Derbyshire, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This “old manor house” handy for Chatsworth (and “not to be confused with the Peacock Inn in nearby Bakewell”), may “feel old-fashioned”, but its “great food and interesting menu” (from tasting menus to more “relaxed” options, both taken in the “fine dining room”) make it “a pleasure” by all accounts. Local ingredients (beef and lamb, say) are sourced from the Haddon Estate on which it sits.

This swish country house hotel, in one of the Peak District’s most picturesque villages, is transforming before visitors’ eyes as part of an ongoing, £1.1 million makeover. As we went to press, the more casual ‘Garden Room’ had already been reborn, with chef Adam Harper (ex-of the acclaimed nearby Fischer’s) overseeing a new menu with impeccable local sourcing such as Chatsworth beef; this, the more formal fine diner, will follow suit, but meanwhile won praise this year – well “on its way to a Michelin star” by some accounts. All reports acclaim the “brilliant food and ambience in all areas” and it’s also tipped for afternoon tea.

This well-known Peak District property has been run by Max & Susan Fischer since 1988 and is currently managed by their son Neil, who is credited in reports with keeping standards at least as high under his parents. Watch this space as there are plans to open a champagne bar on the terrace this summer.

“Tucked away in a leafy suburb in the posh west of the city”, this comfortably appointed 26-seat venue from Tom Lawson & Alastair Myers has a dedicated local fan club. It’s “now entirely focused on set menus, from 4 courses for £65 to the ‘Kitchen Bench’ for £120 – highly priced for round here” but scoring decent ratings or better in all reports.

“Blessed to have this in Sheffield… it is bold and surprising!” – Luke & Stacey Sherwood “go from strength to strength” at this linchpin of the city’s dining scene “set in a shipping container” and which opened in 2016. “When it comes to consistent, flavourful, creative food that’s technically clever without being pretentious, it’s hard to beat” and a number of reporters feel “it’s a mystery as to why it hasn’t got a Michelin star”. “A new, larger venue might help with the slight feeling of overcrowding” (“hopefully the restaurant will move to a larger location where the timings do not have to be so rigid”). Top Menu Tip – “their soft drinks pairings are the work of alchemy: matching dishes with unique skill”.

“This is the restaurant the Peak District has been waiting for” – a “chilled and unfussy” four-year-old, in a former stable block, which Lee Smith (ex-of the acclaimed Samphire on Jersey) opened after a crowdfunding drive. The staff’s “enthusiasm for the place makes for a happy experience, but most of all it’s the modern English cooking done very well in a lovely room… I’m lucky it’s my local”. Some reporters feel we rate it too conservatively, but to go further: more reports please!

“A lovely place, with excellent food, high levels of service, great wine list and a perfect location” – this prettily located Peak District restaurant with rooms occupies a solid, ivy-clad period mansion (complete with walled garden) and is owned by John and Alex Hill, but with a dining room run by Alistair Myers and Tom Lawson who run Rafters in Sheffield (see also).

Visit England’s pub of the year in 2023, this renovated, twelfth-century Peak District inn’s other claim to fame is being the fifth oldest pub in the country. Feedback on its conservatory dining room was more limited than we’d like this year, but acclaims its “excellent food, lovely view and proficient service”. There’s an eclectic selection of modern pub grub, or you can choose to dine from the focused (four choices for each course) dinner menu at £39.50 for two courses.

Flo Hiller and Joe Shrewsbury’s “great, informal” small-plates restaurant, in what is a happening dining ‘hood, has wowed the likes of Marina O’Loughlin since opening in 2019; you “can see the influence of Moro”, the famously creative Clerkenwell icon, on its “exciting menu”, and bonus points for its soft drink pairings, “many homemade”. In 2023, they opened a bakery/café/essentials shop, 100m away on Sharrow Vale Road, with plans to create a laid- back extension to the main restaurant.