The neighbourhood guide to Knutsford

Situated next door to thatched pub The White Bear, Cranford Cafe & Sandwich Bar is a long-serving local favourite for takeaway sandwiches and cakes and eat-in cafe fare.

If big, brash multiplexes aren’t your thing, and you don’t want to trek into the city just to see the latest release, Curzon Knutsford is a charming alternative.

With just 32 covers and a four-day week, Li-ly by Aiden Byrne is a smaller operation than the Michelin starred restaurants this acclaimed chef has headed up in the past, but it’s no less ambitious. It’s just that now his ambitions have changed.

Lost and Found, an elegant restaurant and bar in the old town hall in Knutsford has mastered the art of looking gorgeous whatever time of day you visit. In the mornings sunlight floods through the huge arched windows and sets off the burnished gold tables and bar. While in the evening the blue velvet sofas, statement lighting and and dark wood give a glamour that helps build the buzzy atmosphere it’s known for.

Evuna Knutsford is one of our recommended places to eat in our Guide to Knutsford

The Farm Club started life as a triathlon training centre before it expanded into offering a wider wellness experience. Situated on an actual farm (hence the name) in Pickmere village, near Knutsford, it offers outdoor exercise sessions, lake swimming, wellness sessions, yoga, and meditation. There’s also a cafe and a self-catering lodge.

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.

Groobarbs Wild Farm & Field Kitchen comes from the brains behind Groobox; a Cheshire-based fruit and veg delivery box service.

Farmer David and his wife Rebecca built the restaurant on their agricultural land in Knutsford to showcase the fresh produce they grow and farm daily. They live by the mantra; ‘If we can plant it, we grow it’.

Hooked on the Heath is an upmarket chippy in a former public toilet block in Knutsford. Co-owner Craig Buckley has been in the fishy business for over a decade and along with Victoria Howard and Chris Johnson they have quickly made a name for themselves with the locals.

Moseley Hall Farm is home to 250 cattle, over 2,500 sheep, and in the barn once used for newborn lambs and their ewes, The Lambing Shed Farm and Cafe.

Linden Stores is a small plates restaurant in Knutsford. Dishes are seasonal and sustainable and sometimes even foraged. There’s a focus on local ingredients and British flavours and wine is a huge part of the operation.

Piccolino Knutsford fits in perfectly with the Italianate villas and chic shops of this quirky Cheshire town. Situated on the narrow, buzzy High Street, it offers alfresco rooftop dining, a semi-private area for groups, and a second-floor bar.

There’s no shortage of ye olde pubs in Knutsford. The thatched roofed White Bear is the most ancient with a birth date of 1587, while the allegedly haunted Lord Eldon is another that’s seen 300-plus years of trade. The 17th century Rose & Crown is a relative newcomer in comparison but if it’s timber beams, latticed windows and cosy nooks you’re after, you’ll be more than happy here.

A trip to Knutsford on a sunny day isn’t complete without stopping by at The Real Fruit Creamery for a generous scoop of their handmade gelato. The good stuff is freshly made in small batches on site using real fruits, locally sourced whenever possible. Creamy, rich and allegedly lower in calories than normal ice cream (can this be true?) it’s a dessert-lovers dream.

In a little hamlet of cottages just outside Knutsford you’ll find The Roebuck Inn, an 18th-century pub that looks like it fell out of the pages of Country Living magazine. If you’re searching for for rustic, cosy dining with food that’s a level above, it won’t disappoint. 

Tatton Park is one our recommended places to visit in our Neighbourhood Guide to Knutsford