The Red Lion in Derbyshire Dales

Great friendly traditional pub, serving great food the pie meals are very tasty

On a walk with friends we had planned this as our lunch stop. On arrival we were told they were fully booked (several empty tables that didn't show as reserved), and they wouldn't even serve us sides. So here we were, on a walk, and all we could get was crisps and a drink. When you are on a walk you can't really plan and book as you can't guarantee arrival time. The drinks took a while to arrive, didn't even have a complimentary biscuit as most places do now (which would have helped us with the food situation a bit), and my friend had to go and ask for he milk for her tea, which was unceremoniously plonked on the table. Reading other reviews it seems that as we are not locals our faces just didn't fit. Edit, following the pub's response. Don't believe all responses that places give. We were not entitled. We did not demand to be served. We came in and asked nicely, and asked if there was anything we could possibly get, even a sandwich we could take away, as a lot of places often offer. We definitely did not "whinge", as the reply says, we were simply disappointed, and also concerned knowing we had a few miles left, luckily we had a few snacks amongst us. As I stated, not everything is planned, we regularly go out walking and have NEVER been turned away like this before. The tone of the reply reflects the attitude we got from the staff. Oh, and other than being hungry we did enjoy the rest of our walk, thanks for your concern.

Delicious pies, great menu, amazing roasts and friendly staff. Beautiful location too

Great village pub with good beer and standout pies

Amazing food ,excellent service 😋

Lovely food and good choice of draught drinks in a nice atmosphere.

Excellent pies with tender meat. Very generous desserts. Dog friendly

A genuinely lovely country pub, so much character and a charming atmosphere. If you can get one of the armchairs by the fire on a winter's evening it's amazing. The food is excellent, it's known for its pie menu but it's all good. I recommend the venison and red wine pie particularly.

Amazing pub with friendly staff and great pie's 🥧

Good service and beautiful location highly the pies

We have never had a bad experience here. Everything is fantastic. The staff, the food, (especially the food) and atmosphere are all fabulous. Our entire family loves coming here it’s fab x

Very nice cosy little pub with an excellent pie menu and friendly staff

We went here for mine and my partners 4 year anniversary meal, what she didn't know was that it was also a proposal meal too!! She said yes!! I rung up prior to us coming to make special arrangements to make the moment even more special and the staff here really did just that!! Sat us infront of a Christmas tree and played our song alongside at my request. Once she said yes the staff provided us with a complementary bottle of bubbly and a congratulations card which was so nice of them to do that! The food itself was absolutely amazing! My partner had the venison and red wine pie, which she said was the best she's ever had! I had the 9oz burger which was thick and juicy. The caramelised onions were to die for too! And don't even get me started on their home cooked chips!! The atmosphere was really nice! Seeing as it was bad weather that day the whole pub felt warm and welcoming! It was refreshing to go into a proper tradition pub that has an open fire and the dark wood furnishings to match! All of the history of the pub in picture as you walk in was nice to see too! My only improvement which does not at all ruin the experience at all was the toilets, they need abit of tlc. Overall I couldn't thank the staff enough for making our special meal even that little bit more! Will definitely be coming back in the future and would highly recommend for anyone!!

Little gem of a pub. We stopped in on the way home and had no idea what to expect but the staff were really friendly, the pub was cozy with a roaring fire and the food was fantastic. Can't fault this place at all.

Really good food. Lovely setting. Will be back.

Visited Sunday afternoon for my niece's birthday meal. Everyone loved the food and the choice of pies is amazing. Staff were fantastic and so professional. Will be back for sure!! 💯👍🏼

Took some friends from out of town there for supper. Had a brilliant evening the food was great. Horseradish mash and minted peas especially good. Service was excellent and staff were friendly and efficient!! Highly recommend!!! Thankyou

Fabulous pies. Such a huge choice of pies, mash, veg and gravies. Great night with the family. Reasonably rice too.

