(L-R) Kevin Tickle & Nicola Tickle owners of Heft Photo: Jenny Jones Photography

Beth and Jack Bond The Cottage in the Wood Photo: Lara Luis

Two acclaimed Cumbrian restaurants have secured prestigious positions in Harden's Top 100 UK Restaurants for 2026, underscoring the county's emergence as a culinary powerhouse beyond the capital.

Heft in Newton-in-Cartmel claimed 47th place, while The Cottage in the Wood in Whinlatter Forest near Keswick ranked 84th—both achieving the distinction for the first time under their current ownership. The results cement Cumbria's position as the county with the highest number of top-100 restaurants outside London.

The accolades arrive during what industry veterans describe as the sector's most challenging period in living memory. Published this week, the guide's 35th edition drew on 30,000 reports from 2,500 diners to rank 2,800 venues nationwide, making it one of the few major UK restaurant guides based on customer feedback rather than inspector reviews.

Kevin and Nicola Tickle, co-owners of Heft, said the recognition reflected "the dedication and commitment" of their team. "When your restaurant is featured in a UK-wide dining list, it is pretty significant and shows that we are doing things the right way," they noted, thanking staff, suppliers and guests for making Heft "such a special place."
Jack and Beth Bond of The Cottage in the Wood described their inclusion as "a huge moment" that highlighted their team's "hard work, passion and consistency." They added: "It's always great to be featured in lists such as Harden's, as it can help you determine where you sit nationally and where you need to develop."

The North West secured 149 entries overall, with 12 making the top 100—a strong regional showing that Peter Harden attributes to "remarkable resilience" within the trade. Despite food inflation, rising wages, rent increases and soaring utility costs, he noted that "strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever."

"What is challenging for suppliers can be good for consumers," Harden observed. "Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever harder to cut through, and we're seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the Top 100."