Middle of nowhere, casual dress, Michelin-starred…read more My husband and I went out of our way to eat and stay here. Was it worth the 3 hour journey from London (2-hr train ride, 1-hr by car) to make our reservation from 6-months earlier? Absolutely. Courses are small, but plenty. Staff are immensely courteous and thoughtful (they made a custom menu for our dietary needs and even had the chefs sign it before we left). And the setting couldn't be more idyllic. I'd suggest getting the wine pairing as it really completes the meal. Go ahead and stay the night as breakfast is included the next day. Just make sure to work out your travel from the train station to the restaurant. It really is out in the sticks.

An absolutely fantastic experience enhanced by the charming and beautiful countryside that The…read moreBlack Swan at Oldstead is nestled within - an area that I wouldn't have visited otherwise but am grateful for having done so. Make sure to make a small detour to Kilburn to see The Kilburn White Horse which stands firmly in the hillside. The Black Swan is a beautiful picturesque old pub full of warmth and charm. Upon arrival you are welcomed into the bar area for aperitifs where a log fire crackles and glows. Make sure to notice the Robert Thompson mouse carved into the bar. Great selection of small batch gins - I enjoyed a glass of Sir Robin of Locksley from Sheffield with tonic. Amuse bouche are served here before moving upstairs to the restaurant. The Smoked Eel and Apple Tartlets were light and well balanced in their flavours whilst the Chicken Dumpling was rich, satisfying and would sit well on the finest of dim sum plates in Hong Kong. The restaurant is more modern in decoration with an "open kitchen" where some of the dishes are prepared with a clear artistic love and attention to detail. Service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. Good selection of wines for most palates and wallets. I had the 10 course tasting menu which, at £85, felt like a bargain compared to the price of Michelin starred food in major cities. To start, a Mussel with Oyster Leaf canapé - so perfectly decorated that it felt wrong to eat it, but so tasty. Next up Langoustine with Caramelised Whey, served like a lollipop with a twig to hold it with - lovely textures and cooked to perfection. Venison Tartare followed - a small dish but rich in flavour and beautifully prepared and decorated. Sour Bread and Sour Butter was distinctive and a good filler in preparation for the main courses. The Monkfish with Asparagus and Onion, although delicious, was probably the weakest dish. The sauce tasted like heavy sweet soy sauce and was a bit overpowering in its saltiness for the delicate flavour of the fish. Still very enjoyable though. The Slowly Cooked Crapaudine Beetroot was the star of the menu. Cooked in beef fat (I believe), the beetroot takes on a heavier composition and is chewy and almost glutinous with all of the accompanying decorations providing broad and bold flavours. Absolutely fantastic! Scallop Cured with Rhubarb was another standout with the smoothness of the slightly charred scallops countering the tartness of the rhubarb, all tied together with a rich and balanced sauce. Herb-Fed Chicken with Wild Garlic from this Year and Last was another amazing creation with a blanket over the chicken in the form of a garlic leaf. The chicken was more warm than hot but extremely tasty. The first dessert was ice cream (or iced yoghurt?) Lollipops which were wonderfully innovative with their unique flavours. The Sheep's Milk with Douglas Fir Oil was also an memorable dessert with natural tastes of the season. The final dessert, served with coffee was Cake made from Artichoke, Chicory Root and Thyme. The combination worked well although the chicory root (?) was slightly bitter. A great end to a fantastic meal and experience. For most who visit The Black Swan at Oldstead, a significant journey will be involved but don't let that put you off...It's well worth the effort and will be one of those great food experiences.

Oooh this pub is looovely, especially on sunny days when you can sit outside in their garden…read more They seem to cater to both locals (lots of old folks) and people like us who were driving though. The staff were all very welcoming, and we were all really impressed with the friendly, efficient service. The menu was full of English comfort foods...and they executed everything beautifully. Just look at my photos to get an idea...I tried the goats cheese and caramelised onion strudel, which came balanced on potatoes and perfect ratatouille. If you ever find yourself in this part of the country, it is definitely worth popping in here for some lunch! *Pro tip: It sounded like they get very booked up in the evening, so ring ahead to ensure you get a table!!

A very busy Old English pub doing Great food and Great Beer(Cask Marque)…read moreYvonne and Gary run a first class pub and have a great team working with them. If going for a meal ring and book it gets busy at the weekend!! always a good sign.

This pub has been under new ownership since 2015 and had a much needed makeover last year. The new…read moreowners have truly reinvented the traditional English country pub, it has been sympathetically renovated to the highest standards and ties in wonderfully with the existing features and country surroundings. The new extended restaurant is a stunning light space, Chef Gareth Ward continues to produce innovative menus and consistently delicious food - trust me, you will be spoilt for choice! The bar serves excellent cask ales and craft beers and an impressive drinks menu - 3 pages of speciality gins, Monkey 47 a particular fave of mine - this alone is worth the 5 stars!!

