The Peak District is one of the most delectable destinations for gourmet escapes. The UK’s first National Park, it is a verdant arcadia covering 555 square miles and peppered with world-class eateries nestling amongst hills and valleys. Capturing the attention of the Michelin guide and the country’s leading foodie institutions, its award-winning restaurants are full of temptation.
If you can’t wait to sample some of the finest cuisine in the Peak District National Park, read on…
Peacock, Rowsley
Ready to satiate appetites with a sumptuous fine-dining menu, Peacock in Rowsley is high on the culinary agenda. Part of the Haddon Hall Estate, this Michelin-recommended, three AA rosette restaurant is set within a picture-perfect, honey-stone Derbyshire village and overlooks rolling countryside. Inside, the atmospheric bar beckons for informal lunches and convivial drinks, while the restaurant is suited to dreamy dinners by candlelight. Adding to the sense of occasion, you can also secure private dining spaces at the Peacock for special celebrations – be it a toast-worthy event or simply gathering your loved ones for an exclusive dining experience.
Stones Restaurant, Matlock
A wonderful spot in Matlock, the Michelin recommended Stones Restaurant resides in waterside tranquillity on the River Derwent. With a light-filled dining room with huge windows overlooking the river and a suntrap terrace, it is as perfect for indoor dining as alfresco feasting for year-round delight. Serving up modern British dishes infused with Mediterranean influences, it promises an ever-changing menu filled with flavourful, seasonal offerings, including options for both lunch and dinner. Look forward to house specialities like rump of Derbyshire lamb, roasted breast of wood pigeon, and salt-baked kohlrabi and let the flavours sweep you away.
The Devonshire Arms, Beeley
One of the best places to visit after exploring the highlights of the Peak District is The Devonshire Arms. Tucked within a verdant corner of the Chatsworth Estate, this welcoming pub and restaurant invites you to wine and dine in luxurious country style. With something for everyone, it awaits with a choice of three dining spaces to cater to every mood and occasion. With floor-to-ceiling windows and bright décor, The Brasserie wonderfully juxtaposes the traditional pub setting and cosy interiors of the Inn. Meanwhile, for exclusive dining, the Malt Vault seats up to 12 people and is ideal for celebrating those special moments together.
Lovage, Bakewell
Whether you’re looking for lunch at Lovage or an ambient evening meal, look forward to plates of locally-sourced, freshly-cooked goodness. Nurtured under the expert hand of Michelin-star Head Chef and owner Lee Smith, the menus here are a product of passion and provenance. Styled around modern British fare with casual country vibes, they feature both set mains and specials. You’ll perhaps need a little team talk in advance though, as either the à la carte or tasting menu has to be chosen for the entire table. Take a seat betwixt Lovage’s listed wood-panelled walls and enjoy the aromas and atmosphere of this stable block turned gastro hub.
Rafters at Riverside House, Ashford in the Water
With every dish a celebration of seasonal, sustainable Peak District produce, Rafters at Riverside House is one of the most popular restaurants in the National Park. Creating intimate dining settings, it has three dining rooms, with the largest seating up to a maximum of 14 guests. Book your table and arrive in good time, ready to contentedly nurse a glass of wine or a delicious cocktail as you peruse the tasting and set menus. With a “Taste of River" menu, set two and three course menus and, in season, an award-winning Sunday roast menu, there is plenty to pique your interest. For afternoon teas and evening tipples, there’s also a separate bar and lounge.
The Gallery, Baslow
A wonderful restaurant with a refined dress code, The Gallery at the Cavendish Hotel welcomes diners for delicious meals in a sophisticated setting. Awarded three AA rosettes, it is run by Roux Scholarship finalist Adam Harper and works with a strong network of local suppliers for the highest quality fare. Inside, its dreamy interiors are brushed with a soft palette and hung with oil paintings for a regal backdrop. Meanwhile, each dish is expertly crafted for the finest flavours and carefully dressed with imaginative presentation. Adding all the more incentive, the restaurant is served by an extensive wine cellar stocked with vintage and NV bottles.
Fischer’s at Baslow Hall, Baslow
Heralded for its excellence by the Michelin guide, Fischer’s at Baslow Hall is an oft-whispered name by those in the Peak District culinary circuit. Set within a gorgeous, Grade II listed manor house in the countryside, its location is as enticing as its menus and offers all kinds of delights. Head inside to discover opulent dining areas dressed with gleaming tableware and take your seat in either the main dining room, private Wine Room or at the Kitchen Bench for front row seats to the kitchen action. With each menu pairing farm-to-fork dishes with the finest handpicked wines, you can savour the freshness of homegrown ingredients and heightened, harmonious flavours throughout.
The Blind Bull, Little Hucklow
One of the Peak District’s youngest pubs sitting within one of the park’s oldest buildings, The Blind Bull has no shortage of character. Occupying the site of one of the UK’s oldest public houses, this 12th Century inn has been welcoming travellers and gourmands for close to 1,000 years. These days, you’ll find sympathetically restored interiors with both a downstairs restaurant and upstairs private dining room. Across each, plates of delicious Derbyshire produce are served, offering a refined twist on classic country dishes. As well as regular sittings, this Michelin recommended, dog-friendly pub and restaurant also hosts themed nights and collaborative feast nights.
The Pack Horse, Hayfield
At the foot of Kinder Scout, the village of Hayfield is a real magnet for ramblers looking to enjoy breath-taking walks in the Peak District. And, awaiting afterwards is The Pack Horse, a fantastic gastropub and restaurant praised by the Michelin guide. Working in partnership with a local butcher and some of the region’s best suppliers, the kitchen team here ensure that sustainability and seasonality are at the core of everything they do and create. Delivering a unique snapshot of the UK’s agrarian calendar with a Peak District flare, this traditional village local rustles up hearty dishes full of personality. Select from the main, bar and specials menu and relish moments of foodie bliss.
Chatsworth Estate, Bakewell
Centred around Chatsworth House, Chatsworth Estate in the Derbyshire Peak District is home to a number of cafés and restaurants. Set in former 18th Century stables, The Cavendish restaurant is particularly well-known and sets a beautiful backdrop for leisurely lunches and cream teas. Especially popular, their afternoon teas invite for well-deserved indulgence, served with an assortment of sweet and savoury treats. Think platters of freshly-made sandwiches, home-baked cakes, warm scones, cooling sorbets and hot coffee and tea. For ultimate cream tea reverie, you can also add a glass (or bottle) of bubbles to sip as you bask in the experience.
Lighthouse, Boylestone
Just outside of the Peak District in the Derbyshire Dales is The Lighthouse, a Michelin-recommended restaurant in Boylestone. A beacon of culinary brilliance, the Lighthouse shines a light on the best local ingredients to create menus that reflect the locale and the seasons. Pouring their creative genius into one tasting menu each night, the chefs at this restaurant lead you on a carefully curated culinary journey with ingredients from land and sea. A popular hub, it’s recommended to book a table in advance here in anticipation of evenings of mouth-watering food and fine wines, making sure you don’t miss out.
For dessert…
Although technically not a restaurant, we couldn’t write a list of the top restaurants in the Peak District without mentioning the National Park’s signature dessert: the Bakewell pudding. The inspiration behind the famous Bakewell tart, this almondy, jammy pudding of divinity was first made (by accident) in the 1800s in the town of Bakewell. These days, you can still try Bakewell pudding in a number of places around the Peak District, including the Bakewell Pudding Shop in Bakewell (home to a restaurant and bakery). We heartily recommend.
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