Photo: Cumbriafoodie
L’Enclume is a famous restaurant in Cumbria established over 15 years ago when founder Simon Rogan and his family moved there from London. Nowadays, many guests find themselves counting this area among international foodie places like Paris or San Sebastián because of its “mind-blowing” culinary rebirth, which has led people to call L’Enclume one big hidden gem.
It was a big deal when Cumbria won the most lucrative three Michelin stars. L’Enclume is the first restaurant in England outside London or Berkshire to get this honor and has more than any UK county at present.
An industry critic and Northern Restaurant and Bar show chief executive in Manchester, Thom Hetherington, said, “This is a cluster in a world-class landscape. It is not just nationally significant, but it’s globally significant.”
L’Enclume is a restaurant that sources all of its ingredients from Rogan’s 4.8-hectare (12 acres) farm nearby and other local suppliers.
Visitors wait months to get a seat in Rogan’s restaurant. It would cost you £100 for the 10-course lunch menu, and at this rate, there will be no more room by 2023.
“We’re not the only ones who are fully booked—all restaurants are in the Lake districts,” stated Rogan, continuing that the local industry had “exploded” since restaurants resumed operations after the pandemic.
He said that the area had rejected stereotypes about northern cuisine—bread and dripping, chips with gravy; instead, they are pushing for something more creative.
Many new guests have come across Lakes during the lockdown to explore this place of freedom and youth. The modern versions of the diner are helping change up old perceptions about northwards food culture—something that can be seen as “lazy” or uninspired by comparison.
“There has been this ‘grim up north, nothing really happens up there’ attitude, but COVID has smashed that out of the park,” said Rogan.
Cumbria currently has one star for every 48,000 people, compared to 98,000 in London. The most recent dining place to be added to the roster is The Dog and Gun inn, a gastropub run by a family in a village of Skeleton.
