02/05/2025

Eating Out and Food Events Spring 2025

If you’re looking for great places to eat this Spring, I’ve brought together some of the independent restaurants, pubs, and cafés I’ve enjoyed recently that would be perfect for the rest of the season. I also look ahead to food and drink events happening in May.

Highlights in and around my patch of north Staffordshire include mezze feasts in Macclesfield, reasonably priced Japanese food in Stoke-on-Trent, tapas with authentic Spanish ingredients in Buxton, fine dining at a luxury country hotel, hearty breakfasts on the farm and in a pub, plus dates of forthcoming events including the Stone Food & Drink Festival and the Lichfield Spring Food Festival.

THE GROSVENOR AT HALES HALL, CHEADLE

I first ate at The Grosvenor restaurant on a perfect early Summer evening last year. The place was looking lovely with lots of people at the picnic tables on the lawns in front of the former country mansion with its outstanding views of the Moorlands scenery.

Since then, I’ve been among the regulars enjoying their tasty breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Menus change regularly, but there’s always a good choice of hearty, generous plates as well as lighter dishes and, as I write, a tapas menu. On my latest visit, I loved the flatbread I chose for lunch.

The good quality, chewy base was spread with well-flavoured hummus topped with strips of roasted red pepper, olives, pickled shallots, rocket and (something new to me) puffed beer crisps. These turned out to be crunchy sticks similar to those you get in Indian snack mixes and just as moreish. Read my full review of The Grosvenor here,

MIDDLE EASTERN FEASTS IN MACCLESFIELD

What could be better on a warm Spring evening than a delicious Middle Eastern mezze feast of little dishes to share? Well, that’s exactly what you can have at Elaf, a Lebanese-Syrian restaurant and takeaway in Macclesfield.

This is another venue I discovered last Summer, and you can read a full review of my first visit here. I loved the quality, freshness, beautiful presentation and, of course, the wonderful flavours. Other half ID and I returned this Spring and enjoyed another memorable meal.

Last time, we’d took advantage of their bring your own alcohol policy. But this time I wanted to try some of their tempting homemade drinks. I went for fresh lemonade with mint and ID had ayran: a traditional yogurt drink similar to Indian lassi.

As before, we chose a selection of dishes to share.

Baba Ghanouj: smoky aubergine, tahini, garlic, yogurt, tomato, onion, drizzled with pomegranate molasses.
Arabic Salad: wonderfully fresh and complete with traditional bright pink pickled turnip
Mixed kebab: lamb, chicken, and lamb kofte: all perfectly cooked over charcoal, with lovely spicing. Served with two sauces: fiery chilli and mild sumac yogurt. Perfect!
Kibbeh: delicious crispy shell of bulgur wheat and minced lamb. Stuffed with more lamb, onions, nuts, and spices. Came with a punchy hot sauce for dipping.
Mouhamara: delicious, full flavoured dip with red peppers and crunchy walnuts. (Want to try making your own? Here’s my Muhammara recipe).
Batata harra: potatoes subtly flavoured with garlic, peppers, chillies.

A number of the small plates came with good quality soft pitta bread. We got four which was plenty.

To finish, I had a plate of halwa: the traditional tahini dessert which came with honey, pistachios, and chocolate sauce. ID chose the mixed dessert. This was a huge plate with Turkish delight, nutty baklava and kanafeh pastries, plus halwa. He somehow managed to polish off the lot, except for a piece of lemon Turkish delight I snaffled!

The service as well as the food is excellent at Elaf – we’re thinking of going there for ID’s birthday in the summer.

NOONOLOGY, BUXTON

I’ve recently been spending more time in Buxton, thanks in part to GoFish Seafood, Bar & Grill which opened last year. When we moved to the Moorlands almost twelve years ago, I used to visit the High Peak spa town fairly regularly. But not so much since. Now, after realising there’s more on offer, I’ve been sampling places new to me like Noonology. Open 8.00 am – 6.00 pm every day, the café-bar offers all day breakfasts and brunches with lots of great-sounding fresh food.

