The Sun Inn, Crook, Cumbria

...have a special occasion as the food is really good quality but quite pricey. I've celebrated my graduation here, my grandparents' 80ths and my engagement as it's the sort of restaurant that you don't just go to every day!

The location:
This pub is set on the road between Kendal and Windermere (The back road as locals call it) The B5284 to be precise! The road can be quite busy in the day but you don't notice it once inside the ...
...white-washed cottages set back off the road. And, according to some research I just did, it was built in 1711 so it is steeped in history. Opposite the pub are acres and acres of rolling countryside so it is very peaceful (when it's in the evening and no cars are zooming past!) It is between the two popular locations in The Lake District so it isn't too far to travel if you're staying in the popular towns' hotels.

Atmosphere:
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This is a pub which I return to over and over again when I have a special occasion as the food is really good quality but quite pricey. I've celebrated my graduation here, my grandparents' 80ths and my engagement as it's the sort of restaurant that you don't just go to every day!

The location:
This pub is set on the road between Kendal and Windermere (The back road as locals call it) The B5284 to be precise! The road can be quite busy in the day but you don't notice it once inside the pub's old thick stone walls. It is built in a row of little stone white-washed cottages set back off the road. And, according to some research I just did, it was built in 1711 so it is steeped in history. Opposite the pub are acres and acres of rolling countryside so it is very peaceful (when it's in the evening and no cars are zooming past!) It is between the two popular locations in The Lake District so it isn't too far to travel if you're staying in the popular towns' hotels.

Atmosphere:
The pub is very old and you can this just as soon as you step into it through the little porch. It is split into two- the bar area and the restaurant. There are two working open fireplaces which make the rooms cosy and inviting as well as warm and smelling lovely! The building has lots of dark wooden beams and low ceilings so you do get the cosy atmosphere. In the bar area there is about enough space for 20-30 people and bar meals are available here. In the restaurant there are orobably about 100 seats split into two rooms. There are lots of old paintings on the walls and ontop of the dark wooden tables are place mats with local paintings on which have hunt scenes and what not. It all makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time and that time and effort to create a welcoming cosy atmosphere have been gone to.

Food:
Well what can I say? The food here is lovely! The menu is a la carte and has a great variety with some traditional foods but mainly dishes which are slightly more adventurous and often using local produce such as cumbrian lamb or cumbria sausages. There are nice warming wholesome foods like game pie and lamb shank. There are always vegeterian options too such as bean chilli and vegetable bake. All meals come with seasonal vegetables, potatoes and homemade chips which come served in a separate plate for you and your table to share. The starters are really good too, they include a variety from black pudding, hummus etc. The desserts are also amazing i recommend the home made lemon meringue pie! It's lovely! All the food is fresh and homemade. I like the fact that it is sourced locally too. I have never had a bad meal here, all three courses are always lovely, hot, tasty and fresh. You also get free bread at your table too which is always a bonus! The specials board has nice options every day which quite often sell out they get very popular! There is always something that I fancy and I'm a fussy eater! The meals are slightly different to normal pubs but not so exotic that you're not sure whether you'll like it or not!

The bar:
The bar offers local beers such as Black Sheep and there are specialist wines. The usual variety of soft and alcoholic drinks are also available.

Staff:
All staff are friendly and polite. THey are attentive to your needs and always try to please. They recognise us now and always ask after family members and what not which adds a nice friendly element.

Cleanliness:
The pub is always very clean. Tables are never full of empty dishes, they seem to be removed and wiped pretty much straight away! The tables are always nicely set and Ive never noticed messy floors or anything. It always looks to be of the best standard.

Family friendly:
Children are welcome but there are limited high chairs and there are no play areas or anything. The pub is quite small so there isn't that much room for push chairs especially not in the bar. Staff do try to accomdate for you though if you do have a push chair- we booked a table for 4 and mentioned we had a baby so they put us on a 6 table so our pushchair could fit in nicely.

OUtside area:
There are a few little picnic tables outside the front but there are no grounds for there to be a garden area or a smoking terrace.

Money:
The price is slightly more than in most pubs with main meals costing approximately £12 but it is definitely worth it, it is fantastic!

My advice would be to book! Especially at the weekend and in the holiday season! I have never been here when it's not been really busy! Despite that though food always comes out within a reasonable time so the staff definitely know how to handle a busy restaurant! 

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