Stones Restaurant Matlock

This was a recommendation from a friend and it was worth the hour and a half drive! The story I was told was that the chef was a Michelin star chef working in London, who was sick of the rat race and relocated to Matlock in Derbyshire. My partner and I opted for the 7 course taster menu and what a sensation that was. EVERY dish was an explosion in the mouth of complimentary flavours and textures. With the appetisers, the sour dough bread and the mous bouches , it turned out to be almost 10 courses. Just look at the photos! Unbelievable! The location is beautiful too. The outside terrace overlooks the river and the sounds of the water creates at truly romantic setting. The staff were excellent too and I’m surprised that Stones doesn’t already have a Michelin star! Out of this world and I would recommend everyone that likes food to try it! @ £80 per person, it is an absolute bargain. For food like this you would pay double that in London!

+6

Was in the area for a long weekend away and booked Stones to celebrate my partners birthday. What a great choice. Food was fantastic and reasonably priced for the quality. The service was great and the location was lovely too. Would highly recommend if you’re visiting the area.

+5

We had the January vegetarian tasting menu, and it will go down as one of our favourite restaurant experiences ever. The portions are generous and the food is fantastic. Particular highlights were the beetroot and smoked mash, the pithivier and any of the celeriac dishes. It’s a cosy, relaxed environment and we found the service to be attentive without being overbearing or stuffy. The prices are very reasonable for this quality, and we’re already looking to book a return visit. A must try if you’re in the area.

Stones is the perfect spot for a nice meal, whether it be for a special occasion or a date night. The food is always perfectly cooked and involves different flavours or presentations making it a special meal. The staff are friendly and the service is quick. The restaurant is always clean and tidy, and beautifully decorated. Stones offer vouchers for their three course meal offers which are a great gift for Christmas or birthdays.

+2

A great evening for my husband and I. Amazing attention to detail with regards the food and wine. We experienced the full tasting menu and accompanying wine flight. Wondering if a sommelier would heighten the experience, along with a fuller description of the food served. Thank you for a truly lovely time.

If you're looking for somewhere to have a wonderful eating experience - you've found it! You'll struggle to beat the excellent food at Stones Restaurant anywhere near here. We had the remarkable 5 course tasting menu today which, we all agreed, was as good as it gets. In addition there were really tasty amuse-bouche before the meal and in between some courses, and the whole meal was finished off with homemade chocolates. The staff were really pleasant, the decor was really pleasant, and the seating was comfortable. Each course was a masterpiece of taste and texture. Each course wasn't huge, but the meal as a whole was perfectly balanced and left everyone completely satisfied. On top of that it was superb value for money. In addition, in the warmer months, there is attractive outside seating with lovely views. A little gem - just sorry it isn't nearer to where we live, as it would be on the calendar regularly if it was.

+6

From the start we were warmly welcomed and the serving team were the most attentive I have ever known in a restaurant. Nothing was too much trouble.We can't believe it hasn't got a Michelin star - this was better than 2 of the 10 Michelin star restaurants we have been to. I think they like to cater for the locals and why not keep it a wonderful secret. By the way the Sea Bass was the best I have ever eaten - perfect!! Thank you Stones for a memorable evening 🙏.

Such a fantastic find, food and service were excellent. The wine pairing with the meal was well explained throughout and nothing was too much trouble for the waitress. Would definitely visit again and exceptional value for money.

+6

We had booked a table for lunch for a group of 6. Parking problems made us a bit late but we were welcomed warmly. We much enjoyed the 3-course lunch (with surprises added). My own meal was superb and good value. Only the peach could have been tastier and softer but everything with it was delicious.

Lovely! Went for our annual Birthday taster menu and it was great as always. Got to try a few things we'd never had before. A few items were quite salty which was such a shame but the puddings as always were th best part!

+6

Visitied on a Friday lunch, amazing food and fantastic service. Wonderful location down some quite steep steps but overlooking the terrace on the river which I bet is lovely in the summer. Only about 8 tables so they really look after you. Didn't feel rushed, nice and relaxed. £120 for two people, including 3 good sized courses, bottle of wine and port - excellent value for what is actually quite fancy food! Have booked again for the tasting menu, the three month wait for a Saturday evening booking shows how good this place is!

+3

High end plates of incredibly tasty classic Euro-British dishes. Would highly recommend the tasting menu with flight of wine as each dish curated to complement the flavours. Or go a la carte, but skip dessert and go straight to coffee with homemade sweets on the side! Highly recommend Stones for any remotely ‘special occasion’

What a fantastic dining experience. We went for the 8 course tasting menu with wine pairing. We thought it was excellent value at £75pp & £45 for the wine. It had a different wine for all 8 courses. A nice touch was a menu for the complementary canapés. The stand out dishes for me was the halloumi canapé and salmon tartar 😍. Hubby’s star dishes were the ham hock terrine & strawberry parfait. He also loved both canapé’s & homemade sourdough and butters. Waiting staff were great, loved it & will be back!

