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'm late to the party with this one, I know. There's a lot of Italian restaurants around Bolton and…read moreit was hard not to think "oh, another Italian restaurant". But this is where Lucianos is different. The first thing you notice when you walk in the door is that the staff are talking to each other in Italian... that's a good sign in a true Italian restaurant! It's decorated in a bright and modern contemporary style, showing modern Italian dining rather than the old fashioned 'Ristorante' style we often have over here with candle-filled Chianti bottles, faux grape vines and nick nacks all over the place. A couple of trendy Vespas are found on the way in, with a dining area to the left, and a modern bar area to the right, making it clear this is a modern venue, not another cheesy Italian themed restaurant. Despite not having a reservation, we are welcomed warmly, and shown to a pleasant table where we are given our menus by a charismatic manager / maitre'd, who seems very much at home in that role, and has fine tuned his patter; he asks if we'd like any wine by the bottle, but we were only having soft drinks, so he took the glasses away with the quip, "less mess for me!", I also like that when we were browsing the dessert menu later on, he chimed in, "Remember, signori, I will never let you struggle... all desserts come with a third spoon for me". I like this. You don't get the bon viveur style head waiter so much these days, and it's nice when you find it, and it seems genuine and warm hearted. For our starter we order Budino Nero, which is black pudding served with sweet peppers, chorizo and red wine reduction, served with crostini bread, and the Terrina a modo nostro, a duck and chicken liver pate, finished with aged brandy and port. Served with cranberry compot and crostini. Before too long our starters arrive, and are beautifully presented. The lighting in this venue really shows off the food well. The pate was delicious and fresh with a little salad, and the black pudding starter was simply beautiful. It was meaty but with a red wine reduction which was deliciously sweet, and worked well in contrast with the meaty flavours and richness of the chorizo. I was so impressed with it that I asked one of the wait staff if they could find out what the sauce was for me. Marvellous! We were so impressed with the starters that we were salivating at the idea of our mains! Main courses took a little longer to arrive, but the venue was starting to get busy, so it's not surprising, plus frankly I'm happy to wait longer for good quality food cooked fresh to order. We ordered the tagliatelle carbonara speciale, and my partner decided to try something new, and opted to try the Ravioli All'Argosta, which is egg ravioli filled with lobster in a lobster and tomato bisque. The carbonara was presented as well as it can be, and I took the offer of fresh parmesan topping. The flavours were excellent, and it was wonderfully creamy and filling! The lobster ravioli looked... well... there's probably not many ways you can make it look good on a plate given the nature of it as a dish... but it was there on the plate... and was very tasty with a distinct flavour without being overbearing. The quality of the fresh pasta was superb too! So our starters and main courses were both excellent, two thumbs up! We were enjoying relaxing in the atmosphere of the place too, so the wait didn't feel too bad. We were very full, but decided we simply had to try some of the desserts... you know, to properly finish off! I ordered one of the home-made caramel cheesecakes, and my partner ordered the canolo (tube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta... a bit like a brandy snap). The cheesecake was tasty but a lot softer than I was expecting, probably as I've become more used to American style baked cheesecakes. The slice was a bit on the thin side, but the flavour was good, and wonderfully creamy. The canolo was also a little bit of a small portion. Admittedly it was listed as "canolo" (one) rather than "canoli" (multiple), but this one little canolo looked a bit lonely on a huge plate with a dusting of icing sugar over it. I think as a portion perhaps three of them would be a better portion and look better, but again the flavours and textures were excellent and couldn't be faulted. Delicious! By now it was getting very busy, and we had trouble getting the attention of any of the staff to be able to ask for our bill, so I had to go to the main counter and ask the manager, but he was very friendly and gracious and brought the bill over straight away. All in all, we were very very pleasantly pleased with Lucianos on what was a simple spur of the moment visit. The quality of the ingredients, the style of the setting and decor, and the professionalism of the staff really made this an enjoyable visit, and we will most definitely be returning! Buonisimo!

Great food and great service. Unfortunately the day we went the pizza oven was broken which…read moreobviously meant pizza and garlic bread was off the menu. This left us feeling a little disappointed initially but not after we had eaten our food. There was a wide selection of dishes beyond pizza and we were all very happy with our choices. A slight hiccup meant one dish was delayed but a complimentary beer smoothed over that. We thoroughly enjoyed our range of pastas and risottos and will definitely go back one evening to try the main course meat dishes and hopefully garlic bread!

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.

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