Some of the best places to eat in the Lake District are the ones you have to earn. The Yew Tree 1628 sits at the end of a quiet road through Borrowdale, right where the valley narrows and the fells close in around you. You could easily drive past it. Most people do. That is precisely what makes it special.
The Yew Tree 1628, Seatoller
Built in 1628 as lodgings for German miners working the Borrowdale graphite seams, this tiny pub spent 17 years standing empty before Prentice Wilkinson-Weir and his partner Holly McCleary poured a year of their lives into bringing it back. Neither had hospitality experience. What they had was a deep connection to this valley — Prentice's late father, Mark Weir, was the man who transformed nearby Honister Slate Mine into a visitor destination — and a stubborn belief that Seatoller deserved its pub back.
They reopened in April 2025 and within months had won CAMRA's Pub of the Season award. It is not hard to see why.
The food here champions local suppliers with a short, seasonal menu that changes regularly. Expect fell-reared meats, dairy and veg from nearby farms, and homemade pasta — the kind of cooking that lets good ingredients do the talking. Mains sit around the £15-£19 mark, which feels fair for the quality. On Sundays, the roasts are already earning a reputation as some of the best in the Keswick area.
The pub sells two real ales from Tirril Brewery — the Honister IPA (their house beer, a nod to the pass outside the door) and the Windermere IPA. Both are crisp, well-kept, and perfect after a day on the fells.
Inside, the restoration has been handled with real care. Original stone walls and low beams remain, but everything feels fresh and welcoming rather than museum-like. Outside, the beckside beer garden is a stunner — tables by a rushing stream with Borrowdale's crags rising above you. It is one of the most naturally beautiful pub gardens in the Lake District, and that is a competitive field.
The Yew Tree is rated 4.9 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with around 160 reviews and is already ranked in the top five restaurants in the wider Keswick area. Given it has been open less than a year, that trajectory is remarkable.
You will find the pub at Seatoller, Keswick, CA12 5XN, tucked in at the very foot of Honister Pass, about seven miles south of Keswick along the B5289. There is a National Trust pay-and-display car park right beside the hamlet. Opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday noon until 9pm, and Sunday noon until 7pm, with food served at lunch and again in the evening. Booking is strongly recommended if you want to eat inside, especially at weekends and for Sunday lunch.
The next time someone tells you the Lake District is too crowded, send them down the Borrowdale road. The further you go, the quieter it gets. And at the very end, there is a 400-year-old pub with a pint of Honister IPA and a hearty meal waiting for you. That feels like a pretty good deal.
