The Old Stamp House Restaurant

Modern British restaurant · Lakes

The Old Stamp House Restaurant

Modern British restaurant · Lakes

4

Old Stamp House, The, Church St, Ambleside LA22 0BU, United Kingdom

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The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by Old Stamp House [Official Photo]
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null
The Old Stamp House Restaurant by null

Highlights

Cumbrian tasting menu with rare local meats and foraged goods  

Featured on Michelin
Featured in Eater

Old Stamp House, The, Church St, Ambleside LA22 0BU, United Kingdom Get directions

oldstamphouse.com
@oldstamphouseambleside

£100+

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Old Stamp House, The, Church St, Ambleside LA22 0BU, United Kingdom Get directions

+44 15394 32775
oldstamphouse.com
@oldstamphouseambleside
𝕏
@oldstamphouse

£100+

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Last updated

Aug 20, 2025

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@michelinguide

Old Stamp House

"In the heart of the Lake District sits this quirky little restaurant, which occupies the cellars of an old house where William Wordsworth used to work as the Distributor of Stamps for Westmorland. It's now owned by the Blackburn brothers – Ryan heads up the kitchen, while Craig looks after the service – and they display a passion for all things regional in their ‘A Journey Around Cumbria’ tasting menu. The skilfully prepared dishes have been well-thought-through and carefully balance bold and delicate flavours; each one has a story – sometimes historic, sometimes personal." - Michelin Inspector

https://guide.michelin.com/en/cumbria/ambleside/restaurant/old-stamp-house
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@travelleisure

Where to Eat, Stay, and Visit in England's Lake District

"Sudden showers are the norm in the Lake District — 200 wet days a year, on average. In the middle of a downpour we hotfooted it to lunch at the Old Stamp House (tasting menu $105), in Ambleside, the former workplace of William Wordsworth, who, before his wandering days, was a postmaster and distributor of stamps. (The region celebrated his 250th birthday last year.) Brothers Ryan and Craig Blackburn, who own the Michelin-starred restaurant, preserved the building's original flagstone flooring and white stone walls, which are now hung with sketches of stags and native Herdwick sheep." - Travel + Leisure Editors

https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/lake-district-england-restaurants-linthwaite-house
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@michelinguide

The Re-Opening of the Lake District’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants

"The Old Stamp House is as quirky as its name implies. It sits in the centre of Ambleside – which in turn sits within the heart of the Lake District National Park – inside the cellars of an old house where William Wordsworth used to work as the Distributor of Stamps for Westmorland." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team

https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/features/the-re-opening-of-the-lake-district-s-michelin-starred-restaurants
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@eater

The Best Restaurants in the Lake District, Cumbria | Eater London

"The whitewashed walls and flagstoned floors of poet William Wordsworth’s old office building provides a fitting setting for Ryan Blackburn’s Cumbrian-sourced-and-inspired food. One well-known London chef who ate here apparently told him it was the greatest meal he’d ever eaten “for knowing where he was.” Go for the seven-course tasting menu for a trip around Cumbria, cooked by a ‘friend of farmers, fish merchants and foragers.’ There might be Ravenglass crab, Morecambe Bay brown shrimps, Whitehaven turbot, grouse from Alston Moor, venison from Ullswater, or roe deer from the Cartmel Valley. Not to miss is Herdwick hogget from Yew Tree Farm near Coniston, the Herdwick being the native sheep breed of the Lake District; the farm once owned by author Beatrix Potter. A nearby café called Kysty is in the same ownership." - Christian Dymond

https://london.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-lake-district-cumbria
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The Old Man and the Sea

Google
An amazing restaurant. Well worth booking ahead of time. Staff were friendly, and professional. Ambience was very comfortable. We went for lunch. All the courses were excellent. The chef served eveyone and had a pleasant conversation with all the clientele. There was even a letter written by Ryan to the guest, set on each table. A unique experience and would highly recommend.

Michael McGarvie

Google
Without doubt the best meal I have ever had! I could not fault a single thing. Each course was delicious. The staff were great. Terrific wine list. Wonderful atmosphere. Yes- this is a rave review!

L A

Google
Food, wine pairing, staff friendliness and ambiance of the venue is first class. The chef bringing out the main dish and having a chat with every guest was a nice touch. The restaurant is decorated in dark colours and striking art work. Every single dish was an explosion of flavours that worked perfectly. The only disappointment was my boyfriend made a note on our reservation that it was my 40th birthday (actually the day itself) and offered to pay more money to do some sort of treat over dinner to acknowledge this and nothing was done. And the table next to us got a “happy birthday” from their waitress with a dessert that said “happy birthday” and from a sounds of it another complimentary dessert dish so that was sad for us both to witness when he hoped for something similar especially being such a milestone birthday.

