A real traditional style sweet shop with wall to wall sweetie jars. As well as traditional and…read morerecent sweets and chocolates (including a large selection by Goody Good Food, and a good range of sugar-free sweets, they also sell local ice cream, soft drinks, and Slush Puppies. They also have some specialist items such as to-order cakes and boutique chocolates, and imported American goods. They occasionally sell unusual trivial items such as pictures, models, ornaments, and even neckties. These aren't worth bothering with though, as they are just filler. The store thrives best on its confectionery. The staff are also very friendly and helpful. They don't currently accept cards, but they have done previously. One of the owners says that they're looking into doing so again in the future.

For the best ice cream in the area with a vast array of flavours ... I HIGHLY recommend fredericks…read more They even have ice cream vans, are on the canal so you can have a lovely walk whilst enjoying a cone and I haven't had the hot food yet but it looks amazing. ... It's also on Deliveroo so you don't even have to leave the house to get amazing ice cream.

TL;DR - An ice cream legend, still going strong…read more I grew up in Chorley, and everyone there knows Frederick's Ice Cream. As you drive in on the A6 from the south you'll pass the distinctive sign, but if there's a hint of sun in the sky you'll know you're getting close because the road will be lined with cars and there will probably be a queue snaking down the road. Yes, parking is basically non-existent so either walk or pull up on the road side. The parlour itself is fairly small with seating for about 20 people inside, plus some more seating outside (but it's on a busy road so not too scenic!). However, if you go down the side of the business, the pathway goes down to the canalside where they have some additional seating, and you have access to the wonderful canalside walks of the Leeds Liverpool canal. The variety of flavours is huge... today Sparky had a scoop of pistachio and a scoop of cherry whilst I went for a double scoop of nutella and peanut. Delicious, hugely satisfying and great value for money. There are far more exotic flavours though - I was tempted by the Jammy Dodger, and most of the kids there seemed to be desperate for the bubblegum flavour which I think was the blue ice cream everyone seemed to be eating. Frederick's is a bit of a Chorley landmark and legend combined, still going strong and well worth a visit. Who would have thought the A6 through Chorley would have such a treasure?

lovely chocolate sundae. think it might've been spiked with LSD because i've only just come back…read morearound and i'm covered in blood lol! would recommend :)

A guilty pleasure and a calorie heavy one at that, but Cube is amazing!…read more You have a pretty wide choice of different sweet options from waffles to cheesecake and milkshakes to hot cookie dough in a dish. I've had the cookie dough a few times and it is just unbelievable, however if you are going for full on indulgence, you must get one of the waffles - the cookie crumble is my all time favourite. I've not personally tried the milkshakes but my friends always get them and have nothing but great things to say. You can get your dessert to take away, sit in with a coffee or hot chocolate or even get it delivered (free when over £15) if you're feeling extra lazy! If you're after sweet sugary chocolatey goodness, Cube is a must.

What can I say..... if you're after a "Cheap" but yummy treat to spoil yourself or treat your…read morefamily. This is the place to go. From homemade gelato ice-cream to warm chocolate covered waffle, hmmmmmm. Did I mention cakes, milkshakes, brownie& all the rest.

Fantasic, just the place to sit and have that quilty Ice cream when you think no one you know is…read morewatching. A really nice cup of coffee too. It is a little from the centre of Chorley, but only a couple of minutes walk and worth it. 01257 232 070 Open 7 days 9.30am - 5.30pm Other Parlour In Chorley Fredericks Bolton Road Dairies Heath Charnock Lancashire PR7 4AL 01257 263 154 Open 7 days 9am-9pm

i love this ice cream parlour as they stock the grestest ice creams ever, fredricks! it is often…read morebusy in the summer with very few tables and big queues but its worth the wait. its situated a couple of minutes walk from the main shopping area and there is no specific parking, however there is ample parkin around the town. they offer a great choice of icecream flavours aswell as sundeas, large tubs to takeaway and confectionery. they also sell snacks and hot drinks.

