The Gilpin Hotel was long synonymous with Hrishikesh Desai and his highly-regarded restaurant HRiSHi, but as of 2023 The Gilpin set about ringing the changes, bringing in three new chefs to oversee its trio of restaurants. The flagship has now become SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel, and the hotel has pulled off a bit of a coup in tempting ultra-talented chef Ollie Bridgwater to Cumbria, after a decade spent at The Fat Duck in Bray.
This five-star, family-run hotel has a great reputation for good reason - this is easily one of the most friendly, welcoming teams we’ve ever come across. From being greeted to being waved off in a taxi, the SOURCE team - and indeed, the wider hotel too - are exceptional.
The room is equally homely and comforting, split into a cosy lounge and bar and a pair of dining rooms. There’s also a lovely al fresco terrace - very inviting on Windermere’s sunny days where you can sit with a drink and a snack and, if you’re lucky, visit with some nearby alpacas. We find ourselves in the more intimate dining room, which has a fantastic buzz and retains some lovely old-school charm thanks to starched white tablecloths and smart, besuited service.
SOURCE’s tasting menu kicks off with a bit of Fat Duck-esque magic - a gin and tonic, housed inside a sphere of cucumber jelly, so that it pops in your mouth as you eat it. It’s a signal of more innovation to come. Chilled herb gazpacho with scallop and pickled radish is a palate-zinging wake up, accompanied by the crunch of a smoked eel tapioca cracker on the side. A delicate piece of roast native lobster - cooked over the coals of a konro grill - is served with a rich satay sauce; a combination of sweet, earthy and creamy that comes off with top marks.
SOURCE still delivers some tried-and-tested comforts too, whether it’s an impeccable Parker House roll with whipped bone marrow, or a pleasing and perfectly-cooked dish of beef, onion, wild garlic and ale with a stuffed morel. The desserts don’t falter either - and it’s all accompanied by an excellent wine pairing that ventures away from the norms. Bridgwater has only been here for less than six months upon our visit - on the basis of this early form, this could easily become one of the very best restaurants in the Lake District.