Lucy's on a plate

Wow what a place. We stumbled across this place it looks tiny from the outside but actually quite spacious loads of tables.. Food was off the scale... Recommend the potted salmon.... To die for. Lamb Shank was delicious and to finish off with the raspberry crumble 💓

Great night at lucy's on a plate. The menus are printed daily with a lovely daily notice on the front which i thought was a lovely touch. The food was delicious, great portion sizes and there were lots of gluten free options for my boyfriend. The steak was cooked great and was served with a heaping of garlic butter and peppercorn sauce (the garlic butter is insane) My only downside of the food was the chicken was slightly overcooked but the flavours of the dish and other components were great so balanced it out Staff were on the whole good, welcoming. Knocked a star off because the relaxed environment meant that staff often were talking a lot to the guests and it took a while to get our orders in.

We visited Lucy's on a plate on a Sunday for the roast (which was very good) table booked for 5:15pm, we checked the online menu before visiting and saw there was a deal for 3 courses, when we arrived we were given a menu with no starters on, which was fine for us as we just wanted mains and dessert anyway, but for those who would want starters it looks like you would have to ask for this. The staff were by no means rude and were pleasant enough but they weren't exactly friendly or generally welcoming. There was no atmosphere to start with but as more customers entered and chatter filled the room it didn't feel as awkward, could have done with some background music whilst the restaurant filled up. Regardless of this you go to the restaurant for the food which was amazing and well worth the visit! Portion sizes will not leave you feeling hungry, and the quality of the food was great. Food generally came out in good time also, the restaurant was full by the time we left which is always a good sign. Over all we had a good experience but coming from a hospitality background the staff could just be a bit more enthusiastic to be there and create a better atmosphere, perhaps we caught them on a bad day though. Wishing Lucy and the team all the best.

We've ended up in Lucy's by absolute accident - didn't book anything and we liked the menu. Right away after entering the restaurant we've been greeted by extremely friendly, smiling staff and regardless lack of booking on Thursday's night we got a table. Interior has stunning feel to it, on every step you can see that this place has a heart of its own. We ordered lamb and fish mains - we loved them, probably the best of a kind that we ever had. After mains we couldn't stop ourselves from trying out desserts - we ended up ordering apple crumble tarte and sticky toffee pudding. Both were brilliant and served a role of a beautiful ending to a beautiful evening. I recommend this place to absolutely anyone who wants to make an additional memory from their trip to the Lakes. Thank you for this experience 💖

We were recommended Lucy's by a friend and I eagerly emailed Lucy there and then to see if we could come the next night and Success!!! We had a 7.15pm sitting and I cannot fault any part of our experience. Fantastic service, personable waitresses that were interested in us and food that was just out of this world. I do now understand why we were recommended this! Next time we hope we make it on to the newsletter!!

