The Best Restaurants in Hulland, Derbyshire, United Kingdom (2025)

We were expecting nothing special, but got something awesome!! The staff were so friendly and the atmosphere was so cozy. The food and beer was local and you could feel the love that went into making everything, it was food for the soul. We were all licking the plates clean like old dogs… (note: old dog biscuits are fresh from the oven and melt in your mouth)

If you want to dine in a fabulous pub (restaurant) then look no further… What an absolute gem of a find. Dog friendly in all areas inside and out. Food simply divine. Value for money… unbelievable value for money. The menu is awesome, food is way above the usual pub standards. Deffo AA rosette worthy. Very relaxing, impeccable staff service. We will definitely be back ( we dined twice in one week) Thanks to all the staff.

A Welcoming Pub with Great Hospitality After a rewarding hike, we returned to The Old Dog, a pub we had enjoyed with a large group last year. While we were excited for another visit, we learned that they had stopped serving food outside to reduce waste and for other understandable reasons. Despite this change, the hospitality remained top-notch. I spoke with the manager, Ross, who was incredibly accommodating and went out of his way to offer alternative solutions for us. Although we couldn’t eat outside, his efforts to ensure our group was comfortable did not go unnoticed. For those visiting with a large group, I’d highly recommend booking in advance, as indoor dining is now the only option. We will certainly be returning and next time, we’ll make sure to secure a table inside. A big thank you to Ross and the team for their kindness and excellent service!

We arrived to a very busy pub being Easter Sunday however we’re soon greeted and shown to our table. The staff were friendly and very prompt considering how busy they all were but did not make us feel in a rush to choose our meals. The food came promptly and was very nice, price wise, considering this is an independent business and the quality of the ingredients was good it was great value. Overall an excellent experience, we will certainly visit again when we are in the area and will recommend to our friends.

We went today for a girlie lunch which I have been for food and drinks many times and I can say that we received great food and the service was spot on. Hannah T met us and asked if we would like drinks first which we did, then she showed us to our table. Without having to ask she brought us a bottle of water and poured it out. Absolutely nothing was too much trouble and the standard of service that we received was exceptional. It’s good to see that the service has in my opinion improved greatly. Thanks as always and of course we will be back.

Had a lovely meal recently, good food and and enjoyable evening. Our server was a young lady called Hannah and she was lovely, very knowledgeable about the menu’s and very friendly indeed, well worth a visit and ask to be served by Hannah!

Had a great evening meal at the Machine Inn. Good was excellent and staff were friendly and helpful. Cocktails were mixed expertly and were delicious.

A beautiful place, out in the middle of nowhere. Lovely decor, friendly staff and fantastic food. A little pricey but worth every penny once you taste the food and get all the wonderful flavours your mouth. So if you're on a budget maybe try somewhere else. However if you're after marvellous food look no further.

Absolutely fantastic meal, we booked for Burns night and it exceeded our expectations! The service was brilliant from the moment we walked in, the team couldn't have been more helpful and genuine. The food was outstanding, presented perfectly and the starter that came with a treacle bread roll was perfect! Having the haggis paraded in with bagpipes was the perfect addition to the evening. It was a really great atmosphere and we will absolutely be going again soon. Couldn't fault a thing!

Visited Wednesday 19th July 2023, early evening. Easily one of the best restaurants in the area and one of the best I've eaten at in a long time. Food quality is outstanding, the menu is seasonal; however, there's a sample menu online to get an idea of what's on offer, there's also two options, an a la carte and a fixed price. Vegetarian, vegan and dietary requirements can be catered for. Whilst the food is definitely upper tier the prices are not much more than most other restaurants and represents excellent value for money. The place itself is based around an old country pub with an excellent garden outside providing dining outdoors, they also have a number of cabanas with heating. Service is outstanding; however, it's an informal place so whilst everyone is polite and professional it's also relaxed. Well worth visiting.

New Head Chef and new menus. We booked for his second evening service. It's a set menu of 2 course £38 or 3 course £45. With lovely homemade bread and butter to start. For starters we chose the Chicken Terrine and Joe's hand dived scallops which were absolutely delishes. Mains were Cornish Cod,Brassicas,Chard,Smoked Roe. Beef loin & cheek, Celeriac, White onion. A dessert of Chocolate ,70% Valrhona Chocolate, Espresso, Clotted Cream. And a delightlighfully large plate of cheeses. The menu will change depending on what fresh local produce is delivered. The food was perfectly executed, as expected from a young talented chef such as Adam.It was great to meet him again and to see him back in action. Staff were pleasant and professional. The pub is part of Berkeley Inns, which is a small pub group with some other great venues. They are clearly aiming high with this new head chef appointment for their casual fine dining. We'll look forward to see how they develop and the word gets out. Future awards and accolades are on the horizon for sure.