Great food friendly atmosphere and good prices 👍 fully recommend

Lovely village pub, with great chef, and friendly staff. The food was wonderful

We use the Red Lion as a family treat when we really fancy delicious 😋 'Pie n mash' .... They menu does have a wider range of options for those who arent Pie fans ! However its their amazing range of really tastey 'Pies', 'mashes' 'gravys' & accompanying veg / sides we go for. Wide variety to choose from, including more than one Vegitarian & one Vegan choice for Pies 👌 We tend to go midweek when it's less busy due to our families needs. Always friendly atmosphere & great service.

Wonderful first visit this evening to this quaint little pub. Wonderful 'proper' pies - hearty portions and there was a lovely young girl who served us - very friendly and attentive. Children enjoyed their food too. Typical hearty home cooked food 👌

Love this place for their pies!

Excellent food, friendly staff, dog friendly and a quiz every other Thursday 👌🏼

Friendly, traditional country pub. Nice atmosphere, great beer and good, honest food at a reasonable price.

Excellent food. Pies especially.

Fabulous pub. A group of 9 of us went on Tuesday Night is Pie Night. We had such a huge choice of homemade pies, sides and gravies. Nutella Cheesecake, Trifle and Sponge Puddings were superb as well. The service was outstanding, the young lady who served us was an absolute superstar. I had Chicken and Chorizo Pie, Cheese and Bacon Mash, Chips Shop Mushy Peas and Gravy. It was so good. I was driving, so they even made me a pot of tea.

Lovely food the starter and pies were delicious and so many choices

Absolutely amazing place Hannah looked after us as we couldn’t find anywhere for food and the pub was fully booked but she looked after us and the food was perfect 🥰

Had a lovely meal staff are friendly and can't do enough for you

Great food served by friendly and helpful staff. We prebooked a table for a Friday evening as it is known to be busy, we were welcomed with a smile, served our drinks and shown to our table. When we ordered the service was quick and efficient. The waitress then returned to confirm if we were satisfied and later returned to offer us the desserts menu. Only slight issue was that the bar was crowded by drinkers when it came to paying the bill. We will definitely be back again soon.

Food was amazing, Steak & Stilton Pie, Mustard Mash, Cauliflower cheese covered in a stilton gravy.

Lovely place, people and food unlike many places around here!

Nice village pub excellent pie's and dog friendly.

Arrived needed to wait for 2 more people to arrive , felt very rushed to order , waitress was very miserable and seemed like she didn’t want to be there at all , nobody checked if all was ok with the food, ( which was ok I suppose , it was hot, but lacking in flavour , mushy peas were hard and carrots too , the mash wasn’t bad, pizza was well past cooked and the chips too , we asked about desserts and was given a clipboard with a dirty piece of paper with the list of items available, she returned about 5 minutes later and asked if we want desserts we said no thanks ( choices very poor) the waitress replied that’s good then ! And walked off , I thought it was gonna be a good place to visit for my birthday meal!

I'm from down south and boy was this a treat to come to the Red Lion 🦁 So many choices of pies 🥧 Food and service brilliant Will visit again when we are up next time. Thanks

Really nice place to jave a pie night. Staff eere very attentive snd there's lots of choice. Definitely recommend.

We use the Red Lion as a venue for a number of celebrations (baby shower, birthdays, graduations) and they have always been welcoming! Great selection of beers on tap and the food is lovely and homely.

Really good pie,full of meat, I chose horseradish mashed potato and minted pea's with a creamy gravy delicious ,if I could fault anything the pastry on the pie slightly abit thick, one extra roll out and it would be perfect

If you love pies, this is the place for you. You can pick from about 20 different flavours, then pick between about 20 different potato sides, then a veg. I'd say the only downside is a would like more than one veg with my pie. But the meal is really filling anyway. The pub is really old, which gives it lots of character inside, with lots of little nooks.

Great stop by heritage wood. Fantastic food and welcoming service

Met a friend for lunch. Pie to die for. Top service and great beer.

We visited on pie night, there's a great choice of pies and sides, very nice food! Staff are welcoming. Nice beer garden. Limited parking.

I have now been twice in the last few weeks and the pies are amazing. Great service too.

Went 5/5/24 food and service very good, our second visit for a large family get together, all food came out the same time nobody kept waiting, only negative parking can be a bit tight/bit of an issue. Would certainly visit again.