Max Italia is on Lee Lane in Horwich. It's the source of some confusion at times as it was once an…read moreItalian restaurant called Max Max. Since Max Max closed, it reopened as the short lived Siam Balcony, before closing and reopening as the current Italian restaurant with the familiarly named Max Italia, seemingly wanting to hark back to the days of Max Max, and informing the locals of what they're about. It took me a while to get to Max Italia, as I live very nearby it, but assumed it was the same people behind Max Max, so never really gave it much thought. However on one night we fancied giving it a try, and so called the number to make a booking. Oddly the phone was simply answered with "hello?", leading me to ask "uh... is that Max Italia?" "yes" ... awkward. But still, we got a table booked, and went along. When we arrived we realised how busy it was! We were greeted, and seated in a waiting area by the bar with a menu to look at whilst our table was prepared. It only took a couple of minutes before we were seated. The decor is modern but simple, with clever tricks like stone effect printed wallpaper for texture (I thought it was real stone at first) and large mirrors on one wall to give the space a feeling of more room. Dishes are written across the top of the wall, a la Frankie & Benny's. The tables are simple white linen with red square accent cloths. Classic Italian restaurant with a slight modernisation. No Chianti bottles with melted candles here.. The only thing I thought spoilt the look a bit was plastic fake vines occasionally strewn around lampshades and around windows. It really doesn't need them. The bar area is white tiles, glass blocks, and blue lighting, giving a slight feeling of a swimming baths, but still functional and modern. The menu has some great classic offerings without going too over the top. It also has several special offers to tempt people into giving them a try. On the night we were visiting, there were two long lines of tables celebrating a retirement, so it was loud but not terrible. We were worried about the time for food to arrive, but they were seemingly finishing their main course as we settled in, so that wouldn't be too much of an issue. To start we ordered plain garlic bread topped with oregano and Fungo Al Pepe, which is a large mushroom topped with black pudding and blue cheese in a creamy pepper sauce. The garlic bread, although a nice texture, was quite subtle in terms of garlic. It was however still pleasant, and worked very well dunked in the sauce that came with the Fungo Al Pepe, which in itself seems a little bit Italy-via-Lancashire. I'm not sure if it's a classic dish you'd find in bistros in Firenze, but despite the appearance, it was bubbling when it arrived, and was in itself very tasty and enjoyable. For our mains we decided on Penne Gratinate, which is penne pasta with onions, mushrooms and peas, in a creamy sauce, topped with cheese and cooked in the oven, and a classic spaghetti carbonara. These too arrived in pretty good time from the open-fronted kitchen at one end of the restaurant. Suffice to say, both of these dishes were superb. Fresh, creamy and tasty, they were satisfying right down to the last forkful, and then to the last spoonful as we finished every last bit! The penne gratinate was satisfying and creamy, with wonderful flavours, and the carbonara was fresh and nicely presented. At this point we could see that the large tables with the retirement party were eyeing up the dessert menus, so we got our order in quickly. We chose a simple vanilla ice cream, and the chocolate profiteroles. Again, both arrived in good time. The ice cream was good, topped in a chocolate sauce, which although nice, I didn't ask for (I'm not usually a fan of chocolate sauce), and the profiteroles were delicious and very chocolatey! Service was friendly but very busy (presumably due to that retirement party), servers were hard to get hold of at times, especially when we were trying to get the bill, but those who we did speak to and were served by were friendly and polite. As we had trouble getting the bill, we weren't sure whether we would be paying at the table with a card machine, or if it best to head up to the bar. We did the latter to be safe. We really enjoyed our meals, and although busy, the experience itself was very pleasant. We were flabbergasted that for our entire meal of starters, main courses, desserts and drinks, the bill came to only just over £31! We at first thought perhaps we hadn't been charged for our desserts, but we were told by the friendly barman that it was part of a mid-week offer. Well that's just dandy! We had a great meal at a local independent restaurant within walking distance, and it didn't even disturb the bank, let alone break it. We recommend it if you're in the Horwich area, and definitely to any locals unsure of whether to give it a try.

