Hi
I am spending a few nights in the Peak District at the end of this month,staying just outside Buxton. I normally rely heavily on my Fodors food guide but it has next to nothing recommended for this area. Any suggestions please for restaurants or pubs serving good food - we will travel a reasonable distance from Buxton for a good meal! Can be Italian, French, Thai, absolutely anything as long as it's good.
Many thanks.

The reason there is nothingin the Fodors guide is because there are no towns (other than Buxton) and few villages of any size. You will pretty much have to rely on locals to tell you where the best pubs or restaurants are. The times I have been in the Peak dist I've just eaten in village pubs so can't help you much if you want special cuisine . . . .

In Buxton the restaurant at the Palace Hotel has an old fashioned charm, with quite classic cuisine in comfortable surroundings. However, do not expect top notch food and slick service - rarely found outside of the capitals in the UK!

There are a couple of very good restaurants not far from Buxton. Riverside House at Ashford-in-the-Water, just off A6 before you get to Bakewell, is a fine country house hotel with a celebrated chef, John Whelan. Not cheap (around £50+ per head for dinner). They also offer cheaper brasserie menu. Have received warm reviews. www.riversidehousehotel.co.uk
In Buxton itself there's Columbine, in a conerved Georgian house at 7 Hall Bank, tel 01298 78752. Run by a charming couple, Steve and Kim McNally, they use fresh local ingredients. Main course around £12. There's a review at http://www.buxtononline.net/columbine/

We just spent the last weekend in the Peak District. We ate at a very good Italian resturant in Buxton. It is called Firenez (I may have mispelled it). The resturant is located in the upper Buxton shopping area.

In the little village of Beeley, the Devonshire Arms. A very old pub, food was quite good. Not the latest fine cooking, but fresh ingredients, prepared well. Also the Cafe at Chatsworth does excellent lunches.

David