The Battlesteads in Northumberland

Excellent service and food. Denisa was really helpful in helping me organise a meet up for 7 friends with a set menu. Our table location in the extension was excellent for having lots of chat. Will be returning. Thank you Battlesteads.

This restaurant seems to have gone downhill over the past year. My beetroot starter was OK, but my main which was home grown shitake and oyster mushrooms with halloumi was very poor. The mushrooms were tough and overcooked, and the halloumi floppy and greasy not crispy as it should be. I didn't eat much and immediately asked the waitress if the mushrooms could be recooked, but when they arrived a second time, they looked like they had come out of a tin, and were nothing like the shitake mushrooms I usually buy. The halloumi was then burnt. I wouldn't have thought it is so hard to cook mushrooms! The waitresses were not unpleasant but never came back to ask us if we were satisfied, and took no interest really. I won't be coming back here until the reviews get better. £16 was also quite a lot to pay for such a dish. I would suggest cooking simpler food but better. The restaurant itself is a lovely venue so it is all a shame.

i have eaten at Battlesteads on several occasion in past years and have been very satisfied with the food. However today I was a little disappointed with my starter which was the rabbit, apple & black pudding. The meat was extremely tough with very little flavour and generally unenjoyable and was not able to finish. It was reported to one of the Waitress staff by my partner but there was no reaction from management.

Not very welcoming reception from frosty woman running restaurant. Restaurant very quiet but she rushed about as if she had the weight if the world on her shoulders. Also, spoke to young girl helping out very rudely. The food was ok, but food portion was very small for the price and of ok standard but not amazing for the price. Table was not checked to see how our meal was. Very average overall.

The restaurant management staff need to be trained in how to deal courteously with customers and kitchen staff instructed on how to cook food properly. Undercooked over priced cold food, rude waiting staff, inaccurate billing resulted in a special occasion being completely ruined. Management were rude, sarcastic and completely disinterested when a complaint was made. Wouldn't set foot in this place again and will warn others to do the same.

Overnight stay was good Food was good breakfast excellent Service first class Location incredible Rooms were good value a little dated however lots of lovely extras fruit teas hot chocolate and milk water 💦 Thank you for letting us stay we really enjoyed it I would come back for the service alone Message to owners for environmental reasons please only provide a top sheet if requested upon booking and save wasted water and energy

What a really charming, friendly, comfortable and clean hotel, restaurant and pub. My room and those of my colleagues were attractive, cosy and comfortable. Food was very good indeed and, I suppose, priced fairly. A good selection of ales, wine and whiskies (according to my scottish pal) is available and the log burner in the bar was particularly enjoyable. Only two things frustrated: hot water pressure and…in an hotel where free, home-made biscuits and fresh fruit is placed daily in each room, and where a small portion of the chef’s home-made soup is offered to each diner, why on earth it’s 50p extra for a dab of mayonnaise…when all other sauces are complimentary, is odd. This tiny, insignificant example of silliness detracted from the otherwise fine experience…

Fabulous stay brilliant service, enjoyed two dinners, two breakfasts, 8 course tasting menu was outstanding. Superb

Fate took our hand and guided us here. It was the last night of our campervan holiday in Scotland and we needed an overnight stopover on the way home to Lincolnshire. We had made better than expected time to where we thought we'd stop so decided to keep going. After checking for places on an app we use, we settled on 3 possibilities, the first and second didn't answer and The Battlesteads was the third. What a stroke of luck for us, The Battlesteads is an absolute gem, campervan overnight friendly with EHU for £10, wonderful selection of beers and wines, the food was fabulous, the chef is excellent, the staff are friendly efficient and obviously well trained. If I can fault it was that the kitchen and service are too efficient, which could have brought a marvellous experience to an early close, but happily the staff did not rush us. The BattleSteads has so much to offer, not just fabulous food and drink, they are extremely environment and ecologically aware, using solar, rain water capture, biomass and if that's not enough as well offering rooms, lodges, campervan stopover, electric vehicle charging, they even have dark sky events with their own observatory. I am sure this must all seem too good to be true, but honestly, we are just amazed at finding the gem by chance. A wonderful experience.