+6

Just been for a meal with the family, absolutely gorgeous food - everything from canapes to dessert - fantastic. Nice staff, nice wine too : ) Edit Just went again last night for an anniversary meal and it was fantastic. Great food, great service Pics added, I can recommend the lamb rump and the chicken breastbone main and the cheeseboard was lovely too Highly recommended

+1

We tried to get a table for the weekend of the Queen’s Jubilee but it was fully booked so settled on a Wednesday. Absolutely nothing to fault. Amazing menu and great value for what we ate, everything was so delicious. Service was impeccable and we had a table with an outside view so it was lovely to have some early summer evening vibes.

+6

By far the best dining experience we have had! The restaurant has incredible views of the river and the attention to detail within the restaurant was beautiful. It was lovely having fresh flowers and a small number of tables - very personal. The service was exceptional and it was a pleasure having such attentive, friendly and professional waitresses. Now on to the food.. WOW! We decided to go for the 8 course tasting menu and it exceeded our expectations. Whilst we were waiting, we received complimentary cánapes, amuse bouche and breads with a selection of flavoured butters which was a lovely surprise. The tasting menu was unbelievable and was beautifully presented! There was amazing flavour combinations and everything complimented each other - simply amazing! The tasting menu consisted of: • Crispy Dauphinoise Potato - aged parmesan, bread sauce, saffron aioli, fermented hispi cabbage • Pan-seared Scallops - black garlic, heritage carrot, carrot broth, coriander, squid ink quaver • Seaweed Cured Salmon - soy, rice wine, iced quince, whipped buttermilk, calamansi, keta • Slow-cooked Collar of Pork - crispy ham hock, potato velouté, smoked eel, lovage, onion • Roast Loin of Venison - kale, preserved lemon and date, sweet potato, beetroot, hazelnut, maple glazed parsnip • Beauvale Blue Cheese - lemon thyme loaf, apricot jam • Frangelico Choc Ice - salted caramel, hazelnut • Malted Chocolate Brownie - white chocolate aero, beetroot sherbet, malt feuilletine We cannot wait to visit again and thoroughly enjoyed our evening! Thank you 😊

+6

Tasting Menu Stones Matlock One of our favourite restaurants Dining at this quintessential place is very special and in a beautiful location. This is one of our favourite restaurants that we have visited numerous times. The food they serve is always excellent. We chose their Autumn 8 course tasting menu which at £62.50 is amazing value. You also get Snacks, Amuse Bouche & Bread with flavoured butter. (Some restaurants count these as part of the tasting menu) You don't have to have the tasting menu. They offer a choice of - Two Courses £39.50 Three Courses £47.50 Served at Lunch & Dinner Staff are very friendly and helpful. Service was brisk,efficient and professional. If you've never had a tasting menu before, this is a must try at a very realistic price.

+6

I went to this restaurant with high expectations and it certainly delivered. We opted for the lunch spring 5 course menu and it was amazing. They do serve you small portions of snacks before the course actually starts. My favourite one out of all the dishes was the asparagus soup with mint oil. It had the perfect balance. The desert at the end was heavenlyyyy. Even though the prices are a bit on the high end I would definitely recommend you to go there. The staff were so polite, they explained each and every dish to us before serving.

I really nice place to go. The service is perfect. The setting is great and everything looks amazing. Were both veggie so we ordered the 2 starters and the 2 mains that were veggies and shared our meals. We were a little disappointed, as we were expecting so much. We did mention this on the evening and it was met with very polite feedback. But everyones tastes are different. A great place to come once in a while for a really special treat.

We had the tasting menu. Thoroughly enjoyed by all. Staff very attentive. Wonderful place for a special meal

Good grief. Eight courses is a lot, even on a tasting menu. But they were all so delicious I couldn't refuse anything. (The duck was the best, not pictured here because we couldn't wait!) Beautiful food in lovely combinations, plus a very kind final touch for the birthday in our party.

Best food I have ever had. Amazing service too, beautiful restaurant.

We live locally, but this was our 1st visit. We were not disappointed. Great atmosphere, fabulous food, and attentive service! It was an extremely cold evening but popped outside to have a nosey at the alfresco dining area... as per photos. We will be returning.

We had the tasting menu and the food and accompanying wines were fantastic. Not cheap but good value compared to others we have tried on the past. Accompanied by great service and lovely cocktails by the river to start.

