The Stag Inn in Eden

We visit Dufton at least twice a year and eat at The Stag Inn. Rachael,Matt, and the team are always welcoming. The food is always excellent, and my allergies are catered for. During the winter months, the log burners are burning in the bar area, and the restaurant has beautiful views. It is a busy pub, and booking a table is recommended to avoid disappointment.

Lovely little village pub with a nice roaring fire, perfect after a long walk up to high cup nic

Absolutely brilliant pub and restaurant. Great selection of real ale and Aspall's Cyder. The dining area is only small so booking is recommended - I'm so glad we did! We'd called in a couple of times after hikes in the local area and then had dinner on Sunday evening. I had the pie of the day, which on this night was game, and my wife had the roast lamb. It was absolutely delicious - I'd go as far as to say that it was the best pie I've had in absolutely ages. Whilst chatting to a member of staff at the bar later (who were all fantastic) I was told that it's all home made. This place is a little gem in a stunning location. It's dog friendly too.

After a long walk along the Pennine Way this was a very welcoming end to our day. Super-friendly staff, great atmosphere and delicious food!

Excellent food, in a friendly relaxed environment. Beautiful setting Lots of choices Prize is reasonable Service is ok.

Lovely food. Had the pie of the day, very nice. Great choice of beers. In a great position for a walk from Brampton or back from Dufton Pike.

Go! And get the Stag Pudding if it’s on offer. You will not regret it.

Great little village local in the shadow of the Pennines

Not been here before but previous reviews regarding the landlady are borne out in my visit. Visited at the weekend, consequently very busy and very noisy. Menu is more interesting than most pubs although I cannot say the food was especially good, though not bad. Seems to depend on which dish you choose. Service from the young staff was good, no long delays. The landlady seemed fine too, until it was time to get the bill. I went to the bar where everyone behind it was busy. I waited for a few minutes, then, beginning to feel invisible, I waved discreetly to the landlady, who was doing something with glasses and talking to customers she obviously knew. She said these people were waiting too, although I couldn't see anyone serving them. I simply asked her to prepare my bill as soon as she was ready. It was brought to my table fairly quickly so no complaints there. But when I went to pay it she seemed happy to ignore me once more, again while doing stuff with glasses. Fortunately one of the young staff was able to show her how customer service should be done and took my payment. The landlady's attitude seems so unnecessary. Perhaps she regarded us as tourists, though we are relatively local. Bein local I know better pubs in the area and won't be returning to the Stag.

Really nice local pub. We sat outside as the weather was so nice

We ate here twice whilst staying in the village for the weekend. Really great food and reasonably priced. Only a small dining room, so I would recommend booking. All the staff were welcoming and friendly. The view from the beer garden towards High cup nick was fabulous.

We popped in for Friday evening dinner. Lovely country pub with a welcoming atmosphere. The food was delicious. Good selection of real ales on tap. Would gladly eat here again.

This is definitely the go to Publican house, friendly Staff and good Ale

Came here as it was recommended by the owner of the cottage we were renting. We had a great meal with first class service. All the staff we encountered were friendly, helpful and cheerful. The menu was interesting and not just the usual pub fare. My husband had chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto with tagliatelle and he really enjoyed it. I had the haddock which was crispy and delicious. The pub is in the centre of the pretty village of Dutton which also has an interesting old fountain on the green. We wouldn’t have found this pub had it not been recommended and we were very glad it was.

Popped in by for supper with our dog & it was amazing would definitely recommend this place x

Enjoyed a meal here accompanied by a couple of pints of ale. Everything very good, including friendly and efficient staff. A gem of a village pub.

Lovely pub in a beautiful village, good ale selection, but the food was the main event, absolutely outstanding, and not overpriced. Can't wait to return.

What a lovely wee friendly pub . On first night of our holiday (Monday) they didn’t serve food but there was a woodoven pizza van outside which was delicious and we were accommodated to eat in the pub. Second night delicious fish and chips and third night was pie of the day . All delicious . Friendly staff . Really welcoming pub with good choice of real ales and excellent spot for very scenic walks .

Had dinner here on a wet night while walking the Pennine way. The staff were great and the food was good. No TV to watch the football that's not a bad thing :0)

Loved the vegetarian Sunday roast!

