Cook & Barker in Northumberland

We visited for lunch this week and the pub was gorgeous inside, we loved the aesthetics and ambience, the attention to detail with the decor was fabulous. The staff couldn't have been nicer too.My friends had mince and dumplings and really enjoyed them, I had a sirloin steak which unfortunately was far too chewy and difficult to even cut. It was a poor quality steak. The homemade chips were the nicest I have ever had though!I would certainly visit again, but would avoid the steaks.I recommend booking for busy periods like we did, as it was very busy, the service was still fast and five star though.

Visited today (17th May) for lunch. Excellent service and great food. Will certainly visit again if the opportunity arises.

Food was tasty and faultless however lack of covid precautions/ability to follow the guidelines, a-bit of a concern! While we were seated, there was one long table of 9-10 people not socially distanced at all and definitely not of just two households. We felt a bit uncomfortable.

Booked last minute; happily accommodated accommodated in the beer garden. Food all absolutely delicious - well worth the ten minute drive out of Alnwick. Children offered half size portion of adult food or nuggets/sausages etc - children very happy. I had liver with bacon, sausages and black pudding. Lovely fresh veg too. Best food I’ve eaten in months, so tasty. Would recommend heartily and hope to return one day.

The most amazing Christmas dinner. Thank you so much! The portion sizes were huge and it was all perfect.

New to the area and had this place recommended by a local. Quaint unique surroundings, friendly helpful staff, and wonderful food. A return visit with my daughters and grandson is planned when Covoid restrictions will allow.

There are no words for how amazing the staff are at the Cook and Barker. Me and my partner decided very last minute to get married and due to the covid restrictions we were only allowed to have 15 guests. I can honestly say that we had the best time celebrating with all of our friends and family. The food was excellent and the staff so friendly and helpful. Nothing was ever to much trouble for any of the staff and they were so graceful putting up with our guests who had to many tequilas. The rooms were perfect and we stayed in the beautiful suite which was very clean and with a huge comfortable double bed. Our guests enjoyed the rooms to and the breakfasts the next day was exactly what our hangover needed.We have always loved the cook and barker and over the last 7 years have been numerous times. It will always be a special place to us and we are forever grateful that we got to have our wedding meal here.Our guests loved every minute of day and we want to say a big thank you to Michael and Sian who where fantastic. We will definitely be back for our anniversary. Thank you! Sarah & Wayne Keen

Overnight stay, including dinner, bed and breakfast. First experience after recommendation from friends. Decided to stay in The Cook Suite as no overseas holiday this year due to COVID. Found the accommodation beautiful, clean and exquisite. Was so comfortable and relaxing with beautiful views of the countryside. The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating including a waitress called Sian who was happy to help with our requests. The food was absolutely delicious, a varied choice which was all beautifully presented and extremely tasty. Breakfast and evening meal was served in a wonderfully authentic restaurant. During these unusual times the staff were all COVID cautious, social distancing and hygiene being paramount. Will definitely be returning for another visit.

Came here for birthday lunch,wow,food absolutely out of this world and fantastic service,cannot wait till next visit.highly recommend.

Immediately welcomed and offered a most inviting table beside a fire having had a good morning walk at Cragside. Went for a two course set menu and following being impressed with a starter and main had room to indulge in a desert as well.

A splendid choice for a Sunday Roast in Northumberland Countryside. As soon as you open the door you can feel the warmth and coziness of a perfectly decorated pub/restaurant with a table setting nicely displayed. Friendly welcoming staff is what gives the excellent touch to begin your journey. A Two/three course menu with different dishes is carefully set on the table.Crab Bisque, Salmon Roulade and Pork Terrine were starters of our table followed by Turkey, Beef and Pork Roast accompanied with crispy Yorkshire pudding and a variety of vegetables to share. The portions are quite generous. Finished with a nice cup of tea, this place is a must visit wether you are a local or a tourist.

A beautiful building with a warm welcome from friendly, helpful staff. Covid compliant with efficient table service . . . and our meals were delicious and excellent value. We had mains and desserts which we thoroughly enjoyed Highly recommended and it won't be long before we go back!

We enjoyed the a la carte menu for two and the food was fantastic. We added six oyster which were a real highlight. Crab tempura was incredible as was the chicken supreme for main. All in all exceptional food and reasonably priced.

