Darwen, British, Traditional - Restaurant Guide

“Nigel Howarth is back to his best”, cooking “superb food” at this country inn (“don’t confuse it for a pub, it’s an excellent proper restaurant”) since coming out of retirement three years ago (he made his name as chef-patron for 30+ years at the nearby Ribble Valley culinary heavyweight, Northcote). He certainly hasn’t lost his touch, with one reporter saying he “preferred this to Northcote”; another asked “How has this not been awarded a Michelin star?”. Still a mover-and-shaker in gastronomic circles, Nigel hosted the week-long Fusion 2 festival of prominent chefs last autumn – one of whom was his son Kirk Howarth, of London’s vegan sensation Plates.