Would definitely recommend dining at Stones, the experience, food and staff couldn’t have been better. Undoubtedly the main course I’ve had especially in comparison to more expensive restaurants I’ve visited

Superb food, fantastic service and great atmosphere! This was our first visit, we will definitely be back 🫶🏻

We had an anniversary dinner here and the experience was great. Food and staff were also great. I highly recommend this place.

Food is amazing and service is next to none, one of my favourites and will be coming back. A two course lunch will set you back £22pp. A nice walk along the antique shops after topped off our day

Incredible food, never been to a restaurant that provides such amazing looking and stunning tasting meals. Most outstanding night in years.

Staff were great, service brilliant. And then the most important thing.....food? We had the winter tasting menu and it was amazing. Not one weak course, they even made me love poached Salmon, which I'm not a fan of! I've eaten at restaurants that have been awarded Michelin stars and you know what, the food at Stones is up there. Would I eat there again? Yes, when can I book!

Once again very good (5⭐), came here for 3 course lunch, but hey it isn't really 3 courses as you get canapés and amuse bouche, the nice Scottish lady once again looked after us👏🏻, looking forward to return again in the not too distant future.

Lovely evening with good service and really great food and wine. We went for the fabulous food and wine taster menu.

Had the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Everything was fantastic, the staff were quietly efficient, can't fault it. Definitely be back even though it's an hour's drive.

Great quality cuisine in an intimate setting. Not suitable for vegetarians though, all starters and mains (in the 3 course menu) were meat or fish!

Excellent service and food. The staff were attentive and food delicious.

Amazing food , fine dining , easy to find , glass of champagne was really lovely and despite being offered wine list before seeing the food choice , staff were helpful and attentive . Delectable canapés were served with drinks which were so flavoursome and then the amuse bouchée was a riot of flavour( see photos for what they were ) - we ate al la crate and the crab tarte and venison tartare were spot on . Mains of lamb ( medium and so tender) and broccoli textures followed and were also high quality . Dessert was sublime - choux pastry with peanut butter ice cream and carrot cake kind of deconstructed was followed by Egyptian mint tea and beautiful petit fours - we were suitably stuffed and our waitress suggested we could take them home of this was the case ! For the food we ate , texture , quality , presentation this was fantastic and reasonably priced . My only gripe would be the music did not fit with the experience of the food - playlist did not fit the ambiance.

+6

Went late May 2024. Had the most wonderful experience with the canopes they brought in between each meal and all the food was delicious. Only thing that could have made this a 5 star review is the staff’s customer friendliness.

Great value on Stones' tasting menu. We try and visit each season as the menu changes. It's always booked up close to the times so book early!

My 4th visit here and I was a little disappointed. The canapés and amuse bouche were a little bit tasteless. The main course was very very salty. I ordered the hake because the last time I came I had lamb and couldn’t cut through the tough sinews (even with the serrated knife supplied). The hake was cooked well but everything else around it was just so so salty. I had panna cotta for desert which was cooked to perfection, creamy, smooth and with a slight wobble. It was drowned out by a very tart tasting kind of blackcurrant jam, very overpowering. There were piped dots of a kind of cream and then pistachios over the top. It was all too much and spoiled the beauty of the panna cotta. I am an enthusiastic cook at home and the taste of the food when I’m dining out matters. The service I couldn’t fault and the place was spotless with a classy feel to it. The food for me though is the most important thing of all and it’s this that let the place down.

We visited the restaurant for a birthday celebration and decided to try the tasting menu. We drove nearly two hours to get there. Overall, the food was acceptable, but at this price, expectations are naturally higher. Unfortunately, the service was quite disappointing, and the overall experience didn’t feel worth the cost. When we made the reservation, we specifically mentioned that it was for a birthday celebration. However, even until we received the bill, we noticed that every other table celebrating a birthday received a surprise plate — except us. I truly hope this wasn’t a form of discrimination, but it certainly left that impression, which is very disappointing after traveling such a long way to dine there. ⸻ 🍽️ Tasting Menu Review 1) Leek & Potato Soup 👎 The soup was not served hot — not even warm. The flavor was fine, but the texture wasn’t creamy enough. 2) Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder 👎 The flavor was pleasant, but the texture was rough and not as tender as expected. It lacked the softness you would normally expect from slow-cooked meat. 3) Seared Scallops 👍 Perfectly cooked with excellent timing. The scallops were tender, and the pumpkin purée paired beautifully with them. 4) Breast of Gressingham Duck 👍 Cooked to a perfect texture, and the purée complemented the duck very well. A nicely balanced dish. 5) Coffee Crèmeux 😐 Nothing particularly special — it felt rather ordinary as a dessert to end the meal.

+1