Very nice meal very friendly atmosphere in beautiful surroundings.
Ben D
Lovely country
Darren
Lovely establishment in the beautiful village of Alstonefield within the Peak District. The building itself is one of charm and delightful quirkiness offering a true sense of history. A dog friendly bar area and restaurant are separated by an entrance hallway and tastefully decorated to suit. Low ceilings bring out the sense of stepping back in time and being part of the history whilst enjoying modern day culinary comforts. Genuine gem of the Peak District and well worth a visit!
Charlie Mcilroy
The George has reopened as a pub. Any reviews prior to this are not valid as it is now a pub under new management.See attached photo for opening times.Nick the landlord opened the doors on the 23 February. By 18:00 it was packed.Just drinks at present but hopefully pub grub sometime soon. Everyone is so happy this much loved pub is once again a proper public house.
RuthAnn76
We visited The George while staying at a B&B in the village and had a wonderful evening with friends. The food was perfect. We were so disappointed when we returned and found the pub closed. What a terrible loss to the village and all concerned. We really hope someone will be able to bring the George back to life soon and so sorry it had to close. Thanks for the wonderful memories we had there.
George Rodger-Brown
We put a £100 deposit down for a dinner reservation as we were due to stay in a nearby cottage on airbnb. We were very excited as this would be a brilliant experience for us. Unfortunately my partner became ill and had to have a possible tumour removed. We explained on email if we could rebook (this was weeks in advance notice) which was fine and we did, as it explains on the website it’s non refundable and can rebook. Unfortunately my partner became hospitalised from Covid weeks before the second booking. We explained what has happened to our Airbnb who was a lovely host who told us we can rebook at any time. We emailed The George who said we have to re-book within the month. This was obviously unrealistic as my partner was seriously ill for months after being hospitalised, with many trips back to the hospital and now suffering severe long covid. Us being 27 years of age this was not something we expected to happen to our health. We thought as the pandemic happened they would at least understand how covid can change lives. We are coming back to the village for our holiday as the host on Airbnb was very understanding and actually wanted to give us extra comfort for when we are there after everything that has happened. I’m just shocked and appalled we have paid £100 deposit and cannot re-book. We were very happy to come and spend even more money as we would be there on a longer stay. £100 is a lot of money to us especially during this time, this was a treat to us. Very upset with how this has turned out and wasn’t expecting this from a very popular well known restaurant.
HarryA956
It's disheartening to hear about the closure of The George. For years, it was a regular dining spot for us when we traveled from Uttoxeter. Unfortunately, the strain on profit margins became increasingly noticeable over time. This financial pressure led to a decline in the quality of the dining experience, eventually deterring us from continuing our visits. The chef and the team undoubtedly possessed talent, yet the lacking welcoming atmosphere and an open culture for feedback seemed to hinder the George's success. Despite some positive reviews, I can't help but wonder if our collective honesty about the underwhelming aspects, such as the lackluster tasting menu, could have instigated positive changes before many of us ceased our visits. Moreover, the decision to restrict locals from dropping in for a drink proved to be a misstep, alienating a significant portion of the community. I sincerely hope that a new owner or manager recognizes this as an opportunity waiting to be seized. With the right approach and improvements, there's potential for this establishment to thrive once again. Staffordshire deserves a culinary gem with innovative menus and refined culinary techniques – a place that could truly attract and retain support from locals and travelers alike
Jonathan Bennett