Issy Bayley

Google
10/10, cozy atmosphere, absolutely amazing courses (including the vegetarian tasting menu too), only gripe would be that the pace at the start was good with food trickling out but by the 4th course it got quite slow and we were there got nearly 3hrs which meant my back started to hurt, didn't take away from the lovely evening though. My bf had the wine tasting menu which was a nice touch but the waiter bringing the wine out was very quiet and seemed almost nervous explaining each wine and we didn't really learn anything from it.

Lou b

Google
Absolutely outstanding food, the service and atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. The chef, Ryan came out to tell us all about the main course which made the whole dining experience extra special!

Debbie

Google
We came for meal here for the first time. The food was exquisite and the staff were very attentive and friendly. The chef served one dish personally and took time to speak to every table which was great especially as the tables were all full. Each course was presented beautifully and there was a letter on the table on arrival detailing each course.

Caroline Sankey

Google
Wow. What an incredible experience. Feel blessed I got the chance to experience lunch here :) upon arrival you get a letter from the chef , personalised too which is a lovely touch. The whole experience from start to finish was exquisite and a great food journey experience. Inside the letter details each course which I found very interesting, they have taken alot of time for this concept. One of the owners gives out the main course of wagyu which tasted amazing! Definitely tried a few foods I hadn’t ever eaten before and was pleasantly surprised. Who’d have thought beetroot meringue and horseradish went so well! The restaurant was full and it does say online they’re aren’t any bookings until April. However we must have just been exceptionally lucky and I am grateful for that! The bread course was so so good, we would love to be able to purchase some of that! Our waiters were wonderful , very knowledgeable and attentive. The bearded gent who served the wine pairings knew so much about each wine it really was fascinating to hear and we really enjoyed the Italian wine! Thankyou for such an incredible lunch experience. 10/10 would highly recommend.

Jo Stroud

Google
Our third time here, and another fabulous meal. Ryan is a truly amazing chef. Each course was genuinely superb. We loved every one. Lovely, friendly staff, and a great atmosphere - and the chef comes out to serve some courses - incredible! Love it. Highly recommend.

Evan M.

Yelp
This dining experience was special. I wish I had taken photos but I wanted to be present for the entire experience. From beginning to end the dinner was an invitation to creativity and memories. Flavors, textures, and colors melded together to provide my wife and I a memorable evening. What I remember the most of the 6 course dinner, is the duck liver in a merange filling that just captured my imagination. What would this taste like? Was it just for looks? No! It exploded in my mouth with umami and seared itself into my memory as a dish worth remembering. There was a course with shrimp frothy soup that was also filled with flavor and unexpected nuance that I really enjoyed. A potato stuffed with meat surprised me in a good way. The service was good but I needed to ask to have my glass filled more than twice. Something that shouldn't happen in a Mechilin star restaurant. Thank you for sharing your talent and making the meal memorable. We went to another Michelin star restaurant that was twice as expensive and not half as good, although they were trying real hard! Grateful to have had the opportunity to dine with you.
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Anthony H.

Yelp
Fulfillingness First Finale You know wot!?, having just spent the last few weeks in some of the more popular big city destinations, where people flock like lemmings, it is brilliant to be in the wilds again. So good not having to step over crashed out crackheads or be subject to street detritus holding out a hand asking for a few pounds in an attempt at psychological manipulation.Fuck that shit. This is the Lake District with its mountains, valleys & rivers and herds of wildlife and I had spent the day walking the Fells before yomping it back in to Ambleside for dinner at the Old Stamp House with its William Wordsworth heritage "I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o'er vales and hills" Two low-ceilinged rooms feature exposed beams and slate floors. The natural flavours of Cumbrian ingredients are championed in concise menus which showcase modern cooking. They serve seasonal food 'Insired by Cumbria'and sourced locally wherever possible. I was here when it first opened 5 years ago and chef Ryan Blackburn has gone from strength to strength since his time as head chef at "The Cottage in the Wood @ Whinlatter". Your bill here will be relative to the food you have been served. Quality will always have a price but I have yet to think that the price is OTT. People travel all the way from London just to eat the "Herdwick Hogget" speciality. Fed, watered and suitably satiated by a bottle of Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot, I made my way back along the winding lamplit streets and through the door of the cottage before crashing facedown on to my featherdown four poster. Bliss. I could almost be back in the Shire in Hobbiton ...