Stayed here for one night in one of the refurbished rooms which was lovely.The bar area has lots of authentic antique items and has a real Olde World feeling.People in the bar was mixed with locals, dogs, people visiting and had a good atmosphere and staff were very friendly.The food and the decor of the dining room is gorgeous. I asked if it was possible to have a certain steak dish that was not on the menu and the chef happily obliged and it was beautiful. Our breakfast is the best we have had over the last few weeks of nights away. Everything cooked exactly to order, hot and timely. Will be back very soon.

Booked in for Tues eve special deal which looked to be great value - 3 courses each with bottle of wine for £54. Server was friendly and apologised for poor print quality of menus - middle band vertically of menu was extremely feint to no print so made it hard to read. Enjoyed all courses of our meal but disappointed when given the bill to see an additional £24 added on which I questioned to be told it was the supplement for the steaks. When we looked back at the menu we could just about make out the word supplement but not the £12 per steak - had we realised this we would have chosen alternative main courses as we were on a budget. I can totally understand a supplement for steak but normally I would expect £4 or £5 per steak extra - additional £24 seemed quite steep for sirloin steak. Unfortunately this tainted our evening somewhat.

Visiting the Cook and Barker for the first time in many years. It still has that fantastic ambience of a country inn, but with a touch of class in the dinning room.Considering the current climate and restriction we live under, the venue has really done it can to keep its staff and customers safe. Well spaced tables and single use menus to minimise contacts. (We did see 2 people not wearing masks as they approached their table, against current rules, suspect they might be locals). Getting the point of the visit, the food. The choices, while more limited than usual were excellent. Our party included vegans, usually a vegan menu would exist, but not at the moment. However the kitchen was great at being able to produce the vegetarian options as vegan.The food was really good and tasty. The service was excellent. The dining room was pretty full (relatively) but well managed.The evening felt safe and comfortable. Recommend to all.

Nice looking pub and good ambience. Chose steak at £10 supplement but it was a little small and tough. Starters good size and tasty but the 2 small bread slivers with the chicken parfait were not enough. We weren't offered any table water although everyone else appeared to have it . The server putting mustard on the plate dripped it all over the plate and the placemat. The rest of the food was good and drinks fine . Would visit again as hopefully these were one off issues.

I phoned up asking if they did breakfasts for non-residents and how lucky were we?! It was the best breakfast we have had in years - couldn't fault it. The choice was exceptional and the cooking top notch. It is difficult to achieve - breakfast is vastly under-rated so this will probably become a regular treat.

Excellent 2 course lunch... I had the lamb which was delicious, my husband the mixed grill. Lovely home made deserts. Unbelievable value for money. 10/10

We had Sunday Lunch at The Cook and Barker and it is a wonderful Inn in a stunning area and the food, service and staff match the scenery. Excellent in every way

Lovely location used to be a favourite. However on this visit for Sunday lunch portions were small and both our meats- Beef and turkey were tough. Bit expensive also.

First visit to this place. The pate was a great starter although there wasn’t enough toast for the size of pate. The mixed grill was excellent value for money. I would have given five stars but the steak was well done when I had asked for medium rare. Overall though recommended place for food.

I'd recommend booking the two course lunch set menu. We ordered roast lamb and beef and were still hungry and needed pudding.we also had children with us and advise asking re half portions for them as not offered on menu and struggled to get attention of passing staff to ask. Unfortunately we were in next to the phone in restaurant which rang continuously through the meal which wasn't great and uncomfortable at times . Food tasty and once ordered arrived quickly.

This restaurant has a great varied menu to suit all tastes. Whilst very reasonably priced , the 'high tea menu' provides even greater value. ( care this menu is not available every day).

Visited this pub, on local recommendations when staying near Alnwick. It took three attempts to book a table as they were full each time and in the end the landlady managed to get us a table for two in the bar. We can now understand why it was busy as the atmosphere was lovely, the staff all very friendly and service first class. Whilst the food wasn't massive portions, it was just right and what you got was delicious. Definitely recommend and we would go out of our way to visit again when in the area but next time would make sure we phoned ahead at least a few days beforehand.

