I'm really saddened to only give the Church Inn three stars, as on my first visit it was definitely a 5-star perfect country pub. However, after a loooong hike up the hills from Marsden some friends and I were left waiting two hours for some pretty mediocre food.
The pub is a beautiful old building overlooking some stunning countryside. There is a wonderful bar inside complete with open log fires and a sleepy pub dog. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the fantastic selection of local brews on offer. All in all the pub side of the pub is fantastic. (There are even some peacocks outside to entertain the kids).
However, the food is a bit of a let down. We were a large party (8 or 9 of us) and were left waiting over two hours for lunch. When our food arrived it was a bit disappointing. i ordered the steak and kidney pie which was pretty bland and came surrounded by soggy chips soaked in gravy. My friends got grotesquely oversized portions of other pub grub, all a little on the bland side and served with tasteless over-boiled veg and heaps of soggy chips. The portions were incredibly big, not usually a point for complaint, but it just seemed bizarre to provide so much food with so little taste.
However, the prices are excellent and you will receive your bill with a smile.
When I've eaten here before it was really delicious, so I hope this was just the result of an overworked kitchen at the end of a busy lunch hour, rather than a permanent change. read more