I came to eat here last week with my boyfriend and his family. I was especially looking forward to…read morecoming here as it had won Restaurant of the Year 2011 by Eat Sheffield! The drive to the restaurant was lovely and scenic, going down dark and winding country roads until suddenly we drive around a corner and The Devonshire Arms appeared! We'd got there a little early and we sat down by the bar for some drinks. The menu was displayed on a chalkboard by the seating area and it all looked yummy! The dining area was quite small but very nice and cosy. The kitchen was open and you could see the chefs chopping and cooking away which I quite liked. I chose the rabbit and pheasant terrine with grape chutney as my starter; it came with onion bread and the slice of terrine was huge! I really wanted to finish it, but I couldn't as there was no way I'd be have enough room for my main! For the main, I had venison steak served with new potatoes (usually served with mash which I couldn't have as it had milk/cream in it) and braised red cabbage. The steak was pink and cooked to perfection and the red cabbage was sweet but with a little tart edge to it. I didn't have a dessert but the rest of the party did - my boyfriend had a deconstructed banana cheesecake and his sister had a brownie (I overheard her saying it was the best brownie she'd ever tasted!). All of the staff were really nice, especially the lady who served us that night, she was really lovely and very attentive. The Devonshire Arms fully deserves it's awards and hope it gets more in the future. If you're ever around the Sheffield area and want to venture out of the city centre for some food make sure you come here. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect meal.

A wining combination of fantastic food and wonderful service make the Railway a go to spot for…read moretravelers and locals alike. A wonderful English pub nestled in a beautiful location, the decor is traditional pub but with modern upgrades to the bar, but its the food that's the real winner here. Specials listed on chalkboards around the pub offer alternates to the solid menu, i really wished i could have ordered about 5 appetizers and 6 main's but alas, only one stomach! Prawn cocktail app was traditional English, small prawns in a delicious marie rose sauce with a few slices of granary bread, this was a huge serving, could almost feed two (but there was no way i was sharing!) For mains i went light, grilled salmon with baked potato with seasonal veggies, absolutely cooked to perfection grilled salmon with a decent sized potato with carrots and green beans. Other winners at our table were the Sunday roast, meat and potato pie, ribs and chicken and the southern fried chicken. Great value, clean, and a well diverse menu make The Railway one of my favorite places to visit when i'm in England.

Very surprised to see that nobody has reviewed this great little pub-cum-restaurant yet, as it's…read morebeen popular locally for years! You can always get a really good feed, with food ranging from hearty pasta dishes to Asian favourites like Thai green curry etc. Maybe none of the food is particularly groundbreaking, but it's hard to bear for value for money and me and my wife often come here when we have someone to look after the kids. There's plenty of space and the pricing is very fair for what you get. Only minor quibble might be that the music is sometimes a little on the loud side and I always feel vaguely rushed when that's the case, but like I say: a minor quibble in what is otherwise a very nice little local haunt.

This beautiful country bistro / Gastro pub is a great place for a family lunch…read more The menu is vast and there were plenty of options to suit everyone. They range from starters and large main meals to smaller 'soup and sandwich' options. The game pie I tried was amazing - juicy and tender meats with a lovely crisp pastry on top. The chips, outstanding too!

This is my favorite country pub in Cheshire by far! The food never disappoints and the atmosphere…read moreis terrific. I always visit when I am in the UK and have been visiting for he past 35 years.

