The Dog and Gun, a pub in the Lake District well-known for its Hungarian Goulash.

Address: 2 Lake Road, Keswick, CA12 5BT.

Famous for its homemade Hungarian Goulash (gulyás), the Dog and Gun is a dog-friendly pub in Keswick. The place we couldn’t miss when we went to the Lake District.

This traditional pub that first opened its doors in 1807, has recently undergone a refurbishment and now boasts an updated rustic decor. But it kept the same relaxed, cosy atmosphere and some striking features like coins in the grooves of wooden beams. Conveniently located in the heart of Keswick, the pub is always crowded. You need to be prepared to wait for a table because a reservation is not available. But it’s worth it! If you don’t want to wait and the weather is pretty good, there is a small outdoor seating area to the front of the pub.

What makes the Dog and Gun so popular? Without doubt, this is the famous pub’s Hungarian Goulash that has been served there for 60 years. People say the wife of the previous pub’s owner was Hungarian, and she cooked this spicy and warming meal for tired walkers. Hungarian Goulash is a hearty meat stew, and it is made with beef, mushrooms, peppers and onions with plum tomatoes and a secret herb & spices mix. Served with dumplings, new potatoes and garlic bread, the goulash comes in small and large portions. The small portion (to be honest, it’s pretty big) is £12.49, the large one is £14.99. We think the prices are very reasonable! Did we like the pub? We had a four-night break in the Lake District and we went to the pub three times in a row, that tells its own tale.

What else is on the menu? Hunter’s Chicken: chicken breast topped with smoked streaky bacon, melted Cheddar, mozzarella and Texan BBQ sauce, served with chips, a dressed salad garnish and onion rings (£13.79); Lasagne: beef in red wine topped with a Béchamel sauce and cheese served with garlic bread and a dressed mixed salad (£12.79). 

Now the pub is owned by the Greene King company, one of the country’s leading pub retailers and brewers.