29/08/2020

Black Lion Inn, Butterton

The Black Lion Inn, Butterton was my choice for a first visit INSIDE a pub since lockdown.

With quality food and drink, lunch at this recently renovated Staffordshire Moorlands Peak District pub turned out to be a wise decision.

I can hardly believe it, but lunch today was my first time actually IN a pub, rather than outside, since lockdown in March.

If you’ve read about my first meal out, at The Lazy Trout, you’ll know that place is an old favourite of mine. As expected, I enjoyed a superb meal with spectacular views of the Moorlands from the beer garden.

However, for this occasion, I decided to try somewhere I hadn’t been before.

I’d also step inside a pub for the first time in nearly six months.

Black Lion Inn, Butterton

The Black Lion Inn, Butterton had been warmly recommended to me by one or two of my followers on social media.

I’ve had good tip offs before from my readers. Hawasana Afghan restaurant, Spicy Lanka, and The One Dim Sum & Noodle Bar are just a few of them. So I thought it worth a punt.

Even better, set in our beautiful Staffordshire Moorlands, the pub’s just a twenty-minute drive from home.

Matt and Hannah Grimsey took over and moved into the traditional village pub in June 2019. Since then they’ve been slowly and sympathetically renovating it.

black lion inn, butterton — photo credit: Black Lion Inn

The renovation includes three en-suite rooms, and it’s hoped they’ll be ready later this year.

LUNCH

Myself and partner ID chose from the relatively small lunchtime menu. There’s a slightly longer evening menu which also features some of these dishes.

The lunch menu included sandwiches, light meals such as soup, hummus, and a lamb terrine, plus mains like fried chicken and a beetroot-tofu burger.

I went for the Pork and Feta Burger while ID had Fish and Chips (both £12.50).

My burger, filled with what tasted like good quality pork, was nicely juicy. I liked the inclusion of feta which gave it a pleasant tang as well as helping to make this a much lighter affair than the usual beef burger.

There was plenty of salad on there too, as well as a pot of fresh and crunchy coleslaw alongside.

I thought the skin-on chips were excellent. Lovely and crispy with no oilyness at all.

ID’s large portion of haddock looked wonderful. Taking a bite, I can confirm it tasted superbly fresh too.

The real ale batter was so light and crispy that ID actually ate all of it which he almost never does.

The mushy peas came with a tangle of fresh pea shoots on top, and there was a generously filled jar of tartare sauce to spoon out.

And of course, there were more of those top-notch, skin-on chips.

For dessert, we both chose Treacle Tart (£5.50) which came with clotted cream ice-cream.

I’m tempted to say this might be the best treacle tart I’ve tasted. I often find the filling tooth-tinglingly sweet. But I thought this was just right.

The pastry was excellent too, with a wholemealy-nuttiness I liked.

To drink, there was a good choice of real ales. We both had a pint of Farmers Brown Cow (£3.70) from Bradfield Brewery up in the Yorkshire Peak District.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

As someone still a little wary of eating out during COVID-19, I’d partly chosen the Black Lion Inn as they appeared to be taking the situation seriously.

As I only write reviews of places and produce I recommend, you won’t find on this blog any mention of a pub I recently visited where I wasn’t happy with their COVID safety.

But at the Black Lion Inn Butterton, there was clear information outside as well as on the tables. All the guidance seemed to be being followed.

More than happy with what I ate and drink today, I’ll certainly be going back to try more of what’s on offer, including from the slightly longer evening menu.

Also, although we didn’t have our pooch with us this time, the Black Lion is dog friendly in the bar and spacious beer garden. So I think it’d be an ideal spot for a drink or a meal after walking in the beautiful Staffordshire Moorlands.