Oh I wish we'd found the award winning george sooner , Michelin guide recommended, 3 rosette awarded we went on the current licencees 2nd to last night and it was a fantastic night .Situated in the middle of nowhere in alstonefield the 400 year old george is truly stunning , wooden beams , flooring , huge brick walls , candles chunky wooden tables its like stepping back in time .We went for the 9 course taster menu and it didn't disapoint it was fantastic, all ingredients sourced within 15 miles of the george , the maitake , cracklebean yoke and celeriac was to die for.I wish them all the best in there next venture in Greece its bound to be so successful
ReeceTravel13
I have eaten at the George a few years back and had a great meal that stuck in my mind as a place to revisit. On recommendations from work colleagues and having previously had a great meal, I rebooked on the last Saturday available before closing. I was excited to get a slot and had high hopes for the meal that I was looking forward to for a number of weeks. We selected the 4 course set menu lunch as we didn’t want anything too heavy but enough to go away feeling satisfied. The first course was bread with spring onion butter and broth. We sat with our bread for around 5 minutes waiting for the broth to arrive but unfortunately it did not. As we were hungry, we ate the bread which was lovely accompanied with the spring onion butter expecting the broth to follow. As our plates were cleared I asked where the broth was. The owner replied that he had given us the wrong menus but there was no broth available. Which of these was the truth I don’t know. In a Michelin restaurant you would not expect to be missing an item on a set menu, it’s frankly appalling. Especially as people I know who had been before had recommended the broth, so it is something I was looking forward to. We continued with the meal which I would class as a 3 course set menu with a side of bread. Everything else was very tasty and I have no complaints. We finished the meal expecting to receive a discount for the missing item off the set menu that was not replaced with an alternative. Unfortunately no discount was applied but we were hit with a service charge of £20. This is not something I agree with in the UK, we are not in America where staff do not receive a statutory minimum wage. I would happily have left a tip but a service charge is extremely cheeky. Wish the guys at the George all the best in the future but I expected a bit of integrity and to be told up front if we were receiving a part menu. Off the back of this if the George were to stay open I would not have returned.
Wander738209
What a disaster ! I booked through the website as recommended from the answer phone message, It was Sunday morning and booked the 2.45pm slot for 6 persons all travelling approx 1 hour. The website says they will confirm the booking, i rang approx 20 times from 10.30am until 1.00pm to try and get a confirmation, I thought the reason for not ringing me back must be they only open at 12.30, the last time I rang I left a message asking for someone to ring me back. I eventually received a call at 1.37pm we had already set off, on listening to the message we were told they were fully booked ! Questions, Why was there various slots to book on the website? Why tell me to book a week in advance on the answer phone message when you can book on the day, why tell me we have availability the following Sunday, Why let people book early time slots and not answer the phone or let people know if successful or not. We have visited on numerous occasions before and receive loads of marketing emails enticing us back but today was extremely annoying We were left with nowhere to go and elderly people thinking we were going out for lunch
If it wasn't for the very rude member of staff I wouldn't even be writing this, however, I don't take kindly to sarcasm as a response to my remark about the very limited 3 course meal costing £45 per head. And it turns out I wasn't the only one with this opinion as the couple behind us also expressed the same views. The village itself is beautiful but I would avoid The George if you don't like poor customer service skills.We decided to go to The Old Dog in Thorpe instead which has a much more warmer, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, with a much more varied choice on food and fairly priced.