Retreat has two restaurants, Retreat Bolton and Retreat Adlington. At this point I'd been to…read moreneither, but decided to try Adlington for Phil R's birthday, as it's nearer me and the newer of the two. It's in a former church, which is quite striking from the outside, but when you walk in, it really has that wow factor! It doesn't feel like a church at all, and has the feeling of some of the modern and stylish restaurants in Manchester City Centre, decorated with simple classic modern furniture, and light fixtures that both illuminate and decorate, forming decoration themselves. The venue is split onto two levels, the ground floor and a mezzanine, with an open centre, forming a minstrel's gallery. As we entered we stood at the podium for a bit as the manager was on the phone presumably taking more bookings. I can't say I'm surprised either, the queues were there all evening with people eager to get in and dine! He was friendly and prompt though, and took us up the central staircase to the upper area, which was great for people watching! Interestingly, it seems the kitchen is on the ground floor, but instead of installing a dumb waiter to such a small mezzanine area, there are two hidden staircases at the back of the area, allowing staff to covertly come and go to the kitchen without having to use the big central staircase. Nicely done. When seated and given the menus, we had a browse, but were immediately grabbed by the Sunday Roast offer, which was three courses for £16... how can you turn that down?! We ordered a couple of drinks, and for starters we chose a garlic bread, creamy garlic mushrooms, and tempura black pudding. Interestingly a chrome bucket-shaped frame was placed on our table. We later found this was to place the garlic bread on, so that it was elevated, and wouldn't take up as much table space when the plates were brought out. Very clever! The garlic bread was subtly flavoured but good, with a grainy crunch, presumably from semolina, but it worked well. The black pudding was very good, and came with a very tasty cider and apple butter sauce, which really worked well with the black pudding. The creamy garlic mushrooms came on grilled ciabatta with pesto, and was too very tasty. For our mains, as we'd both chosen the sunday dinner, we chose lamb and pork respectively. My only criticisms with the dinners were that they presentation was a bit lacking, perhaps due to the size and shape of the plate, so everything looked a little lost and the gravy had slid around a bit, but that certainly was no deal breaker, as the food itself was very good. The vegetables in particular were perfectly cooked. At this point we realised that we hadn't been introduced to our waiter, and this seems to be as the waiting duties are a group effort, with different waiters bringing dishes out or taking orders as and when needed, from a rather young staff. Some people might have a problem with this style of serving, but it worked well, and clearly works well for Retreat. For dessert we chose what was simply listed as apple tart, and what was only listed as "shortbread and ice cream", which gives a rather bleak mental image. That's a criticism I would mention actually, the food quality and offerings are great, but the menu itself is ugly. It uses some very ugly fonts which you'd more commonly see in a pub or on a cafe menu, and I don't feel it suits the style of the place, especially as they use this font on their main logo. A little modernising and updating and their menu would be befitting of what they offer. The desserts turned out to be really good! Why undersell these? I didn't have "shortbread and ice cream", (which gives the mental image of a shortbread finger stuck in an ice cream cone), I received thin shortbread discs with strawberry ice cream and fresh strawberry layers, and a scoop of nice quality vanilla ice cream. This was lovely, but sadly the menu didn't reflect this! The apple tart was also delicious and full of flavour. The meal was a pleasant visit for a special occasion. The food and drinks were good, the service was friendly, food came out in good time, and the value was excellent. We'll definitely be back! Well done, Retreat!