I only ever drove past The Blundell Arms. It's very near where I live, so I drive past it a lot! It…read morejust looked like another pub, and not very popular, as I never saw anyone parked outside. But in recent times I noticed A-boards outside mentioning food, so after a long time of realising this, I decided to look online, and lo and behold, it's not just a pub that has "food available", but a full on food-centric pub! Hoorah! When I drove there, I realised that the reason it looked so quiet and lacking in cars is because there's actually a sizeable car park BEHIND it, and that in turn is the entrance people tend to use to access it. When I walked in, I was very pleasantly surprised, this pub was not only very expansive in side (perhaps not in terms of headroom in some of the older parts!) but was wonderfully traditional, with beautiful rustic beams running throughout, and many nods to its past as a court house, showing the old stone placard, and a window showing the traditional wattle and daub construction. The other thing I noticed is that this was a very bright space. The winter sunshine truly cascades through the windows, giving a wonderfully comfortable feeling. This place had a 'good' feeling as soon as I entered. I was greeted by a friendly staff member who took me to a table nestled amongst the rustic beams, where I was given the menus, and had chance to also peruse the lunch menu. The lunch menu was really good value, and I'd happily order from it, but in this instance I noticed on the main menu, amongst all the delicious traditional and classic pub food offerings, and "chef's inspired dishes" was a gourmet burger. So I opted for that! I took the time waiting to have a look round at the rest of the place, which is where Ashleigh, the staff member, told me about the building's previous uses, and how pleasant the place looks at night with all the lights lighting up the corners of this old building. When my burger arrived, I was quite pleased. The presentation was simple but that's all it needed to be, as it was a big burger, and a pot of triple-cooked chips. The chips were great, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The burger was tasty, but I wouldn't call it 'gourmet', as it was quite a standard burger, but grilled fully through rather than pink (due to health and safety demands usually), so it wasn't juicy, but was still tasty, regardless. The bacon on the burger was a bit fatty though, I had to pull strands of it off, but that's merely my personal preference. For the price, it was a good burger, and a tasty lunch. I'd certainly order it again. All in all, I was pleased I came to The Blundell Arms! I didn't realise it was such a lovely building, and didn't realise they had such a large offering to eat, so I'll definitely be back to try some more of the menu, especially the dessert menu... there were a few things on there I very much liked the look of, but as the burger was so filling, I didn't quite have the room. Maybe next time I'll go for the lunch menu instead of my eyes being bigger than my belly! Next time, Blundell.... NEXT TIME!!!

A really nice pub/restaurant that dates back to when the world was black and white and everybody…read morehad a horse and cart. Food is good but can take a while to get to you as the service is a little slow. A liitle on the pricy side for nothing that is out of this world. Huge range of wines and beers all this in fantastic ye olde worldy settings.

If you're walking near Rivington Pike then the Yew Tree is really close by - it's popular though as…read moremany of the tables were reserved when we arrived bang on noon on a Sunday (despite there being hardly anyone in). There were some small tables towards the back though, nicely tucked away, so we plonked ourselves down here for lunch after a very wet and windswept walk. Their menu is full of the usual dishes you'd expect from a gastro pub, with starters ranging between £3-6 and main courses £12-20. I opted for their Hot Rump Steak Sandwich with fries from their Bar Menu (£8.75). It took rather a long time to be served; whether the kitchen couldn't cope with the influx of diners or there was a big issue we weren't sure. The steak sandwich was alright, but nothing much to write home about. We were so hungry that we wolfed what we'd ordered down. They serve a couple of locally brewed beers here too - Rivington has it's own brewery. Nice enough, but if we were in the area again, we'd probably drive a little further out to try somewhere else.

Three of us headed here after a soggy walk up to Rivington Pike. We walked in the door on a Sunday…read moreat noon and were greeted slightly begrudgingly by staff who didn't seem thrilled to serve customers. Anyway, despite not booking we were shown a table at the back. The kitchen apparently wasn't open yet but we took the time to change out of our wet walking gear and order some drinks at the bar. The coffee was surprisingly good and the beer selection was nice and local. We were finally allowed to order food at the bar and the guy serving was friendly and helpful. He was one of the few who actually seemed to be doing any work. Despite only ordering a soup, a sandwich and a sausage, our food took over 30 minutes to arrive and I had to ask them where it was. My soup was tasty although verging on cold and the two lumps of hard bread looked more like giant croutons. I asked for an additional slice of bread and was promptly brought it without any fuss or extra cost which was great. The food on the menu wasn't cheap but it seems to be of a very high standard. The menu is huge for a Sunday menu which might explain why it took so long for it to be prepared. Overall it was a nice pub that potentially thinks a little too highly of itself. But tasty, none the less.

The Water Witch is one of the best real ale pubs in Lancaster, a town not known for great venues…read more It's located right next to the canal, with a generously designed outside seating area [Unfortunately, it was raining all the time I spent in Lancaster]. The pub itself isn't as big as it seems from outside, with much of the pub area divided into single-spaced, window-seated tables. On the plus side, that means it won't get too noisy when the placed is packed. The real ale selection is certainly adequate [I've seen better, and much worse, the latter more often], the staff generally nice and helpful, and the real ales being kept fresh. Recommended for Lancaster.

