most influential restaurants. It remains an exceptional dining experience full of surprises and delights if you can manage to get a table."

30. The Forest Side

The Forest Side Hotel, Grasmere, Cumbria, LA22 9RN

Their review states: "Head chef Paul Leonard translates the Cumbrian landscape into a series of intriguing tasting menu at this gothic mansion in the Lake district. Many of its ingredients are sourced from the kitchen gardens, while dedicated vegetarian menus ensure eating here is accessible for everyone."

45. SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel

Crook Road, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3NE

Their review reads: "Surrounded by the picturesque scenery of the Lake District, SOURCE has found great success under the command of Ollie Bridgwater, whose boundary-pushing dishes won the restaurant its first Michelin star earlier this year."

72. Heft

High Newton, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6JH

"Head chef Kevin Tickle brings his love of the Cumbrian landscape to this 17th-century inn via a menu of seasonal, locally sourced dishes. Alongside tasting menus, there’s also a bar where diners can enjoy quality beers, carefully selected wines and seasonal small plates," Squaremeal said.

Recommended reading:

World-class views at Cumbria's Lake District snapped

Three restaurants in Cumbria awarded Michelin stars

Four Cumbrian gastropubs make it onto The Top 50 Gastropubs 2023 List

"It’s this dual approach that makes our list incomparable"

"Each of the top 100 results are a unique combination of our own in-house critic-led opinions and thousands of diner votes," they continued.

"It’s this dual approach that makes our list incomparable, representing not only our professional opinion but thousands of real-life experiences that help to reinforce and bolster our final decisions."

They added: "When we say this list is months in the making, we really mean it. We take huge care and pride in making sure only the very best in the industry find a place on the list, and have eaten at hundreds of restaurants over the past 12 months to whittle down the winners."