The Golden Pheasant Plumley

Full of character and history, The Golden Pheasant is a cosy village inn with real fires, dog-friendly sections inside, and large gardens with a children’s play area and views of the Cheshire countryside. There’s also award-winning JW Lees cask ales and seasonal home cooked food.

Lunchtimes serve up a special set menu offering two or three courses, plus a selection of sandwiches, including hot beef, which comes with a jug of onion gravy. Also with gravy – bottomless – is “the best Sunday roast in Knutsford”. Choices include hand-carved rump of British beef, tender slow-roasted turkey breast and chef’s roast of the day, and there’s a sharing platter to divvy up between two: trio of meats with sage and onion stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, creamed potatoes, seasonal root vegetables, buttered greens, baked cauliflower cheese and homemade Yorkshire pud. Vegetarians are catered for with cauliflower cheese, while a garlic- and thyme-flavoured butternut squash roast with Meatless Farm stuffing is vegan. Other meat-free choices include a plant-based burger, vegan “meatball” linguine and red pepper, mixed bean and aubergine chilli with rice and tortilla, while other freshly prepared dishes include slow-braised lamb shank on a bed of spring onion champ and a summer dish of flatbread with grilled garlic- and herb-marinated pork loin, houmous, tzatziki, pomegranate, and tomato and red onion salad. Also from the grill, you can order steaks – sirloin, ribeye, gammon and cauliflower – while pub classics take in fish and chips (the cod is fried in a batter made from JW Lees’ golden Manchester Pale Ale) and a slice of the brewery’s “legendary” homemade three cheese and onion pie. Smaller plates include whipped goats cheese crostini, whole baked Camembert with dippy bits and Stilton mushrooms; for less cheesey options, think chicken Caesar salad, salt and pepper squid, or chorizo and butter beans.

There’s also a cheeseboard for afters, with Lancashire, Stilton and more British offerings, including a Camembert, plus apple, celery, ale chutney and biscuits. Sweet treats include baked vanilla cheesecake, chocolate brownie, crème brûlée and tipsy or traditional affogato.

Want to be the first to receive all the latest news, tips, articles, guides and updates from Confidential Guides? Sign up here.