Avoid! Avoid! Avoid! Just had one of the worst dining experiences of my life, for a 30th birthday celebration courtesy of Lucy’s on a plate Ambleside! I honestly don’t know where to begin with this, maybe the appalling manager, slow service, bland overpriced food, not sure really but here we go. So we email this place the previous evening to our booking enquiring about a reservation for 2 people, we heard nothing until WE contacted them around 3/4pm the following day to be told “oh yes im just on with the bookings now and was just about to call you”which I didn’t believe but that’s fine, on the phone I explained it was a special 30th birthday meal for my partner as they asked were we celebrating an occasion. We were looking forward to our meal and arrived slightly early about 6.20 for a 7pm table, we thought we could maybe have a drink if they had a bar or somewhere to wait for the table. We were shocked to see the manager fumbling around with his booking sheet to clearly see he didn’t have our names down, just to write us in in front of him, he then makes a joke saying “that would of been embarrassing”yeah it certainly would have been embarrassing so not a great start at all, we sit down to read the menu and notice some essay on the front talking about the guests and what they were celebrating, no mention of my partners 30th birthday just a half arsed after thought saying hello Andrew and Rhianne, as we were clearly forgotten about. After looking at the menu we decided to go for 2 pork belly starters £12 each and lamb shank £28 and lamb tagine £24, starters came out pretty quickly around 10-15 mins so great, unfortunately BLAND!! The apple puree could of been anything as there was no flavour at all, no sweetness to balance the dish just the flavour or pork and a little black pudding Bon Bon, BLAND! Then we wait for almost 1 hour, yes 1 hour for the main, asking the waiting staff how long, got told if it’s not here in 5 mins I’ll go and punch the chef, yes haha very funny but just get me my food I wasn’t up for jokes by this time, then the mains come, my lamb shank was dry had next to no sauce or should I say gravy at all, the mash was lukewarm the veg the same and very undercooked, I’m all for al dente but this just wasn’t and a piece of parsnip no bigger then your little finger, this place is a long way off fine dining! I asked for some more sauce and was brought a gravy boat of wishy washy gravy that they must use on every dish! Honestly very similar to a bisto gravy, where’s the lamb flavour or the reduced stock to coat the lamb shank, absolutely nothing! My partner said the lamb tagine was lukewarm again but after waiting an hour we were so hungry we just ate it, she said the cous cous was just bland and had nothing special about it, she said the cous cous from Sainsbury’s ‘food on the go’ was much nicer, why is this when we’re paying all this money? We also noticed there was no check back to see how we were enjoying the food as tbh they just weren’t bothered! When our plates were cleared(25 mins after we had finished) we were asked was everything ok, I said hmm yeah ok to which the waitress replied “ok yeah” great and takes the plates. This is where I would of informed the manager that someone was not very happy and suggest they go and speak to them! I was very reluctant to say anything because I’m aware I’m celebrating my partners 30th and didn’t want to make a scene, after such terrible service and food we just couldn’t order a dessert as we weren’t going to give these people my more of our money, we receive the bill at £115 for 2 starters 2 mains and 2 drinks each one of those was non alcoholic. Very overpriced for the quality you receive. Then to top the night off I go to pay, this is where the manger really shows his lack of experience, from me counting out the money to pay he never once asked “how was your meal” how did your partner enjoy her 30th birthday celebration” nothing! Didn’t even say enjoy your evening, honestly I recommend you research this place before going here as it’s beyond bad!

Great visit to Lucy's on a plate. Food was delicious and service excellent.

We thoroughly recommend Lucy's in Ambleside 👍 The food was fantastic ('Fig in the middle', 'Lamb shank redemption', and the 'Saucy Lemon Pudding'), the service was extremely good and a great atmosphere. The personal touch on the menu for those who had booked in advance was a brilliant idea. It's not often that we are as impressed as we were with todays experience.

This is a lovely restaurant in the Lake District. Great service and fine dining without anything pretentious. The staff made us feel welcome and comfortable. They fit us in on a busy night with just an hour notice. The candlelight on the tables was very romantic for a night out with my husband. The prawn and chorizo starter was absolutely delicious. The lamb shank with fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes was excellent. I will definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great dining experience in The Lakes.

Ambiance, service and food was excellent. How much effort Lucy and the team puts into the customer experience really shows.

Lucy's is like no other place in this world . Set in beautiful Ambleside a place like this does not need to sell itself , but my goodness it does .The effort that goes in from the minute you make the booking until you walk out that door is immense , and I never ever want to walk out. You get incorporated into the menu where everyone who wishes to , gets kind words written for them . The welcome is so warm and full of charm and the food is absolutely beautiful , as is the amazing owner who makes every person feel important. The staff are fantastic and the interior is just stunning . Been there this evening 02/09/22 and would give it 6 stars if was possible to. Thank you to all at Lucy's.

