Simon Rogan keeps a farm in the Cartmel Valley, and most of what reaches the plate at Rogan & Co was picked there that morning. The restaurant sits in a stone building on Devonshire Square in Cartmel, a Lake District village of barely 200 people that somehow holds four Michelin stars across Rogan's kitchens. This is the more relaxed of them: a five-course Short Menu at £95 and a seven-course Full Menu at £120, modern British cooking built on Our Farm produce, served beside an open fire with a stream running past the door.
The Kitchen
Simon Rogan is the chef patron, and Rogan & Co is the neighbourhood sibling to his three-Michelin-star flagship L'Enclume, a few doors away in the same Cartmel village. The defining feature is supply: Rogan runs Our Farm, a development in the Cartmel Valley, and the kitchen cooks largely from what it grows there and from trusted Lake District producers, so the menu shifts with the season and sometimes the day.
There is no single fixed signature plate in the modern tasting sense; the format is the signature. Lunch and dinner offer a five-course Short Menu at £95 and a seven-course Full Menu at £120, with optional wine pairings at £55 and £70. The dishes are understated and produce-led, the technique kept behind clean flavour rather than shown off, and vegetables from the farm often lead the plate rather than support it.
Rogan & Co won its own Michelin star in 2018 and has held it since, while L'Enclume took its third Michelin star in 2022. Between the two rooms, this single village on Devonshire Square and the square beside it carries four Michelin stars, which for a place of 200 people is close to unmatched anywhere in Britain.
The Room
Rogan & Co is a stone Lakeland building with low beams, an open fire, and a stream, Cartmel's beck, running past the door. It is deliberately the relaxed counterpart to L'Enclume: warm and informal where the flagship is hushed. The sound sits at an easy hum, conversation-friendly, and the lighting is low and soft in the evenings. Tables are reasonably spaced across a snug ground-floor room. Dress is smart-casual; walkers fresh off the fells and couples dressed for dinner sit side by side. Seating is intimate, a few dozen covers, so booking ahead matters, particularly at weekends. Ask for a table near the fire in winter.
Best for First Date
Book Rogan & Co for a first date when you want serious cooking in a room that stays warm rather than formal. Three reasons it works: the set five-course menu takes the pressure off ordering and keeps the night moving; the snug, fire-lit room is quiet enough to talk and pretty enough to feel like an occasion; and the village setting, with L'Enclume next door, gives you plenty to talk about. Take the £95 Short Menu, add the wine pairing if you are staying nearby, and let the produce-led plates carry the conversation. It is a destination dinner that still feels relaxed. See more first date rooms.
Not for a fast or cheap meal. Rogan & Co is a multi-course set-menu restaurant from £95, with no à la carte, and dinner runs a leisurely couple of hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rogan & Co worth it?
Yes, and it is the most affordable way into Simon Rogan's Cartmel cooking. It holds a Michelin star, cooks largely from Rogan's own Our Farm in the Cartmel Valley, and charges £95 for five courses against the much higher price of three-star L'Enclume next door. The room is warm and informal rather than ceremonial. For Rogan's produce-led style without the flagship's commitment of time and money, it is hard to beat in the Lake District.
How much does Rogan & Co cost?
The five-course Short Menu is £95 per person and the seven-course Full Menu is £120, with optional wine pairings at £55 and £70 respectively. There is no à la carte, so the menu price is most of the bill before drinks. Compared with the three-Michelin-star L'Enclume a few doors away, it is the value option in the village. Lunch and dinner run the same menus through the week.
How do I book Rogan & Co?
Book ahead through the restaurant, since the room is small and weekends fill fast, especially in summer and around holidays. Rogan & Co sits on Devonshire Square in the centre of Cartmel, near Grange-over-Sands, and is closed Monday and Tuesday. Midweek lunch is the easiest table to land. If you cannot get in, the same village holds L'Enclume and several other rooms, so a Cartmel trip is rarely wasted.
What is the food like at Rogan & Co?
It is modern British, produce-led cooking built around Simon Rogan's Our Farm in the Cartmel Valley, served as a five- or seven-course set menu that changes with the season. Vegetables often lead the plate, and the technique stays behind clean, clear flavour rather than showing off. It is the relaxed sibling to three-star L'Enclume, so expect serious cooking in an unfussy, fire-lit room rather than tasting-menu ceremony.
Is Rogan & Co good for a first date?
Yes, it is a strong first-date choice. The set menu removes the stress of ordering, the snug fire-lit room is quiet enough to talk and pretty enough to feel special, and the village setting makes the evening an outing. It is less suited to anyone wanting a quick or casual bite. For more rooms built for early dates, see our first date guide.