After a walk nearby, ID and I were looking for a dog-friendly place for lunch. Loving the sound of the menu, Noonology fitted the bill perfectly. I went for the Waffle Benedict with ham, poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce. ID had a bento bowl with rice, salad, slaw, avocado, and halloumi. Thoroughly enjoying what we ate, we’ll be back.

MISO: JAPANESE FOOD IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

Apparently, Miso in Stoke-on-Trent has been around for over fifteen years. But I only visited for the first time this Spring. The main reason was, unable to find a menu online and with some of its social media just referring to takeaway, I wasn’t sure what it actually did. After getting more of an idea from Google reviews I finally ate there and loved the friendly, casual upstairs restaurant with its imaginative décor.

The flavours and the presentation were great and the prices very reasonable. Being the greedy so-and-so’s we are, ID and I started by sharing three dishes. Looking incredibly appetizing, the first two came with fresh salad garnish and pickled ginger.

Takoyaki: 6 crispy balls with a soft, delicately flavoured filling that included little pieces of octopus and vegetable.
Yakitori: softly tender morsels of chicken thigh marinated and grilled on skewers.
Inari nigiri: with a sweet and savoury flavour, 3 tofu skin pockets fried and filled with rice.

For our main course, we both chose a noodle bowl.

I went for roast pork with udon noodles, he chose teriyaki chicken ramen. Both had generous portions of meat. The pork was fall-apart tender with the delicious, soft fat melting into the miso stock. ID’s chicken was beautifully cooked too. The big bowls also had beansprouts, edamame beans, sweetcorn, marinated egg, and a slice of mini fish cake.

Based on what we ate, I’d say it’s no wonder that Miso has gone from strength to strength at a time when so many venues have folded.

PUB BREAKFAST IN THE MOORLANDS

You might associate springtime pub visits with late lunches and beer out in a sunny garden. I certainly do. But what about breakfast?

I’ve been going to The Lazy Trout even before I moved to the Moorlands. Living in Leicester, I’d travel up for day trips and weekends in the superb walking country to the south-west of the Peak District and the picturesque pub was a regular stop for food and drink. I’ve eaten there countless times since, but only recently discovered they serve breakfast every day between 9.30 – 11.00 am.

So, on a bright spring morning, I headed out and was seated in the breakfast area with its views of Hen Cloud and The Roaches. I chose The Proper Job: two Dunwood Farm sausages, bacon, fried eggs, black pudding, very good homemade hash brown, plus confit tomato, thyme roasted mushroom, baked beans and toast. A smaller version was also available plus veggie breakfasts, granola, pastries etc.

TAPAS IN BUXTON

As already mentioned, I’ve recently been discovering that there are a lot more interesting eating out experiences in Buxton than I realised. Proof that I should have been paying more attention is Santiago: a Spanish tapas restaurant, bar and deli that’s been open since 2021!

On my first visit I ate a faultless but reasonably priced tapas feast that went way beyond my expectations. The menu offers a tempting mix of familiar and not-so-familiar dishes including authentic ingredients sourced from Spain.

You can read my full review of Santiago here featuring hugely enjoyable dishes like beautifully tender Iberican pork steak served with charred Padron peppers and garlic sauce, crab croquetas, creamy Galician tetilla cheese baked with tomato, honey and almonds, plus aubergines with honey and romesco sauce: a delicious combination of tastes and textures that could only be Spanish.

LUNCH WITH A VIEW

As much as I love discovering new places to eat, I do have my regular favourites too. Places that I’ve been countless times that have never disappointed. That was the case on a gloriously sunny spring day in the Staffordshire Moorlands when, after a great walk with ID and the dog, we needed somewhere for lunch. The Three Horseshoes was an obvious choice although, as it turned out, I got to see it in a new way.

I’ve most often eaten at this country inn and spa in the evening. Which is probably why I’d never been on the terrace before. It’s a huge space with attractive gardens, a children’s play area, and fantastic views. Perfect for relaxing in fine weather.

To eat, we both had what the menu modestly calls a ‘fish finger sandwich’. This turned out to be a HUGE crusty roll filled with BIG pieces of moist and crunchy battered fish, plus lettuce, and tartare sauce. On the side was a decent-sized fresh salad. I also snaffled some of ID’s side of onion rings which were also 5-star.

