The Samling

Ambleside Rd, Windermere, Cumbria

If location alone was the requisite for a star then The Samling, perched above Lake Windermere in its own 67-acre estate, would have long since had one. Chef Nigel Mendham uses a hefty chunk of Cumbria as his larder – Herdwick lamb from Coniston, smoked salmon from the Cartmel Smokehouse – but also casts his produce net into neighbouring counties. Scallops with sticky chicken (wings), parsley root, raisin and curry foam is a must-try, so too is the Herdwick mutton. Three courses from the à la carte menu will cost you £55, a price worth paying.