The Witch is a lovely big old rambling canalside pub/restaurant, just a few minute's walk from…read moreLancaster centre. It's a very pleasant pub to spend the afternoon in, looking over the canal boats outside, and it's spacious enough that you can find a quiet corner to yourself most of the time. They have a great selection of real ales to sample, and even offer special discounts for CAMRA members. Tthe food menu is a definite cut above the average and is easily comparable with the best restaurants in town. There's a cool, homely, welcoming ambience about the place that lifts your spirits as soon as you walk in the door. A perfect place to spend a relaxing couple of hours away from the bustle of city life.

Always a good meal at the Cherry Tree although I've noticed the prices have crept up. Went last…read moreSunday and, as usual the food was great although my wife was a bit disappointed with the chips (she had the haddock and chips) as they were more hard and crunchy that she would have liked so she ended up leaving most of them. Mentioned it to the waitress who said she would advise the kitchen but we heard nothing back. Apart from that everything was as excellent as usual.

The Cherry Tree in Blackrod is a traditional looking English country pub/restaurant, complete with…read morepicturesque thatched roof, As we walked in, a member of staff greeted us and asked if we'd like to sit at the bar whilst we waited for the rest of our party. We ordered a few drinks, and it was helpfully suggested that we could put them on the table's tab instead of paying right away. It was nice to see that ale on offer was from local business, Black Edge Brewery. The bar area also has a lovely log burning stove, which was singing away cheerfully, and a welcome feature on a cold evening! After our party arrived, a manager took us through to the dining room where we took our place at a table (with uncomfy chairs), and were handed the menus and the specials menu by the manager, who told us that the soup of the day was sold out, but luckily they had another on offer. They also ran out of the pie of the day, and the sticky toffee pudding. It was 5pm. The starter I chose was the rustic bread board, which I thoroughly enjoyed! The bread was fresh and tasty, and as I remarked to our waiter, I think the balsamic vinegar was the best I've ever had! Bravo! The rest of the party were also pleased with their choices, and looking forward to their mains. The mains we chose included smoked haddock, roast chicken, brisket, and a burger with pancetta and Monterey Jack cheese (and very tasty crunchy fries!). The meals were tasty, but there was one hiccup... the mashed potato on the roast chicken dinner was absolutely stone cold! The mash on the brisket however was warm. So after informing a waiter, he took it away and returned a little while later with a fresh meal. Although the rest of the party had nearly finished, I think that this incident was handled well. The replacement meal wasn't simply the same meal with re-heated mash, but a completely fresh meal. This is a very good point in my book, as we all know plenty of places that would whack the meal in a microwave for 2 minutes and bring it back out again with some herbs thrown on top. Nicely done, Cherry Tree. We ordered two desserts (I just wanted a pot of tea, and one of the party was miffed that he was missing out on sticky toffee pudding as he was looking forward to it). The desserts ordered were an orange crème brulee with chocolate chip cookies (which we found odd... creme brulee with cookies? It didn't matter, I had them with my pot of tea instead!), and bread and butter pudding, At this point we all laughed, because the size of the bread and butter pudding was comical. It was the size of a Mr Kipling Country Slice, and as pleasant as it was, it was a stingy portion for £6.95! If the dish was two of these slices, then it might have been a little fairer. Basically, the starters and main courses were good, but the desserts could be better, especially given that The Cherry Tree is not the cheapest of restaurants. I also found it funny that my pot of tea was only half full, and so only made one-and-a-quarter cups of tea, but luckily I was so stuffed on that big tasty burger that it wasn't really a problem! The other issue was a service issue. It was a Sunday, and so granted it was busy, so staff were very busy too, however, aside Tom (the manager), nobody told us their names, and so we didn't have one particular waiter/waitress taking care of us, we had several who checked on us, brought out the food etc, but not a "main" waiter in particular, and so we weren't introduced to anyone or given any names. This normally wouldn't be so bad, but as we didn't have one particular waiter keeping an eye on the table, it meant that nobody asked us when we'd like the bill, and after an hour of sitting at an empty table, one of our party decided to go over to the bar to ask for the bill instead, which came a few minutes later. Our meal from start to finish took just under three hours, but despite this, it was a pleasant and relaxing experience. During this time I popped to the loo, and found it amusing that although being an older pub, there is only one cubical, no loo roll holder, and an ancient hand-dryer, they offer amenities like a chic London or New York bar. Nothing fancy or expensive, but a nice gesture nonetheless. Certainly something different to other places I've been. As we left, Tom asked us if everything was okay, but it seems that Tom hadn't been made aware of the cold mashed potato incident, but he apologised, and explained that they don't microwave anything, so the mash was heated to order, and it must've been a mistake in the kitchen, using the wrong pan. My overall thoughts are that although the food was tasty, and the venue itself very pleasant and relaxing, the menu is a little pricier than other similar restaurants I've been to in the area, and although the staff were friendly and professional, service was a bit slow and inattentive. Probably wouldn't return.