dylan80
I so wanted to love this place. I drove for an hour to get here. I hoped the slick marketing would reflect the reality. I even broke my "always check the reviews before you go" rule. But alas it was not meant to be me and The George 4ever. The place was very cold and the empty dining room had a bit of pre funeral feel so it wasn't a great start. We were left for 15 mins to read the menu. I was told "not today" when I enquired about non alcoholic drinks - maybe they had had a run on them the previous day ? , but as the sweet but slightly disinterested young women that served us didn't seem have any further suggestions I stuck with the water. Sunday lunch was served , 3 courses. Starters were pleasant enough. The main had all the required elements , the beef was quite tasty but the knife provided had little in the way of cutting ability. The cauliflower cheese was excellent as was the carrot. The plate was cold and and the food wasn't really hot enough . No further drinks were suggested so we choose a pudding - Apple and Blackberry crumble. I did ask about what it entailed but as there was some uncertainty about it - I didn't press the point. If the serving staff aren't sure then that's the chefs issue , and not their fault. What was delivered was a teaspoon of cold compote , a granola biscuit , quite hard , and a very large scoop of sweet ice cream. Not crumble really then and not quite what I had in mind on a cold October lunchtime. Further investigations revealed it was probably part of the tasting menu - it had the size and "fun" factor. Nevermind , a coffee warmed me up slightly. It was all a bit gloomy and nobody seemed to be eating and enjoying the experience with any gusto. We paid our 12% service charge and if I had been feeling it a bit more I might have mentioned the concerns but to be honest , from the noises/music coming from the kitchen it all sounded very jolly in there but this didn't seem to spill over into the restaurant so I felt a bit left out. I probably won't come back. The food produced is very insta - worthy but not quite there in real life. I see that the owner runs a small sideline in slightly sarcastic defensive responses to bad reviews and its great that he's so passionate about defending his business but if it were me , I would be a bit concerned about the numbers - the terrible , poor and average reviews are really quite high , especially if you compare these numbers against the establishments that they guest chef with. Maybe some of the points these reviews make are relevant and shouldn't be dismissed . I think if someone takes the time to leave a review maybe they just don't want the confrontation and are disappointed with the experience. But I guess sometimes the proof really is in the pudding...........
Will
I visited The George for their tasting menu in 2021, and since they seem to have done more collaborations and one off evenings, which I can’t wait to attend again! A bit of a trek from Sheffield but worth it for sure. Wonderful food and excellent value for what you get. Definitely a premium dining experience without the premium price tag. Can’t wait to go back again.
Zara Egan
I came here with my non foodie husband and he was blown away by it. I was worried he wouldn't enjoy it as it was a set menu but I needn't have been. The flavours in everything set the taste buds tingling and our only regret was not going for the 9 course tasting menu. Who knew cabbage could be so moreish?! Excellent service too and great value too.
johT9039SY
What a fabulous place….very warm welcome , staff all friendly but the food was incredible. We have eaten all over the uk and abroad and this was a real stand out meal…fabulous. Can highly recommend.
Very nice meal very friendly atmosphere in beautiful surroundings.
Lovely country
Lovely establishment in the beautiful village of Alstonefield within the Peak District. The building itself is one of charm and delightful quirkiness offering a true sense of history. A dog friendly bar area and restaurant are separated by an entrance hallway and tastefully decorated to suit. Low ceilings bring out the sense of stepping back in time and being part of the history whilst enjoying modern day culinary comforts. Genuine gem of the Peak District and well worth a visit!
The George has reopened as a pub. Any reviews prior to this are not valid as it is now a pub under new management.See attached photo for opening times.Nick the landlord opened the doors on the 23 February. By 18:00 it was packed.Just drinks at present but hopefully pub grub sometime soon. Everyone is so happy this much loved pub is once again a proper public house.
We visited The George while staying at a B&B in the village and had a wonderful evening with friends. The food was perfect. We were so disappointed when we returned and found the pub closed. What a terrible loss to the village and all concerned. We really hope someone will be able to bring the George back to life soon and so sorry it had to close. Thanks for the wonderful memories we had there.
We put a £100 deposit down for a dinner reservation as we were due to stay in a nearby cottage on airbnb. We were very excited as this would be a brilliant experience for us. Unfortunately my partner became ill and had to have a possible tumour removed. We explained on email if we could rebook (this was weeks in advance notice) which was fine and we did, as it explains on the website it’s non refundable and can rebook. Unfortunately my partner became hospitalised from Covid weeks before the second booking. We explained what has happened to our Airbnb who was a lovely host who told us we can rebook at any time. We emailed The George who said we have to re-book within the month. This was obviously unrealistic as my partner was seriously ill for months after being hospitalised, with many trips back to the hospital and now suffering severe long covid. Us being 27 years of age this was not something we expected to happen to our health. We thought as the pandemic happened they would at least understand how covid can change lives. We are coming back to the village for our holiday as the host on Airbnb was very understanding and actually wanted to give us extra comfort for when we are there after everything that has happened. I’m just shocked and appalled we have paid £100 deposit and cannot re-book. We were very happy to come and spend even more money as we would be there on a longer stay. £100 is a lot of money to us especially during this time, this was a treat to us. Very upset with how this has turned out and wasn’t expecting this from a very popular well known restaurant.
