Spice Up Your Lake District Escape – Gilpin Spice Needs to Be on Your Foodie Bucket List.
If you think the Lake District is all sleepy country pubs and sticky toffee pudding, think again. Tucked inside the five-star luxury of the Gilpin Hotel & Lake House in Windermere is GILPIN SPICE, a vibrant, 2 AA Rosette Pan-Asian hotspot that’s bringing serious culinary heat to the fells. Helmed by Head Chef Ralph Rojas, this is where bold flavours from historic Asian spice routes collide with top-notch Cumbrian produce—and trust us, you’re going to want to book a table immediately.
The Vibe & Atmosphere Laid-Back Luxury Meets High-Energy Theatre
While its sister restaurant, SOURCE, handles the formal Michelin-starred pomp, GILPIN SPICE is all about unpretentious, high-energy fun. Your theatrical experience starts before you even see a menu, crossing wooden walkways suspended over stone-filled pools to enter colourful, culturally inspired dining rooms.
At the heart of it all is a buzzing open kitchen. The atmosphere strikes that sweet spot between romantic and lively, making it just as great for a cosy date night as it is for a celebratory feast with friends.
The Location: A Woodland hideaway
Sitting in its own dedicated building just off Crook Road, the restaurant is surrounded by 21 acres of lush gardens and woodland right between Windermere and Kendal. The best part, You don’t need to be an overnight guest to soak up the five-star magic. Non-residents are warmly welcomed, provided you plan ahead and bag a reservation.
Who’s in the Kitchen?
Meet Chef Ralph Rojas. With nearly two decades of mastering pan-Asian and Japanese kitchens under his belt—including running the kitchen and sushi bar at Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat in Manchester and launching his own hit street-food spot, Unagi—he took the reins at Gilpin Spice in May 2026.
Ralph’s superpower is pairing razor-sharp Japanese knife skills with massive, punchy flavours. He takes familiar, seasonal British and Cumbrian ingredients and elevates them with smoke, spice, and vibrant marinades from the Philippines, Thailand, Japan, India, Malaysia, and beyond. Everything is cooked fresh to order right in front of you, turning a simple lunch into dinner-and-a-show.
What to Expect
Made to order dishes, Chef Ralph prepared everything right in front of us throughout lunch. For a foodie, this was right up our street and a culinary experience within its own right.
What to Order: A Tapas-Style Tour of Asia
Leave your food envy at the door—everything here arrives tapas-style as soon as it’s ready, begging to be shared. You’ll want to graze your way through raw dishes, curries, grilled meats, and immaculate sushi.
Start strong: Don’t miss the Grilled Octopus Korean BBQ and tofu foam. It is an absolute knockout way to kick off your meal.
The chef’s signatures: You have to try the revamped Spice Fried Chicken, anything from Ralph’s expanded sushi and sashimi selection, and his standout take on traditional Filipino kinilaw of the day.
Save room for: The Wagyu Tataki with truffle ponzu (£17) and the Clay Oven Stone Bass swimming in a rich Thai tom kha sauce. (We’re already planning our return trip just for these two.)
The Damage (What It`s going to cost you)
For a five-star hotel setting, the pricing hits a very sweet mid-to-upper tier spot. Expect to spend roughly £40 to £80 per person, depending on how hungry you are and how many cocktails you order.
• Small plates & starters: £7 to £17 (kick things off with a warming bowl of Tomato Cha Saar soup for just £7).
• Larger sharing mains & sushi platters: £19 to £42.
• Pro-tip: If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, don’t stress—the team is more than happy to pack up your leftovers in takeaway boxes.
How to Do It Right: Insider Secrets
Time it for the terrace: Assuming the Cumbrian weather plays nice, arrive early for a pre-dinner cocktail or a glass of fizz on the Laurent-Perrier Terrace.
Nab the best seats in the house: Request a spot at the chef’s counter overlooking the open kitchen. Watching Ralph and his brigade work the woks, charcoal grill, and sushi station with surgeon-like precision is totally hypnotising.
Let the pros take the wheel: Because dishes come out at different paces, ask your server to pace the meal for you. They’ll build a balanced progression of raw, steamed, fried, and grilled plates so you don’t peak too early.
Book ahead: Even though this is the hotel’s “casual” option, word is out. Tables fill up fast for both lunch (12:00–15:00) and dinner (18:00–21:30)—we’ve seen it packed even on a Monday—so locking in a booking via The Gilpin is essential.
The Verdict
GILPIN SPICE effortlessly bridges the gap between five-star Lake District hospitality and electric, modern Asian dining. With Chef Ralph at the helm, you get jaw-dropping sushi, big flavours, and genuine warmth without a shred of fine-dining stiffness. Whether you’re staying the night or just passing through Windermere, consider this your sign to book a table.
Restaurant Address – Gilpin hotel and Lake house, Crook Road, Windermere, CUMBRIA, LA23 3NE. Phone – 01539488818
Website – www.thegilpin.co.uk
Spiced Edamame Beans (£6)
Grilled Octopus, Korean BBQ, Tofu Foam, Chimichurri (£14)
Kinilaw of the day. (The fish changes daily) is the Filipino version of Ceviche made with Coconut milk, vinegar, Calamansi citrus, Chillies, Ginger and Shallots. (£15)
Chefs’ unique selection of Sashimi (aged raw seafood) – Sea Bass, Loch Duart salmon, Otoro Tuna, Hamachi – 4 pieces (£10/15)
Nigiri Sushi (£18)
Maki (Tempura Prawn dragon roll) (£16)
Pla Kapong Yang (Grilled fresh fish) with spicy Thai seafood “Nam Jim” seafood sauce (£32)
Egg fried Rice ,Togarashi barrel aged soy sauce, Slow cooked Egg – (£8)
Papaya Salad (Som Tam Thai) shredded green papaya with sweet sour and spicy flavours (£9)
Lychee & ginger beer sorbet, ginger cake crumbs /strawberry & Thai Basil sorbets (£6)
Dessert Menu
It just dawned on me whilst selecting photos for this write up. I really must have been influenced by the GILPIN SPICE decor when decorating my own lounge at home.