Out for a meal with 2 friends . There should have been 4 of us : he defo missed out. Lovely setting , good food and lovely waitresses . The menu changes every month… so photos are from the August 22 menu . Bit of a treck for us to go from Stoke but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend ( already have actually)

Still going, again and again, as promised; this remains the stand-out best place to eat (IMHO) in Ashbourne! Excellent; no other word for it! Despite living locally for some time, we have never dined here - regretting that now!! One of the best dinning experiences for some considerable time. The interior looks fresh and modern; the staff are utterly professional in everything they do (well trained / very experienced); the food is exceptional in flavour, presentation, and is delivered on hot plates; finally, the menu is seasonal, so expect the dishes to change - Spring, Summer, and Autumn. As I always say: get yourself along, whether local or just passing through … I know we’ll be going again, and again! 😉

Loved it here. No vegan options, however, they were very accommodating and had a few dishes they could " veganise". Food was beautiful 😋 service excellent.

Very nice small restaurant. We came there without booking on Sunday evening and staff found a table for us. I ordered lamb shank, which was perfectly tender with mash potatoes and vegetables. My wife took rib eye stake, which was the best that we had for a long time travelling around the country. Lovely chocolate brownies for desert. Definitely recommend!!!

My partner and I rang up to book a table late on bank holiday Sunday and luckily they squeezed us in. First time visiting and it is a lovely setting a small restaurant, it doesn't have much branding on the outside but looks like they have a lot of regulars! Staff were lovely prices were very reasonable and the food was lush! Good portion sizes too! My only quarrel is that the steak cheese burger I had said it was American cheese but it was more of a sauce (see in my photo) than a cheese slice which wasn't to my taste but that is more of a preference and just something I thought I'd make people aware of. Lovely restaurant!

Stayed a few miles from here for a week, but enjoyed the outdoor space (great weather) and hospitality, we came for a drink most days. If you like Indian food, don't make the assumption this is pub grub trying to do Indian, the "lamb curry in Mums special sauce" is to die for, great flavours it beats any Indian restaurant I've ever been to. We bought take out, and a portion to bring home it just leaves you wanting more.

Went over for lunch today and what an experience. The staff were all friendly and attentive. The food was incredible! We ordered a lot as the menu had some delicious options. The lamb chops were my favourite and after speaking to the staff I found out they were locally sourced too. The menu also had some vegetarian and gluten free options which was great. The quality was amazing and the flavours were rich and tasty. The spice levels were perfect and I still can't get over the flavour. Highly recommend if you're passing through or local.

We received warm welcome, the food was amazing and the large double bed was super comfy. The creaky floorboards and uneven floor in the bedrooms added to the charm! Lovely bedding, with a rabbit theme throughout. Would recommend!

Lovely pub, excellent service and phenomenal food! We went on curry night! The lad who spoke to us on the phone said it was fully booked but he could squeeze us in, which was lovely. The curries were absolutely delicious!! Will definitely be back again!

Great food and amazing service. We were made to feel very welcome and our host was amazing in the way she interacted with our 5 year old grandson and 18 month old granddaughter. Our food was so tasty and the portions were very generous. Great place to start our extended family trip to the Peak District.

Lovely warm welcome, excellent friendly service and delicious food. The chicken breast stuffed with haggis and whiskey cream sauce was absolutely brilliant. We loved it so much they brought out another jug of sauce for us to pour over the mash. Everything we ate was top quality and worth every penny. Can't wait to return.

Called in here about 7pm for a pint and assess menu for future possible dining. Menus attached … choose for yourself. Getting quite busy so suggest booking a table in advance if you want to dine. Looks like small bar area with a couple of tables, a separate ‘side’ room with about 5 tables and another area with about 8 rooms. Looking at meals for others that came out seems good food/hot and tasty if menu suites.

A wonderful midweek birthday meal! The team went above and beyond for us—from the thoughtful birthday card waiting at our table to the warm, friendly service throughout. We ended the evening with a surprise treat: a rich and delicious triple chocolate birthday pudding. Such a lovely, unexpected touch that made the evening feel truly special. Thank you!

Lovely pub recommended by a friend so while I was in the area I thought I would pop in. Great selection of pies with a good normal menu too.

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.

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!!

Came here with the clan. Access to the restaurant can be gained through the lift also which makes it wheelchair accessible. Service was slow but it was a nice day and a little busy. Staff were polite and there's a good range of food. Vegetarian options available. Parking nearby and toilets onsite make it an easy one stop for all. All in all a nice place to work up an appetite and get some food, or maybe walk off the meal as there are lovely walks around the lake. Enjoy your visit.

Due to the very wet weather we decided to have lunch instead. Never been upstairs before. Located a table. Probably best to book a table before going as it gets busy. I ordered the roast of the day which was turkey, my son had the gammon steak with chips. Ordered at the bar with your table number, brought back our drinks on trays. I really enjoyed my hot and Superb roast, my son enjoyed his thick gammon steak with a fried egg.

A lovely resturaunt at carsington water. With great views, good food and excellent service. Thoroughly recommended

Nice place to stop for lunch after completing the 8 miles circular walk if the reservoir. The restaurant is clean, bright and has wonderful views over the reservoir. The menu was good with additional daily specials also available. Drinks arrived a while before the food and the tea and coffee were both good, however the hot chocolate was very weak and lacked any real taste. For lunch we ordered sandwiches and bowls of chips and the quality of the food was good. On departure we bought some cakes to take home with us and these were all good. Well worth visiting if your at Carsington Water.