Cumbria is renowned for its extensive catalogue of top-quality restaurants dotted around the diverse landscape, but gastropubs is where it really starts showing off.

Gastropubs typically have an extensive menu that includes top-quality food and drinks, as opposed to pubs, which usually only serve pub grub and alcohol.

If you're looking for a great meal along with your drinks, then a gastropub is the ideal spot. And for that matter, Cumbria is the place to go.

Four establishments in Cumbria have been listed by Estrella Damm among the top 100 UK gastropubs.

The four best Cumbrian gastropubs:

Heft

High Newton, Cumbria

Kevin and Nicola Tickle are ‘hefted’ to Cumbria and are both from foodie families, which led them to launch Heft in High Newton, Cumbria.

Their review reads: "Nicola’s family have farmed the local fells and valleys of the Lake District since the 1600s, while Kevin, also a Cumbrian, was taught by his dad to forage and fish, giving him a deep understanding of the rhythms of the local waterways and landscapes.

"With an introduction like that, we expect Heft, which made its debut onto the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list in 2022, to be steeped in local culinary knowledge… and we’re not disappointed.

"The 17th century Inn is owned and run by Kevin and Nicola who will soon be able to provide five guests with rooms to stay in."

Recommended reading: The Dog and Gun Inn maintains a spot in UK's top 50 gastropub list

The Dog and Gun

Skelton, Cumbria

Named the Best Dining Pub in the Cumbria Life Food and Drink Awards in 2019 and 2020.

Estrella Damm said: "This Dog’s bark is definitely worse than its bite, with lucky guests able to sink their teeth into a delicious seasonal range of unfussy, good-value dishes according to the Michelin Guide

"The Guide adds that speciality hunting guests should enter the whitewashed Dog & Gun with lobster thermidor cannelloni; venison suet pudding, triple-cooked chips and greens and Cumbrian honey parfait with raspberries and honeycomb firmly in their crosshairs.

"For those looking to satisfy both their wanderlust and tastebuds, the Dog and Gun is within shooting distance of Grade I listed country house Hutton-in-the-Forest with arts venue the Upfront Gallery and Puppet Theatre less than a three-minute drive away."

Recommended reading: Art mural found under wallpaper at The Black Bull in Haltwhistle

The Black Bull

Sedbergh, Cumbria

There's always a warm welcome at the Black Bull, Sedbergh.

"Sitting on the edge of the Lake District you’ll find the coaching inn and dining room, The Black Bull, in Sedbergh," their reviewer said.

"The team are focused on serving an array of delicious dishes crafted from the freshest possible produce available from the surrounding landscape. Expect dishes with a twist, inspired by the fusion of two very different cultures, Nina’s rich Japanese heritage and James’s Dales upbringing.

"Previous dishes have included Howgill Herdwick lamb & kimchi tartare, daikon, puffed rice & soy cured egg, salt aged duck, sweetcorn, girolles & cherry, or how about black sesame panna cotta, strawberry & basil to finish your meal. Sunday menus are available which follow the unique take on modern British cuisine with Asian twists."

The Black Swan

Ravenstonedale, Cumbria

Owned and run by Louise Dinnes, the Dinnes family and their team for the past 16 years.

Estrella Damm said: "The 18th century Black Swan sits at the meeting point of three northern counties with the hotel itself located in both the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Cumbria, according to the pub’s website. Re-entering the list for 2023, this pub is more than worthy of its place.

"With the Pennines, County Durham and Lancashire all within a 20-minute drive, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better place to satisfy both your wanderlust and tastebuds on this year’s list.

"The Black Swan is no stranger to both local and national accolades either, having scooped two AA Rosettes, Cumbria Tourism’s Pub of the Year gong in 2019, Best Inn at the 2018 Great British Pub Awards and even been named AA Pub of the year for England in 2013."