Places to eat in Burnley

You might not be expecting an award-winning fine-dining restaurant in Burnley, but if you head to Bertram’s at Crow Wood, that’s exactly what you’ll find. Serving British and European dishes at breakfast, lunch and dinner, the talented chefs plate only the finest and freshest ingredients cooked to perfection and immaculately presented. The price reflects the quality, but if you visit on a Thursday you can take advantage of their supper club and enjoy two courses and half a bottle of wine per person for less than £25. A word to the wise: It’s adult-only, so you’ll have to go elsewhere if you’re eating with people under 18.

If you’re looking for the best Indian cuisine in Burnley, head to Aroma Asian Restaurant. As you’d expect from a traditional Indian restaurant, the service is friendly and attentive, the food is flavourful and well-presented and the atmosphere is relaxed. It’s located on Church Street in the town centre and has plenty of parking to the rear of the entrance.

Next up is a delightful gastropub in the nearby village of Fence. The Sparrowhawk is rightly named in our guide to the best pubs in Burnley thanks to its excellent cask ales and extensive wine list. We aren’t here to talk about the ales, though. We’re here to talk about the stunning food, served under a charming stained-glass dome. The menu is made up of classic pub food like fish and chips, burgers, pies and steaks, made using locally sourced ingredients where possible. We think it’s the best pub to eat at in the area.

Another great restaurant in Fence is Forest Fence. This is the place to come for great Mediterranean-inspired food like pizza, pasta, ciabatta, piri-piri chicken and grilled fish. You can enjoy it all in their superbly decorated restaurant with an open kitchen, or head up to their south-facing terrace if the weather is nice.

Finally, Illuminati Restaurant and Cocktail Bar on Hammerton Street in the town centre is the place to come for hanging skewers, awe-inspiring hot dogs, colourful cocktails and a cool environment. It’s a relatively new addition to the town, but it’s quickly becoming a firm favourite with the locals and is just a short distance from our Burnley hotel.

A quintessential British tea room, those looking for afternoon tea or a nice coffee and a cake should look no further than The Scarlett Tea Rooms on Accrington Road. It was the lifelong ambition of the owner to open this place, and her passion is poured into every china cup of tea and coffee that is served here. The sandwiches, pies, cakes, scones and macaroons are all divine and reasonably priced.

For a slightly more substantial lunch, check out The Bobbin Cafe on Wiseman Street in the town centre. It’s great for burgers, pies, cheese and meat boards and they also do a mean curry. TripAdvisor rates this as one of the top five places to eat in Burnley, and it’s easy to see why.

Caffeine fiends have a few good options to get their fix in Burnley, including Rhode Island Coffee on St. James’s Street near Charter Walk Shopping Centre. Rhode Island’s are popping up all over the North West, with six other stores (including one in nearby Blackburn). This suggests they’re doing something right, and we’d argue that ‘something’ is their fantastic coffee served in a relaxed and vibrant setting.

Alternatively, Little Barista is another great town centre option for high-grade coffee. Their trained baristas knock up the perfect latte and decorate it with fantastic coffee art on top. Equally pleasing on the eye are their cakes and sweet treats. We could wax lyrical about them all day, but we don’t need to – as soon as you see them you’ll get it.