Great food and service at the Battlesteads as a party of 6 we visited mid week and it was busy. The service is informal, efficient and friendly. The main menu is slightly limited in choice. This is due to the taster menus on offer at the same time I assume. The food is all sourced within 25 miles of the pub which is impressive. Desserts especially good.

Stopped here on a 2 night deal which included an 8 course taster menu and breakfast each morning. Room was quite small but was adequate and clean. The food was excellent, particularly the taster meal. I took the wine pairing with the meal and enjoyed the wines that were served which complimented the course they were paired with. Would definitely stay here again

We had a couple of very nice meals here when we stayed in the hotel. Food was very good and not particularly expensive. The menu on each evening was different which was nice as it increased the variety available. I had a Boar chop which was huge and really well cooked - not chewy at all. Desserts were jolly good. The chef does seem to like his chilli - chilli in the homemade baked beans was nice but chilli in the marmalade at breakfast is a step too far. When the staff warn you that a curry is spicy - believe them.

I visited this Restaurant with my partner and to meet 2 friends who were staying for a few nights on vacation. We had arranged to meet our friends for dinner and arrived early. We ordered drinks from the bar a lime and soda and a tonic water. Together with another customer I waited about 5 minutes until the bar tender arrived. I noticed he served the customer before me without exchanging any kind of greeting other than asking what he wanted. It was the same with me. The tonic was hastily poured into the glass leaving it full of foam meaning I had to stand there for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the bottle to the glass. It wasn't a good first impression as the bar tender seemed disinterested. After taking a small drink from my lime and soda It tasted very odd, a strong soap like taste. My partner tried it and immediately recoiled and said oh that's not right. I returned to the bar and calmly in a nice manner explained to the bar tender what the problem, he made no comment. I said I would have a tonic water instead. He stared at me and said - tonic water is a different price. The first thought that went through my mind was ' really' you would think I had asked for a gin and tonic not to change a lime and soda for a tonic water. In my mind I had registered that this guy was being unhelpful and borderline being difficult. I was there to enjoy the evening and again just rose above his manner and said that's not a problem I will pay the difference. He poured a tonic in the same rushed manner filling the glass with foam and said ''£3.00'' I responded by saying I had agreed to pay the difference and how was £3.00 the difference between what I had already paid and a tonic water. In a confrontational manner he went on to say there was nothing wrong with the lime and soda it was the lime and soda they always served. Having had enough of his manner I said no I will pay the difference but I am not paying for a drink that has a problem with it. By this time other people at the bar were listening. He then said £1.85 which I gave him I finished pouring the drink he should have poured. This was poor customer service on so many levels. The meal was average but ok and as a party of 4 we spent around £130.00 here. Had we not arranged to meet friends we would have left and gone somewhere else. An evening out is not only about the food its about the general atmosphere of the place and hospitality of the staff. The table we were shown to for dinner must have had about 50 flies on the window next to the table. It was a warm evening and I realise flies will come in from the garden but no effort was made to mitigate this with a fly screen or fly zapper etc. Who wants to sit eating swatting flies away. We were given another table when we mentioned this but at time we still waved away flies from our food. The young female waiting was very friendly efficient and was the only person who asked how the food was and engaged with us by showing genuine interest. Well done to her she is probably on minimum wage or not much more but was interested and good at her job. I probably wouldn't choose to go here again.

This pub has a very talented kitchen team. It’s rare for a pub to deliver 5 star food, that is beautifully blended to create strong, distinctive flavours. This team care about food and understand how to maximise a culinary experience. We stopped at the pub and tried their 8 course Tasting Menu on our first evening. The quality of the food and service was excellent. I didn’t expect much, as these things are often more contrived than substantial. But the Battlestead delivers the genuine article. Each course was expertly cooked and presented. Even the pallet cleanser sorbets were flavoursome and refreshing. The whole evening was a real treat, we weren’t rushed and were allowed to enjoy their excellent restaurant hospitality. On the second evening we tried the regular pub menu. It was equally as tasty and priced very competitively. Go and enjoy this treat, highly recommended.

