The Lion

The drinks and all three courses were excellent, and the steak I ordered was cooked just right. I went for an evening meal with family and was really impressed by the quality, value and service. Outstanding!

Good old-world pub feel, and lunch was good. The seafood pie was excellent. My Chicken Kiev was tasty, but it was more like a crumbed deep-fried chicken breast, with no butter in the middle. The Dolphanwise potato tasted good too, though the portion was only about half a cupcake. Expensive for what we got.

We were staying at Ashlea Pools / Craven Arms, just a couple of miles away, and it was a gorgeous day to sit by the river. There was a good range of drinks, including nice ciders. They had lots of gins that seemed to be local, though we didn't try those. The staff were friendly and there was plenty of parking. Lunch service stops at 2:30.

The long wait for food and service was disappointing, and the roast beef was mediocre. The shin beef cottage pie had no taste and was poorly served. With superb local butchers and fresh veg right on the doorstep, they should make better use of them. I've loved this pub since I was a child, and it's back to being a real beauty. I'm writing this after last Sunday's disappointing lunch so the manager and owner pull their socks up.