The Bitter End (Cockermouth)

The Bitter End in Cockermouth has an excellent reputation for serving up real ale. Up until a couple of years ago, the pub was a micro-brewery, creating its own house beer, Lakeland Golden. The beer is now brewed especially for the pub elsewhere, but the Bitter End still maintains its commitment to real ale. The pub is a popular choice for diners, with an emphasis on local produce.

Located in the old part of the town, the pub has been open since 1995, and previously was an abandoned building. As a nod to its location in historic Cockermouth, inside the pub you will find a collection of old photographs showing the town in days gone by. The pub is named after the Bitter Beck that flows through the town and disappears underground by the pub, feeding into the River Cocker.

Food & Drink

The Bitter End has a passion for real ale, and there are eight hand pulled real ales available at any given time, including one brewed especially for the pub, and several supplied by the Jennings brewery that is located less than a quarter of a mile away. The pub also stocks an impressive selection of bottled craft beers from around the world, including Brewdog beers from Aberdeen and Roosters beers from the USA. For non-beer drinkers, there are eight wines available by the glass, and a fabulous selection of 46 craft gins all available for a set price with Fever Tree tonic.

The pub is popular with local residents for its food, and its gourmet burger selection with choices that include Cajun and Chili burgers have earnt the pub a good reputation for serving excellent pub style cuisine. Along with the burgers, there’s a great choice of classic British main meals, including Cumberland Sausage and Fish and Chips, as well as Cumbrian steaks. Wherever possible, the produce used is locally sourced. There is a limited choice available for vegetarians, and the children’s menu includes all the usual favourites. On Sundays, a traditional Sunday dinner is available with a choice of either turkey or beef.

Other Features

Although the pub doesn’t have any parking of its own, two hours of free parking is available in the adjacent Kirkgate Centre with a town parking disc. These discs are free and available to pick up in most of the shops in Cockermouth. The pub does not have a beer garden as such, but there are a couple of tables outside on the pavement. Each Tuesday evening, the pub hosts a free quiz night, with beer available for prizes. Additionally, the pub welcomes dogs in the front section.

Map