The best restaurants serving British food in Derbyshire Dales East Midlands

Great staff. Good band playing when I visited.

From the outside, the Riverside Fish Bar in Matlock Bath gives the impression of a well-kept, traditional fish and chip restaurant. Unfortunately, our experience revealed a very different reality. Once inside, it was clear the restaurant was tired, dated, and in need of some genuine care and attention. The atmosphere felt cold and unwelcoming. The staff, who appeared visibly unhappy in their roles, didn’t offer so much as a smile or a greeting. It gave the distinct impression that they were working under strict, joyless conditions. The real disappointment came when we asked about allergens and dietary intolerances. The owner or manager responded with a dismissive and frankly shocking remark: “Allergies? We don’t do allergies or intolerances—wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole. Not here.” His tone was abrupt, aggressive, and deeply unprofessional. We were made to feel like an inconvenience, even outsiders, simply for raising a basic health and safety question—something most modern establishments now treat with care and responsibility. To their credit, the food itself was of good quality and we did enjoy what we ordered. However, the poor service, the unwelcoming attitude, and the outright hostility toward those with dietary needs left a lasting negative impression. We will not be returning to the Riverside Fish Bar, and we strongly advise others—especially those with any kind of allergy or intolerance—to avoid this establishment. A simple smile or a bit of empathy would have gone a long way. Sadly, there was none to be found here.

Well I'm sorry to say that we didn't order any food, we saw the food on other people's plates & it didn't look very appertizing, so can't judge on the taste. We've been holidaying in Youlgrave for the past 17 years, we remember it when Jo & Shaun used to run it. Back then it was great food, well cooked, good service & nothing was too much trouble for them. We had the best Christmas lunch at the George, cooked by Jo. We've never forgotten how lovely it all was & we judge every other meal by it. It must be very hard work runnning any pub, but with the right people to steer it along, it could be great again... I do hope so! Until then we'll have to give it a miss.

It was a huge disappointment. I had planned a relaxing spa day with my husband, but this place was nothing like a real spa. There were only two small cabins with a sauna and jacuzzi, hidden away in a scruffy corner of the hotel. Lounge chairs were awkwardly placed in the hallway. The outdoor pool was freezing, and of course, we got the usual speech about it being a "health pool," but that was just an excuse—it was simply a regular pool exposed to the rain. The lockers in the changing room didn’t even have keys. The moment I saw it all, I felt like crying.

Lovely place. I really enjoyed it.

Lovely, staff friendly, food excellent

Fab place to stay . The room was really lovely with a huge comfortable bed we slept like babies. The room was nice and spacious with a good sized bathroom too . The food was delicious plentiful and good value for money . It had a really nice atmosphere in the pub with plenty of people from all areas staying . Excellent location with plenty of walks around . The staff were all very friendly too . We will definitely be returning soon . Thank you

Reserved a table, when we got there someone was on the table. Was told would be ten ,minutes, which was fine as we were ten minutes early. When we went back we were shown to a different table, very cramped. I had the pie, the filling was very over cooked.

Keep trying and trying with this chippy - but that is sadly it for us now. The chips were a grey colour - some chewy, some raw ?! You could have eaten the gravy with a knife and fork. Sausage was mediocre but at least edible. So turned out we had an expensive sausage sandwich each at £13 (thank goodness we bought a bread cake too!). My local money will be going elsewhere now sadly.

10 of us booked in here for a late Sunday lunch, it was the first time for all of us and I've got to say it was excellent, we were lucky with the weather so had a few drinks in there lovely garden after doing a walk, then went in for food which again was excellent, all 10 of us thoroughly enjoyed what we had, the staff/service was top notch, first class, right from booking the table a few weeks earlier, We all said we'd like to go back there again when we go to the peak district next time and would all recommend it

Called in for a coffee was very disappointed with the place. It was dirty and scruffy, doesn’t look as though it’s been cleaned in months. The toilet facilities were disgusting as for the food, was this a Bakewell tart as there was no sign of the usual recipe. It was soft the pastry was disgusting I would not recommend this place as they need to close it and give it a good facelift. They also need Gordon Ramsey on the case!!!!!!

Went to the Carriage House for a coffee knowing there was work going on but that was fine. We asked if there was any hot food and was told by a very surly member of staff that they didn't usually do bacon rolls but they were today ??? We asked when they would be ready and told they were in the oven but didn't know when they would be ready amd we couldnt order one. At 10:30 we went to the hot counter and bought 3........£19.50 !!!!!!! A tiny roll just defrosted, 2 half pieces of cold back bacon, £6.50. Chatsworth has really lost the plot and we will never eat there again.

Having had a pretty awful experience at the Whitworth terrace cafe I came here with my parents for lunch. We had toasted sandwiches which were well made, tasty and well presented with a lovely crunchy salad. The staff were friendly and attentive. I would recommend this cafe to anyone.

Visited for dinner with family for my wife's birthday on 24.08.23. I have never posted a bad review before. These are tough times for the hospitality industry. But I am compelled to warn anyone else thinking of eating here. It was the worst restaurant experience we have had for nearly 20 years. The service was initially mercenary - the first question from the oleaginous but thereafter invisible Maitre d' was 'would you like sparkling wine', and when I requested a drinks menu I got a wine list which was simply bottles of wine, no wines by the glass, other alcoholic / non-alcoholic drinks. Which, if nothing else rather overlooked my 8 y.o. and 12 y.o. We ordered 2x glass champagne, 2 x red wine, 1 beer, 2 x kids drinks, 4 starters and 4 mains including (for the kids!) a lobster and muscle risotto at £32 each, and lamb and beef also around the £30 mark. We are plainly not millionaires, but equally plainly we were intending to spend a decent amount... Thereafter service was slow to non-existent. The starters were mediocre at best. A soup of the day was beetroot soup. Literally a pureed beetroot, no seasoning, cream, nothing else bar an already buttered slice of bread balancing on the side of the (admittedly v. tasteful) crockery. I can't put into words the audacity of the pricing of this bowl of soup. I thought the bowl ought to have been included. It was a sign of things to come. The sirloin of local beef I ordered had a glaring rind of unrendered fat, like one of the early rounds in Masterchef. The meat was, extraordinarily, simultaneously underdone and tough. The waitress assured me that the chips had not been reheated but prepared freshly as she had seen it done. What can I say? When you eat something, you know when you know, right? Forgive the already TLDR nature of this review, but the kicker was the lobster risotto. I am frankly incandescent that I was stung for this. They were bland mush. I can't comprehend how a seafood risotto for which premium prices are charged can be (a) noticeably lacking lobster, and (b) not taste of seafood but rather like tuna from a tin mashed in with boiled American white rice. My wife and kids left after the mains; just walked out leaving me to pay. Still took the waitress 5 mins to come over. I was civil as she is just an employee doing a tough job. But I told her it was really poor, and it was obvious I was extremely dissatisfied. 5 mins still passed, no bill, no more senior employee. Left to me to walk to the reception, bite my tongue at bit but not enough to conceal that I was on the cusp of Gordon Ramsey-like language at being so mugged-off and paying £265 (without even getting to dessert and coffee, and with half the family walking out during the meal). Avoid, avoid, avoid, and do not be mislead by any platitudes posted by this place if they deign to post a reply.

I visited with my daughter and friend for lunch , We were greeted by the lovely Ryan who was cheerful , cheeky and friendly. The food was delicious. All the staff we encountered were friendly , We will definitely be back .