Great food, very well priced for such a high calibre. Nicely located with quaint furnishings and…read morefine cask ales. A reccommend

Absolute exelent restaurant. Management and staff superb and food second to non. Food is standard…read moreof high class restaurants. A must try place.

This is an absolute" A"one restaurant. The food and drink are top notch and the staff always so…read morehelpful and chatty. A must for a visit.

Dog-friendly village pub. Just as a pub should be: charming, friendly, and comfortable - with real…read moreale. You'll get a warm welcome from the locals and feel at home immediately. You can tell by the stone walls it's the real thing. Not many of these locals around any more.

What a great find. A pub since 1661, this quintessential community gathering place…read moreeven has an outdoor patio, garden, and most importantly, a car park! Real beer (!) games area, and charming lounge - complete with red leather Chesterfield sofas. We got a warm welcome from the staff and had a great time chatting with a number of locals. This is what a pub should be! Charming, charming, charming. I only wish we'd planned more time in the area.

Both food and service were good, generally it was a fulfilling experience that day…read more The place had lot of people that day, everyone is chilling and chatting, we felt very relaxed. We had two dishes and two drinks and the total expense was about £70. We had two people,so I would say average consume for one person is about £30

A great find and would go again without hesitation. Service was pleasant and efficient and the food…read moreand presentation was very good and quite creative. Downside (being picky but I think is important to say), the wine list by the glass was limited, as was the cocktail menu. The menu was also limited for lunch and many items were duplicated, (especially the starters), for the dinner menu. However... you should not hesitate to try this place. As some would say, "what they do, they know what they do and do very well" and prices were also reasonable, especially when considering the quality and the location! Make a reservation if in high season.

I couldn't get enough of this place. The epitome of an (extremely) old pub at the heart of a…read morecommunity where everyone seemed to know everyone else. And the beers are darn good too. This whitewashed inn accessed over an old packhorse bridge claims to 'probably' be Yorkshire's oldest (1307). Got to love them covering themselves for inaccuracy there. That's over seven centuries of beery goodness which was open for trade 40 years before the Black Death! A gem of a building with wooden beams throughout - the layout inside is stepped as it's built on a decline so disabled access is obviously limited (you may wish to phone in advance if you or your family member has any mobility concerns). There's plenty of seating throughout, however, with some set back in nooks in the walls. As well as serving real ale from independent brewers, they stock genuine imported lagers from around the world. Their fridge of bottled beers looked quite comprehensive. They also have guest beers which change regularly - when I visited they had Jaipur from Thornbridge on (one of my all time favourites). They serve food but we didn't eat here on this occasion. I can guarantee I will be a punter here again when I'm over next time.

I have been visiting this area for the past forty years and only found this pub today.What a great…read morelittle pub great food and top cask beers,they will have my custom each time i am in the area.

Fantastic quiet little pub with fantastic homemade food and local brews. Definite recommendation if…read moreyour looking for a place to stop in for a pint or delicious homemade soup.

From the owner: The Ship Inn is a famous local landmark set back from Market Street in the heart of Hoylake. The…read morepub has a garden at the rear, ideal for a drink in the summer time and The Ship also serves delicious home-cooked meals, inc our Scouse offer on a Thursday. The Ship Inn is a popular traditional pub, has a single 'L' shaped bar in the middle of the lounge, and serves a large variety of real ales. You will find The Ship Inn featured regularly in The Camra Good Beer Guide. Food Served: Mon - Fri - 12-2:30 & 5.30-8 Sat - 12-3 Sun - 12-4 Screening all Football matches on 5 different screens Jazz Night - Monday Curry & Pint Night - Tuesday Scouse & Pint Night - Thursday Music Quiz every other Thursday (check notes/events for dates)

To be honest I was compelled to book a table here mostly to check out their massive gin collection…read more(they recently broke their own Guinness World Record and now have 600 varieties). On this occasion, however, I was the designated driver so this was more of a reconnaissance visit for my return - and I am going to return as it was excellent here. Given the choice between the restaurant and the brasserie, we chose to sit in the latter - as it would be quieter and you'd get to see said 'Gin Emporium'. You can also get their full menu served here too as well as the bar menu so I'd advise to book in advance as there aren't many tables in this section. Their Signature Menu had apparently been awarded a AA rosette, which is a rare feat - though definitely deserved as we loved both courses. At two courses for £25 or three for £30 it was very reasonable indeed given the quality of the food. You can obviously order lighter snacks from their other menus. Service was warm and friendly - we were well taken care of throughout and not rushed despite how full they were. If it hadn't been chucking it down we'd have gone for a local walk as well - the village of Delph is charming. Tip: on the last Thursday of every month they hold a gin masterclass. Tickets are £15 per person and a light supper is included.

I've been a few times now and would definitely recommend…read more Great selection of food and wine and the service is most excellent.

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