What an amazing restaurant, fabulous menu and stunning food, staff were very attentive and friendly, a stunning find on our travels, shame it’s not closer to home would become one of our regular haunts 😀

We visited for my husband’s birthday based on a recommendation. On arrival we were pointed to our table in the ‘lounge’ area of the restaurant. Our first waiter was very pleasant and the menu had a lot of choice. The fig starter and Moules Mariniere were very tasty and we were all excited about the next course. Unfortunately my husband had to return his steak which he’d requested medium rare. This is where it all started to go wrong. The waitress took the steak back to the kitchen, only to return and tell us that the chef said it was properly cooked. It actually looked like a different piece of meat and due to the poor lighting made the steak look over cooked?Despite disputing the correct cooking they did bring another steak which was cooked correctly.The risotto, linguine & lambs liver were nice, but the minced beef and dumplings were over salted.We decided to have dessert. My husband is coeliac so we asked the waitress which options were gluten free- we were advised the cheesecake and creme brûlée.My husband opted for cheesecake, but when it arrived I was concerned about the base and so we double checked. We are glad we did, because it wasn’t gluten free. To make matters worse, rather than apologise they blamed the error on a new waitress saying she’d mixed up the order.At the end of the meal they did deduct the over seasoned beef and the £10 supplement for the steak and explained they take allergens very seriously. I would advise that before allowing a new staff member to front of house, they ensure they are fully trained in allergens & how serious it can be if it goes wrong. If we hadn’t double checked, it could have spoilt my husband’s birthday and remainder of our holiday.If we didn’t have specific dietary requirements, I would consider returning. However, it is not somewhere that I would recommend if you do.Mistakes like this can be avoided with proper training.

What a fabulous place. We booked a Table for 2 on a Thursday at 6pm. The welcome we received was lovely, staff were attentive and food was perfect in every way. We had trio of fish and mixed grill, followed by sticky toffee pudding and cheesecake. Everything we had was excellent but what really made it for us was the friendliness of the staff. Would love to come back and just wished we lived closer so we could visit regularly.

We had a family meal here and stayed over. The staff were careful with Covid precautions but still made us welcome. The food was excellent. The extravaganza desert was to die for. The rooms were comfortable.

Easily accessible from the A1 this is a very nice country pub. Food was excellent well cooked and nicely served, in fact service was excellent. The food was almost posh as I had wood pigeon

We visited The Cook and Barker Inn for dinner following a recommendation from our farmhouse B&B and were not disappointed. The food was tasty, well presented and good value for money. The ambience was good and Covid protection measures were in place. We shall definitely return when we are next in the area.

Were recommended the cook and Barker and wish we weren't!,,, husband ordered mixed grill worst one he has ever had meat overdone mushrooms cold liver was on the turn had a sour taste to it my father and I both ordered mince and dumplings or should I say mince and rocks could not hardly cut into them then my father nearly choked on what looked like a long piece of straw out of his mouth which was on his plate he is 80 years old we were not approached by any waitresses to ask us how our meal was and if everything was ok I eventually caught one of their attention she was lovely and very apologetic and explained she was new it was her 2nd night there she was mis informed when she asked the other waitresses had anyone been to our table she was told yes when none had we were offered complimentary desserts but we refused as God knows what they tasted like so we were given a measly refund back after which we soon after departed feeling bitterly disappointed and still hungry !,,,, what an utter load of garbage will not be returning

We had an excellent meal, our first since Lockdown - what a great way to start eating out again! We took advantage of Eat Out to Help Out but even without the savings the meal - the set menu on a Monday evening - would have been fantastic value. Great choice on the menu, beautifully cooked and presented food, and an excellent house red, all served by friendly staff in comfortable surroundings. Covid mangement well executed and did not detract from the experience. I hadn't booked a meal for our 3rd night away and ran into problems trying to find somewhere to accommodate us, but we managed to get a late sitting at the Cook & Barker again. The menu had changed, equally good selection of plates (I had a superb sea bass with prawn risotto and a delightfully naughty sticky toffee pudding) and still great VFM. Can highly recommend!

Great Sunday lunch, 5 of us on holiday. Starters were well above standard and the roasts were excellent. Nice veg as well. Deserts were excellent. Fix price £20/head. Service excellent. Highly recommended.