We stayed over night as we were attending an event at the Dark Skies observatory, unfortunately due to weather were were unable to see anything, but Martin was very interesting, can only suggest to leave heater on as it did get quite cold as evening went on. The hotel was very nice indeed, warm, cosy, immaculate (inside and outside), very eco aware. . Well done!!! The food was excellent, served hot and very well presented. The staff are an asset to the hotel, very friendly nothing is a problem. Plenty of tracks to walk around, locals are really friendly. Highly recommend this this venue.

Second visit within three years and not disappointed. Good food, good beer, good service from friendly staff. Stayed in the car park with our campervan and visited the observatory after the meal. Very pleasing evening all round. Sums up the spirt of Northumbria.

Many thanks to the staff for making our visit so enjoyable. The first night there we had the eight course tasting menu which was delicious. The chef did an excellent meal which was presented by friendly staff and each course was explained in great detail. A good base if you like to explore and if you’re into astronomy then a visit to the observatory at the rear of the hotel is a must. Wish we could have stopped longer but we’ll definitely be back.

Visited here for dinner with friends and our dog post New Year. Bar area had a roaring log fire, waitress very friendly and helpful, spoilt the dog with hand fed treats. Gave us a complimentary celeriac soup starter which was delicious. Starters, mains and puddings all very tasty and well presented ( we all had different puddings so they were well sampled!) Finished off with coffee in front of the log fire. Reasonably priced. Would definitely visit again and book for the observatory next time. 5🐾* for dog friendliness too!

Nice restaurant in a comfy hotel. Chicken shawarma starter very good. Moules mariniere were huge in size and tasty - but the white wine sauce was thin. Accompanying caesar salad tasty. Breakfast was top notch, but had a strange ordering process, half by talking to the waitress and half by filling in a form.

Had the 5 course tasting with wine. Fabulous choice of dishes from local ingredients. Generous portions and great choices of wines to go with. Relaxed and attentive service, and one of best meal I have had for a while. Really good value too, I suspect you would easily pay more for 3 courses and wine in many other more average restaurants. Well worth the journey.

The eight course tasting menu was imaginative, sufficient and of good quality. The use of in-house grown ingredients added to the freshness and taste of the food, especially the excellent home made black pudding at breakfast and own smoked products.

We booked a table in the bar for the two of us, and the dog. They were fantastically helpful, hospitality was wonderful, the food superb. Service was friendly and speedy, the environment very warm. We will come back.

I stayed here whilst walking Hadrian's Wall and I simply cannot rave about the team enough. They went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable - even digging out muscle rub for me as I had such nasty cramp in one of my legs....

We always enjoy great beer and food in this perfect country pub. The staff are friendly and professional and the beer garden is wonderful.

We went out for a walk with the intention of getting a drink and booking a table for dinner the following evening. We tried the door from reception but it was closed so went in the open side door. Asked if they were open -...

Good quality food at a good price. Even the wine was reasonably priced and good quality. My only concern is that you do need to order side dishes as the portion sizes would be disappointing without the extras.

I booked this entirely on a whim, because everywhere else this weekend seemed to be booked up. From reading reviews I wasn’t sure what I would be getting, so I went in open minded. There were 3 of us staying in a lodge. The first...

My friend and I had a great meal, courtesy of my daughter who had bought me a gift voucher for some occasion or other. We chose the same main, Cajun Chicken, but, before it came, we were served a complimentary demitasse of mushroom soup which...

Enjoyed our stay. Rooms basic but clean with good selection of coffee and tea even a bowl of fruits. Bed was a bit on the firm side and no air con in the room but for the price charged did not expect it. Great bar...

A tasty meal. Sat in conservatory overlooking pretty garden. Staff helpful and efficient- they were very busy as restaurant full. Food nicely presented and well cooked.

We felt it was very much lacking in atmosphere and that we were rushed in and out. Waitresses were brisk and not hugely friendly. The courses came so quickly after each other, there was no time to digest. The food was good but very much...

Warm reception. Free ehu for campervan nets. Had drinks in bar and very good meal in restaurant......hubbie had steak, cooked just as requested, swapped onion rings for veg. I had veg and quinoa chilli and homemade tacos....all delicious. Man at adjacent table complained about his...

