Black Lion Inn in Staffordshire Moorlands

We booked a one-night stay at The Black Lion Inn for our wedding anniversary - a beautiful place with first-class staff! From the initial booking enquiry to our departure, The Black Lion is by far the best we have ever stayed in, and we have stayed in many over the years! Owner Hannah and the team offered the warmest of welcomes in their stunning 250-year pub, still with many of its original features on show. Our room was cosy but with a luxury modern twist. We had fresh milk and ground coffee, with many other premium hot drink options awaiting us - not forgetting the freshly baked chocolate cookies. So many places fail with attention to detail, but The Black Lion Inn goes above and beyond. The pub atmosphere was relaxed, an inviting place to unwind after a long hike across the Roaches - Lud's Church walk (highly recommended route). Other notable places of interest are Thor's Cave, we also came back via Snake Pass, stunning scenery! Our evening meal was delicious; we devoured tempura prawns, pork belly, and venison and shared the cheeseboard! We paired our food with some great-tasting white and red wines recommended by Hannah. We've eaten at several Michelin-starred restaurants, and the Black Lion Inn's high-quality, mouth-watering flavours and presentation are reminiscent of our experiences at many fine dining restaurants. At breakfast, we enjoyed the fresh granola compote followed by a flavoursome and hearty full English, all ingredients made with local fresh produce (and the best black pudding ever)! Five stars just aren't enough! Thank you everyone at The Black Lion Inn for making our stay the most perfect and memorable anniversary ever, and we hope to revisit you as soon as possible.

Great traditional pub selling excellent food. Friendly staff. Well worth a visit.

What a lovely welcoming inn. Lovely room great pub and amazing food including breakfast. Great location to visit local area. Highly recommend. Dog friendly too.

Enjoyed a fabulous evening here - great food, a warm welcome and an inspiring story about how the Black Lion achieved it's Peak District Environmental Quality Mark for it's sustainable practices and ethos. Amazing, I'll be back!

We stayed 3 nights. Unique country pub with recently updated rooms. The town and pub are beautiful. Great service from the hosts who helped us find nearby attractions.

We had a lovely walk, in very snowy conditions, along the Manifold Valley, around Wetton Mill. We'd booked a table at the Black Lion Inn and I'm so glad we did. What a lovely, welcoming pub. The food was delicious and the service was delightful. Wish it was a bit closer to Sheffield!

Such a lovely cosy pub. They had the fire on, which warmed us up after a wet hike. Excellent ales on tap. We could have stayed all afternoon and evening if we didn't have somewhere to be

Food was a happy surprise! I wasn't expecting this hight quality and the beautiful presentation! It was like eating in a Michelin restaurant!

Full of character, lovely people Great Sunday roast yet again worth a re-visit

Probable THE best pub on the Peak District. Always a warm welcome, service great, food great, lovely building and the Guinness is to die for (consistently).

The best halloumi fries i’ve ever had

Three courses and three pints for £40. Superb building with loads of character. Nicely presented food. Good ale.

Overnight stay on 30 Aug. Spotlessly clean and well presented room. Seriously good food from Matt in the kitchen. Not just pub classics but exceedingly well executed bistro style food from well sourced local ingredients. And all at very wallet friendly prices. You must try his home cured bacon for breakfast - it redefines porkiness!! This husband and wife team (Hannah busy looking after 2 young children and their English Pointer) have carefully renovated this lovely country pub and run it with great energy and enthusiasm. Very dog friendly - our GSP was made most welcome. Hard to fault anything going on here. The locals agree, with the bar buzzing on a Friday night. Could this be the perfect pub? Not sure. We’ll have to go again soon to have another look to help us decide!!

Lovely unassuming place, anyone who enjoys a good meal then it's worth visiting.

Charming traditional pub in the heart of Peak district. The dishes were very delicious and made fresh. We had a. Big family meal and we're allocated in the separate room. The staff were very attentive and friendly. Would recommend 😍 PS. It does have an electric car charger too!

