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The Rose and Crown is a friendly village inn with a growing reputation for its excellent gastropub food and comfortable accommodation. Situated near the picturesque, historic market town of Ashbourne on the edge of the Peak District and only six miles from Alton Towers, it is ideally located for everyone from walkers to thrill-seekers.

Chef-proprietor Danny Breen spent twelve years working in The House of Commons where he became Head Chef in the prestigious Churchill Restaurant. He and his wife Henrietta are passionate about using the best quality produce from local suppliers where possible; the menu changes frequently with a focus on freshness, flavours and seasonal fare.

His style of suisine is amply demonstrated in the dishes which might include smoked chicken salad with chorizo, mango and cherry tomatoes or smoked haddock and prawn fish cakes with tartare sauce to commence your meal, with mains of pork loin stuffed with Hartington stilton and bramley apple served with bubble and squeak and roast garlic tomato or seared sea bass fillet with braised fennel, parsley mashed potatoes and garden vegetables.

The scene is glorious; sprawling acres of greenery, a tinkling brook nearby, and an elegant ivy clad Victorian hotel are what you will find when you come across the Callow Hall at Mappleton near Ashbourne. Inside, more luxury awaits and with its ornate décor and magnificently mellowed interiors, it's the sort of place where you want to relax and enjoy the peace and beauty. The dining experience is exquisite and their restaurant comes highly recommended with 2 AA rosettes.

Renowned for their freshly prepared dishes and their home baking, curing and smoking efforts, this restaurant offers a variety of dishes where attention to detail and presence of local produce and meats is evident. Try the lobster bisque with a brochette of fresh seafood, crème fraiche and chives for starters before moving on to a more substantial roast loin and rack of lamb with an individual moussaka with rosemary and honey glaze. Desserts and cheeses at Callow Hall add the right finishing touches and a varied wine list offers something to suit every taste.

The George is an unspoilt, family-run pub in the Peak District village of Alstonefield. They have been singled out as one of the five 'Pick of the Pubs' for the whole of Staffordshire in the AA Pub Guide 2008.

Three generations of the same family have cared for the pub and made it into the lovely refuge it is today. In the bar area you will find photographs of local life, low beams and open fires. Well kept cask ales are served from a small copper topped bar. In the dining room scrubbed pine tables and an imposing early 18th century fireplace make a great setting for lunch or an evening meal.

The menu changes by the seasons and you could find dishes such as duck and ham hock terrine, seared king scallops; oven roasted fish fillet with Devon crab risotto and roast lion of venison, rösti, onion tarte tatin and parsnip mash. The lunchtime menu is simpler, offering sandwiches, pies, Welsh rarebit and daily changing specials.

Here is a real gem tucked away in darkest Derbyshire, with due deference to the good people of Ashbourne. It's very much a 'hands on' operation with the owners, Pete and Laura, involved in every aspect. Close attention is paid to detail and the results are resoundingly good. The concise menus at this 2AA Rosette restaurant are full of local, seasonal produce with most of it coming from within a 35 mile radius of Ashbourne.

One of the best ways to enjoy The Dining Room is to try the seven course tasting menu available Tuesday through Friday evenings and a sixteen course tasting menu on Saturday evenings. The selection may encompass the likes of Pete's home smoked Ross-shire salmon or the Blakenhall Farm free range chicken.

The wine list is drawn mainly from the Old World with some New World additions and half bottles as well.

Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

The small hamlet of Marston Montgomery, at the southern edge of the Peak District, is home to The Crown, a welcoming inn that was carefully refurbished but retains its original charm and character. Seven bedrooms are all individually designed and provide guests with a relaxing home from home atmosphere.

When it comes to the food, The Crown Inn has firmly established itself as a great place to dine in Derbyshire. Head Chef Richard Bloomfield and his team do not take the AA rosette lightly, and offer fresh homemade British dishes that are all created from locally sourced ingredients. An ever-changing specials board often includes a selection of fresh fish and complements the weekly changing á la carte, and table d'hote menus.

The elevated patio and garden area offer a lovely setting to enjoy long summer days and balmy evenings. You could also relax on the comfortable leather sofas of the beamed bar and enjoy The Crown's draught beers, real ale, and world wines.

Ideally located at the picturesque Izaak Walton Hotel in Dovedale, Ashbourne, The Haddon Restaurant makes the most of its scenic location and offers majestic views over the surrounding countryside.

Creatively interpreted traditional dishes make the two AA Rosette restaurant a lovely place for an enjoyable meal. Expect to find starters of ham hock terrine with peach chutney and toasted walnut bread, and a chilled tomato and fennel consommé with summer vegetables and crayfish tails. Mains embrace a hearty fillet of Derbyshire beef with oxtail hash, pickled beetroot, and a tomato and balsamic sauce, and braised halibut with crushed potatoes, spinach leaves, girolles, and truffle foam.

All their desserts are homemade, and the iced apple and champagne parfait with sultana puree and polenta tuille could provide the perfect end. An excellent selection of fine wines from respected vineyards enhances the meal.