Food was excelent,spoilt for choice on menu,staff were very attentive .lovely view of Dufton Pike.Locals love a good crack

Good variety of menu options decent portions and superb real ale

Amazing food & generous portions from a menu which has loads of interesting variations from ordinary dishes. Much appreciated after a hard day’s walking which there is loads of nearby. I had the bacon chops which were delicious. Sticky toffee pudding for dessert was good too. Note they finished taking orders around 7:45

Gorgeous setting, great food, good section of ales. Very very good all round.

I've passed through Dufton 3 times now doing long distance walks & eaten here all 3 times. The food is exceptional & a great rotation of local real ales (always been 3 available when I have been there). My most recent visit was May 9th 2024, the beer I had was excellent and fresh (Allendale, Pennine Pale), but the food was the star, a big slice of a homemade chicken, mushroom, mustard & whisky pie, roast veg incl a beetroot. Absolutely packed with the best chicken breast chunks, without doubt the best pie I have ever eaten. The staff (Amanda) was so friendly with strangers as well as the locals. The beer garden can't be beaten either, looking out across fields of sheep, then on upto Dufton Pike with Cross Fell looming in the distance. I love this place so much I plan my walks to pass through here. One word of warning, for a few weeks around the Appleby horse fair, the village & pub is overrun with travellers so they don't take bookings, so check the date of the fair. Though I was in the village when the nearby fair was on & it WAS packed but it was a great atmosphere, all the horses & carts 'parked up' on the green outside the pub. No hint of trouble, a great experience actually.

Excellent range of real ales and great selection lagers & Aspalls cider. Lovely warm woodburner and cosy & traditional feel. Very friendly staff who couldn't have been more helpful and gave us tips about the best route up High Cup Nick. Will come back here for food sometime, apparently the Sunday lunches are amazing :). The kind of proper pub that is so rare these days.

Very nice food and friendly service.

Great food, lovely staff. Decent sized portions and the food was absolutely delicious. Very welcoming to our dog, including bringing her treats and making a fuss of her. Good selection of cask beer.

Friendly people. Also allow dog pets.

We had a fantastic Sunday Lunch today, 4 adult's and our Border Terrier , we all had the roast beef, great choice, melt in the mouth and very tasty roast beef with a lovely selection of fresh vegetables including cauliflower cheese. Great value for the quality of the meal and a good choice of real ales. Very friendly staff, like to call out Georgina for exceptional service. Great buzz with in the Pub.

Staff rude, asked for no veg with a meal for the server to give us a funny stare and then said they would have to ask the chef?? Claim to be dog friendly but couldn’t accommodate our dog so very disappointed. Soft drinks were flat, never bothered with food due to all the above so we left

Friendly staff and one of the best Sunday lunches around. Plus, two fires keep the cold away.

Only had a drink outside. We were hoping to have food but we had 2 dogs with us and they were not allowed in the restaurant.

Totally delish food. The pie was amazing. Very friendly, helpful staff. Amazing location. Very cosy and homely.

What a great surprise find! We parked in Dufton for High Cup Nick and noticed the pub. When we returned we had a quick pint and, given how friendly folk were and how wonderful the menu looked we booked the last available table that evening. I can’t understand people saying the locals were unfriendly. They were willing to chat and engage - I can imagine visitors who want people fawning over them might not like it but for a great vibe come here. Good - we had starters and our mains were venison suet pudding, tomapork steaks and chicken ballotine. All excellent and with great beer and wine. Highly recommended

Great for locals not for tourists. Stared at by everyone in the pub like we were aliens and the lady owner was obnoxious. Needs to learn how to respect customers and cater to them, the only polite and helpful girl was the waitress.

Great place to visit for refreshments after coming into Dufton from the Pennine Way. Menu looked lovely.

Absolutely delicious venison burger and pie. Good value local ales at the beet festival, too. A great way to end our walk.

A very nice evening meal at the Stag, Pie of the day I can recommend.

Called in after a late afternoon walk with a couple of children to find the Pub unexpectedly busy. The young staff got us some drinks and managed to squeeze us into the dining room. The food from the menu was very good and given the current climate fairly priced. The staff accommodated minor changes without faff and service from Katy? was great. We look forwards to visiting again the next time we are around.

For a first visit I found the Stag a nice place to go... they do a good pint and the staff were right friendly..all in all a good experience.

Peter SAS 88 yrs old in Canada says HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I've read him the menu and he would enjoy a steak pie! Many many happy returns. Also, our elder vets need support! Step up if you can. One of my dad's favorite songs is called Donald, where are your trousers?! We sing it ❤️ together

Lovely pub. Great food. We had Stag pudding and a vegan burger. Both excellent.

