The Cottage in the Wood has been listed in SquareMeal’s Top 100 UK restaurants for the first time.

Jack and Beth Bond co-owners of The Cottage in the Wood, Whinlatter Forest, near Keswick said it was a testament to the team’s work, as the restaurant scooped 71st place.

‘’It’s always great being listed in lists like this. It helps you determine where you’re at and helps you develop further. Being listed in SquareMeal’s Top 100 UK restaurants for the first time is huge for us, it recognises the level of work the entire team is putting into The Cottage, this is a testament to their ability and the support they’ve given us since we took the plunge, took over the reins, and bought the restaurant with rooms.

“We’re in the process of creating something special, and inclusion in this prestigious listing is a testament to what we are hoping to achieve,” said Jack and Beth.

SquareMeal’s UK Top 100 is the only list of its kind to exclude London’s restaurants – allowing the wider UK dining scene to truly shine. Using a combination of thousands of reader votes and SquareMeal’s expert critics, the UK Top 100 Restaurants list is a true reflection of Britain’s beautifully varied dining scene – featuring everything from fine dining experiences to farm-to-table restaurants and gastropubs.

This dual approach makes SqaureMeal’s list incomparable, representing not only their professional opinion but also thousands of real-life experiences provided by diners that help to reinforce and bolster the judges’ final decisions.

SquareMeal’s list of the UK’s top 100 restaurants is all about the best-of-the-best in both emerging and established culinary styles and also celebrates the incredible chefs and their hospitality teams who go above and beyond to provide their diners with the very best experience.
To appear in the list, each restaurant has to offer more than just a good meal. It has to provide guests with an exceptional all-around experience, from gorgeous interiors, and impeccable drinks lists, to exemplary service and sustainability commitments. Absolutely every single detail is considered when the judges’ final decisions are made.

SquareMeal’s Restaurants Editor, Pete Dreyer, explains, ‘’It’s no secret that the financial pressures of keeping a restaurant afloat are getting more and more acute. To see so many restaurants up and down the country overcoming all these hurdles and still innovating and developing world-class experiences is staggering. It’s a testament to the passion, dedication, and talent of those who are pushing the industry forward every day.’’

Adding: ‘’We’re always beyond proud of the Top 100, and hugely grateful to the thousands upon thousands of everyday diners that vote for their favourite restaurants and help us bring them together. We hope everyone finds something special amongst these lists, and as always, we wish you a happy and memorable year of eating in 2025.’’