The Red Lion is a very traditional real ales pub, located in the small village of Birchover, near Matlock in Derbyshire. Owned by Matteo and Alyson, a family team, the pub specialises in Sardinian cuisine, which is executed to an exquisite standard.
Speciality starters include Sardinian Cocoi: Courgette, Tomato And Pecorino Rosti served with Pickled Onion Chutney and the delightful Prosciutto, Melon, Mozzarella and Tomato Platter (The cheese is homemade by Matteo using real buffalo milk). All of the starters are around the £4-5 mark.
Mains include Prickly Pear Glazed Pork Belly With Spam And Black Pudding, Apple And Cider Chutney at £9.50 and Roast Rack Of Lamb, Roasted Pear And Cannonau Wine Sauce at £11.50. Not just for the vegetarians, the menu offers an excellent Roast Butternut Squash, Fregola And Pecorino Cheese Crumble for £8.95. The prices are very reasonable and the standard of the food is second-to-none.
Yet above even the wonderful food on offer, the Red Lion's well-deserved fame really comes from its cellar. Matteo maintains 5 guest ales, featuring options like Goldings, Nine Ladies Ale, Swift Nick (from the nearby Chatsworth estate) and the omnipresent standard-bearer of the real ale world, Jaipur. Weston's cider and perry is also on pump, in addition to the selection of bottled ciders available on request.
The Red Lion is a friendly, welcoming establishment that offers the very best of Sardinian cuisine and British ale at extremely honest prices. The owners maintain their cellar to a very high standard and really understand the ethos of the real ale movement. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that The Red Lion was recently awarded the 2010 trophy for CAMRA Pub of the Year. This comes in addition to a string of other food accolades including: Award Winning Home-Made Ricotta (Bakewell Show 2009/10), Silver Award for Novice Cheesemaker (International Cheese Awards 2010) and Silver Award Pecorino (Bakewell Show 2010).
The Red Lion is rightly featured in this year's AA Good Food Guide and has also been voted in the top four pubs named 'Red Lion' out of some 900 in the UK. I have no hesitation in saying that this is currently my favourite pub in Britain. read more