We had the 8 course tasting menu which was included in our luxury stay. It was fantastic and each course explained to us by our lovely waitresses. You wouldnt expect to find food of this quality out in the middle of nowhere but we are...

I love this place so booked lunch for myself and husband and two dogs. Food was delicious and the waiting staff were pretty good, but when we first went in we were just left to stand and were ignored by bar staff for a good...

Fabulous place found by chance. Excellent food, staff friendly and helpful and everything spotlessly clean. Great menu with emphasis on local produce. We will definitely be back.

Highly recommended stop strolling at the heart of the Northumberland countryside and close to the historic Adrian wall! My wife and I had a delicious Sunday roast - the menu is pretty light on Sunday, mainly centred around the carvery but still can have a...

We ate supper at the Battlesteads after a long journey. The staff were extremely accommodating in moving our booking back after we had telephoned en route to alert them of our delay. Lots of wood and soft lighting render the dining space warm and comfortable,...

My husband and I went to The Battlesteads last night for the 5 course Taster Menu and it didn't disappoint. The food was delicious, beautifully presented and served by friendly and attentive staff. We had it with the wine option and that was a very...

Spent a very pleasant evening and overnight here en route north to Scotland. Food was good .Loved the use of the produce grown by the hotel in its own gardens. Room was warm and comfortable. Staff friendly and helpful and quickly resolved the problem about...

This review is purely about the restaurant. Three of us had Sunday lunch here. I believe Sunday is the only day the restaurant is open. There was a carvery. Three meats were available, Roast Beef, Roast Ham and Roast Lamb. The beef was available pink...

So pleased we called in to book as the only time we could get, on a Tuesday, was 6 pm. Nice welcome and choice of table. Fabulous wild mushroom soup canapé (chef wouldn't give me the recipe!) Wonderful cod and chips, fish beautifully moist and...

Lovely food using mainly local & homegrown produce, delicious and in rustic beautiful garden surroundings

Sadly only average rating. The canopy was a great touch and tasty but the rest of the food and experience wasn’t anything to rave about.

We are two evening meals, one of them the 8 course tasting menu, and two breakfasts. All the food we sampled was well prepared and very tasty. Definitely recommended.

Local to the area this is one of my favorite places to eat. The food was excellent and the staff are friendly and professional. Will be back again soon.

Came here for evening meal while staying in Wark, I can’t praise highly enough! 1) The care and attention they have invested in Covid safety for visitors and staff is second to none, yet the place still feels welcoming, we felt totally safe while eating...

My husband book a table for 8pm..for my birthday, staff was very friendly and professional. We had Ribeye steak and was cooked to perfection. Red currant cheese was the best I have ever had.. Highly recommended in a beautiful area.

Ate here twice whilst staying in the village. Food was excellent and service was good at a difficult time due to Covid19. The beer garden is quite large and really pretty. Staff friendly and made us feel very welcome.

What a disappointment! No atmosphere, staff were not very helpful ,would not recommend ,definitely will not be back .

This is a beautiful hotel in a wonderful area. The scenery is fantastic and there are lots of Roman ruins to see, including many opportunities to see Hadrians Wall. The food in the hotel is exceptional in our opinion. The taster menus are amazing, and...

Went for Sunday lunch here. Quite pleasant surroundings. Food was okay but nothing to shout about. Would I eat here again, possibly.

We opted for a lunch visit and the food was delicious, egg mayonnaise sandwich with a tasty side salad and a taster of mushroom soup, which was lovely.Only marked down because of confusion over ordering, 3 members of staff approached us but didn't understand that we hadn't ordered yet and failed to take our order! Also one option for vegetarian light bite was poor, good job I like egg! Otherwise very enjoyable visit and beautiful surroundings.

Staff were great from arrival (showing us the room and giving details of times for dinner and breakfast) to departure. Friendly and knowledgeable. Good price for the stay and the observatory was great having such an unusual facility on site is a bonus – the 2 guys that ran that event were great too their enthusiasm for the subject is clear to see.Dinner was good at a fair price and breakfast good quality with plenty of choice.Would recommend this if in the area.