The one thing I had planned for the weekend... lunch at Lucy's. I remember a dinner that was so lovely, I had to go back and just make sure it was that good. I wandered in and was seated... right next to all the cakes! I had brought my book (as you do when you dine solo), but probably spent more time staring at the cakes than anything else. The only problem with with table is that I felt like I was in the way of the staff and anyone trying to look at the cakes... which was everyone in the restaurant. I opted for the Mariner Pie with cod, salmon and pollack, topped with mashed potatoes and cheese. It was a massive portion! It looked wonderful and it was what I would expect of comfort food. I would have liked a spoon to go with it since the sauce was a little on the runny side. It had lovely flavour, although I did wish there was a bit more fish in it. There were a couple of large pieces, but there may have been more prawns in it than fish... which I actually was not expecting (honestly I cannot remember reading 'prawns' in the description), but they were a nice addition. The mashed potatoes on top were really creamy and a bit on the lumpy side (which I like). I did not finish the whole portion... 1) it was a lot of food, even with a side of salad and 2) I wanted dessert. I wasn't sure if I wanted something from the cake table or if I wanted a dessert off the menu, so I asked for the dessert menu... you know... to compare. I may have gotten a little (ok... maybe a lot) greedy and went with the Borrowdale Sticky Banana Pudding. I really wanted the White Chocolate and Whisky Bread and Butter Pudding, but since I had it before, I really thought I should have something else. What sold me on this one: the description said it was a cross between sticky toffee pudding and bread and butter pudding. What is better than that?! It was a massive portion that came out... attracting attention from everyone in the room. It was so rich, but so full of raisins, sultanas, and dates that there was not a lot of 'bread'. It did taste a lot like sticky toffee pudding, but lacking the extra toffee sauce. There was not a lot of banana in it, but the pieces that were in there were a bit hard, like they used dried banana chips. And it did not have the consistency of bread and butter pudding. A bit of a disappointment really, although I loved the ice cream on the side, it did cut through the richness. The staff were all over the place... some were really nice, others were just kind of there, and one was storming all over and I got the feeling that she was annoyed with the customers and the other staff. A lot of the customers went up to the staff to either get them to bring the bill around or to let them know that they were ready to order. Even paying is confusing... if you are paying with a card, you play near the cake table. If you are paying with cash, you pay at the bar in the other room. I still like Lucy's, but I will say that while I highly enjoyed my main dish, the overall experience was not as good as the first time.

Second visit in 3 days, on both occasions the food was scrumptious. Fish (plaice) and chips on the first visit and Chicken Balmoral on the return, both fresh, tasty and piping hot. Great drink/cocktail selection, and a massive amount of deserts 'to die for', a great experience!

Lovely restaurant, great atmosphere. Menu changes daily and if you've booked, you'll probably get a mention on it. Puddings are brilliant. I got the impression that the staff change quite regularly (passing trade, seasonal shift in young people working in the town) and some of them didn't have a clue! Excellent choice of wine (recommend the South African Pinotage). I went with a couple, and even as a third wheel, had a brilliant time. Also check out the deli shop and the wine bar, all owned by the same people. They kinda have the monopoly in Ambleside! But all the food is very, very tasty. Pretty pricey

A great restaurant, the food is freshly cooked and has some great names. I had corgette slippers!!!! The menu changes on a daily basis too so you need to look at the notice board outside to see what each evening delights will be. The service is very good and very attantive. It has a great relaxed atmosphere and a cosy feel. It is a little more expensive than your usual restuarant but worth it for the freshness and quality of the food.

We came here on a recommendation in December. It was really quiet, but so was most of the Lake District! We had a great evening meal here, the menu is very diverse and the portions are quite large (we ordered way too much food). Unfortunately we didn't have room for any dessert but they did look delicious. It's a very nice stop in Ambleside!

I was on vacation in England and this was the best restaurant that I went to. I had the venison and it was the first time that I had venison and it was amazing. I was not really hungry when I got my main course but I ate it all. I didn't think that chocolate would be good with meat but it was. And the dessert menu was great. It was two pages of desserts and the tea was one of the best teas that I'd had on my vacation too. If your in Ambleside, you have to come here.

From what I understand, this is a popular place for food and desserts. It was crowded on a Sunday afternoon. We were seated right away and there seem to be two rooms and a separate "bar" area. The food selection was great and the service very nice. Nothing too special though. There were boxes on the floor in the front and other items being unpacked during the afternoon which was odd. The bathroom was not clean and the garbage was way overflowing. Not a good sign in terms of how the kitchen might be, so I can't give this more than an A-OK for a review.

One of the recommended places to eat in Ambleside. Extensive and somewhat bewilderingly large menu. Plenty to suit most palates including vegetarians. It can be busy so get there early or book

Great retaurant in lovely Ambleside. They are very child friendly with things for kids like pickers plates with houmus, bread, cheese, grapes. They also have a box of story books, paper and crayons that they bring out. The menu changes with availability and is locally and sustainably sourced. A special mention for the sticky toffee pudding which is heaven in a dish. There is also a deli where you can get a lot of the same stuff to take with you.

A bit of a fussy place: too many menus, too many boards, too many "quotes", too many staff, too many menus. Loads of cakes. Sandwiches were nothing special so probably over-priced. But, it's Ambleside, not Shoreditch; what's to expect. Better than elsewhere, perhaps