Sitting pretty, in the sweeping Derbyshire countryside between Alfreton and Matlock, after a sweet £50,000 renovation is The Fork & Furrow, the new restaurant within The White Hart Inn. This gastronomic great skidded into town in April with award-winning head chef, Adam Jones, (who was named one of the UK’s most promising chefs at just 14!), at the helm. Since then it has been wowing diners with its menu and farm to table approach to cooking.

The food is a modern take on classic British cuisine – pork and stilton Scotch eggs, dry-aged beef fillet smothered in a Thai pepper sauce, pickled ginger, tempura oyster mushroom, black garlic ketchup with a beef fat muffin for example. Local produce is at the forefront with a number of local artisanal producers populating the menu like bread from The Loaf in Crich, fresh fruit and veg from Eltwall’s Field Supplies, meat from a butcher in Tibshelf and beers brewed in The White Hart Inn’s very own sister pub, The Canal Inn in Bullbridge. The menu selection (and portion sizes) are generous so different tastes can happily dine here, there’s even choice for vegans with an entirely separate menu available.

The sustainable ethos extends to the decor too, old furniture from the previous restaurant has been repurposed where possible joining dark wood furnishings, industrial style fixtures and a whole lot of greenery including an instagrammable moss wall. The vibe is earthy, rustic and homey making it the perfect spot for both date nights and a family Sunday roast.

Too tired to roll back home? The Fork & Furrow is perfectly situated within The White Hart Inn, a boutique hotel with 17 individually designed suites to chose from. As relaxed as the restaurant, each room has a modern en-suite, flat screen TV, White Company toiletries as well as the essential fluffy white towels and crisp white linens. A few of the suites also have jacuzzi baths and balconies, there’s even a sauna with built in sound system and waterfall shower in the aptly named Hart Suite – perfect for honeymooners, romantic getaways or a super luxe relaxing treat to yourself (you know you’re worth it).

Being within the The White Hart Inn, diners at The Fork & Furrow benefit from the kind of luxuries you only get at a hotel – ample parking, gorgeous, peaceful setting and plenty of places to sit and relax with an after dinner digestif like the stunning terrace. Whether you’re on the hunt for your next flavourful foodie discovery, want fine dining but without the pretension (and tiny portions) or just after a relaxed vibe and a hearty meal, The Fork & Furrow is a destination restaurant worth travelling to.