Bird At Birtle

The big, first-floor window at the rear of Andrew Nutter’s Bird At Birtle frames the moors – and this gastropub is an ode of sorts to its impressive, rural location.

The menu is as handsome as the view. Dishes are principally British and Lancastrian recipes, artfully delivered. The menu might include a sticky slow-cooked Dingly Dell pork belly, a traditional prawn cocktail with artisanal sourdough or tempura Bury black pudding with Lancashire cheese. Nutter doesn’t shy from retro classics, and this menu makes you wonder why we don’t see more of them.

Mains, meanwhile, give you what you want, with dishes such as short rib Birtle Burger, beer-battered cod, home made bangers, and dry-aged English steaks. Expect more crowdpleasers in the dessert department.

Wines cover both showstoppers and slurpers with several bottles drawn from Nutters’ impressive cellar.