We wanted pie, we got a God tier dinner. A massive choice of fillings, an equally large choice of different mash, sides and gravy. You could probably eat for a year and never repeat the combination. It's a lovely place to eat with friendly staff, great prices and really good beer. I'd happily visit again any time, any occasion. Top marks, top pub.

Love the pies. Such a friendly place

Food was amazing but the bar staff and service was very unwelcoming! Very rude and talking to us like we was worth nothing. Very rude and disrespectful.

Another great meal at the Red Lion. Tried the sag aloo pie which was fantastic

This Pub is brilliant. The place for pies claim is bang on Will definitely be revisiting soon

Great locals pub in the middle of nowhere serving pies, pies and more pies. Nice atmosphere, what’s not to like. Best book a table if you want to eat, very popular. Ho nearly forgot it’s Dog friendly!

Visited the Red Lion for lunch with friends. Booked in advance using efficient online booking system. Warm, cosy and welcoming atmosphere. Great to visit a country pub that has retained many of its original features. We had roast beef Sunday lunch with all the trimmings. With their extensive pie menu as well, it was a difficult choice. All staff were very friendly and helpful. A good value for money menu. Definitely worth visiting. Thank you to the staff.

Well if you're going to have pie this is the place to do it absolutely amazing.

Had Sunday lunch today. The food was first class. Had the mixed roast (beef and pork). Both excellently cooked. The good lady had steak pie and mushy peas. She was raving about how good it was. Can't comment on deserts we were too stuffed! Will be going back.

My favourite place for a pie! £14.50 for a pie & 2 sides with a choice of gravy. Cosy little village pub with nice views out the back. Definitely reserve a table! See @derby_diners for full review.

Great pub, very cosy and the pies are amazing

We had a really fun and tasty evening. I have never experienced a pub quiz and 'play your cards right'. One of our party won both! The landlord was great and our pies were tasty. Highly recommended for a mid week meal.

Jesus christ! Don't eat anywhere else, the best pie and mash in the history of pie and mash!

Enjoyed lamb and mint pie with cheesy potato and cauliflower cheese. Friends impressed will recommend to friends.

Pies were alright, some better than others. Husband had steak and stilton which was much better than my chicken, ham and leek which was quite soggy and tasteless. Same for my chicken gravy quite watery and cold. Chips disappointing - greasy and soggy. All a bit cold. Puddings were the best bit - the brownie was really good! Service very sullen. More ketchup and a teaspoon was all a bit too much effort it seemed.

fantastic pies best meal out in a long time it's worth booking as it was fully book up

1st visit and will def go back . Landlord wonderful and food great . Love the story of the Wall of Fame

Amazing food in a lovely venue. The Pie menu washed down with a pint of Pedigree is a must.

Had pie with mash and chips. Best pie I have tasted. Wide range of assorted mash and peas. Staff very pleasant and helpful. We'll worth a visit.

Great pies, decent selection of drinks in an olde world pub.

**UPDATE** this place used to be so nice, very cosy, great value country pub. Unfortunately no more lol. Very dimly lit, no music in the background and worst of all, no heating at all for the winter months 🙃 leaving the whole atmosphere a bit bleak. Real shame weve been coming here for years. May give it a year or so see if things change. Food still good for value if you're getting a pie. Rest of the menue is not a strength, but ok. **Old review below**\/ I hole heartedly can recommend this place! For a wholesome, tasty, filling meal mean that won't break the bank. This place is a true country local style pub that's relaxing and calm enough to enjoy. Venue -- a delightful country pub. Situated in the middle of nowhere this little place fits in to the countryside scene perfectly. The place feels like a local secret, it is what is is and it's not trying to hard. You will feel very comfortable here. Food -- the food is what this place is known for. More to the point the PIE MENU! Mix and match to what you like. Choose a pie, then the side, then the veg, then the gravy. All sections have about 10 unique options. On that point, this is not a gimmick either, the pies are well made, fully filled and delicious! And on to of that all of this for just £10! Service -- true personal country pub service. No fuss no shirades, just a service with a genuine smile. As i mentioned, you will feel so comfortable here.

The beat Pies EVER!!! 🥧 great selection you can't go wrong.