As a child I was fascinated by Little Scotland. We used to drive through on our way to Aspull when…read moreI went out with my grandparents. It was little because it was literally a tiny country lane, but I'm not sure about the Scotland bit... In the middle of rambling fields and winding lanes you will find Suzanna's. Just outside Blackrod, and very much a step back in time to the bit that escaped development. I remember this building being Gallagher's, a friend of my grandad's. Funnily enough, although I was aware of its presence for many years, I don't actually know anyone who went there, perhaps that is why it is now Suzanna's! After visiting the restaurant with cake club I couldn't wait to go and try the new menu. I called the very next day for a reservation! The decor and staff had already won me over, so I had high expectations for the food. Suzanna is a lovely lady; passionate about her work, the food and her family, but also well travelled and has eaten at some of my favourite restaurants. I was sure this was going to be a good experience! They didn't let me down. My husband and I went on Friday night. I had been dreaming of the assiette of desserts that she had teased me with on Monday... We started with a small aperitif, not something I expected for a restaurant nestled between Blackrod and Haigh! It was a piece of ham terrine with a lovely quail scotch egg on top. We didn't have starters because we both fancied a dessert (some piglet might have been out for lunch as well...) My husband had the Pork Three Ways, and I opted for the burger. I always find a burger is a good test of a restaurant. Easy to get right, but equally easy to make a right pig's ear of it. Both were lovely. What Suzanna's seem to be able to do is serve homely food, but they also capture enough of the fine dining element to make the trip feel a little more special than your average town restaurant. My burger was well seasoned and cooked to perfection. They make their own burger sauce too. The skinny fries were really tasty, and I particularly liked the fact they had their skin on. The pork dish includes a fillet wrapped in bacon, confit belly and ham hock terrine. It's served with dauphinoise potatoes and a local cider sauce. If I'm being honest, I could have quite happily just gone to Suzanna's for desserts. Reading through the menu, I could have easily tried everything they had to offer! Traditional desserts, all homemade, all tempting me... Then there is the assiette. One of almost everything on the menu. This is one of my favourite desserts ever. It's a true tasting platter! None of this trio malarky! We had trifle, bakewell tart, vanilla ice cream, cinnamon ice cream, sticky toffee pudding, lemon tart and carrot cake. We 'shared' it. I have no shame in telling you that I could have devoured the entire plate myself. I loved it. I would happily recommend Suzanna's. We had a relaxing evening with great food. We'll definitely be making a return visit!

As I am completely unfamiliar with the surrounding areas of Wigan I hadn't heard of Suzanna's…read morebefore this weekend and it's a big surprise; the perfect restaurant and bar for special occasions I cannot believe I haven't been treated here before! Stepping in to the bar area you are greeted by big velvet covered armchairs, much akin to images of men sipping brandy in front of open fires, and exposed brick. The reason my review is only 4 stars also lies within this bar - the TV and fruit machine really take away from the atmosphere they are trying, and almost succeeding, to create. The bar staff were polite and helpful and, when it was time to move from the bar to the restaurant, the server took our drinks for us, one of my favourite things when moving from one room to another whilst eating out. The dining area has a real luxury feel to it, with leather covered booths and exposed beams, expensive but comfortable and warm, a balance that can be hard to find. Service was efficient and they seemed happy to go away and come back to take our order later, not annoyed by our indecisiveness about both food and wine (when I say our I mean the men of the table - the women had decided before we'd even sat down thanks to looking at the menu online!) I skipped starters due to my love of dessert but everything was presented well and generated the correct noises from my fellow diners. My choice for main was confit of duck leg and it was delicious; moist, falling from the bone, but with some amazing crispy sections hidden away underneath. The mash was smooth and creamy, blending perfectly with the sweet braised red cabbage and red wine reduction. The menu has a great selection meaning even the fussiest of eaters will be able to find something; I was very much drawn towards the breaded chicken & chorizo burger or the chicken & chorizo risotto (which the bf eventually chose and I managed to snaffle a forkful - smokey and creamy but chunks of chorizo alongside the chicken would have really lifted it!) For dessert I tucked in to warm chocolate fudge cake and ice cream after a long battle with the bf's mum about who was going to have the lemon tart and who would have the cake - you can't have the same dessert!! The cake was moist and drenched in chocolate sauce and the ice cream was sat on top of a tasty nutty crumble, adding another element to the dish. The lemon tart had just the right amount of tang and came with a bright coulis, perfect when you've had a heavy meal. A great experience here and somewhere we will all definitely return to, but not to play the slots.