The Barley Mow in Derbyshire Dales

We visited on Sunday, and we absolutely loved this pub. The atmosphere was great and the food was delicious. Homemade lasagne with homemade garlic bread was 10 out of 10 and one of the nicest I've had. The rest of my party had the beef dinner, and all said it was really good. The land lady is brilliant, really welcoming and friendly, we can't wait to return.

The best pub I’ve ever visited! Here on holiday and stumbled upon it and thank god we did. 10/10 Caesar salad then went back the next day for the strong man/woman competition. Super friendly, laid back, eclectic atmosphere. Worth travelling to the area for this pub alone!

Fantastic pub, new favourite for sure! Food was delicious, great selection of drinks, packed events listings and a truly unique atmosphere, full of joy! Will definitely return as soon as possible!

Cracking little pub. Ate there twice this week as we stayed nearby. Excellent home made food, well kept beer and good service. What more can you ask for. A real sense of community service and support from the owners. Would love this to be our local!

Couldn't recommend more highly! Bank Holiday Saturday evening visit, and they squeezed us in for food, even though it was busy, we hadn't reserved and food service was coming to an end. Food was delicious and filling and the pub was full of chatty locals and walkers. Great little selection of well kept ales and topped the night off with an excellent band (hats off to "Peashooter" ) and some impromptu dancing and singing. Loved seeing a pub where the landlord, landlady and staff clearly care so much and what their customers to have fun - more power to Mick, Colette and the team! Don't hesitate to visit when you're anywhere nearby.

A lovely little pub with a great atmosphere the food is amazing and the hosts really friendly! We were visiting the area and this was the best find during our trip, definitely reccomend it,

Visited for the Sunday lunch after reading many glowing reviews. Was accommodated kindly even though we didn’t have a booking. Well worth hunting down, off the beaten path, a self described ‘Destination Pub’, and rightly so. The produce for the roast is all locally sourced and as is fresh as it gets! Thanks to all the team at The Barley Mow.

Little gem of a pub! Delicious Sunday roasts, good beer and a sunny terrace. What's not to love. Wonderful circular walks nearby too.

Simply Super! Lunchtime visit - great hosts, great food and great atmosphere!

Great pub with character. Good food, great beer, live music. May need to book to secure a table

Absolutely beautiful Sunday lunch. Fantastic pub . The landlord and landlady were so lovely and Very welcoming . Would highly recommend

Probably the best pub food I’ve ever had. The pie was unbelievable, stuffed with meat, and the pastry was to die for. Went back on the Saturday for a live music night. Atmosphere was brilliant, and the locals were very welcoming. Thanks for the cake Rachel! Landlord and Landlady were 10/10. Thanks again for two wonderful evenings.

Superb food - Great taste and huge portions served in an authentic pub surroundings steeped in history. The owners couldn't have been more helpful and made the experience even better. Would not hesitate to recommend!

Ticked away but well worth the effort … very friendly and accommodating for our Sunday lunch with the kids .. thank you - we will be back !!

Tiny but awesome countryside pub serving scrumptious home cooked food, especially Wednesday pie night 👌🏼 Gaffers Colette & Mick run a cracking place with real live music on most Saturdays. Well worth a visit.

What a wonderful treat, being surrounded by a wonderful Free House. The Landlord and Landlady; Mick and Colette providing a fantastically friendly atmosphere! The food was handmade and cooked in the kitchen using locally sourced ingredients, good portion sizes and above all SO GOOD! We spent the most amazing 2 hours with some of our closest friends and our Dogs (4). Mick and Colette being the perfect hosts, we will definitely be calling again. I honestly couldn’t recommend this establishment any higher!

Great little pub, and was well greeted by Collette and Mick

What a wonderful treat, being surrounded by a wonderful Free House. The Landlord and Landlady; Mick and Colette providing a fantastically friendly atmosphere! The food was handmade and cooked in the kitchen using locally sourced ingredients, good portion sizes and above all SO GOOD! We spent the most amazing 2 hours with some of our closest friends and our Dogs (4). Mick and Colette being the perfect hosts, we will definitely be calling again. I honestly couldn’t recommend this establishment any higher!