Lovely little country pub, the food was amazing and service was impeccable a nice hidden gem,we will definitely be returning, just great 🍺🔥👍

Loved pie night. Tuesday deals on pie meal. Sally waitress is lovely

Great food, very busy when we arrived had to wait 30mins for our table. They only had one person serving but on the whole an enjoyable experience well done

I’m reluctant to post a review as I may struggle in future to book a table The pies are fantastic the concept is a great idea I challenge anyone to find a better pie night We will definitely be back and can’t sing the praises enough

Great food and stunning views was absolutely fly ridden though but its what u get in a country pub on a hot day

Great selection of pies. Thoroughly recommend.

A country pub specialising in pies! Lots of pies, sides and gravies to choose from. Others items are available too…I had roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes. It came with sides of green beans, carrots, onion in a creamy mustard sauce and delicious cauliflower cheese. The pub also offers a good range of lagers and ales on tap. Well worth a visit!

Me and my significant other visited this pub near Ashbourne, the atmosphere was great the landlord was extremely friendly as were all the staff and the pie menu was superb 👌🏽 if I a nice hearty meal is what you're looking for this is a great place!

The food was fab and the staff were amazing with my allergies! I can’t thank them enough!

A great country Pub, great landlord with excellent grub

My dad always wants to come when we have a meal out he's so impressed 💯. Food is top notch and love being able to choose from a wide range of 'proper pies'. Always a friendly face and genuinely pleased to serve you..... see you again soon

I had a lovely meal of pie,(steak and stilton) chips,cauliflower cheese and gravy. It really is worth a visit.

Great place for a mid week treat. Food was amazing, the only problem is trying to choose which pie to have from their huge menu

We were disappointed with our visit as many items on the menu were not available including our first two choices. There weren't many customers so the atmosphere was quiet. It was a midweek visit.

Pie night on Tuesday is a great night to visit and the combinations of pies, sides and gravy is enormous! Topped with a good pint of bass makes for a good night out.

Great find! We stumbled upon this place by accident, but were charmed by the extremely delicious food and authentic atmosphere!

Great location, lovely views, great pint, and food good, what more do you want

Was told we couldn't eat because they had a table of 8 in ridiculous

Went for a drink and a meal... Food wasn't available, not even a bowl of chips, and made to feel incredibly unwelcome. Expensive for drinks and then witnessed an argument between the staff before leaving... won't be going back.

Fantastic food! First time here and the pie and chips were brilliant, we will definitely be coming back

Omg, what a find. A beautiful village pub, with the most fantastic menu. Cannot recommend this highly enough. Got to go back again now I've found it x

Spent an enjoyable evening here with friends. Great to find a traditional country pub serving quality ale and great food at sensible prices. Definitely worth a visit

Lovely traditional pub with mega selection of pies. Beef Sunday dinner is one of the best. Definitely a must. Good selection of beer

Always a great meal at the Red Lion. Caters for everyone. Which is great for a family meal. I love this place and eat here often with my family. Thank you for a great service and lovely accomodating staff. Would highly recommend to anyone.

I liked the beers and especially the pies

Really nice food at affordable prices. Great Marston's Pedigree,what's not to like. Also friendly service.

Very disappointing we went here on a recommendation from a friend who really liked it but unfortunately on arrival we were told several( more than 5) of their pie's were not available this is the main reason most people are going to this pub as this is what they specialise in also unfortunately I had 2 pints of Bass and the first seemed a little off but not to bad but the second was undrinkable which to be fair they did change but I should not have been served it in the first place I'm now unsure if I would risk trying again

Just fantastic. Excellent food, excellent service and beautiful views. We will repeat for sure.

Had a fantastic meal last night for my sixtieth ,,,, many many thanks for superb food and service ,,, I’ve never known pastry so succulent in a pie ,,, thank you

Wet nice pub, fantastic pies. Will be back for more.

Nice atmosphere and the food was nice. No guest ales on however, only Pedigree and Doombar.

Delicious - what a choice of pies!

Great family meal tonight celebrating a birthday, superb pies, great service, nothing too much trouble. Great atmosphere, very friendly country pub. Will definitely return.