The story
The Blind Bull sits in the village of Little Hucklow, in the heart of the Peak District. This Michelin Recommended gastropub occupies the site of Britain’s fifth oldest public house, a 12th-century inn that had been vacant since 2007. Owner Raab Dykstra-McCarthy spent two years carefully restoring the building, bringing it back to life as a classic country pub. “I’m trying to create a pub I’d want to go to,” he says. “Nothing over the top, just a comfortable place, passionate about food, where people can come together over an unforgettable meal.”
The Blind Bull’s modern cuisine is rooted in bold, simple cooking with the best ingredients. The kitchen, led by Richard Rogerson and Luke Hawkins, both with experience in top restaurants in the UK and France, prepares a menu that changes regularly, driven by what is locally grown and in season. This modern cuisine is served in two settings: the casual Downstairs bar and the more intimate Upstairs dining room. The pub also offers a carefully selected list of local beers and independent wines.
Sustainability is woven into the fabric of the pub. During the renovation, materials were reused and furniture upcycled. The bar and table tops are made from 300-year-old French oak wagon boards. The pub has its own fruit and vegetable garden, and aims to source 80% of its kitchen supplies within ten miles of Little Hucklow. Other initiatives include electric car charging points, a bicycle storage shed, and a commitment to reducing single-use plastic.
The Blind Bull offers six individually designed rooms and a cottage, all newly renovated. It is a welcoming place for walkers, cyclists, and anyone looking to enjoy Derbyshire’s local produce in a relaxed environment. Dogs are welcome too, with water bowls and treats available.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Dating from the 12th century and secluded even in this quiet corner of the Peaks, this classic (and beautifully restored) country pub – real ales, open fires, dogs – has a seriously ambitious kitchen. But make sure you arrive hungry in order to make the most of the ever-changing seasonal menu, which shows off the owners’ dedication to local producers. The main action is on the ground floor, where there are comfy armchairs around the hearth for drinkers and a conservatory space that puts food first. Upstairs, a handful of tables are laid out within metres of the open kitchen, which allows you to scope out the full range of food on offer. On weekday lunchtimes, the bar menu ranges from proper bar food (battered sausage with curry sauce) to more experimental light bites (seaweed-cured cod with pickled cucumber, buttermilk and caviar). Roast lamb rump, shoulder, braised carrot and Cambridge sauce was a great example of the kitchen’s ability to make even the most everyday ingredients into something memorable, but an undeniable highlight of the main courses was the many-layered flavours that were piled into wild mushroom and Hartington Bomber twin ravioli with king oyster mushroom and gremolata. Desserts are elegant takes on pub classics in very manageable portion sizes, from warm Bakewell tart to sticky toffee pudding with a superb sauce and ginger ice cream. Save for a few extra wines by the glass, the drinks options are roughly what you’d expect from a historic coaching inn in the UK’s original National Park. It’s the food that brings it bang up-to-date.
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