Our group of seven lads enjoyed great food, great beer and received a warm, friendly welcome. We had booked our table in advance, but the service was spot on and the pies imparticular were amazing. Highly recommend. This was my third visit but hopefully not my last.

Lovely pub with a a very friendly atmosphere and fantastic food. Thanks Colette for a memorable birthday lunch, everyone had a great time.

Loved this place. Good hospitality and nice welcome. Pie was top of the shop.

I completely concur with anyone that has previously given a low rating to this establishment. Upon arrival we had a very warm welcome from the landlady contrary to the barman/ landlord who was arrogant, surly, rude, impolite & illmannered. It was an effort for him to acknowledge us or even speak to us. Consequently we changed our mind about having a meal & then left. In an era where pubs are frequently closing you would think he would be glad of the custom. A real shame because the beer was good & the menu although limited looked promising.

If you like pubs. And you like pies. Then you haven't lived until you've been here. An absolute hidden gem.

Collette and Mick are very friendly down to earth hosts. Good food, great atmosphere, cosy establishment.

Anyone who makes pies while reciting poetry by the bard Cooper-Clarke gets a thumbs up from me. Communication was amazing booking the table. Service was ace. Food was superb. We sadly couldn’t stay for the band, but will be back the next time we come to the Peak District. Loved it.

Landlord and landlady were very accommodating. We met up as a family for lunch and to discuss our dad's final business after his passing last year. The landladies father joined us for a while and he chatted non stop about his younger days in Gorton. Lovely bloke.

Lovely pub, great atmosphere and staff and the food was delicious 👌

It's a lovely pub with good food, great ambiance, and brilliant service. We received a very warm welcome from the lovely landlady, and we will definitely return soon.

Wonderful welcoming hosts (Collette and Mick) and the pub had a lovely atmosphere, Food was great would definitely recommend a visit here if you're visiting Matlock in the Peake district area.

A very warm welcome from Collette and Mick today, backed up by a roaring log burner. Fantastic atmosphere and selection of drinks. The Barley Mow has some of the best pub food I've ever had. All home cooked and everything on the plate was perfect. Get a pie. They are all phenomenal. You cannot be disappointed.

Great old pub, with a fantastic atmosphere.

As others have noted, the barman has a truly awful attitude that is clearly not just a one off. Within 5 minutes he'd found several things to moan at me about, including sitting on the wrong table and asking for a taster of an obscure, low% real ale that anyone who isn't local would obviously have never tried before (I've genuinely never seen a 'no tasters' policy at any pub in my several decades of life - it's even written on the beam above the bar... just a terrible first impression). Basically, just lighten up a bit mate? It's a service industry. That said, the food was truly exceptional. The pies were hand made and deeply filled, served by a lovely landlady who takes a lot of pride in her work. Honestly, it's one of the best pies I've ever had. But all in all I probably wouldn't come back. The atmosphere was further marred by a group of regulars in the corner by the bar heckling visitors placing orders at the bar. As I well know as an escapee to greener pastures, this level of entitlement and small mindedness is just to be expected of folks in the semi-rural East Midlands, so I suppose the pub can't be blamed for that.

Fabulous Sunday roast and a really great pub. It’s small and a bit quirky with bags of atmosphere. Really nice couple / owners. Highly recommend

Best chip cob for ages - perfect cob - spray vinegar to stop soggy bread - go out of your way for this one

Highly recommended - had my dad’s 80th here on Xmas Eve. The place has huge amounts of character, fostering a warm and eclectic vibe that I loved. The food was wonderful, the Christmas pie was to die for, and the range of local ciders were much appreciated. Huge thanks to the team for handling such a large group on Xmas Eve.

