The Ilex And Brasserie

Called in today for lunch sat out side and as it was table service only I was pleased to see that the staff were very attentive and observant. I had the fish and chips, which was excellent and good value for money. I recommend this venue happily.

Having just spent around 2 hours in the Gardens we popped into the Bar for lunch. My wife had the soup of the day served with sourdough bread which I had Coronation Chicken sandwiches and salad. Perfectly adequate on a warm day. Afrer lunch it was back to the Gardens .......

We were staying nearby and decided to dine at this restaurant one evening for their pop up pizza. It turned out to be a great choice! The location was beautiful, the staff was very friendly, and the food was delicious. The pizzas were a bit too cheesy for our liking, but the dough was excellent. We suggest adding a vegetarian option other than plain for the future.

Stopped at the cafe before visiting the garden. On display were some incredibly green (and large) wild garlic scones. These are amazing quite rustic with bits of green leaf here and there, with an intense flavour. Absolutely delicious. We saw others enjoying a full lunch together with a bottle of wine this seemed quite popular. Good range of teas and coffees available.

A lovely, smart but casual place think bright and airy but with dogs welcome. We visited on a Sunday with just the Sunday lunch menu on. It was so tasty, especially the roast itself. Plus you really must try the White Chocolate Blondie a favourite of the Lord and Lady we were told. The team are really welcoming, that great balance of friendly but not intrusive. Well worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby.

When the kebabs arrived, they smelled wonderful. However, upon taking a bite, I was disappointed. Underneath the pitta bread was a watery mess (which I assume was tzatziki), the chicken was flavorless and seemed to be made from low-quality cuts of meat. At £7.95 each, I was shocked to find a piece of gristle in my kebab, something I had never experienced before with chicken. My girlfriend's kebab even had chicken skin in it. After a few bites, we decided to leave the kebabs uneaten and walk away, feeling let down by the disappointing meal.

A group of 4 guests staying at Dove Cottage on the Estate visited The Ilex Restaurant for breakfast. We enjoyed delicious buns and fresh scones, although we wished there was a full breakfast option available for guests staying on the Estate. On Saturday evening, The Bess Barrel Pop Up Bar was open with live music and superb pizza with a light and crusty base. Ben, the Pop Up Bar and Restaurant Manager, provided excellent and friendly service. All the staff, including Victoria who helped us enter the Hall Gardens, were wonderful and even took the time to chat with us after their shifts. Overall, it was a very enjoyable weekend break and experience.

Title says it all really! We’d never been to Holker before so it was lovely to see the house and garden. The brasserie is a very calm and contemporary place to have a sit down meal or we also saw a pop up pub and pizza option in the courtyard if you’re wanting something less formal and the sun is shining! Ben was attentive with service. The food was simply delicious. Generous portions for a fair price and a children’s menu was available (though ours just had a smaller portion of the roast). Perfect pink roast beef and the roasted vegetables from Holker’s own kitchen garden were divine. Hopefully more will discover this place a bit off the usual Lake District beaten track but it’s really wort...

Sunday Lunch at the Ilex had been recommended and we accepted a 1:30 booking as it was full for 1:00 starts. The ambiance is very pleasant and the service too. Prawn cocktail looked good with salad from the Hall garden, but the prawns were bland. Roast beef from lauded local butcher Higginsons looked good too, on top of a pile of vegetables and with Yorkshire pudding beside. The meat was more than a challenge for our teeth and even for the serrated knives, beans less than al dente and Yorkshires chewy too. A lot of our food went back, and we accepted the offer to charge us for one main course rather than two. Would the sticky toffee pudding lift the ending? No, not really as it was on the dr...