Just moving to the area we were recommended to try this place and we weren’t disappointed.We were shown to our table by a friendly member of staff (must add all tables were socially distanced and all staff wearing masks) and given menus.Sanitisers on each table.Orders for both meals and wine were soon taken.Presentation of all the food was excellent as was the flavours and the quality.All the staff were very attentive and our waiter Sean was very knowledgable re the different ingredients in the dishes.This is a great find and we will definitely be regular customers.

Best meal I’ve ever had in England. Value, quality and service. Super experience . Just off A 1 so ideal for stop off . We went 3 times as we were staying nearby

Lovely meal! Food was 5 star! Service was great, delicious fish and chips and steak pie. Will be returning

Whilst staying at Percy Woods Holiday Park we looked for good restaurants close by and found the Cook and Barker a few minutes away in Newton le Moor.Due to Covid 19 we booked in advanceOn arrival we were greeted warmly and shown to our tableOur waitress came over and took our drinks order, there was a good selection to choose from.A few minutes later the drinks arrived and the waitress took our order as followsRosemary & Garlic Studded Baked CamembertLoin of Texel LambPan Fried Chicken SupremeMedley of Sea Food Crime bruleeGreat food and great service. Pleased we picked th e Cook and Barker

We have been regular customers at this restaurant for more than 20 years for bar meals and many special occasions. We specifically requested a table in the restaurant as it was my husbands birthday and even changed the evening we wanted in order to get such a table. We were sure that all necessary precautions would be in place to comply with Covid regulations. On arrival we were taken aback by the number of people standing close together in the bar area which is very limited for space. We were told that our table was not as previously confirmed as being in the restaurant but in a small snug at a very uncomfortable table. The meal was mediocre to say the least and when we asked for the bill it did not include the bottle of wine. We pointed this out and the bill was amended without so much as a thank you. The standards have slipped dramatically here not just with the food but cleanliness for Covid too. We will not be going back.

Just been to the cook and barker for my wife’s birthday.we had booked a table in the pub on arrival we were informed that we had to sit in the restaurant which was not what we wanted as there was no atmosphere.I chose the pate which came with two slices of dry crispbread it was not sufficient for the pate. My main meal was venison which I can only discribe as a disaster of four minute pieces of rubber I could of been eating anything, at the end of the meal I was hungry.When the bill arrived we were being charged £8.95 for a starter we hadn’t had when informed it was quickly corrected.

Lovely pub just off the A1 past Morpeth, 1st time here and won’t be the last, I had steak pie came with pipped mashed potatoes and a small bowl of veg, followed by cheese cake, I had the special menu mon-fri 12-2pm 2 courses for £10 with lots of choice, my family had the a la carte menu sirloin steak with tomato and a mushroom and a small bucket of chunky wedges, presentation is lovely and make your meal special, especially the deserts, I’m very nosey lol and was seeing lots of great food being served, it was very busy so had to wait a little to order but not a problem, only thing I found to be a little disappointing were the toilets, could be cleaned a little better hence 4* but nothing to complain about. I would defiantly recommend especially the special menu.

Situated close to the A1, called in for a (pre-booked) evening meal - pleasantly surprised at the range of meals actually available.Full COVID protocol awareness - safety for all at the top of the list. Meals were only slightly above the average for the area, this showed through in the quality and presentation when they got to the table.Good range of ales, gins and wines at hand. An excellent eatery!

Ate here with friends a few weeks ago, I like this place but we normally eat in the bar as the restaurant is, from previous experience overpriced and not particularly great.This time was pretty much a re-run of those other times. The staff are pleasant and helpful, the menu is not particularly inspired and the cost is high. My starter a chicken liver pate, was slightly bitter and came with two tiny slivers of dry crispbread type toast. My steak was overcooked and you have to pay for anything extra on the plate...and my desert was...ok....would I bother again....not a chance....

The cook & Barker must of changed ownership since I was last in. I went for my birthday with family and sorely disappointed. The waitress had no idea and repeatedly ignored me. The food was well below previous standards. 2 slivers of crisped bread with the chicken liver pate. The crab soup didn’t impress the couple who had that. The roast dinners were very salty & in a group of 5 there was enough veg for 2 ! We asked for more and it was supplied but we were asked which veg we wanted more of so we didn’t dare ask for gravy ! The desserts were very small and not what I expected in quality. All in all I will not be in a hurry to go back. Only wish I had known it had changed hands. I usually always take photos but I didn’t bother... I am having a re-run birthday meal !