Great pub with great freshly cooked meals. Has some good beers.

This place is outstanding. Was visiting Dufton YHA & even tho it's the only pub in the village, it serves great food. The pie of the night is a tasty "lucky dip". Ate it both nights. Loved it Friendly staff & great local beers

Best tasting food I have had in ages.Well cooked and great choices.Sticky toffee pudding was to die for....We will defo be back.Very talented chef.

Such a great pub for locals and tourists alike. We love it.

We arrived without booking, so we’re really disappointed when we were told they were fully booked! But, the staff managed to squeeze us in and we had a fantastic tea 👍. The Pudding (pie) was fantastic.

The food is exceptional, plenty on your plate and very tasty. Different craft ales are sort and put on. This is an extremely friendly pub to visit. Booking for food is essential a you can't get in otherwise, due to how popular it is.

Great in the past, but closed on the day we were in Dufton

Good beer. Good view. £15 for a fish and chips that had me hugging a toilet in the nearby campsite for 4 hours. Not ideal when walking for the last 41 days. Below average tasting fish and chips with a spoonful of peas that dosnt even come with tartare sauce!!

Great food and a large proportion of it was gluten free! Even the pie!

Went in with the family, everyone ordered a pie and there were no regrets! Food was all fantastic and decent price. Dog friendly too so able to go straight in from some of the surrounding walks.

Great food , great real ale , great garden

Good Sunday lunch and several real ales. Not our first visit but not the last. Friendly staff who appeared to enjoy their work.

This pub was recommended to us and we weren’t disappointed. Easy to book a table for Sunday lunch ( we had to alter our times as we were late booking, the day before as they were near capacity). Greeted warmly when we arrived; decent choice of Beers and Ales, nicely presented and conditioned. The food was great and served hot. All the staff were helpful and friendly and happy to chat even though they were busy. Our dogs were also made welcome and rewarded for their patience whilst we ate. We will return.

Great pub in a lovely area. Wonderful views of Dufton Pike and the North Pennine range from their garden. Good beers and excellent food. My chicken, mushroom and garlic pie with gravy and lots of veg was really good.

Booked for a meal via e-mail quick response by Rachael. A nice pub, good decor, friendly service. The meal was great, both of us had the Steak which was cooked to perfection. Probably return again next week before heading home after our two week holiday. Compliments to the Chef, Regards to all, B&C Leicester

Excellent food and best beer in the area

Great food and great atmosphere at The Stag Inn. Definitely recommend the stag pudding and the stag burger.

Stopped for a quick pint. Lovely country pub, with plenty of customers early evening

What a fantastic setting for a pub in one of the prettiest towns in the country. Friendly staff and a cosy pub. It was good weather so we sat outside. No other option for a drink because this is the only pub for miles but it's a good one.

Amazing place, wonderful beer and a lovely feel

Poor customer service, unwilling to help.

Was recommended this pub by our air bnb host. Absolutely AMAZING food. I had the steak and Stilton pie and my friend had the veggie burger. We were blown away!! Couldn’t recommend more.

Cosy village pub, with an open fire, good pub food, and a good selection of beers.

I haven't tasted a finer meal in a long time ☺

It’s a Monday at the end of Feb & it’s rocking in the Stag! Proper top pub 🍻👍🏻

Lovely, local traditional pub - in a lovely area for walking and with good ales and food.

Great Sunday lunch again, superb place to bring friends as you can guarantee the food to be delicious and value for money too.

Just had dinner here, first ever visit. Warm and friendly welcome, delicious food, excellent value. I find it hard to believe that the latest review was talking about the same pub! We will definitely be back. Thanks to all the staff and friendly locals. Hospitality at it's best

Not very friendly when we walked in, it all seemed too much for them, We waited 29 minutes for our order to be taken, then we had the landlady bark at us after a question put to her, When the meal came out, it was edible but no more than that the salad was covered in oil, the chips were like bits and pieces, see photo The meat was not cooked to order it was running with blood and it was not seasoned at all, see photo The salt on the table was damp and hard to get out of the cellar, The other meal, the meat was tough and unseasoned, We thought about complaining but the mood that was within the staff, would have been a waste of time, so paid the bill and left and just put it down to a bad experience. I would have to think very seriously if I were to give the Stag another cost. Please be wear, I have read other reviews since our visit and there are others that have had problems with the temperamental landlady

Lovely location and cosy atmosphere

What a great pub friendly staff a real village pub cosy and welcoming. The menu was a little different to the norm and food very good

The best pies you will ever eat!

