Very friendly pub, good food and live football too!read more

I have lived in Norden for some 24 years and I have never got to grips with this pub. There is…read morenothing wrong with the beers they taste fine and there is a great selection. There is nothing to write home about the decor: it is always dark and rather dismal and seedy looking. There is limited parking (drink drivingissues..etc) already and last year a large patio was built at the front of the pub, thus reducing parking even more. There is just about no parking in the vicinity so a drive there for a pint is rather difficult. The price of the drinks might also be off-putting. The pub has 4 Sam Smiths pubs as relatively near neighbours, where the drinks are just about half the price of the Brown Cow. There does seem to be a crowd of locals, however, who patronise the pub regularly. The prices, the decor and the parking must suit them. Just doesn't suit me that's all. NOW CLOSED JULY 2012

a newly re-built and refurbished pub. now has 5 rooms, each with a coal fire. the pub sells a full…read morerange of sam smiths fine ales. a brill place to meet up.

From the owner: The Star Inn is a beautiful pub situated near Norden, Rochdale serving a large range of quality…read moreales, beers, ciders, stouts, lagers and fruit beers. Good Pub Food is also served all day Monday 12-8, Wednesday to Saturday 12-8 and on Sundays a home cooked roast is a available 12-6. In the winter you'll find 5 real fires creating that perfect ambience. **Please note that food is not served on Tuesdays, however we do accept group bookings of 10 or more**

A close friend of mine decided to have her birthday celebration at Nutters with afternoon tea…read morebooked for eight of us. This was a 'dining experience' I'd never tried before, so was looking forward to what I imagined would be the closest I'd ever get to living upstairs in Downton Abbey. When we arrived we were directed to sit at a table in their front lounge which had its own bar to wait to be seated in the main restaurant. This area's decor looked more like a city centre wine bar than I was expecting, what with its light-coloured seating, glossy black fireplace and spotlights. And there we sat, seemingly forgotten about. After 15 minutes looking around expecting service I had to walk over to the bar to ask the barman if we could order our drinks. Not a great start. Once drinks were served it wasn't long before we were all invited to our table which was a large circular one next to some impressive stone arched windows. We ordered more drinks (a mixture of cocktails, soft drinks and of course, pots of tea) and these were followed soon afterwards by three tiered serving trays of sandwiches, pastries and scones with clotted cream and jam. Excluding all drinks except the teas, the price is £15 per person. The majority of the sandwiches were very good, with just a few where the bread had dried up a bit, so that was the only minor issue. The cakes and scones were tasty, and I struggled to restrain myself from eating more than my fair share. All in all, it was a good afternoon, but not amazing, as the initial lack of service and the price of the drinks somewhat dampened the experience. £8.50 for a simple champagne cocktail and £8 for a glass of wine was really pushing acceptability I felt. Tip: their Afternoon Tea menu is available from Tuesdays to Saturdays between 3pm and 5pm. Tip: the 'Afternoon Tea Experience' where you also get a glass of House Champagne cocktail and chilled strawberries is £22.50 per person.

From the moment you turn into the driveway leading into Nutters you know that you have arrived…read moresomewhere special. The winding driveway leads up to a beautiful old building and an ample sized car park. A member of staff greets you on arrival, takes your coat and directs you to the lounge area. Drinks orders are promptly taken whilst you look at the menu. We ordered shortly afterwards and before long we were advised that our table was ready. The waiter showing us to our table also carried out drinks through for us. On arrival at our table we were also offered some iced water. A selection of freshly baked bread was brought. For a starter I had parsnip soup, which could have been really bland, and whilst I did need to add some seasoning it was delicious. My main course was the Limousin of Beef which was served with Yorkshire pudding roast potatoes and veg. It was perfectly cooked and probably the most delicious beef I've ever tasted. My dining partner had the seabass which was served with noodles and was also amazingly delicious. For dessert there were only 2 choices. Either a selection of desserts or a selection of cheeses. I had the cheese and my dining partner had the selection of desserts. The waitress who brought them described each one. The cheeses were arranged according to strength getting stronger as you made your way clockwise around the plate. To finish off we had a cafetière between us. The food was amazing. The service was faultless. The venue has a lovely relaxed ambience. Full marks!! If anything could be done differently, and I'm really having to nitpick here, I'd prefer the same waiter throughout my meal as we were served by many different people, but this isn't a big issue at all.

a run down and untidy sam smiths pub. the beer is sometimes iffy and so are the punters. not the…read morebest pub in the area by far. rapidly becoming a slum, there are four huge full-to-the-brim fag butt bins and an old white board leaning against the front door. what a shame! As of November 2011 there are temporary new tenants in the pub! Yippee! The extra bins are gone. The whiteboard is gone. The beer is as it should be gorgeous Sam Smith's. The pub is much, much tidier and cleaner and at last, the pub seems to be on the up. Watch this space for up-dates when relevant JULY 2012: the pub is much improved and worth a visit for cheap beer. Still full of riff-raff though

Rochdale isn't the place to be, that's why my good friend hailing from there always come to visit…read moreme in Manchester, thankfully. But the Elephant And Castle is an exception in local village Bamford. Having been invited to the other side by S, we were introduced to this local delight. Meals for a fiver, great one. Options included a Chinese inspired sizzling beef, curry amongst the usual pub grub. On Sundays there's a £9.95 deal for the traditional dinner and sweet. Great value and great tasting home made food. Marking it off as great was the open fire. The Elephant and Castle is all you'd expect from a village local, friendly and warm. Rochdale isn't that bad S.