Food was fantastic, landlords really friendly, log burner roaring away, would highly recommend

Staying in Matlock, read the reviews and booked in for ‘Pie Night’. We were glad we did. Firstly it’s a proper pub serving food, not some pseudo bistro. We had the Christmas Pie special and a steak and ale pie. Both were great, as they claimed on the menu, they were ‘proper pies’ not a stew with bit of pastry on top. Both were beyond generously filled with tasty ingredients and packed with meat. My wife ranked the Xmas offering as her #1 Pie of all time, I loved my Steak pie but regret not ordering it too. Turkey, pigs in blankets, stuffing all in a pie! If it’s on offer when you go, grab it! Chips were great, gravy was tasty and I love a mushy pea! Portion was massive. I’d go back in a heartbeat. Good job.

Brilliant pub great welcome food and beer. The landlady loves spaniels! So do I. Interesting art in the loo. The landlord and landlady were great fun and entertained us fabulously.

Visited with family for a pre Christmas meet up, and what a wonderful relaxed find! Owners are brilliantly friendly, frank and warm. They are very clear about what they can or can’t provide. Food was beyond excellent, everything was well cooked and delicious - exactly what is wanted from a pub. Range of ales and ciders were good. I wish I’d had space for dessert, but Dad had gone back later that evening and sampled the sticky toffee pudding - apparently the best ever! The pies were excellent, served with lashing a of gravy. The homity pie was a delicious vegetarian option, although I was spoilt for choice as they all looked lovely! Will definitely be returning when we’re next walking that area.

Best Pub in Bonsall Derbyshire and Matlock! Owner is caring attentive and it's a family owned business. We didn't have food but wished we did as it looked and smelled amazing. Have live acts on through the month and love being here! Great guest ciders and ales

Very friendly and welcoming pub with a great atmosphere. The prices are amazing, and the food is delicious with generous portion sizes. Drinks are equally impressive—tasty and reasonably priced. Highly recommend this spot for a great experience!

We've been before, and will come again, absolutely faultless food and service. It's a proper country pub, dog friendly, with a relaxed vibe. Ace.

Amasing place. The ambiance is incredible. You can see the owners have really tried to make the pub very cosy. I never had such great food before...pies are home made and everything is made of love.

Great landlord and landlady, dog friendly

Brilliant lamb Sunday dinner and pudding was great too. Good beerand the Barman has a good sense of humor.

Amazing food, and very friendly staff. They were so great with our 3 small kids and we all had such a great evening

Great Pub, great food and a fun atmosphere. We enjoyed a meal of homemade pie, chickpea curry, minted lamb burger and gammon steak. All faultless and really tasty. The gravy here is practically a food group in its own right and amazing. We have already booked our return visit. Wonderfull

I decided to get my hubby a train driver experience in the Peak District for his 60th birthday. Because of this, our daughter decided to add to the experience by buying us a gift voucher for the Barley Mow pub in Bonsall. We turned up and were greeted by Mick, who was extremely busy serving customers their food orders and drinks. It was pie night. We were made very welcome and the food, pies, were delicious 😋. We had desserts too which were also great. We met Collett a little later, who is the landlady and cook. She's very hard working and runs a brilliant pub. They're having hard times with everything that's going on with small businesses at the moment so we were more than happy to give them our custom again on another night. The atmosphere in this little pub is great and I hope it remains that was always. Thanks for a great 2 evenings. Keep up the good work Mick and Collett.

Proper village pub, went for pie night. Brilliant home made pies with proper gravy. Service was fab even though only one person working bar and food service. Top notch

Loved this place. Great decor, food, and vibe. The owner was run off his feet but still made us feel well cared for. Head over if you're in the area.

Whenever I come to the peak district to visit my Dad, a trip to the Barley Mow is an absolute necessity. This unique and marvellous place has more personality and warmth than any pub I know. Food is great, beer is well kept, cider selection is off the hook. The decoration and posters on the walls sing both of the histories the Barley Mow preserves and of the communities it so ably serves. Most highly recommended.