Lovely, friendly staff. Excellent pies and puddings - highest quality and so tasty. Must return soon.

Cracking food, great local beer. Middle of nowhere and a very wet day, but a good fire was going, and the welcome warm and friendly.

Pleasant hostelry, with nice range of local beers served by pleasant knowledgeable staff.

Cheery hosts, delicious food, delightful beers & ales and loved it so much we changed our plans and we visited the Inn instead; was 3 times :) I would recommend booking as this place is popular and you can appreciate why. Kitchen staff are amazing for the scrumptious meals they cook and deliver time and time again down to the drinks on offer and the guest ales/beers are awesome. The sticky toffee pudding is out of this world; if you have tummy room left of course. We are a family of 4; an adult carnivore, an adult herbivore, an 8 yr old carnivore and a fur baby who loved the fuss and chance to meet other fur babies. See everyone again next year!

Nice place, after going out after a walk in the area.

While I was only here on a day trip with my walking club. I was very happy to be back after I am not sure how many years probably a few. The service was excellent and with a friendly smile. The pint of Swift was very nice and the pint of Cracker was cracking. A very enjoyable visit and I hope to go again sometime.

Had 3 lovely meals. Can't fault it. The staff are all friendly very welcoming

Nice pub , good choice of ales , unique ales , good ipas including American .

Great local pub. Good beer - good food!

Absolutely love this pub - it’s a great place to be for a drink or meal, or both! Pie Of The Day or Stag Pudding always a brilliant choice, and of course HOMEMADE by Matt. Great September beer festival - thanks.

Called in Monday early evening to find out opening times. Told that they opened at 6pm but didn't serve food on a Monday. Returned later for a pint and booked to eat the following 2 nights. The first night's food was probably the best we'd had in a pub. Pie of the day (ham hock honey mustard) and venison pudding both with roast veg and mash or chips. Delicious. Second night had last of the ham hock pie and fish & chips. Again, very good. Dog friendly with pleasant beer garden at the front. Unfortunately, we're back home now so got to cater for ourselves - shame!

The pub is a wonderfully warm place to be with friendly staff and customers. The food is excellent and plentiful. Booking is essential.

Love this pub and where else can you see people arriving on tractors for a well earned beer. Good ale, great atmosphere and friendly staff.

It is a "Free House" that has a selection of local and brand beers. Delicious and varied food menu selection sold at reasonable prices! Rear outside tables offer a pleasant vista. The licensee and staff are welcoming and efficient. At peak times service can be a little slow but that is the pace of life in a small village. Book your advance table to avoid disappointment.

Like thank Amanda and Claire, made are visit feel good ,,excellent services,food and made feel like known them years ,thanks again, see soon

Visited whilst camped in the village on the Pennine Way. Advised by lovely campsite owner to phone and book which I did. Excellent beer and meal. Locals seemed fine to me, had some pleasant interactions.

Food is excellent, steak large and delicious, burger large and delicious, fish and chips really nice, but mushy peas too peppery, Pie of the day perfect, stag pudding tasty. Ice cream scoops small, but cheap, sticky toffee pudding very nice, cheesecake it's alright. However, landlady, as described in other reviews, was awkward and rude.

A lovely pub and excellent food

I called in on Saturday 30th July at 13.58 hoping to get some food before a walk. I asked at the bar if they were still serving to be told by the lady behind the bar that the kitchen closed at 14.00. She asked me...

Has the only pub in dufton I would recommend the food it was delicious but the customer service needs to be improved and I thought service comes with a smile not they wished you had not come in to eat disappointing!

Attractive pub with plenty of character and beautiful fireside seating. Great range of beers and a breathtaking view of Dufton Pike from the beer garden. Two vegan options when we went, a cauliflower korma that was so-so, and a decent linguine.

My pal and I on an arduous cycling holiday arrived late into Dufton ready for some food and a pint. Having checked in to the Youth Hostel we turned up at the pub at 2010. Kitchen closed as business was slow albeit we were told...

Really good food, reasonably priced too

We enjoyed our meal after a walk, very tasty veggie roast. Good choice of veggie dishes on the menu. The service was good. Will return if we are walking in the area again.

I’ve just read the other reviews and have actually laughed out loud about how similar other people’s experiences have been to ours. We were walking in the area ( on a Sunday - we live locally in Penrith) and popped in for a drink. It...