DINNER AT A LUXURY HOTEL

I first ate at The Plumicorn restaurant two years ago. Part of the The Tawny luxury hotel, it’s a fine dining venue but very friendly and relaxed. I loved the experience but think my most recent was even better. From our table overlooking its setting of the impressive Consall Hall Estate, ID and I enjoyed beautiful, imaginative dishes, full of exquisite flavour and detail that couldn’t be faulted.

We began with a complimentary chef’s snack of Sprinks Farm venison tartare. Not always the biggest fan of tartare, I completely loved the flavour and texture of this, and the jellied topping and crispy shell.

At the same time came complimentary and delicious bread and butter to share.

To start, we both chose the lobster. Cooked sous vide then barbecued, the lobster tail had a lovely lightly smoked flavour. The intense burnt lemon sauce at the bottom of the bowl was tempered by a light foam. I thought the sweet, spiced carrot brought a lovely crunch.

My perfect main course featured tender and full of flavour Dunwood Farm beef fillet and short rib. It was served with a rich Bordelaise sauce, chanterelle mushrooms, crispy enoki mushrooms, and an intense broccoli puree.

ID’s main course of turbot was, like mine, another faultless dish. Perfectly cooked fish and accompanying soft mousse was joined by courgette in the form of puree and a nicely charred fondant, beurre noisette sauce, and sea vegetables.

To go with our main courses, we shared a side of perfect fluffy and crispy chips. These came with a rich confit garlic mayonnaise.

My incredibly beautiful, light dessert had tender Yorkshire rhubarb, tuille, pink peppercorns, ice cream, apple, and refreshing yogurt.

ID’s incredibly detailed and, by all accounts, outstanding dessert was a chocolate delice served with at least six other elements. These included ice cream, black tahini, miso and oabika: a new one on me, but apparently that’s concentrated cocoa juice.

As you’d expect at this standard and in a luxury hotel, the meal didn’t come cheap. But it was worth every penny and a wonderful choice for a springtime treat.

BREAKFAST (& ARTS) ON THE FARM

To end these highlights, here’s another breakfast. This time it’s the café at Bolton Gate Farm in Weston Coyney which aims to source locally. I’ve been here a few times now, most often after walking the dog at Park Hall Country Park which is right next door. I had the great quality Big Breakfast (I know the egg looks a little hard, but it was actually fine).

There’s loads of choice on the menu including lunches and afternoon teas. Food is served 9.00 am – 3.00 pm (closed Mondays).

But Bolton Gate is a rather special farm as it also hosts arts events and markets including live music, outdoor theatre, and hands-on crafts. Check out what’s happening this Spring at Bolton Gate Arts.

UPCOMING FOOD & DRINK EVENTS MAY 2025

Spring is a top season for food and drink festivals and events. Here you’ll find selected events for May 2025 in and around my patch of north Staffordshire with a few nearby forays into Cheshire and Derbyshire. Details correct at time of writing but do check with venues before heading out.

Wincle Brewery Open Tap Nights: Friday 2 May (and every first Friday of the month until October) from 5pm.

Feast Stone: Friday 2 May (and every first Friday of the month until September)

Rode Hall Farmers Market Saturday 3 May (every first Sat of the month except Jan)

Tideswell Food Festival Saturday 3 May

Great British Food Festival at The Trentham Estate Saturday 3 – Monday 5 May

Caribbean Bank Holiday at Hales Hall Caravan & Camping Park. Sunday 4 May. Homecooked Caribbean food as well as live music and kids entertainment.

Leek Sunday Supplement Sunday 4 May (and every first Sunday of the month)

Tribe 44 fusion street food at Den Engel, Leek Sunday 4 May

Macclesfield Beer Festival Friday 9 – Saturday 10 May

Stone Food & Drink Festival Friday 9 – Sunday 11 May

Buxton Food & Drink Special Market Saturday 17 May (third Saturday of every month)

Lichfield Spring Food Festival Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 May

Gin & Rum Tasting Evening Friday 23 May at Weston Hall. Featuring premium spirits from Nelson’s Distillery paired with tapas-style plates.

Feast Festival, Stoke-on-Trent Friday 23 May 5.00 – 9.00 pm