The Boat is afloat !!…read more Nestled right up alongside the River Dee and recently reopened, the Boat has lost none of its charm or ambiance. I like the fact that they support the community around the area by buying their Beer and Produce locally whenever possible. Records date an Alehouse here right back to the 13th century and the interior decor reflects how the building has grown through the centuries.Lots of Oak beams and stone floors add buckets of character. You can choose one of the quiet corners for privacy or park up in one of the larger open areas and banter away or, weather permitting, take a table outside. Called in for lunch the other day and the menu, although not extensive, has everything for feeding all tastes from a wake-up morning coffee (open at 11am) to a refreshing pint of ale and home baked pie, or spend an easy evening with a fondue and some warm torn bread washed down with a pint of locally brewed traditional free house Cask Ale. They also have an excellent choice of Wines should you fancy a change. Once you have had your fill then ease down that food and drink by taking a riverside country walk!! The scenery is stunning. The great thing about 'The Boat' is that is a place for all seasons. When the weather is warm you can sit alongside the river and watch folk fishing for Trout, Salmon and Eel and may even catch a glimpse of the Otters who live on the opposite bank. When colder weather arrives you walk through the door to be welcomed by open log fires, and feel like you are home. Turning up here on a snowy Winters afternoon is a Dickensian delight. Word of warning - double check your directions before you set out as the Boat Inn is off the beaten track at the end of a long winding lane. ..... Maybe it should be called The One Way Inn ?

What a secret little haven The Boat Inn is! It's only about 10 minutes from our house, but we…read moreliterally stumbled across it on one of our daily jaunts around the countryside. And what a lucky day for us! Charming snug of a place, the open fires, low ceilings and original beams transport you back to a simpler time. The staff is wonderfully warm and welcoming, with excellent food to back it up. A combination of traditional pub food and higher-end "gastro-pub" fare, you really can't go wrong here. And the portions are impressive-- beware if you're ordering a starter and main. You may not have room for their excellent desserts! Ample seating inside and out-- can't wait for warmer weather to sit outside at the picnic tables alongside the River Dee. The best inside seating is in the original building as opposed to the more modern conservatory (though it depends on your taste). Bookings are not necessary, but if you want a seat by the fire, definitely call ahead!

Just updating here to add a few more photos from our most recent visit! That Beef Wellington was…read more*divine*!

Brilliant. ... quite simply brilliant. This is a gastro pub and not fine dining but the food is…read moreawsome for the price of £6-8 for a starter and 9-13 for a main, with steak coming slightly above this. Beers aee great with the usual draughts complimented by some good hand pulled guest beers..... try the paddle of 3 x beers of your choice for £3.50. ..bargin. Staff are so attentive, decor is on point and the welcome from Paul n his team is bang on. Come and enjoy some of the best Lancashire hospitality in a beautiful Lancashire village. You will be happy u did.

If you are in the area, this is a must stop. It has fantastic views of the river. The food was…read morespectacular. Half of my group got vegetarian dishes and half did not. I personally ordered the wild boar pie and it was amazing!

Amazingly fast service, friendly staff. Good food. Had the Sunday roast. Yum! Amazing view of the…read moreRiver Dee