Very charming and interesting hotel on many fronts. Firstly it’s friendly nature of its place and employees. The food and beer selection all very local and great value. It’s quirkiness comes from its eco friendly infrastructure and the fact that it has a stargazing observatory on site to see the universe. If you need public transport the 680 stops and drops outside straight into Hexham and the world beyond. Great part of the country and that’s coming from a Yorkshireman.

We had a very enjoyable one night stay at Battlesteads. Food was delicious as always. Breakfast was tasty but l feel could of been bigger. I also would of liked a few more choices on the evening menu. Lovely staff and very helpful.

We came her for my hubby's birthday. I booked the 5 course taster menu and after the aurora hunt at the observatory. The staff during our meal, were excellent and gave great customer service and care. Each course was to a high standard and was delicious and presented fantastically. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anybody visiting Northumberland. The observatory was also a great night.Win. Win.

Set in a perfect hotel this restaurant is up with the best wonderful food served by friendly staff. The menu is very comprehensive with something for everyone. I like the home grown elements too very classy place but still reasonable prices.

The place itself is lovely, nice and clean and very cosy, this looked like a positive start. However, after being seated for a while we noted that there wasn’t the best atmosphere. Staff didn’t look happy and felt like sitting in a doctors waiting room. While the staff done their jobs, there was no extra conversation and they actually looked on edge. The food it’s self was beautiful, starters were lovely. We then had the Sunday lunch, which all appeared to be home cooked and of a good quality. After food, we took our drinks and sat near the fire. Like I said the building itself is stunning, but the staff being a little more happy and friendly would have made this a higher rating.

We stated two nights in one of the Lodges, absolutely out of this world. There is even an observatory there if you are into star gazing.

We arrived to a fantastic welcome, the staff are excellent and well trained to a standard you don’t often see in the uk.

This was our second visit and it did not disappoint. Our tasting menu was superb and the matched wines superb too. Our breakfasts were second to none and our dinner on the second evening likewise. In fact the food cannot be faulted and in my opinion it is of a standard that could be expected in any luxury 5 star hotel. Do try the spiced gin with ginger ale - superb!

We've looked at this hotel in the past with a view to staying here. In the area so called in for lunch. Hotel is really nice. Very well decorated and lots of space. Staff very welcoming and friendly. Had lunch in the conservatory which overlooked a beautiful garden. Between us we had fish and chips, scampi and gammon followed by sticky toffee pudding and pear and blackberry cheesecake. All were delicious. No frozen chips here. It was just over £60.00 for 3 of us including drinks. Very good value for the standard of food

My wife and I called for lunch whilst heading north. The lunch was very good as was the service. Would call again and stay overnight. The area is known for its Dark Skies and there is an observatory attached to the hotel

Nicely done-out pub. All three tables in our section had dogs, I assume deliberately to keep them away from other diners, but could have gone horribly wrong if they'd not all been well-behaved! Delicious food, but unimaginative vegetarian options - mushroom risotto and veg curry ("jalfreezi"). The risotto was lovely but, when I asked if it would be the same two options on a second night, there was no suggestion that the chef might create something else. When I questioned this limited choice, I was told it was "just one of those things". I've had much more helpful responses in other (less high quality/expensive) places so very disappointing. And it put us off returning. Can't fault the food quality though.

To be ignored by four staff, three female and one male, whilst waiting to order drinks and enquire for a table for sunday lunch yesterday seems improbable in a such a place however their argument as to who was responsible for someone incorrectly numbering a diners drinks order took precedence over us and three other customers also waiting.

Absolutely awful food. Service was terrible and the HOT pudding was COLD! Food had no flavour and really was one of the worst Sunday dinners I have had. Not a good place at all. It was our first time there as well

Been here several times for Sunday carvery and it's always been great. Was shocked and disappointed by our lunch yesterday. I ordered ploughman's expecting a lovely salad with cooked meats and cheeses. What was on my plate was pityful. One small triangle of cheese, a piece of fatty ham, 3pieces of chorizo looking meat I couldn't eat, half a mini pork pie, 3brown pickled onions, pickled courgette and a baby beetroot. A slice of bread and butter, which was nice. For 14.95 I expected more. The other 2 mains of scampi were adequate but not worth the 14.95 tag. One drink and a coffee each, 69.00 for lunch! And I came away starving! Will Not be back!