Lovely traditional pub. Very good food and excellent Real Ale. I've moved into a village not far from here and will be visiting regularly.

Fabulous pub! So glad we went. Great food, friendly staff, great atmosphere… quirky and cosy. Husband loved the beer! We will definitely go back and would highly recommend.

Amazing quirky pub with a warm welcome. Food was outstanding. Great beer and fabulous to have such a choice of cider. Will definitely be back

Great atmosphere and live music! Landlord very friendly and helpful. Tasty selection of ciders.

Booked a sun roast here after reading lots of reviews. Arrived and met the landlady and I was instantly taken back to a time when pubs had these fun, friend flamboyant characters running them. I read a few reviews noting that the owners aren’t friendly, I just think people forget sometimes that the pub owners put up with a lot of nonsense from customers and I feel like if you came to this pub with an attitude you’d be sent away again. It’s how a pub should be run, if kids ran riot they’d be told off without a doubt. It’s a proper cosy respectful place. We were turned into instant locals because the landlady made conversation and started telling stories, that sparked the locals sat at a nearby table who immediately started chatting to us. 2 great ales on the handpulls, loads of ciders. Roast beef was absolutely top notch, tender, most incredible gravy, a great plateful too. The veg with it was done differently. See my pics! Forget gastropubs with posh decor, let’s get back to this. Fun boozers that feed their guests top quality fresh grub, great beer, extremely well priced, friendly welcoming and slightly nuts! Oh and dogs are welcome too. Perfect pub.

Just wow! I’ve wanted to eat here for months, and finally made it. Gorgeous and generous plates of homemade food, with quality local produce. Lovely atmosphere in this special pub, with locals and visitors all made welcome. Highly recommend. And I won’t need to eat for a week!xx

Me and my Husband LOVE The Barley Mow. Whenever we are in the area, we pop in for a few drinks and sometimes food. The owners are more than accommodating and are brilliant with my (not so) little boy. I'm always recommending this pub to friends & family!

Seven of us ate on a busy friday, fantastic food, mega pies, chilli, burgers, and great real ale from local breweries. Very cool decor and unpretentious vibe, highly recommended.

The only way I can describe the Barley mow is the Karen's diner of the Peak district. The only thing worse than the service was the decor with dirty mouldy walls and mouldy church pews. The smell of damp, dust and wet dog in the air. The only thing not worth visiting in Bonsall in my opinion.

What a shame that the customer service experience was non-existent on our trip to this pub. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel like we were a burden to the owners of this establishment. The bar man/owner was unfriendly throughout but this got worse when we tried to order food - we ended up walking out when we were sworn at for not pre-ordering even though we had not been asked to do this. Disappointed and could not recommend - I've never been to a pub where I've been made to feel so unwelcome.

Fantastic pub. Stumbled across it on holiday. Cracking food and amazing live music. Felt like a private little pub that no one knew about. An absolute gem of a find!

This place is a hidden gem. Best pie I've had, followed by best Bakewell Tart. Nice bar team and on both night we went we enjoyed excellent live music. Worth walking up the dark road from the village to discover 👏

Lovely little pub, tucked away in Bonsall. My first visit and I was very impressed. Great selection of draught IPAs made for a nice surprise. Dinner was lovely, a great and varied choice of home cooked delights. Fabulous vegetarian options too.

What a pub hidden up a. Village lane wish it was my local

Fantastic pub, dog friendly great live music and good food.

Lovely village pub, nice atmosphere. The service and food were amazing, jealous of the table next to us who had the most amazing looking pie but the venison burger was awesome. If we are in the area again in the future I would definitely come again. Well worth a visit for food.

A lovely little pub, great selection of drinks (Inc tea!), but the pie.. Wow, I had the chicken, leek and bacon pie, mash and mushy peas. Absolutely delicious. 10/10. Must visit more often...