The Elephant and Castle is a traditional looking pub with a small outside seating area and car…read morepark. The pub is a popular watering hole, but lunch times and early evening are very busy as they serve good value, very tasty food. There is a black board with specials on top of a good selection of dishes on the main menu. If you are hungry try the Elephant Burger, not the healthiest thing on the menu but very tasty. This is a busy friendly place with good service and good food: highly recommended.

this is rather a "used to be great" pub. the sam smiths brewery has insisted that the pub sell its…read moremicrowave food instead of home-cooked fayre with the result that custom has collapsed. a friendly, "local" pub with well-kept, good value beers.

Middle of nowhere, casual dress, Michelin-starred…read more My husband and I went out of our way to eat and stay here. Was it worth the 3 hour journey from London (2-hr train ride, 1-hr by car) to make our reservation from 6-months earlier? Absolutely. Courses are small, but plenty. Staff are immensely courteous and thoughtful (they made a custom menu for our dietary needs and even had the chefs sign it before we left). And the setting couldn't be more idyllic. I'd suggest getting the wine pairing as it really completes the meal. Go ahead and stay the night as breakfast is included the next day. Just make sure to work out your travel from the train station to the restaurant. It really is out in the sticks.

An absolutely fantastic experience enhanced by the charming and beautiful countryside that The…read moreBlack Swan at Oldstead is nestled within - an area that I wouldn't have visited otherwise but am grateful for having done so. Make sure to make a small detour to Kilburn to see The Kilburn White Horse which stands firmly in the hillside. The Black Swan is a beautiful picturesque old pub full of warmth and charm. Upon arrival you are welcomed into the bar area for aperitifs where a log fire crackles and glows. Make sure to notice the Robert Thompson mouse carved into the bar. Great selection of small batch gins - I enjoyed a glass of Sir Robin of Locksley from Sheffield with tonic. Amuse bouche are served here before moving upstairs to the restaurant. The Smoked Eel and Apple Tartlets were light and well balanced in their flavours whilst the Chicken Dumpling was rich, satisfying and would sit well on the finest of dim sum plates in Hong Kong. The restaurant is more modern in decoration with an "open kitchen" where some of the dishes are prepared with a clear artistic love and attention to detail. Service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. Good selection of wines for most palates and wallets. I had the 10 course tasting menu which, at £85, felt like a bargain compared to the price of Michelin starred food in major cities. To start, a Mussel with Oyster Leaf canapé - so perfectly decorated that it felt wrong to eat it, but so tasty. Next up Langoustine with Caramelised Whey, served like a lollipop with a twig to hold it with - lovely textures and cooked to perfection. Venison Tartare followed - a small dish but rich in flavour and beautifully prepared and decorated. Sour Bread and Sour Butter was distinctive and a good filler in preparation for the main courses. The Monkfish with Asparagus and Onion, although delicious, was probably the weakest dish. The sauce tasted like heavy sweet soy sauce and was a bit overpowering in its saltiness for the delicate flavour of the fish. Still very enjoyable though. The Slowly Cooked Crapaudine Beetroot was the star of the menu. Cooked in beef fat (I believe), the beetroot takes on a heavier composition and is chewy and almost glutinous with all of the accompanying decorations providing broad and bold flavours. Absolutely fantastic! Scallop Cured with Rhubarb was another standout with the smoothness of the slightly charred scallops countering the tartness of the rhubarb, all tied together with a rich and balanced sauce. Herb-Fed Chicken with Wild Garlic from this Year and Last was another amazing creation with a blanket over the chicken in the form of a garlic leaf. The chicken was more warm than hot but extremely tasty. The first dessert was ice cream (or iced yoghurt?) Lollipops which were wonderfully innovative with their unique flavours. The Sheep's Milk with Douglas Fir Oil was also an memorable dessert with natural tastes of the season. The final dessert, served with coffee was Cake made from Artichoke, Chicory Root and Thyme. The combination worked well although the chicory root (?) was slightly bitter. A great end to a fantastic meal and experience. For most who visit The Black Swan at Oldstead, a significant journey will be involved but don't let that put you off...It's well worth the effort and will be one of those great food experiences.