Foundry 34

It's popular with locals and worth a visit for the good food and pleasant restaurant. Just be aware that they give you a set time to eat. Don't arrive too early, as there are no seats at the bar and they don't seem to know what to do with you while you wait. I can't speak to the hotel since we didn't stay there.

The food and setting were superb, and we'd happily go back. We had two mains, two puddings, Prosecco, cider and coffees for just £62, which was outstanding value. The steak was especially good, cooked perfectly medium as requested, and the draft cider and Prosecco came in clean glasses. The cutlery was spotless and the table wasn't sticky, details I notice because of my OCD. The relaxed room had music at a comfortable level, even though we sat under a speaker. Foundry 34 had been on our list after eating around Penrith town centre for four months, and now I understand why it's so busy. The service started awkwardly. We were the only diners when we arrived for our pre-booked table, and it almost felt like our arrival was an inconvenience. Our first server was polite but seemed sullen and low on energy. Soon after we were seated, I went to the bar to order drinks rather than being asked if we wanted any. That offer came only after the server changed, and the initial mood took a while to shake off. We both commented on it at the time. The replacement server was warm, attentive and genuinely caring, and did a lot to improve the experience. We all have bad days, but after more than 30 years in retail I've learned to leave personal baggage at the door. Maybe there's a lesson in that here. I thought the feedback was worth sharing.

We spent two nights at Foundry for our wedding anniversary, after booking through booking.com. The pre-arrival information was accurate, the hotel was easy to find, and the advice about local parking was very helpful. The staff were kind and helpful throughout. We ate there on the first night: the food was lovely, well cooked and well served. I ate too much, but that was my own doing! Our room was well prepared and had good facilities, including a great shower. It's close to the town center, which was lovely to walk around and had plenty to see and do. We did a lot of walking and drove to a few local places we'd planned to visit. We had a lovely time, and the team helped make it that way. We'd thoroughly recommend it 👌

The food was beautiful, and they give you a huge plateful. What an amazing place.