Ate here with hubby while staying in the area. A great pub with lots of quaint things to look at and slightly high end food. A great place for a special meal. The man who appeared to be 'in charge' was a French man, giving me a chance to practice my franglais! Very friendly man, allowing me to try my language skills on him.A one way system was in place, hand sanitiser on entry and departure, and a bottle on the table, all staff wearing masks and saw tables being sanitised well after use, so felt safe. Only little extra I would have liked was for the entranc/ exit doors and a couple of windows to be open to encourae he necessary air flow as it was quite warm in there.Now the important part, the food. It was superb! I had pate to start which was a nice soft one but still had shape, not like some of this very moussy stuff that a lot of places serve now. It was served with wonderfully crispy, thinly sliced bread. I then had a medley of seafood with tortellini in the most delicious sauce. The fish included monkfish, salmon, prawns and seabass. Portions aren't huge, but are exquisitely presented and very tasty, so you can always squeeze in a desert if you want. I think the food is about quality over quantity, which is fine by me. There were little touches that made this place special too, for instance, I noticed the head waiter/ owner noticed immediately when a nearby lady's wine glass was empty and he went over and poured her another glass from the bottle she had on her table. Tres chic!Overall we had a really pleasant evening and would highly recommend a visit, but do book ahead as it seemed really popular.

Returning from a very rainy difficult journey collecting our daughter from Edinburgh airport we found ourselves at the Cook and Barker. They were very helpful and provided a table in a safe corner. Service was first class and the food excellent. When the bill arrived I was pleased to see that not only were we charged for three specials at £10.00 each we received a 50% discount which I had forgotten about. Even the wine was reasonable at £5.95 per glass.

Menu looked good. Me and my parnter both picked the steak pie with mash. quick service, and the softest smoothest mash ever. such a treat with nice surroundings.. Live in Chichester but would go back again more if distance didnt part us

Lovely meal here for us and our parents. We had the early bird menu and the choice was amazing. Service was very good and the food was excellent, especially the salmon. Would absolutely recommend this restaurant.

Had a lovely family meal here tonight with the eat out to help out deal. Fabulous food, excellent waiting staff. Couldn’t fault the experience and will definitely go back.

Excellent 2 course lunch, Eat Out to Help Out at the beginning of the week is amazing value. Been several times never had a bad meal. Nice airy room good staff would recommend.

We were staying in nearby Rothbury and were looking for a decent restaurant to have a family celebratory dinner. We were lucky enough to get booked into the restaurant and were delighted by everything from the warm welcome we received, the decor and ambience to the fantastic food and service provided. All Covid guidance was being adhered to, food was delicious and served promptly by friendly and efficient staff. If you're in the neighbourhood, book a table. You wont be disappointed.

Have loved this charming pub restaurant since we first visited 28 years ago. The building itself is charming, always a great welcome and atmosphere - and the food is too die for... whether eating from the bar menu or the a la carte! Never disappointed. This visit was a spur of the moment detour from a planned destination - and so very pleased we did!

Unexpected visit to this pub & what an amazing find for lunch! We arrived for lunch & 2 adults and 2 nine year olds enjoyed a lovely meal in the atmospheric pub with a blazing fire. Seafood paella and creme brûlée were the big hits - staff friendly and great service.

We were looking for somewhere to stop for lunch on the way up to Scotland. Stumbled across this pub and had amazing food and very friendly service . We all had the early bird menu which was great value for money without compromising on the quality! We were all too full for dessert but reading some of the reviews we need to stop again on the way back!

Fantastic. This was the best meal of the holiday , even though we had some really nice meals at other places ( Granby Inn and Rossini Italian )We went for the two course early bird and as the govt help to eat out offer was on this was really good value. Plenty choice on the early bird and we all enjoyed our choices but oh my goodness the toffee sauce on the sticky toffee pudding was the nicest we have ever had anywhere. This is a big pub with lots of tables but they all seemed full and so it is obviously deservedly popular. Would love to go back and maybe stay there too.

