‘Best restaurant in the world’ named and it’s only a short drive from Manchester

An intimate restaurant came out on top of a worldwide review of restaurants in the 2021 Travellers’ Choice Awards, created by review website Tripadvisor, and guess what?

It’s located a stone’s throw away from Manchester.

The Old Stamp House, an intimate restaurant situated in Ambleside, Lake District, stood out among businesses from across the globe, including its two-Michelin star neighbour L’Enclume, which was placed in a humble eighteenth spot. 

The elusive restaurant was opened in 2014 by brothers Ryan and Craig Blackburn, who work as the head chef and restaurant manager respectively.

The Old Stamp House Restaurant / TripAdvisor

It is housed in the former office of poet William Wordsworth, and seats just twenty-eight customers at a time.

It was awarded a Michelin star in 2019, has been named the Cumbria Life Restaurant of the Year, as well as receiving three AA rosettes.

A description on the Michelin Guide’s website reads: “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.

“It’s a tiny place, split over two low-ceilinged rooms which are hung with local art.”

KFTAYLOR / TripAdvisor

Using ingredients inspired by Cumbria heritage, the restaurant’s specialities include potted shrimps, cauliflower and spiced mead velouté, Yew Tree Farm Herdwick hogget, peas and locally foraged wild mushrooms, and a rum tart with brambles, pear and Cumbrian gingerbread.

Very posh, as you can see.

The North of England was also victorious in the National Parks category, where both the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District placed in the top twenty-five.

Check out the full 2021 Travellers Choice Awards winners, and visit the Old Stamp House’s official website for further details and bookings.