Cedar Manor Hotel & Restaurant

This one-time gentleman's residence lies on the outskirts of Windermere in mature walled gardens, where the 200-year-old cedar that gives the place its name takes centre stage. Dinners here are a soothing affair: the candlelit restaurant looks smart with its high-backed leather chairs and crisp linen, while chef Roger Pergl-Wilson has established a strong local following for food that impresses with its classic culinary sensibilities and well-defined flavours. Ingredients are sourced carefully, and an eye is always kept on the calendar, thus an early spring menu might begin with venison terrine with juniper and pistachio, and progress to slow-cooked belly pork, which is cider-braised and honey-glazed and served with mustard mash. The chef's travels are reflected in forays into exotica, such as Cambodian marinated beef served with lime and black pepper dipping sauce and spicy potato wedges. At the end, local cheeses from a fine supplier in Kendal make a savoury alternative to the likes of nutmeg custard with cardamom doughnuts and raspberry jam sorbet.