Sunday Lunch At The Restaurant At The Renishaw
Published On Wednesday 2 Jul 2025 by Sticky Beak
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It was another Sunday (where are the weeks going this year?!), which meant a jaunt out with Mummy Bird for a roast dinner. The Man had done some scouting around and consulted our list of places that we want to visit, settling on The Restaurant at The Renishaw (TRATR). So, off we set, and soon enough we were pulling up in the quirky car park; I say quirky as it’s a semi-circular (ish) shape, and has a ramp up to the restaurant’s entrance.
We got a nice warm greeting and were taken over to our table, then our server gave us the drinks list and the food menu. I ordered a glass of Shiraz (£6.70), Mummy had Pinot Grigio (£6.20) and His Nibs fancied a pint of Buxton Brewery’s Cavern lager (£5). As well as traditional roasts, the regular menu is available on Sunday, so Mummy ordered the slow-braised Beef Stew with Yorkshire Pud, Creamy Mash and Seasonal Vegetables (£16.50).
Other classic dishes included beer-battered Cod and Chips, and Cheese and Bacon Burger with all the trimmings. The Man and I both had roasts: I had the trio of meats (£17.50), and you might have guessed that guts-almighty went in hard with all 4 meats (£18.50). At TRATR all the roast dinners come with Garlic and Rosemary Roasties, Yorkie Pud, Creamy Mash, Cauliflower Cheese, Honey-roast Parsnip, and Seasonal Veggies. Everything that comes out of Head Chef Simmone’s kitchen is cooked fresh-to-order, so we were hoping for some seriously tasty grub.
The venue itself is a proper traditional sort, offering [15 rooms] accommodation as well as dining and rooms for parties and functions. I loved the fabulously polished wood floor, laid in a classic herringbone pattern, and His Nibs (having been brought up in pubs) was appreciating the large, carved wooden bar. Ceiling beams and red brickwork were in abundance, lending a cosy vibe to the restaurant – which is child-friendly, by the way. The sturdy, solid wood tables were paired with high-back chairs in a deep red colour; these were seriously comfy chairs, so much so that Mummy said she could sit in one all day. I could’ve stayed here too, but for a different reason; my seat was facing the kitchen, and this is on a lower level, so all I kept seeing were heads bobbing up and down. Free entertainment at its finest – you know I love a spot of people-watching.
Anyhow, having taken in my surroundings, my tummy decided to announce the fact that it was hungry; loudly! Thankfully, we weren’t waiting overly long and, oh, did the food look delicious. The Beef Stew that Mummy Bird had plumped for looked like it could feed an entire army; both the stew and Mash were generous portions. With a quiet determination, Mummy began to dig in as His Nibs and I had our roasts placed in front of us. The cubes of Beef were ridiculously tender, and melted instantly in the mouth, releasing their beautifully rich, deep flavour. Just as marvellous, was the thick, herb-zhuzhed gravy that swathed the beef; this was absolutely delightful, y’know, the type that you just dunk a slice of bread in and eat it like that?
Any self-respecting stew needs some fab spuds as its companion, and the mash here was flipping ace; creamy, smooth-as-you-like, plentiful and perfectly seasoned, this had Mummy Bird crooning happily. The seasonal veggies were cooked spot-on, too, and had a nice hint of bite to them; flavour-wise they delivered as well, bursting with bright flavours. Chef Simmone had kindly cut the Yorkshire Pudding for Mummy into quarters, and popped it into a separate little bowl; when you struggle with dexterity, little things like this make such a difference – thank you.
I had chosen to have Beef, Gammon and Lamb as my trio of meats (the fourth one was Pork), and each one was beautifully moist and soft in my mouth. His Nibs had the Pork on his plate, so I nabbed a bit to try; now, Pork can be a bit dry sometimes, but not here: it was like its cousins and nicely juicy. In a separate bowl was the veggies: Red Cabbage, Green Beans, Mange Tout, Carrots, and Broccoli had all been cooked nicely; they weren’t spiced or herbed, but very tasty in their own rights.
There’s no delicate way to put this, so I’ll just blunder right in, like I do; the Cauliflower Cheese looked a state. If a veg went through the proverbial hedge back’ards, this is what it would look like! The small Cauli florets and pale sauce had spread out on my plate (which set my teeth on-edge to start with), blending with some of the gravy. Tasty though it was, it just needed popping into a bowl of its own. Right, rant over. The Yorkshire Pudding was a total treasure though and had that irresistible, rich batter taste to it; the sides were crisp and golden and the bottom was softer, but not soggy.
Given that we were enjoying the home-cooked food so far, we all decided to go all-in and have pudding. All the options are £6.50, and I ordered White Chocolate, Coconut and Raspberry Tart (with pouring cream), His Maj had Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ice Cream, and Mummy Bird fancied the Triple Choc Brownie with Ice Cream.
As with the mains, the desserts were all a jolly good size, and we wasted no time in showing them some love! Taste-wise, all of them were superb, and nicely moist. My tart was a bit drier than the other two, but Coconut can do that to a dessert; nothing that a swift injection of pouring cream couldn’t remedy. There was a great wallop of Toffee richness to the sticky sponge pudding, and it married seamlessly with the creamy Vanilla Ice Cream. Mummy was also enamoured with the gooey middle of her Brownie, and its intensely indulgent cocoa note.
Throughout our time at TRATR, the serving team had taken marvellous care of us; check backs were done, sauces offered, drinks kept an eye on and, of course, that extra bit of attention with cutting up the Yorkie. Tables were cleared away promptly and with a smile, and the restaurant was kept really clean and tidy. Hot Wings awarded to this nifty Renishaw venue!
To book a table call 01246 430990. The website, www.therestaurantattherenishaw.co.uk has details of promotions etc. if you click on the ‘weekly offers’ button. TRATR is closed Monday and Tuesday, opens Weds-Fri 5-9pm, Saturday 3pm-9pm, and Sunday Noon-5pm.
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