Reserved a table for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Starters were grilled sardines followed by Aberdeen Angus beef mince (pulled) and a suet dumpling with veg.The meal was of superior quality, presentation - top marks, and the staff were friendly and professional. All Covid Protocols were in place which helped me to feel comfortable. I highly recommend this restaurant and advise a reservation beforehand.

An excellent evening out. Atmosphere was relaxing and the service very quick and efficient. Will come again when in area.

Visited for a lunch this week with a friend and took advantage of the 2 courses for £10. The food was really lovely and excellent value for money. The staff were very friendly and professional and the service was excellent. All staff wearing PPE, hand sanitiser next to entrance and exit and on every table. Felt really relaxed and safe. Think they’re doing a great job and will definitely be back. Thank you.

We were delighted to make a long awaited return visit for lunch here with friends. The restaurant is well laid out to function under Covid restrictions and we felt very comfortable with the changes. We enjoyed crab and lobster bisque and Thai beef as our starters which were very tasty. The mains chosen were one liver, two lamb and one mince and dumplings these were accompanied by a selection of vegetables. Service was efficient from attentive staff, and the food was hot and flavoursome. We will return in a few weeks time as we are satisfied customers.

We go here a lot and food lovely as always! Front of house staff friendly and attentive. Perfect as normal! 5 stars.

Covid restrictions didn’t mar the wonderful meal in this beautiful location. Highly recommend. Lovely friendly staff, food beautifully presented and delicious.

Me and my partner visited here just recently for the early bird special I had the goats cheese starter and the chicken supreme and it was really good value for the price would be definitely going here again.

Had a lunchtime meal. Customer service was great, all COVID 19 procedures in place and well organised. Our food was fabulous! Such good value at £10 for two courses and good portions. Thank you - well be back!

Visited the cook and barker on Tuesday evening was given the special menu and was excellent so good we decided to go on Wednesday evening , they gave us the special menu again which we had but was very disappointed with the fish main course was very small in fact hardly anything on plate. Was given bill and was more expensive than previous night we queried the price and was told the special menu was only on on a Monday and Tuesday so was charged for the wine . We were not told this and questioned why we were given this menu on a Wednesday, they just said that's how it is . Was very disappointed with the service food and value was poor on the Wednesday eveningthe Wednesday evening

Three of us had the £10 2 Course Lunch Special. Food was excellent, we had 2x Crispy belly Pork. 1x Duck fo starters. Main course 2 x Lamb and 1 x Liver. You just cannot beat the quality and taste, first class. (21/07/20)

Excellent Food and price. £10 for a two course, we had 2 x Belly Pork 1 x Duck then for Main 2 x Lamb and 1 x Liver all with superb veg and sauce. You cannot get better for your money. (21/07/20) Congrats to the Chef.

This pub is absolutely beautiful to look at with all of the flowers at the front. The garden is nice too. We stopped for a bite to eat on a Sunday at around 5pm. We all ordered roast, lamb for me & beef for the others. The portions were poor. Only 2 roast potatoes for me and a couple of tiny roast carrots. My friends & hubby enjoyed the beef but also commented on the lack of potatoes. The vegetables delivered to the table were nice but a very small portion. I think we'd arrived quite late on in the day but I'd have appreciated being asked to choose something else if they had run out of roast accompaniments. Finding someone to take the order was quite a challenge too. Having said that, it is dog friendly which we really appreciated & it is a very trying time with the pandemic. I would still recommend it.

Lovely Sunday Lunch! Well worth a visit but I’d suggest booking first. All the staff were exceptional and very friendly and they followed Government guidelines and all were wearing face masks with social distancing in place so we felt very welcome and safe

My partner and I stayed Friday 17t and Saturday 18th July, had a fabulous time, staff were all really friendy, pub itself was warm and homley enjoyed my first post lockdown pint ! Restaurant for dinner fantastic both nights delicious evening meals and breakfasts ! Room was clean and all in all we had a fantastic time thanks to everyone there .

having seen a few lower rated reviews recently I was worried that something had gone wrong at one of our favourite Northumberland restaurants. Not at all, if anything it was better. We had the early bird and you cant beat it for value for money! Just be warned that with the current circumstances its more important than ever to book!