We were staying two nights in the hotel and had lunch on arrival. The produce is excellent,seasonal and mostly sourced locally. Some are made at the hotel preserves, gin and smoked produce. Everything is cooked to order.

Rooms are clean and well presented with a good welcome pack which includes a bowl of fresh fruit. Had a wonderful stay and will return.

We have just returned from a few nights at the Battlesteads. It was such a wonderful experience, from the free car charger to the warm welcome for us and our dog Belle.

A delicious lunch sitting in the pretty garden. It was good to see that little had changed over the intervening years - same owners and same chef. Will definitely return.

We had not been back to this super eco-friendly establishment but we popped in for lunch before going on to fish at Chipchase Castle. It was so good to see that little had changed over the years and we had a most enjoyable lunch sitting and eating in the pretty and unusual garden.

Check your salad before you eat it!

We were staying in the local area and so paid this restaurant a visit on our first night in Wark. We were not let down by the the quality of the food, but there was one or two small disappointments.

These guys have really put some thought, creativity and skill into the menus they serve. We stayed at the hotel for two nights, and ate there both nights - we hadn’t intended to but after the first meal we didn’t want to miss out! Everything was excellent - the canapé soups, the starters (particularly the beetroots!), the steaks, the vegetables and the desserts (particularly the whiskey and marmalade bread and butter pudding, yum). They also have an excellent choice of wines and spirits, and the waiting and bar staff are very attentive, friendly and helpful. I really couldn’t fault it and we will definitely be back.

This pub/restaurant prides itself on its eco and sustainable approach to its business. It serves excellent food and for those old enough to enjoy the Senior citizens menu it is excellent value. Time should be taken by the visitor to explore the beautiful small gardens and to appreciate the eco systems.

Well organised beer festival weekend with a decent range of ales and music. Our room however was disappointing and a little tired for the rate we paid. Ground floor rooms suffer from noise emanating along the corridor and from the other rooms.

Excellent food with really welcoming staff. Lovely atmosphere with choice of outside, in the bright conservatory or in the cosy restaurant. Homemade gins were absolutely fab and the food menu has plenty of choice. Really nice and look forward to going again

Called in for an evening meal, was met with smiles and no problems, tables were available. The menu was comprehensive in variety. The food was well presented and flavourful. On the whole a pleasant evening and a comfy hotel & restaurant

We were there on a Monday and had the pensioner lunch. We were served by a very pleasant young lady. The man who took our booking was very abrupt which is offputting. He said no dogs despite me saying she was a guide dog. This is against the Equality Act so maybe staff training needed here.

What a lovely hotel and restaurant. The food is amazing- loved everything we had to eat. Staff are helpful, pleasant and attentive. Good selection of homemade Gin. Lovely walks around the village.

We stayed here for one night late May 2019. We booked through booking.com and it cost us £160 for one night including breakfast for a family room. The room we were given was room 9.

We ate here two nights and everything was superb. The 8 course taster menu was brilliant and served at a leisurely pace by excellent staff. Couldn't have asked for more.

What an amazing place, I got upgraded to a lodge which was simply amazing, the bathroom was huge!! Lovely little touches, fresh fruit and water , biscuits etc

Every morsel of food was Devine from provenance to preparation to presentation to service. EXCELLENT!

We've been coming to the northeast for years and passed Battlesteads many times so when there was a 5-course taster offer on Itison we decided to give it a try. The booking was made via email and confirmation received the next day. The first thing you have to remember is the clue is in the wording - it's a 'taster' menu so you know you are not going to get big portions. At the restaurant I opted to add the wine pairing choices for myself at an additional charge. Details of the courses were given to you and you were asked about allergies etc. The food was fabulous, well presented and fully explained by the staff. Each coursec did leave you wanting more, which is what a taster menu is all about, and each course had a wine which complimented it perfectly I thought, and made you appreciate the complexities of wine in general. The staff were polite, informative and attentive, and the meal was served in a leisurely un-rushed manner with an acceptable amount of time between courses. All in all a fabulous experience, the 8-course taster menu might have filled up my partner a little more but we were still talking about the food the next day.