Welcoming and pure quirkiness. We took our two Australian visitors here and they absolutely loved it. The owners made us all feel so welcome. Great beer and food. But you must have the homemade pie it’s a real standout moment and they don’t understand the meaning of small helpings. We totally recommend this well hidden gem.

A pub in a small Derbyshire village that is frequently described as the best pub in the world might seem a little of an over-reach but that’s until you try the Barley Mow. From atmosphere to decor this place drips personality and pizzazz, all attributable to its hardworking and super-cool owners. Where to start? The booze is delicious, the food looked exceptional and made us wish we hadn’t eaten already but it was the extras that made it: soundtracked by PJ Harvey and the Rolling Stones on a scorching summer afternoon, surrounded by pictures and memorabilia from bikini kill, cult films and the most fascinating pub bookshelf ever (already ordered anarchism and paganism book so I can finish it!). We can’t wait to go back. And we weren’t even there for gigs and hen-racing. Imagine!

It's the best pub in the world, we come here everytime we're in the area. Lovely home cooked food, great atmosphere and always something going on! Book a table, it can get busy at the weekend (rightfully so)!

We did a Google search whilst at Matlock Bath and found this place 1.3 miles away. So we had Saturday lunch at Barley Mow. Mick & Coletta cooked our two lasagne meals and I must say, it was perfect! So it's 5 stars from us and we will be back. Thank you - Jon & Deb x

We ate here tonight, when they say “proper pie” that’s exactly what they mean. The food was delicious, the pie (pastry top and bottom) was jam packed full of meat. The slice of pie was huge. The landlord and his team were on the ball and chatty, funny and honest. Defo worth a visit.

Most certainly the BEST PUB IN THE WORLD

This is one of the nicest countrie pubs in one of the nicest village's. It's tooked away so it takes a bit of finding but boy it's worth it. Good fair at a good price. They go to a lot of trouble putting different events on and it's a real local pub packed with caricatures young and old. It's got parking and still has the toilets outside like a lot of pubs used to have. If you want to eat I recommend you ring before hand.

Lovely home cooked food! Staff and locals are really friendly! Definitely recommend

What a lovely cosy local pub. We were lucky enough to catch Bonsall carnival and watched a few morris dancers 🤩 We all thoroughly enjoyed their roast dinner as well 😋.

My wife and I visited this week as we were looking for a venue for a family gathering. We'd been impressed by reading the many good reviews and we weren't disappointed when we arrived, as this is a charming little village pub in an equally charming village. But - we didn't get a warm welcome from the host, maybe he'd had a bad day but our polite enquiries about beer options and food availability were met with pure sarcasm. We've been in literally hundreds of pubs and I've only rarely met with unwarranted comments such as this. So, I'm sure this is a great little pub and it's got real character, but such a shame about Mr Angry.

Loved the ambience and decor of this quirky little pub. We had the risotto and the hommity pie on our first night and loved them so much that we went back for another meal a couple of nights later. Friendly locals, friendly staff, lovely vibe.

A proper pub with proper beer and food you'd kill for. Add in the quirky bits and you have a place you'd sell an organ for to ensure you're there for opening time. And the pies are unbelievable

Wished I had asked for a child’s portion couldn’t finish it all but what I ate was gorgeous definitely recommend the pies definitely would go again

Family gathering with a fussy eater who wanted a tiny pie… the chap was super kind with sorting this out, made a fuss of her and even offered the bits she didn’t manage to eat as a takeout.. I thought that showed alot of understanding- so thank you 🙂 We all had pie specials with peas and lashings of gravy! One happy mum was all we needed to see!

Helpful and friendly staff, hearty food, felt very welcomed. Atmosphere was great with England winning in the Euros semi final which was cast onto large projector screen in the pub. Was only a 15 minute walk back our accommodation, so able to walk off a few calories consumed!