It's disheartening to hear about the closure of The George. For years, it was a regular dining spot for us when we traveled from Uttoxeter. Unfortunately, the strain on profit margins became increasingly noticeable over time. This financial pressure led to a decline in the quality of the dining experience, eventually deterring us from continuing our visits. The chef and the team undoubtedly possessed talent, yet the lacking welcoming atmosphere and an open culture for feedback seemed to hinder the George's success. Despite some positive reviews, I can't help but wonder if our collective honesty about the underwhelming aspects, such as the lackluster tasting menu, could have instigated positive changes before many of us ceased our visits. Moreover, the decision to restrict locals from dropping in for a drink proved to be a misstep, alienating a significant portion of the community. I sincerely hope that a new owner or manager recognizes this as an opportunity waiting to be seized. With the right approach and improvements, there's potential for this establishment to thrive once again. Staffordshire deserves a culinary gem with innovative menus and refined culinary techniques – a place that could truly attract and retain support from locals and travelers alike
Oh I wish we'd found the award winning george sooner , Michelin guide recommended, 3 rosette awarded we went on the current licencees 2nd to last night and it was a fantastic night .Situated in the middle of nowhere in alstonefield the 400 year old george is truly stunning , wooden beams , flooring , huge brick walls , candles chunky wooden tables its like stepping back in time .We went for the 9 course taster menu and it didn't disapoint it was fantastic, all ingredients sourced within 15 miles of the george , the maitake , cracklebean yoke and celeriac was to die for.I wish them all the best in there next venture in Greece its bound to be so successful
I have eaten at the George a few years back and had a great meal that stuck in my mind as a place to revisit. On recommendations from work colleagues and having previously had a great meal, I rebooked on the last Saturday available before closing. I was excited to get a slot and had high hopes for the meal that I was looking forward to for a number of weeks. We selected the 4 course set menu lunch as we didn’t want anything too heavy but enough to go away feeling satisfied. The first course was bread with spring onion butter and broth. We sat with our bread for around 5 minutes waiting for the broth to arrive but unfortunately it did not. As we were hungry, we ate the bread which was lovely accompanied with the spring onion butter expecting the broth to follow. As our plates were cleared I asked where the broth was. The owner replied that he had given us the wrong menus but there was no broth available. Which of these was the truth I don’t know. In a Michelin restaurant you would not expect to be missing an item on a set menu, it’s frankly appalling. Especially as people I know who had been before had recommended the broth, so it is something I was looking forward to. We continued with the meal which I would class as a 3 course set menu with a side of bread. Everything else was very tasty and I have no complaints. We finished the meal expecting to receive a discount for the missing item off the set menu that was not replaced with an alternative. Unfortunately no discount was applied but we were hit with a service charge of £20. This is not something I agree with in the UK, we are not in America where staff do not receive a statutory minimum wage. I would happily have left a tip but a service charge is extremely cheeky. Wish the guys at the George all the best in the future but I expected a bit of integrity and to be told up front if we were receiving a part menu. Off the back of this if the George were to stay open I would not have returned.