Called for Lunch on a Monday the pensioners three course lunch excellent in quality and price. (I think it is only available on a Monday) Sensible size portions for us ‘oldies’. Could not fault the food or the service from staff. The general menu had a varied choice to suit most requirement - old world charm about the place. Large ‘disabled toilet’ available. Plenty of off street parking.

We have been visiting here for years. As always the food was very good and the young lady who served us was friendly and competent. The reason for a four rating is that I was not impressed by the man who took our telephone booking. He was quite abrupt. He was there also when we arrived, made no effort to say which table was ours and asked if we wanted a drink before we were even seated. This is the reason for the four star rating.

We booked a Itson voucher for their tasting menu, we also added the wine flight, we were all extremely disappointed, the night proved to be very expensive even after paying up front for the voucher, the first course mushroom and truffle soup resembled something from a bush tucker trial! The second was strange too, beetroot numerous ways was a cross between a starter and a desert! It did look nice. Third, salmon was ok nothing to get excited about, main course lamb chop and shepherds pie was ok but tiny, the desert was nice, but I added ice creams for the kids which I thought were day light robbery, two very small scoops for £4.00!!!

Food quality, balance of courses, quantity and expceptional standard. Very special and informative service

This is a difficult review to write.and to rate. We have been visiting here annually for lunch and has always found it excellent. This time when I phoned to book the man I spoke to was abrupt and said no dogs in the restaurant despite the fact I said she was a guide dog and that we were happy to eat in the bar area where we always have eaten before. I was also not confident that the booking had been noted but it was. We could not fault the meal or the pleasant young lady who served us. The same man, I recognised his voice, was there when we arrived and he tried to take our drinks order before we were even seated. On previous visits all the staff have been like the lovely lady who served us. I have rated a four star based on this and the meal and not on my initial impression which, had it been the first time I made a reservation,I would probably have cancelled the booking.

We popped in for a quick drink when staying nearby and stayed much longer than we planned.

Stayed for the weekend while husband competed in Dirty Reiver bike race in Keilder Forest.

We came here for the 5 course taster menu. £35 per head without the wine (That's an extra 20) and the food is wonderful! We had a nice garlic mushroom soup, followed by a clever beetroot dish, followed by some lovely smoked salmon, then lamb 2 ways which was a tasty little cutlet served with a mini portion of shepherd's pie which tasted amazing! Dessert was a brownie and a lemon posset. Nice busy atmosphere, fast service (5 courses in 90 mins!) Without feeling rushed, would recommend!

We enjoyed an excellent lunch on the 23rd March at the Battlesteads Hotel. Service was excellent as usual. Food is always prepared and presented with evidence of originality and pride and has never ever over more than 20 years, fallen short of a wow experience. Very comfortable and relaxing dining rooms. Looking forward to visiting again although it is a 50 mile return trip from my home.

It's 35 miles from Where We live but a French Friend bought us Lunch there as a Christmas Present. It was certainly worth the visit. It's a lovely cosy pub hotel with a restaurant and conservatory. The food is modern but not nouvelle cuisine portions. I had ham hock terrine with mustard mayo and pickles. My wife had deli cold meats and cheese. I had veg lasagne and my wife had Cajun chicken in cream sauce with with prawns and sauteed potatoes. Superb. BlackBerry cheese cake with ice cream for me meringue and cream with fresh fruit. Lush.

Visited this restaurant for a Saturday evening dinner .

Had evening meal at Battlesteads and we were blown away by what a wonderful looking place. We sat in the conservatory, another beautiful room...We were given complimentary mushrooms in a truffle sauce.....absolutely fantastic!

Visited at 7pm on Friday evening. There were two tables occupied in the restaurant and we were told we would have to wait an hour for a table! Needless to say we didn't hang around and went somewhere better! Won't be going back.

Visted Battlesteads with friends for lunch. We arrived early but where made welcome by the very friendly staff. We had a three course lunch. The food was very good. The chef spoke to us. And also recommended little walk to us. Would definitely go again