Another good meal here with two friends who’d not been here before. We opted for a two course lunch of mains and desserts. We enjoyed very tender Beef with potatoes and vegetables and two had the steak pie. For dessert three had chocolate ganache and one Elton mess. The restaurant was very popular and busy but service was still efficient from lovely staff, as always. Local beers are always on offer and we find The Cook and Barker to be great value for money at lunchtime. We will certainly come back again.

During a week in Northumberland we called in three times, twice for something to eat. We tried the £10 lunch which was fantastic, very friendly staff too, even with it being busy there. We then went for Sunday lunch and though I do not eat meat I absolutely LOVE roast potatoes, veg, Yorkshire pud and gravy so sad there was no option for me. I did ask about the roast potatoes but they were all roasted in beef dripping. That apart, we will be back as it is a fabulous place and the food was delicious.

We have just seen a particular rating that has been recently published that us suggesting quite the opposite of our experience at this restaurant and felt that we needed to put a review which would contrast the recent rating. We have eaten here for years! Huge birthday party’s, as a couple, engagement meals the whole lot. I am very very fussy and have a very sensitive stomach and can almost immediately tell if the food isn’t cooked properly or if it’s been prepared or stored incorrectly as my body would reject it! The food here, the staff, the dining area & lavatories are immaculate! The staff are always extremely tidy and “ well groomed “ we have never ever once had reason to complain. So I find the recent rating which was probably assessed after an exceptionally busy day unfair and unjust. I hope that this doesn’t affect their business as some people would abandon the idea of visiting here which is in our opinion very small minded. The reviews on here are far more relevant. Try for yourselves and you won’t be disappointed. We are neither staff, locals, regulars as such or family members of this restaurant. Just happy healthy customers with no complaints! If anything they could complain about us! With vegans, vegetarians and coffee specialists who tell the staff how to make coffee I’m surprised they haven’t already! Keep up the good work folks & thank you for helping us feed our huge family with no complaints!

We visited as a table of 16 for a 70th birthday celebration, and in general had a nice sunday lunch. Three people from the table ordered the fish option main and were very disappointed with the portion size of the salmon which, for it's size, would be a starter rather than a main course. Kids had sausage and mash but their food came without any veg which seemed odd. Kids meals were served alongside the adult's starters which was perfect but it meant we couldn't share any of the veg which came with our mains with them.Friendly staff, although they didn't say much when we mentioned the portion size of the salmon. Would've been better customer service for the manager to come over but he didn't.

I went here with my husband for our anniversary. beautiful food very cosy and very good service. I would definitely recommend

Great food and excellent service, a a nice range of local foods. We come here for special occasions as it's a little pricey but always excellent.

We eat here on special occasions and the food and service are always fab. Sunday lunch is great and the set menu is value for money.

We booked a table for 4 at lunch time on my Dad's 80th Birthday. We informed staff on booking that it was a birthday booking. On arrival we had a couple of balloons to put on Dads chair. We got drinks at the bar and were told to go downstairs to our table. Downstairs our table was pointed out to us. None of the staff acknowledged my Dad's birthday during service which I thought was extremely rude. I had never been before and had heard good things. Our experience on tuesday was that the staff were lacking in good quality customer service and genuine warmth. We wont be returning due to this. A special occasion and treat ruined by lack of attention to detail. Food was ok but nothing special. All round disappointing.

My wife and I took her mother out for Sunday lunch and were delighted with the ambience and food. Staff very pleasant and surroundings very comfortable. Would visit again

Used to come here regularly for lunch but the last two occasions have been a huge disappointment, fish tasteless, hard batter and dried up bullet peas . Won’t return

Ate here as family, food was ok, staff were lovely, really helpful and the atmosphere was good, but the dust......!!! Absolutely filthy! Needs a good clean there are thick dust webs everywhere, not the nicest thing to see! Such a shame!

As part of my recent birthday treats my daughter and son in law paid for my husband and I to stay over on Valentines night. We arrived in the late afternoon and had a couple of drinks in the bar. It was very busy as there’d been a wake held there.

We chose from the two courses for £10 menu and were really spoilt for choice.

Called here again on a Saturday night (third time this year) and although the restaurant was full the service was excellent. Table not quite ready but had a nice seat in the cosy bar where we had a chance to look over both the Evening and A La Carte menus. Fabulous choice and great value. I can heartily recommend the lambs liver and my fellow guests would say the same for the sea bream and the haddock risotto. All staff are on the top of their game but special mention to Michael who is the ultimate professional and a very hard working host. Looking forward to our next visit already !