Our friends highly recommended this amazing pub. The staff - Louise and Jess were very friendly and made us feel welcome. Matt the chef and owner cooking is absolutely outstanding. We started with the meat platter and an order of shrimp - perfect and full of flavor. I have never been a scotch egg person but Matt's were wonderful and I am glad I tried them. Next we had the fish and chips - great batter with a thick piece of haddock. Grilled pork belly with vegetables just as good. Our friends had the rib eye and said it's the best steak he has had in a long time. Naturally we had dessert which was also good. The menu changes throughout the week based on fresh ingredients that are available. You will not regret your meal and I would highly recommend making a reservation.

This is a great pub. In a lovely village, nice & cosy, and with excellent food. We were a family up from London, staying a few miles away, and the Black Lion offered a great menu of outstandingly prepared dishes - way better than the usual pub fare offered by rival establishments in the area. I heartily recommend the Chicken & Leek pie (nothing like the usual bland offerings) and the Bakewell pudding - both superb. Good beer too.

Gorgeous food, great & friendly service. Perfect spot for dinner:) Make sure to try Matt’s chicken burger!!

Nice outside space. Pool table. Decent beers but poor diet coke.

Great food and beer 👌 Beautiful village.

Definitely the best meal we had on our week exploring the English countryside. I highly recommend this pleasant pub with excellent restaurant-quality food at little extra price compared to other places around. Nice local beers too - but book ahead, even on a weeknight! We didn't and had to wait a little while but they fitted us in, which was appreciated.

Lovely people and helpful, would thoroughly recommend. Bit in the middle of nowhere, but that's a great attraction.

We had a great meal here - can't really find anything to fault. Food absolutely delicious, (have the custard tart!) and staff super friendly and efficient in a lovely setting.

Lovely food at this pub nestled in a quirky little village. We walked from Grindon and had a lovely meal.

We came to the area for a wedding and had a wonderful stay at the Black Lion Inn. The location is wonderful, our room was very clean and comfortable with everything we neeeded and the food, friendliness and service were excellent. Although we live a long way away in Scotland we intend to come back, stay longer at the Black Lion Inn and explore the area more.

Went for a Sunday lunch and pint after a walk, great spot and food to match. Highly recommended

Called in for lunch today , and we were greated by an extremely frontly lady at the bar who made us feel welcome. Not only was she taking orders at the bar, but clearing tables etc . We ordered food, having struggled to decide what to order and were told its all locally sourced, made etc. All I will say is that it's absolutely amazing, a hidden gem and I'd advise anyone to go and experience what I did today. Thank you

This is a proper pub. Very welcoming and lovely inside. We dropped in for lunch on a Friday and had a lovely warm welcome excellent drinks and excellent food. The chips were especially good being home made. The pub felt like a real key part of the village enjoyed by locals and travellers a like Thanks!

I can't comment on the hotel because I didn't stay here, but I specifically travelled here for a meal. It's out of the way, but it's a great location for walkers and campers because it's of the beaten track it makes it an advantage regarding being popular with a particular clientele.

Gorgeous place in a beautiful village 😍 staff are awsome 😍 Food is definitely delicious 😋

Great pub for a pint and a chill outside!

Our first visit (won't be our last) to have lunch. What a hidden gem. So much of the menu was either homegrown / homemade or purchased locally (e.g. Staffordshire & Derbyshire cheeses from Hartington). Brilliant real ales. Everything was great, especially the very friendly and welcoming service. Doubly Thank You

The Black Lion Inn in Butterton, Leek, is a charming and cozy pub nestled in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside. From the moment you step through the door, you're greeted with a warm and welcoming atmosphere that invites you to relax and unwind.The pub's traditional décor and roaring fireplace create a cozy ambiance, perfect for enjoying a hearty meal or a refreshing drink after a day of exploring the picturesque surroundings. With its friendly staff and relaxed vibe, the Black Lion Inn feels like a home away from home.But it's not just the atmosphere that makes the Black Lion Inn special—it's the food and drink too. The menu features a delicious selection of classic pub fare, made with locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. From hearty pies and juicy burgers to fresh seafood and vegetarian options, there's something to satisfy every palate.And let's not forget about the drinks! The Black Lion Inn boasts a well-stocked bar with a fantastic selection of local ales, fine wines, and spirits. Whether you're a beer aficionado or a cocktail connoisseur, you're sure to find something to tickle your taste buds.But perhaps the best thing about the Black Lion Inn is its sense of community. Whether you're a local resident popping in for a pint or a visitor passing through, you'll always be greeted with a friendly smile and a warm welcome. It's the kind of place where memories are made and friendships are forged, making it a must-visit destination in Butterton, Leek.