What a disaster ! I booked through the website as recommended from the answer phone message, It was Sunday morning and booked the 2.45pm slot for 6 persons all travelling approx 1 hour. The website says they will confirm the booking, i rang approx 20 times from 10.30am until 1.00pm to try and get a confirmation, I thought the reason for not ringing me back must be they only open at 12.30, the last time I rang I left a message asking for someone to ring me back. I eventually received a call at 1.37pm we had already set off, on listening to the message we were told they were fully booked ! Questions, Why was there various slots to book on the website? Why tell me to book a week in advance on the answer phone message when you can book on the day, why tell me we have availability the following Sunday, Why let people book early time slots and not answer the phone or let people know if successful or not. We have visited on numerous occasions before and receive loads of marketing emails enticing us back but today was extremely annoying We were left with nowhere to go and elderly people thinking we were going out for lunch
Restaurantji Recommends
If it wasn't for the very rude member of staff I wouldn't even be writing this, however, I don't take kindly to sarcasm as a response to my remark about the very limited 3 course meal costing £45 per head. And it turns out I wasn't the only one with this opinion as the couple behind us also expressed the same views. The village itself is beautiful but I would avoid The George if you don't like poor customer service skills.We decided to go to The Old Dog in Thorpe instead which has a much more warmer, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, with a much more varied choice on food and fairly priced.
I so wanted to love this place. I drove for an hour to get here. I hoped the slick marketing would reflect the reality. I even broke my "always check the reviews before you go" rule. But alas it was not meant to be me and The George 4ever. The place was very cold and the empty dining room had a bit of pre funeral feel so it wasn't a great start. We were left for 15 mins to read the menu. I was told "not today" when I enquired about non alcoholic drinks - maybe they had had a run on them the previous day ? , but as the sweet but slightly disinterested young women that served us didn't seem have any further suggestions I stuck with the water. Sunday lunch was served , 3 courses. Starters were pleasant enough. The main had all the required elements , the beef was quite tasty but the knife provided had little in the way of cutting ability. The cauliflower cheese was excellent as was the carrot. The plate was cold and and the food wasn't really hot enough . No further drinks were suggested so we choose a pudding - Apple and Blackberry crumble. I did ask about what it entailed but as there was some uncertainty about it - I didn't press the point. If the serving staff aren't sure then that's the chefs issue , and not their fault. What was delivered was a teaspoon of cold compote , a granola biscuit , quite hard , and a very large scoop of sweet ice cream. Not crumble really then and not quite what I had in mind on a cold October lunchtime. Further investigations revealed it was probably part of the tasting menu - it had the size and "fun" factor. Nevermind , a coffee warmed me up slightly. It was all a bit gloomy and nobody seemed to be eating and enjoying the experience with any gusto. We paid our 12% service charge and if I had been feeling it a bit more I might have mentioned the concerns but to be honest , from the noises/music coming from the kitchen it all sounded very jolly in there but this didn't seem to spill over into the restaurant so I felt a bit left out. I probably won't come back. The food produced is very insta - worthy but not quite there in real life. I see that the owner runs a small sideline in slightly sarcastic defensive responses to bad reviews and its great that he's so passionate about defending his business but if it were me , I would be a bit concerned about the numbers - the terrible , poor and average reviews are really quite high , especially if you compare these numbers against the establishments that they guest chef with. Maybe some of the points these reviews make are relevant and shouldn't be dismissed . I think if someone takes the time to leave a review maybe they just don't want the confrontation and are disappointed with the experience. But I guess sometimes the proof really is in the pudding...........
I visited The George for their tasting menu in 2021, and since they seem to have done more collaborations and one off evenings, which I can’t wait to attend again! A bit of a trek from Sheffield but worth it for sure. Wonderful food and excellent value for what you get. Definitely a premium dining experience without the premium price tag. Can’t wait to go back again.
I came here with my non foodie husband and he was blown away by it. I was worried he wouldn't enjoy it as it was a set menu but I needn't have been. The flavours in everything set the taste buds tingling and our only regret was not going for the 9 course tasting menu. Who knew cabbage could be so moreish?! Excellent service too and great value too.
What a fabulous place….very warm welcome , staff all friendly but the food was incredible. We have eaten all over the uk and abroad and this was a real stand out meal…fabulous. Can highly recommend.