We ate of the two courses for £10 lunch menu and the standard of the meal was amazing considering the relatively low cost involved. Will definitely return.

Many many visits to the restaurant, called in tonight on chance of getting into dining room and was promptly told if I have not booked no seat available. We decided to eat in the bar (1st time) we both ordered fish and chips, when it arrived I started with the fish, the batter was so hard I could not get my fork into it. A member of staff asked how was the food I explained about the batter he said Oh, after my wife left most of it another member of staff arrived I asked if she would like some feedback. After explaining she said sorry then walked off. Not a good outcome.

Visited here yesterday with friends, and as someone who is very fussy with food allergy, it surpassed expectation!

We had sang the praises of this establishment for many years. However, our last two visits were extremely disappointing. Not sure id management has changed, bur most certainly the quality of food has fallen. Portions less, deserts very poor indeed. Service fine, choice of beverage fine, but the food extremely disappointing. In both our visits in November and btween xmas and new year. It was always worth the extened road trip, but not now.

I had booked a table for eight last week but had to cancel at short notice. When our family finally arrived I tried to book late on the Friday afternoon. Michael sorted us out a table for 8 in the Lounge - just for us, it was like private dining! Nothing wa\s too much trouble - one vegan, four vegetarians and three carnivores all brilliantly catered for. the food was excellent, the bar staff great and the table service superb. As for Michael - he was just fantastic with our whole group who ranged from 80's to 10 yrs old.

We went to the Cook and Barker Inn for christmas Fair lunch with neighbours the restaurant was busy but the service was prompt and pleasent, The food was very tasty and well cooked would thoroughly recommend.

Our walking group booked a christmas lunch. All enjoyed their meal and that’s it, can’t say much more but tripadvisor insists on 100 characters...

We go here for special occasions and it has never failed to deliver. The menu is excellent and the food quality and service and top notch. They do a great dinner, bed and breakfast package too.

Excellent choice on the Christmas menu, the food was fantastic and the staff are first class, you could even get a gluten free version on nearly all on the menu.

We visited the cook and barker again today! As always the food and staff were top quality. We decided to try the Christmas fayre menu which they offer at lunch. My husband and I had the chicken liver parfait and the soup, both were a good choice as they were very tasty, we even asked for the recipe for the chicken liver parfait which the chef kindly wrote down for us. For main course my husband opted for turkey which came with baked ham, sausage, stuffing and roast potatoes. I had the pork loin stuff with apricot, this was served on a pool of delicious port and wild berry reduction with roast potatoes. Both of these came with a side order of vegetables included, which I think is very rare these days! Both main courses were delicious, the only problem being we did not leave room for desert. We have friends visiting us next week and will definitely be returning with them.

My wife and I had lunch there yesterday- what a disappointment!!

I hadn't visited The cook and barker for many years and was more than keen to see how it has fared.Well,i'm glad to say that it was a delight and everything and i do mean EVERYTHING was perfect about our visit .All the staff that we met on the day were so nice ,the food was superb,we both those from the Sunday Lunch menu and for the price paid i have to say that the quality of the food made us think that other establishments should visit here to learn what is possible.....long may this place continue to offer such an excellent experience.

4 of us called here by chance late on a Sunday afternoon and were fortunate enough to get a table, was busy when we arrived.

Visited for the first time with my family this past Sunday after having had this establishment recommended to me countless of times. The food, aesthetic and especially service were outstanding. Definitely recommend this restaurant and will be visiting again very soon. Thank you to all the staff for such a wonderful Sunday.

They have two courses for £10 between 12pm and 2pm, Monday to Friday. I had a lovely lamb shank with mashed potato and vegetables followed by a chocolate and raspberry ganache dessert. The quality of the food was easily worth at least £25! I was astonished to see lamb shank on the set menu since it is generally a premium item in restaurants- and it usually costs south of £15/16! Fantastic value, get yourselves there!

Been here twice now as a couple and with friends. Both times we have had food from the lunch time special menu. I can honestly say after 3 years of living in Northumberland this is the best place we have eaten. Both the food and service are brilliant. The menu changes with season and they use locally sourced ingredients where possible. We will definatly go again