We chose to stay here as part of a meet up with family and friends. Good location to explore this part of the peak district. It's an excellent little country pub serving good traditional pub food. The food was good, well proportioned so you're not overrated. The service from the staff was very friendly. We stayed one night and the rooms are nicely furnished with everything you need for a short stay. The communication from the owners was excellent pointing out the certain restrictions when staying on a Sunday night (no food after 4pm and closing at 10pm) and they don't open on Mondays' so no breakfast. This wasn't a problem but to us but glad they informed us and we prepared for that. All in all an excellent choice in a beautiful part of the world.

Thank you for a lovely meal we really enjoyed and the service

Lovely pub for a drink.the food looked good as well .

Ate far too much. Food was fantastic ( could have been a wee bit hotter), great value for money. Beautiful location. Highly recommend for Sunday kunch

Had a lovely meal for three here today at lunch time. Service was second to none and food reasonablely priced. Good selection on the menu. I had the venison and could have had another as a takeout for later it was that good.

went walking to thors cave and crossed with proper traditional pub in the small village very very cosy staff happy to help very much a proper proper country boozer

Beautiful place,food was gorgeous (compliments to the chef) and a lovely evening stay. Had a great time

We went for food to celebrate my daughters new job. We were a party of 5 adults and 1 child. The food was nice but a bit on the small size. For starters, I had the pork croquette on hummus (£6.50) which was one croquet on said hummus, tasted nice but could have done with two croquettes really. My eldest son and I had the pork belly, again nice, but for £18.50 it was on the small size ( please don't think I'm a greedy person). The belly pork was the size of a credit card squared. If I'm being picky, it was overcooked for me. It sat on top of three dessert spoons of mashed potato, half of carrot, cut length wise, two broccolini and a (dry) black pudding n mash croquette ball. We all had a starter each, which I think all were £6.50ish each, 3 had fish n chips, us two had the pork belly and one had the venison. 2 had desserts, and we had between us 2 pints of lager 2 bottles of non alcohol lager 2 prosecco a coke and a apple juice, £202. Would I go again? Probably not.

Oh this was SUCH a treat last weekend. We stayed for one night but wish it had been longer. Our room was very newly refurbished, spotless, cosy and warm and very comfortable with great views across the hills. We loved the pub - busy and friendly and cosy on that cold snowy Friday night. Huge log fire burning and an amazing evening meal with such great fresh menu choices. We walked out into the dark night after eating and the stars were so bright up there. Breakfast the next day was also amazing and freshly prepared with a great menu. The whole pub team went out of their way to make us feel welcome. We will be back I hope soon, what a gem!

Not been here but we did call to book a table for dinner as per their website to be told they are not serving food.

We have been lucky enough to eat at some amazing places but this was the best Sunday lunch we have ever had. The pub has a lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and good beer. Oh, how we wish it was our local.

A cheerful greeting as we entered from the young lady behind the bar and a local enjoying a pint, we were offered a table near a roaring log fire, very welcome on a raw February day. The menu offers something for everyone and the food is superb, my wife's venison steak was excellent and my overnight roasted pork belly was to die for. The Blackberry and Apple crumble we shared for dessert was tart and sweet and fought over to the last mouthful.

Worth travelling for.. unassuming little pub in the middle of the Peak District. Great quality organic meat on a well thought through menu, just the best home cooked pub food. I’d fully recommend this place.

Really enjoyable meal. Reasonably priced. Cosy atmosphere. Local and will def. visit again.

Sandwiches at lunch time were excellent , also love the interiors

Amazing friendly welcome, food was fantastic, prefect setting in front of the fire and place for lunch and a drink on our walk