Coletta and Miguel not only accommodated us last minute but also made us feel welcomed. The best pub in peak district. Five star service and atmosphere. Saturday music night was a perfect way to spend an evening after a long day.

Amazing local pub, was in the village on holiday. Great atmosphere, food amazing, great selection if drinks, will definitely be going agsin

Visited the Barley Mow Friday night whilst doing the Bonsall arts Trail and ended up back there on the Saturday night as well, it was that good. What a fab little pub. Collette and Mick (Landlord and Landlady) and their staff were very friendly and lovely to chat to and went out of their way to make us welcome. We unfortunately didn't eat there as we had already made other arrangements for eating at the weekend but I've given the food a five star just on its looks and the people who were talking about their meal loved it. Good choice of beer and reasonably priced. The cider list was great. The cute pub cat (think his name was Taffy) can't go without a mention either. One of the most cutest and friendliest cats you'll find giving you the warmest of welcomes if you sit outside. Lovely, atmospheric pub, well worth a visit. Thank you for a fab weekend

Love The Barley Mow, great beer, food and atmosphere

A pub experience of the highest calibre. The staff were so welcoming to our group and there was a great atmosphere. Take me back, Barley Mow.

Brilliant pub, stopped here on a pub crawl hike and had a great time on the sunny terrace. Landlady extremely welcoming to all our group, will definitely visit again.

Went on speck on a Sunday evening as premier inn in Matlock were not doing food. Told when we arrived that they were not doing meals until 5pm. Decided to wait and it was well worth it and the beer was good as well.

Outstanding pub, great atmosphere, friendly staff and impressive selection of drinks. Very welcoming to our University Rambling group! We will be back!

Unique pub with one of the best pies we've had! Set us up for an afternoon of walking the lovely Derbyshire countryside!

We really enjoyed the pub, food, drinks, service... Special place, worth seeking out.

My experience at Barley Mow Pub in Bonsall was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment I stepped into this charming pub nestled in the heart of Derbyshire, I felt welcomed and at home. The cozy, inviting atmosphere immediately drew me in, and the service provided by the landlady and landlord was outstanding. Their sharp wit and humor added a delightful touch to the entire visit. The landlady's quick thinking and friendly banter made our visit truly memorable. The interior of the pub is wonderfully quirky, filled with character and a sense of history that perfectly complements the vibrant, lively ambiance they’ve created. The food and drink at Barley Mow was superb. The menu offers a range of delicious, hearty dishes, each prepared with care and beautifully presented. I particularly enjoyed the traditional Sunday Dinner , but there are plenty of modern options as well. The selection of local ales and ciders is impressive and pairs perfectly with the meals. What stood out to me the most was the community feel of the pub. Both locals and visitors are treated like old friends, and it’s clear that Barley Mow is a cornerstone of the Bonsall community. The pub regularly hosts events and live music, adding to its lively and welcoming vibe. Overall, Barley Mow is a must-visit. The dedication and charisma of the landlady and landlord ensure that each visit is filled with laughter, great food, and a sense of belonging. If you’re looking for a pub experience that perfectly blends the best of traditional and contemporary, Barley Mow in Bonsall is the place to be. (We’ll be back - Shaun & Melanie xx

Perfect pub. Great food, great beer, great atmosphere and great live music.

So disappointed. Used to be such a good pub but now the food is really overpriced for what you get and the barman is so unwelcoming. Can see from the reviews that this wasn't just an off night for him.

Super cosy atmospheric pub with amazing warm and welcoming team💕 Delicious food with generous portions, especially livede the pie and local cider selection. Good vibes, will definitely come back

Very charming pub. Felt like a home from home! We'll definitely be back

Great big plates of freshly cooked Sunday Lunch with all the trimmings today at the Barley Mow. Lovely stuff!

They describe their Guinness gravy as world class. If you were to wring the sweat from the shirt of Leo Messi after he downs 15 pints of Guinness you still wouldn't get gravy as good as this. The GOAT of gravy.